SAM ADVANCED MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

Does Gender Diversity Really Matter In Risk And Firm Performance?

Zeeshan Ahmed and Muhammad Asif Zaheer

DOI:

Citation: Ahmed, Z. & Zaheer, M.A. (2023). Does gender diversity really matter in risk and firm performance. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 88(4),15-38.

Abstract

The study observed the role of gender diversity between risk and performance of non-financial firms in Pakistan. The study selected the firms with diverse genders in board like male and female members. The data for analysis is obtained from annual financial statements of non- financial firms listed on PSX from 2011–2020. Dynamic panel model is adopted due to endogeneity concerns and two step system GMM panel estimator is applied to erase the endogeneity in the model. The study also tested the model in family owned, non-family owned, large size and small size firms for robustness of results. Moreover, the quintile regression was also run for empirical testing. It is explored that both male and female have different risk propensity i.e. males are risk taker while females avoid risk. However, risk significantly declines the firm performance. The gender diversity in board of directors minimizes the risk that helps to improve the firm performance. Both men and women try to increase the firm performance but the level of firm performance varies with respect of gender diversity. This effect is more pronounced in family owned and large size firms. Firms should focus on board gender disparity because greater the gender disparity reduces the firm risk and improves the performance of firm. The study attempts to contribute in prior work with the risk propensity in genders diversity. Moreover, the role of gender diversity between risk and firm performance in a dynamic panel model. The aforementioned relationship is also tested in family owned, non-family owned, large size and small size firms.

References

Abdullah, S. N., Ismail, K. N. I. K., & Nachum, L. (2015). Does having women on boards create value? The impact of societal perceptions and corporate governance in emerging markets. Strategic Management Journal, 37(3), 466–476. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2352

Adams, R. B., & Ferreira, D. (2004). Gender Diversity in the Boardroom. SSRN Electronic Journal , 57, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.594506

Adams, R. B., & Ferreira, D. (2009). Women in the boardroom and their impact on governance and performance. Journal of Financial Economics, 94(2), 291–309.

Adams, R. B., & Funk, P. (2012). Beyond the glass ceiling: Does gender matter? Management Science, 58(2), 219–235.

Adeusi, S. O., Akeke, N. I., Adebisi, O. S., & Oladunjoye, O. (2014). Risk management and financial performance of banks in Nigeria. Risk Management, 6(31), 123–129.

Afolabi, T. S., Obamuyi, T. M., & Egbetunde, T. (2020). Credit risk and financial performance: Evidence from microfinance banks in Nigeria. IOSR Journal of Economics and Finance, 11(1), 8–15.

Ahern, K. R., & Dittmar, A. K. (2012). The changing of the boards: The impact on firm valuation of mandated female board representation. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 127(1), 137–197. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjr049

Al-Matari, E., Al-Swidi, A. K., & Fadzil, F. H. B. (2014). The measurements of firm performance dimensions. Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting, 6(1), 241–251.

Ali, M., & Konrad, A. M. (2017). Antecedents and consequences of diversity and equality management systems: The importance of gender diversity in the TMT and lower to middle management. European Management Journal, 35(4), 440–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2017.02.002

Amihud, Y., & Mendelson, H. (2008). Liquidity, the value of the firm, and corporate finance. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 20(2), 32–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6622.2008.00179.x

Antoniou, A., Guney, Y., & Paudyal, K. (2006). The determinants of debt maturity structure: Evidence from France, Germany and the UK. European Financial Management, 12(2), 161–194. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1354-7798.2006.00315.x

Armstrong, C., Flood, P. C., Guthrie, J. P., Liu, W., MacCurtain, S., & Mkamwa, T. (2020). The impact of diversity and equality management on firm performance: Beyond high performance work systems. Human Resource Management, 49(6), 977–998. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20391

Aruwa, S. A., & Musa, A. O. (2014). Risk components and the financial performance of deposit money banks in Nigeria. International Journal of Social Sciences and Entrepreneurship, 1(11), 514–522.

Barber, B. M., & Odean, T. (2001). Boys will be boys: Gender, overconfidence, and common stock investment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(1), 261–292.

Barua, A., Davidson, L. F., Rama, D. V., & Thiruvadi, S. (2010). CFO gender and accruals quality. Accounting Horizons, 24(1), 25–39. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch.2010.24.1.25

Bernasek, A., & Shwiff, S. (2001). Gender, risk, and retirement. Journal of Economic Issues, 35(2), 345–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/00213624.2001.11506368

Bettis, R. A. (1981). Performance differences in related and unrelated diversified firms. Strategic Management Journal, 2(4), 379–393. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250020406

Boubaker, S., Dang, R., & Nguyen, D. K. (2014). Does board gender diversity improve the performance of French listed firms? Gestion 2000, 31(1), 259. https://doi.org/10.3917/g2000.311.0259

Bowman, E. H. (1982). Risk seeking by troubled firms. Sloan Management Review, 23, 33–43.

