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What types of companies have female directors? Evidence from Japan

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  • Morikawa, Masayuki

Abstract

Japan is known for its low level of female engagement in senior positions. This study analyzes the determinants of the presence and number of female directors among Japanese companies. We find that, first, listed and long-established companies, subsidiaries of parent companies, and unionized companies tend not to have female directors. Second, owner-managed companies are likely to have female directors and CEOs. Third, we find no evidence of tokenism among Japanese companies, whereby female-led companies do not appoint additional females as directors. To increase the number of female executives and directors substantially, creation of new businesses is essential.

Suggested Citation

  • Morikawa, Masayuki, 2016. "What types of companies have female directors? Evidence from Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37, pages 1-7.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:japwor:v:37-38:y:2016:i::p:1-7
    DOI: 10.1016/j.japwor.2015.09.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Shuo Han & Weijun Cui & Jin Chen & Yu Fu, 2019. "Why Do Companies Choose Female CEOs?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-36, July.
    2. Shuo Han & Weijun Cui & Jin Chen & Yu Fu, 2019. "Female CEOs and Corporate Innovation Behaviors—Research on the Regulating Effect of Gender Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Joanna Tyrowicz & Siri Terjesen & Jakub Mazurek, 2017. "All on board? New evidence on board gender diversity from a large panel of firms," GRAPE Working Papers 5, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    4. Kubo, Katsuyuki & Nguyen, Thanh Thi Phuong, 2021. "Female CEOs on Japanese corporate boards and firm performance," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    5. Stefan Schmid & Felix Roedder, 2022. "Much ado about diversity? The perpetuation of old elites on corporate boards," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3263-3285, December.
    6. Joanna Tyrowicz & Hubert Drazkowski, 2024. "Gender tokenism in corporate boardrooms in Europe," GRAPE Working Papers 97, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    7. Vladan Pavlovic & Goranka Knezevic & Radica Bojicic, 2023. "Do the Profitability, the Volume of Assets, and Equity of Public Enterprises Have Any Role in Local Authorities' Gender and Age Policy? – A Case Study of Belgrade," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 172-191.
    8. Tanaka, Takanori, 2019. "Gender diversity on Japanese corporate boards," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 19-31.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female director; Board diversity; Tokenism; Owner-managed company;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • 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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