Women Directors' Roles on Corporate Boards: Insights from a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Previous research on women directors mostly explores the link between women directors and firm performance. The potential mediators explaining this link are largely under-researched. In our exploratory paper, we investigate women directors’ roles in interviews with female and male board members. In the perception of board members, women directors widen the board’s perspectives as unique experts, they objectify discussions, and they act as mediators. By giving first indications on when and how women directors fulfil these roles, our study contributes to the literature on why women directors are sometimes found to enhance firm performance and sometimes they are not.