Brammer, S., Millington, A., & Pavelin, S. (2007). Gender and ethnic diversity among UK corporate boards. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 15(2), 393–403. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8683.2007.00569.x

Brooks, P., & Zank, H. (2005). Loss averse behavior. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 31(3), 301–325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11166-005-5105-7

Burke, R. J. (1994). Women on corporate boards of directors. Women in Management Review, 9(5), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1108/09649429410066974

Byrnes, J. P., Miller, D. C., & Schafer, W. D. (1999). Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 125(3), 367–383. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.125.3.367

Campbell, K., & Mínguez-Vera, A. (2008). Gender diversity in the boardroom and firm financial performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 83(3), 435–451.

Carrasco, A., Francoeur, C., Labelle, R., Laffarga, J., & Ruiz-Barbadillo, E. (2014). Appointing women to boards: Is there a cultural bias? Journal of Business Ethics, 129(2), 429–444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2166-z

Carter, D. A., D’Souza, F. P., Simkins, B. J., & Simpson, W. G. (2008). The Diversity of Corporate Board Committees and Financial Performance. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1106698

Carter, D. A., Simkins, B. J., & Simpson, W. G. (2003). Corporate governance, board diversity, and firm value. The Financial Review, 38(1), 33–53.

Charness, G., & Gneezy, U. (2012). Strong evidence for gender differences in risk taking. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 83(1), 50–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2011.06.007

Chrobot-Mason, D., & Aramovich, N. P. (2013). The psychological benefits of creating an affirming climate for workplace diversity. Group & Organization Management, 38(6), 659–689. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601113509835

Croson, R., & Gneezy, U. (2009). Gender differences in preferences. Journal of Economic Literature, 47(2), 448–474.

Dang, R., Nguyen, D. K., & Vo, L. C. (2013). Women on corporate boards and firm performance: A comparative study. Retrieved from EM Lyon Business School website: http://events.em-lyon.com/AFFI/Papers/252.pdf.

Devie, D., Liman, L. P., Tarigan, J., & Jie, F. (2019). Corporate social responsibility, financial performance and risk in Indonesian natural resources industry. Social Responsibility Journal, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1108/srj-06-2018-0155

Dezsö, C. L., & Ross, D. G. (2012). Does female representation in top management improve firm performance? A panel data investigation. Strategic Management Journal, 33(9), 1072–1089.

Diekman, A. B., Eagly, A. H., & Kulesa, P. (2002). Accuracy and bias in stereotypes about the social and political attitudes of women and men. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(3), 268–282. https://doi.org/10.1006/jesp.2001.1511

Eckel, C. C., & Grossman, P. J. (2008). Men, women and risk aversion: Experimental evidence. Handbook of Experimental Economics Results, (1), 1061–1073.

Ekinci, R., & Poyraz, G. (2019). The effect of credit risk on financial performance of deposit banks in Turkey. Procedia Computer Science, 158, 979–987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2019.09.139

Ellinger, A. D., Ellinger, A. E., Yang, B., & Howton, S. W. (2002). The relationship between the learning organization concept and firms’ financial performance: An empirical assessment. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 13(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.1010

Erhardt, N. L., Werbel, J. D., & Shrader, C. B. (2003). Board of director diversity and firm financial performance. Corporate Governance, 11(2), 102–111.

Ertac, S., & Gurdal, M. Y. (2012). Deciding to decide: Gender, leadership and risk-taking in groups. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 83(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2011.06.009

Faccio, M., Marchica, M.-T., & Mura, R. (2016). CEO gender, corporate risk-taking, and the efficiency of capital allocation. Journal of Corporate Finance, 39, 193–209.

Fauzi, F., Basyith, A., & Ho, P.-L. (2017). Women on boardroom: Does it create risk? Cogent Economics & Finance, 5(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2017.1325117

Fehr-Duda, H., de Gennaro, M., & Schubert, R. (2006). Gender, financial risk, and probability weights. Theory and Decision, 60(2), 283–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-005-4590-0

Francoeur, C., Labelle, R., & Sinclair-Desgagné, B. (2008). Gender diversity in corporate governance and top management. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(1), 83–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9482-5

Gadzo, S. G., Kportorgbi, H. K., & Gatsi, J. G. (2019). Credit risk and operational risk on financial performance of universal banks in Ghana: A partial least squared structural equation model (PLS SEM) approach. Cogent Economics & Finance, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2019.1589406

Gallego-Álvarez, I., García-Sánchez, I. M., & Rodríguez-Dominguez, L. (2010). The influence of gender diversity on corporate performance. Revista de Contabilidad, 13(1), 53–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1138-4891(10)70012-1

Gaud, P., Jani, E., Hoesli, M., & Bender, A. (2005). The capital structure of Swiss companies: An empirical analysis using dynamic panel data. European Financial Management, 11(1), 51–69. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1354-7798.2005.00275.x

Gul, F. A., Srinidhi, B., & Ng, A. C. (2011). Does board gender diversity improve the informativeness of stock prices? Journal of Accounting and Economics, 51(3), 314–338.

Gyapong, E., Ahmed, A., Ntim, C. G., & Nadeem, M. (2019). Board gender diversity and dividend policy in Australian listed firms: The effect of ownership concentration. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-019-09672-2

Huang, J., & Kisgen, D. J. (2013). Gender and corporate finance: Are male executives overconfident relative to female executives? Journal of Financial Economics, 108(3), 822–839.

