Promote Gender Diversity Research Articles

To Regulate Or Not To Regulate? Early Evidence on the Means Used Around the World to Promote Gender Diversity in the Boardroom

Despite the growing public concern in recent years about the place of women in business, gender diversity in corporate governance has made little progress. As a consequence, the issue has captured the worldwide attention of policymakers. Several countries are currently adopting or considering the adoption of laws or regulations to promote gender diversity on corporate boards. The purpose of this paper is to compare the effectiveness of using legislative or regulatory means to increase female representation instead of allowing firms to voluntarily fix their own non‐legally binding targets. We find that the relation between gender diversity and performance is positive in countries using the voluntary approach while it is negative in countries using the regulatory approach. We conclude that public policy aimed at increasing the number of women on corporate boards should be introduced gradually and voluntarily rather than quickly and coercively to avoid sub‐optimal board composition.

Are Women Better Bankers to the Poor? Evidence from Rural Microfinance Institutions

Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) provide financial services to the poor and in many ways resemble both banks and non‐profit organizations. Many MFIs target women because more women than men are poor, especially in rural areas. Studies show that women manage money differently from men and have different leadership styles. Thus, in credit unions and financial firms, female and male managers achieve different results. In microfinance, gender diversity on the board of MFIs is beneficial, and loans authorized by female loan officers have lower default rates. Motivated by these findings, we ask whether MFIs with a female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) are more efficient at serving the poor without jeopardizing financial sustainability. We adapt the banking approach to managerial (in)efficiency to account for the outreach and sustainability goals of the MFIs, and evaluate whether MFIs' outreach efficiency differs by the gender of their respective CEOs. We estimate a stochastic frontier cost function using the Battese‐Coelli (1995) model and the “true” random effects estimators using panel data from over 250 MFIs. We find that MFIs with female CEOs have significantly higher outreach efficiency than MFIs with male CEOs. Similar results are found with a two‐step stochastic frontier approach. Overall, the results suggest that promoting gender diversity at the top levels of MFI management is likely to have both social and financial benefits.

Two Sides of Sexism: How Sexist Attitudes May Undermine and Promote Gender Diversity

Contrary to past research that postulates negative effects of sexism on gender diversity promotion, drawing on ambivalent sexism theory we argue that the effects of sexism are more complex and that...

Nonprofit management practices and work processes to promote gender diversity

AbstractNonprofit organizations have long provided an important space for women to establish roles in public life. Using establishment‐level data on for‐profit and nonprofit organizations, we show that the proportions of women in full‐time and mission‐critical positions are higher in nonprofits. In contrast, for‐profit businesses have more women in part‐time jobs and in jobs that are peripheral to the organizational purpose. We also demonstrate that the greater proportions of women in full‐time and mission‐critical positions in nonprofits are due to the use of inclusive work processes and transparent human resource management practices. Our findings provide evidence to pursue the aspects of nonprofit organizations that expand opportunities for working women.

Gender differences in personality scores: Implications for differential hiring rates

We investigated the extent to which gender differences in personality test scores used in a personnel selection context are likely to cause differential hiring rates. Participants were candidates ( N = 572) applying for positions at an oil refinery. Candidates completed both facet-level and broad Five Factor Model (FFM) personality measures. Focusing on the FFM broad traits of Extraversion and Conscientiousness, we found that generally there was less adverse impact when using FFM broad traits as compared to facet-level traits. When facet-level traits were reflective of agency – an underlying need to be autonomous, or communion – a need to be part of a larger social entity, they led to differential hiring rates for men or women. This problem was greatly reduced when using the FFM broad traits. When used for personnel selection, the use of FFM broad traits may help to promote gender diversity in the workplace.

Promoting Gender Diversity Research in Slovakia within 7th Framework Programme

The article highlights 7th FP project „Improving gender diversity management in materials research institutions“ from the point of view one from 13 project partners and its role in the project, the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology (MTF) STU in Bratislava, Slovakia. The focus is put on the problem of under-representation of women in research and decision making processes and effort to support the institutional culture change for a greater inclusiveness of women scientists in materials research organisations. Finally, the authors would like to exchange and share their Slovak gender issues experience with other colleagues, professionals to contribute for an optimum development of European Research.

Under-Achievement and the Glass Ceiling: Evidence from a TV Game Show

We use a Colombian TV game show to test gender differences in competitivebehavior where there is no opportunity for discrimination and females face no genderspecificexternal constraints. Each game started with six contestants who had toanswer general knowledge questions in private. There were five rounds of questionsand, at the end of each, one participant was eliminated. Despite equality in startingnumbers, women earn less than men and exit the game at a faster rate. In particular,there are more voluntary withdrawals by women than men. We draw an analogybetween the game and the process by which employees rise through the levels of acorporation. As such, we note that glass ceilings may result, in part, from women sown behavior and this raises the issue of how women are socialized to behave. At thesame time, our results illustrate that maintaining and promoting gender diversity at thelower/middle ranks of organizations is necessary to obtain gender diversity at the top.

Are Immigrants a Drain on the Public Fisc? State and Local Impacts in New Jersey

Objectives. To explore differences in the appointment and election method of selecting state high court justices in promoting gender diversity, and to explore the effect of existing gender diversity within the political institutions on the selection of women to office. Methods. Our data include all justices who have been selected to state courts of last resort from 1980 through 1997. We use logistic regression analysis to test the effect of existing gender diversity on a high court on the likelihood that a woman will be selected to fill a vacancy. Results. Women are significantly more likely to be selected to a state high court when initially appointed, and this effect is particularly pronounced when the governor is Democratic. When an appointment system is used, women are much more likely to be appointed to an all‐male court than to a gender‐diverse court. Conclusions. Appointment systems are more likely to create gender diversity on state courts; however, this effect operates primarily to diversify all‐male courts. This difference between appointment and election systems may reflect differences in knowledge between elite actors and the mass public about the composition of the institution.

Existing Diversity and Judicial Selection: The Role of the Appointment Method in Establishing Gender Diversity in State Supreme Courts

Objectives. To explore differences in the appointment and election method of selecting state high court justices in promoting gender diversity, and to explore the effect of existing gender diversity within the political institutions on the selection of women to office. Methods. Our data include all justices who have been selected to state courts of last resort from 1980 through 1997. We use logistic regression analysis to test the effect of existing gender diversity on a high court on the likelihood that a woman will be selected to fill a vacancy. Results. Women are significantly more likely to be selected to a state high court when initially appointed, and this effect is particularly pronounced when the governor is Democratic. When an appointment system is used, women are much more likely to be appointed to an all‐male court than to a gender‐diverse court. Conclusions. Appointment systems are more likely to create gender diversity on state courts; however, this effect operates primarily to diversify all‐male courts. This difference between appointment and election systems may reflect differences in knowledge between elite actors and the mass public about the composition of the institution.