The Vital Role of Gender Diversity on Corporate Outcomes: The Need for Empirical Studies concerning Frontier Markets

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to review empirical studies related to gender diversity on corporate outcomes and suggest the need for more empirical research on gender diversity in frontier markets. Several empirical studies have identified the need for a critical mass of female directors and executives in corporate firms. This review further justifies the clamour for more female representation on boards globally. Nigeria is a country that has very weak corporate governance compared to the United States (US) and other developed countries. Therefore, the present study suggests that more empirical studies in this area should be carried out and widely explored. It is hoped that capital market regulatory authority can consider the need for 35% women in public institutions and corporate settings. In other words, there is an urgent need for the implementation of this policy as this would have implications for women’s development and career planning.

Keywords: Gender diversity, Corporate governance, Corporate outcomes, NEEDS, Nigeria