Women on Boards, Selection Processes & Dynamics: Pushing Boundaries with New Research Approaches

Abstract

The under-representation of women on corporate boards (WoCB), a proxy for women in economic decision-making, continues to be a subject of substantive interest to practitioners, policymakers, and academics across the world. The number of academic publications has proliferated since 2008, but with a stalled focus on either regulatory impact or input-output studies trying to link the numbers of women to some level of firm performance. Academics have a role to play in moving the discussion forward, and therefore must work more closely with businesses to develop new approaches to women on corporate board research. This symposium seeks to progress board research by exploring new aspects of and approaches to the fundamental elements of board composition, dynamics, and the ‘black box’ of boardroom behaviour. We present five projects, with 16 academics, ranging from doctoral student to full professor, representing 13 institutions, across six countries. There is one conceptual paper and four empirical papers with methods ranging from the use of surveys, to qualitative comparative analysis, to board observations and time analysis. Three of the papers focus on aspects of composition and director selection, considering intended and unintended consequences; three consider the influencing factors and processes on and of the diverse composition of board and top-management team; two question the distinctions between surface and deep-level diversity, and two mainly consider board dynamics, translating how that composition may ultimately influence board behavior. Two established WoCB discussants will pull together the key findings and suggest new ways forward. Integrating identity into director selection process and structure Presenter: Cynthia E. Clark; Bentley U. Presenter: Patricia Gabaldon; IE Business School Is Corporate Executive Diversity Only Skin Deep? Presenter: Johanne Grosvold; U. of Bath Female Directors in the CEO In-Group and New Female Director Appointments Presenter: Ting Yao; U. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Presenter: Corinne A. Post; Lehigh U. Presenter: Diana Bilimoria; Case Western Reserve U. Board Gender Diversity and Board Dynamics: What is Going On Inside the Boardroom? Presenter: Claude Francoeur; HEC Montreal Presenter: Caroline Aubé; HEC Montreal Presenter: Samuel Sponem; HEC Montréal Presenter: Michel Séguin; U. du Québec à Montréal Presenter: Faranak Farzaneh; HEC Montréal Behind the Numbers: Boardroom Processes that Increase Womens Participation on Corporate Boards Presenter: Louise Tilbury; U. of Exeter Business School Presenter: Ruth Sealy; U. of Exeter Business School