Getting Women on Board: Some Reflections on Research on Board Gender Diversity

Abstract

Al-Shaer and Harakeh (2020) and Lopatta et al. (2020) study different aspects of the relationship between board gender diversity and corporate outcomes, respectively executive compensation and non-financial performance. In this discussion, we offer a broad overview of the main results of both studies, provide some points of discussion in relationship to these specific studies, and elaborate on a number of additional points that link the current studies to the broader literature on board gender diversity and gender research in accounting more generally. We conclude with some suggestions for future research.

Keywords: gender, board of directors, diversity, equality, corporate governance

JEL Classification: M41, M48, J16, G34