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Women and Multiple Board Memberships: Social Capital and Institutional Pressure

Author

Listed:
  • Alessandra Rigolini

    (University of Pisa)

  • Morten Huse

    (BI Norwegian Business School)

Abstract

We show unintended consequences of quota regulations to get women on boards. Board members may have different characteristics, and even among women, there are variations. We assume that the characteristics of the board members have an influence on their contributions to boards, to businesses as well as to society. In this paper, we argue that different types of societal pressure to get women on boards have an influence on the social capital characteristics of the women getting multiple board memberships. The paper is drawing on institutional theory and social capital theory, and we distinguish between mimetic, normative, and coercive types of pressure. Through a cluster analysis of 58 Italian “golden skirts”, we show that different types of societal pressure may lead to differences in social capital characteristics. The study has implications for the ongoing international debate about women and diversity on boards, and we propose developing a pressure theory for getting women on boards.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandra Rigolini & Morten Huse, 2021. "Women and Multiple Board Memberships: Social Capital and Institutional Pressure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 443-459, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:169:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04313-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04313-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amalia Carrasco & Claude Francoeur & Réal Labelle & Joaquina Laffarga & Emiliano Ruiz-Barbadillo, 2015. "Appointing Women to Boards: Is There a Cultural Bias?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 429-444, June.
    2. Cathrine Seierstad & Gillian Warner-Søderholm & Mariateresa Torchia & Morten Huse, 2017. "Increasing the Number of Women on Boards: The Role of Actors and Processes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 289-315, March.
    3. Seierstad, Cathrine & Opsahl, Tore, 2011. "For the few not the many? The effects of affirmative action on presence, prominence, and social capital of women directors in Norway," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 44-54, March.
    4. Mehdi Nekhili & Hayette Gatfaoui, 2013. "Are Demographic Attributes and Firm Characteristics Drivers of Gender Diversity? Investigating Women’s Positions on French Boards of Directors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 227-249, December.
    5. Mariateresa Torchia & Andrea Calabrò & Morten Huse, 2011. "Women Directors on Corporate Boards: From Tokenism to Critical Mass," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(2), pages 299-317, August.
    6. Adams, Renée B. & Ferreira, Daniel, 2009. "Women in the boardroom and their impact on governance and performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 291-309, November.
    7. Farrell, Kathleen A. & Hersch, Philip L., 2005. "Additions to corporate boards: the effect of gender," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 85-106, March.
    8. Alberto Rinaldi & Michelangelo Vasta, 2003. "The structure of Italian capitalism, 1952-1972: New evidence using the interlocking directorates technique," Department of Economics 0426, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    9. Singh, Val & Terjesen, Siri & Vinnicombe, Susan, 2008. "Newly appointed directors in the boardroom:: How do women and men differ," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 48-58, February.
    10. Craig Peterson & James Philpot, 2007. "Women’s Roles on U.S. Fortune 500 Boards: Director Expertise and Committee Memberships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 72(2), pages 177-196, May.
    11. Réal Labelle & Claude Francoeur & Faten Lakhal, 2015. "To Regulate Or Not To Regulate? Early Evidence on the Means Used Around the World to Promote Gender Diversity in the Boardroom," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 339-363, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunqing Liu & Zekun Dai & Yiting Wu & Fang Da, 2023. "How the Social Relations Affect Performance in Chinese High-tech New Ventures: The Role of Legitimacy Acquisition and Symbolic Strategy," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    2. Giovanna Campopiano & Patricia Gabaldón & Daniela Gimenez-Jimenez, 2023. "Women Directors and Corporate Social Performance: An Integrative Review of the Literature and a Future Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 717-746, January.

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