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Does Gender-Balancing the Board Reduce Firm Value?

Author

Listed:
  • B. Espen Eckbo

    (Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI))

  • Knut Nygaard

    (Oslo Business School, Oslo Akershus University College of Applied Sciences)

  • Karin S. Thorburn

    (Norwegian School of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI))

Abstract

This research advances the hypothesis that female leaders (CEO, chair, and director) of a microfinance institution (MFI) give more priority to the poorest families in loan provision than male leaders. We differentiate between a depth and a width dimension of financial inclusion. The data set is a unique global panel of MFIs collected from MFI raters’ reports. Our sample is also unique in the sense that about one third of all MFIs have a female CEO. The problem of endogeneity for the female leader is resolved by running Heckman’s two-step endogenous dummy variable estimation with instrument for the female leader. We find evidence for greater depth financial inclusion (smaller average loan, more gender biased) with a female leader, but not for width financial inclusion (credit client growth). The female leaders exhibit greater altruism, greater competition avoidance, but not greater risk aversion than male peers.

Suggested Citation

  • B. Espen Eckbo & Knut Nygaard & Karin S. Thorburn, 2016. "Does Gender-Balancing the Board Reduce Firm Value?," Working Papers 201602, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:oml:wpaper:201602
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ferreira, Daniel & Ginglinger, Edith & Laguna, Marie-Aude & Skalli, Yasmine, 2017. "Board Quotas and Director-Firm Matching," CEPR Discussion Papers 12117, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Garanina, Tatiana & Muravyev, Alexander, 2021. "The gender composition of corporate boards and firm performance: Evidence from Russia," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    4. Dayana Mastura Baharudin & Maran Marimuthu, 2020. "The Senior Independent Director’s Evolving Role Across the Top 100 Malaysian PLCs: MCCG 2012 vs MCCG 2017," Business Management and Strategy, Macrothink Institute, vol. 11(2), pages 79-93, December.
    5. Kilian Huber & Volker Lindenthal & Fabian Waldinger, 2021. "Discrimination, Managers, and Firm Performance: Evidence from “Aryanizations” in Nazi Germany," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(9), pages 2455-2503.
    6. Meier, Kristina & Niessen-Ruenzi, Alexandra & Ruenzi, Stefan, 2018. "The impact of role models on women's self-selection in competitive environments," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181589, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Irma Martinez-Garcia & Silvia Gomez-Anson, 2020. "Regulación de género en los consejos de administración: El papel moderador del entorno institucional," CNMV Documentos de Trabajo CNMV Documentos de Trabaj, CNMV- Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores - Departamento de Estudios y Estadísticas.
    8. Donato Masciandaro & Paola Profeta & Davide Romelli, 2020. "Do Women Matter in Monetary Policy Boards?," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 20148, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    9. Ding, Rong & Duan, Tinghua & Hou, Wenxuan & Liu, Xianda & Xu, Ziwei, 2022. "Do women drive corporate social responsibility? Evidence from gender diversity reforms around the world," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Sato, Yoshihiro & Ando, Michihito, 2017. "Does Assigning More Women to Managerial Positions Enhance Firm Productivity? Evidence from Sweden," EIJS Working Paper Series 242, Stockholm School of Economics, The European Institute of Japanese Studies.
    11. Tyrefors, Björn & Jansson, Joakim, 2017. "Gender Quotas in the Board Room and Firm Performance: Evidence from a Credible Threat in Sweden," Working Paper Series 1165, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    12. Gattai, Valeria & Natale, Piergiovanna & Rossi, Francesca, 2023. "Board diversity and outward FDI: Evidence from europe," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Koray Aktas & Valeria Gattai & Piergiovanna Natale, 2021. "Board Gender Quotas and Outward Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from France," Working Papers 485, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Dec 2021.
    14. Frattaroli, Marc, 2020. "Does protectionist anti-takeover legislation lead to managerial entrenchment?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 106-136.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female leadership; Financial access; Microfinance institutions; Cross-country panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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