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The Gender Gap Among Top Business Executives

Author

Listed:
  • Wolfgang Keller

    (University of Colorado)

  • Teresa Molina

    (University of Hawaii)

  • William W. Olney

    (University of Hawaii)

Abstract

This paper examines gender differences among top business executives using a large executive-employer matched data set spanning the last quarter century. Female executives make up 6.2% of the sample and we find they exhibit more labor market churning – both higher entry and higher exit rates. Unconditionally, women earn 26% less than men, which decreases to 7.9% once executive characteristics, firm characteristics, and in particular job title are accounted for. The paper explores the extent to which firm-level temporal flexibility and corporate culture can explain these gender differences. Although we find that women tend to select into firms with temporal flexibility and a female-friendly corporate culture, there is no evidence that this sorting drives the gender pay gap. However, we do find evidence that corporate culture affects pay gaps within firms: the within-firm gender pay gap disappears entirely at female-friendly firms. Overall, while both corporate culture and flexibility affect the female share of employment, only corporate culture influences the gender pay gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolfgang Keller & Teresa Molina & William W. Olney, 2020. "The Gender Gap Among Top Business Executives," Working Papers 202024, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hai:wpaper:202024
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    File URL: http://www.economics.hawaii.edu/research/workingpapers/WP_20-24.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Corekcioglu, Gozde & Francesconi, Marco & Kunze, Astrid, 2024. "Expansions in paid parental leave and mothers’ economic progress," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    3. Bharti Nandwani & Punarjit Roychowdhury, 2024. "Property inheritance rights and female political participation in India," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2024-012, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    4. Tomás R. Martinez & Antonio Martins-Neto & Ursula Mello, 2024. "Gender and Top Lifetime Earnings Inequality: Ten New Facts from Brazil," Business and Economics Working Papers 242, Unidade de Negocios e Economia, Insper.
    5. Ahmed, Shaker & Ranta, Mikko & Vähämaa, Emilia & Vähämaa, Sami, 2023. "Facial attractiveness and CEO compensation: Evidence from the banking industry," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    6. Khoo, Joye & Cheung, Adrian (Wai Kong), 2024. "Subordinate executives’ horizon and cash holdings," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    7. repec:mcd:mcddps:2024_09 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Krafft, Caroline, 2025. "Do employers discriminate against married women? Evidence from a field experiment in Egypt," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    9. Raina, Gurdeep Singh & Sahaym, Arvin & Sheppard, Leah D., 2024. "The more the merrier? Exploring the effect of women on boards on the gender pay gap in top management teams," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • J82 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Labor Force Composition
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions

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