Board Gender Diversity and Firm Performance

Abstract

This chapter aims at investigating board gender diversity and firm performance by integrating two theoretical backgrounds (agency theory and institutional theory). Board gender diversity has been investigated by using firm level theories such as agency theory and stewardship theory. Resource dependence theory, which links the board to the external environment of the firm, was also implemented in order to better understand how board gender diversity would affect firm performance. However, results were inconsistent. This study tries to integrate agency theory with institutional theory under the assumption that firms are affected by endogenous and exogenous factors that would eventually affect its outcomes such as performance.