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Playing the Boys Game: Golf Buddies and Board Diversity

Author

Listed:
  • Sumit Agarwal
  • Wenlan Qian
  • David M. Reeb
  • Tien Foo Sing

Abstract

We study the participation of women in golf, a predominately male social activity, and its influence on their likelihood of serving on a board of directors. Exploiting a novel dataset of all golfers in Singapore, we find that woman golfers enjoy a 54% higher likelihood of serving on a board relative to male golfers. A woman's probability of serving on the board in a large firm or in a predominately male industry increases by 117% to 125% when she plays golf. Joining the boy's informal network appears to facilitate women's entrance or success in the executive labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Sumit Agarwal & Wenlan Qian & David M. Reeb & Tien Foo Sing, 2016. "Playing the Boys Game: Golf Buddies and Board Diversity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(5), pages 272-276, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:106:y:2016:i:5:p:272-76
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20161033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Yongqiang Chu & Xinming Li & Daxuan Zhao, 2023. "Gender Diversity: From Wall Street to Main Street," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 151-168, November.
    4. Oladipo, Oluwasheyi S. & Platt, Katarzyna & Shim, Hyoung Suk, 2020. "Managerial Performance of a Female-Owned and Home-Based Firm," IZA Discussion Papers 13981, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Nguyen, Thi Hong Hanh & Ntim, Collins G. & Malagila, John K., 2020. "Women on corporate boards and corporate financial and non-financial performance: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    6. Mukhammadyusuf Shaymardanov & Suvi Heikkinen & Anna-Maija Lämsä, 2023. "Social Networks of Women in Organizations: Evolution of Research and Future Research Agenda," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 12(1), pages 97-112, April.
    7. Zoë Cullen & Ricardo Perez-Truglia, 2023. "The Old Boys' Club: Schmoozing and the Gender Gap," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(7), pages 1703-1740, July.
    8. Luo, Jin-hui & Peng, Chenchen & Zhang, Xin, 2020. "The impact of CFO gender on corporate fraud: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    9. Britta Rude, 2022. "The Critical Role of Social Leaders in the Spread of Social Movements against Gender-Based Violence on Twitter," ifo Working Paper Series 383, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    10. Field, Laura Casares & Souther, Matthew E. & Yore, Adam S., 2020. "At the table but can not break through the glass ceiling:Board leadership positions elude diverse directors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(3), pages 787-814.
    11. Arjun Mitra & Corinne Post & Steve Sauerwald, 2021. "Evaluating Board Candidates: A Threat-Contingency Model of Shareholder Dissent Against Female Director Candidates," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(1), pages 86-110, January.
    12. Agarwal, Sumit & Green, Richard & Rosenblatt, Eric & Yao, Vincent W. & Zhang, Jian, 2018. "Gender difference and intra-household economic power in mortgage signing order," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 86-100.
    13. Ye, Dezhu & Deng, Jie & Liu, Yi & Szewczyk, Samuel H. & Chen, Xiao, 2019. "Does board gender diversity increase dividend payouts? Analysis of global evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-26.
    14. Flory, Jeffrey A. & Leibbrandt, Andreas & Rott, Christina & Stoddard, Olga B., 2021. "Signals from On High and the Power of Growth Mindset: A Natural Field Experiment in Attracting Minorities to High-Profile Positions," IZA Discussion Papers 14383, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Dane P. Blevins & Steve Sauerwald & Jenny M. Hoobler & Christopher J. Robertson, 2019. "Gender Differences in Pay Levels: An Examination of the Compensation of University Presidents," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 600-616, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions

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