Gender Difference in Profit Performance—Evidence from the Owners of Small Public Accounting Practices in Taiwan

Abstract

This study aims to investigate whether the significant difference of the firm’s profit performance exits between the male-owned and female-owned small accounting firms. Using data from 1992-2008 small public accounting practice in Taiwan, this study uses a panel data model to estimate the coefficients and to examine the association between gender variable and the firm’s profit performance. The findings reveal that the significant difference in profit performance exists between male-owned and female-owned firms in sample. The study can clarify the effects of owner’s gender on financial performance of businesses with the explanations that female owners adopt the different management strategies from the male owners. The study also implies that female-owned small businesses are easier to acquire external funds because of their lower risk preference, since the female owners can ensure stable collection of principal and interest. Our study contributes to our understanding of the differences in the profit performance between male-owned and female-owned CPA firms. Not merely can the results of this empirical study provide valuable research implications for women entrepreneurs in the professional accounting practice, but they also provide supplementary in existing accounting literature.