Iqbal, N. (2013). Role of employee motivation on employee′s commitment in the context of banking sector of D.G.KHAN, Pakistan. Journal of Human Resource Management, 1(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jhrm.20130101.11

Isanzu, J. S. (2017). The impact of credit risk on the financial performance of Chinese banks. Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, 2(3), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.18775/jibrm.1849-8558.2015.23.3002

Isidro, H., & Sobral, M. (2014). The effects of women on corporate boards on firm value, financial performance, and ethical and social compliance. Journal of Business Ethics, 132(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2302-9

Javed, M., Saeed, R., Lodhi, R. N., & Malik, Q. U. Z. (2013). The effect of board size and structure on firm financial performance: A case of banking sector in Pakistan. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 15(2), 243–251.

Jianakoplos, N. A., & Bernasek, A. (1998). Are women more risk averse? Economic Inquiry, 36(4), 620–630. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-7295.1998.tb01740.x

Kamas, L., & Preston, A. (2012). The importance of being confident; gender, career choice, and willingness to compete. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 83(1), 82–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2011.06.013

Kassi, D. F., Rathnayake, D. N., Louembe, P. A., & Ding, N. (2019). Market risk and financial performance of non-financial companies listed on the Moroccan stock exchange. Risks, 7(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.3390/risks7010020

Kılıç, M., & Kuzey, C. (2016). The effect of board gender diversity on firm performance: Evidence from Turkey. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 31(7), 434–455.

Kruger, P., Landier, A., & Thesmar, D. (2015). The WACC fallacy: The real effects of using a unique discount rate. The Journal of Finance, 70(3), 1253–1285. https://doi.org/10.1111/jofi.12250

Labelle, R., Francoeur, C., & Lakhal, F. (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 & Organization, 22(4), 339–363. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12091

Larraza-Kintana, M., Wiseman, R. M., Gomez-Mejia, L. R., & Welbourne, T. M. (2007). Disentangling compensation and employment risks using the behavioral agency model. Strategic Management Journal, 28(10), 1001–1019. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.624

Leland, H. E. (1998). Agency costs, risk management, and capital structure. The Journal of Finance, 53(4), 1213–1243. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-1082.00051

Lelgo, K. J., & Obwogi, J. (2018). Effect of financial risk on financial performance of micro finance institutions in Kenya. International Academic Journal of Economics and Finance, 3(2), 357–369.

Lenard, M. J., Yu, B., York, E. A., & Wu, S. (2014). Impact of board gender diversity on firm risk. Managerial Finance, 40(8), 787–803. https://doi.org/10.1108/mf-06-2013-0164

Levi, M., Li, K., & Zhang, F. (2014). Director gender and mergers and acquisitions. Journal of Corporate Finance, 28, 185–200.

Lien, Y. C., & Li, S. (2013). Does diversification add firm value in emerging economies? Effect of corporate governance. Journal of Business Research, 66(12), 2425–2430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.05.030

Liu, Y., Wei, Z., & Xie, F. (2014). Do women directors improve firm performance in China? Journal of Corporate Finance, 28(28), 169–184.

Low, D. C. M., Roberts, H., & Whiting, R. H. (2015). Board gender diversity and firm performance: Empirical evidence from Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 35, 381–401.

Lückerath-Rovers, M. (2013). Women on boards and firm performance. Journal of Management & Governance, 17(2), 491–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-011-9186-1

Maxfield, S., Shapiro, M., Gupta, V., & Hass, S. (2010). Gender and risk: Women, risk taking and risk aversion. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 25(7), 586–604. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542411011081383

Miller, T., & del Carmen Triana, M. (2009). Demographic diversity in the boardroom: Mediators of the board diversity-firm performance relationship. Journal of Management Studies, 46(5), 755–786. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00839.x

Mohan, N. (2014). A review of the gender effect on pay, corporate performance and entry into top management. International Review of Economics & Finance, 34, 41–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2014.06.005

Musyoki, D., & Kadubo, A. S. (2012). The impact of credit risk management on the financial performance of banks in Kenya. International Journal of Business and Public Management, 2(2), 72–80.

Nadeem, M., Suleman, T., & Ahmed, A. (2019). Women on boards, firm risk and the profitability nexus: Does gender diversity moderate the risk and return relationship? International Review of Economics & Finance, 64, 427–442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2019.08.007

Nguyen, T., Locke, S., & Reddy, K. (2015). Does boardroom gender diversity matter? Evidence from a transitional economy. International Review of Economics & Finance, 37, 184–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2014.11.022

Nielsen, S., & Huse, M. (2010). The contribution of women on boards of directors: Going beyond the surface. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 18(2), 136–148.

Nurmawati, B. A., Rahman, A. F., & Baridwan, Z. Z. (2020). The moderating role of intellectual capital on the relationship between nonprofit sharing financing, profit sharing financing and credit risk to financial performance of Islamic bank. Jurnal Reviu Akuntansi Dan Keuangan, 10(1), 38–52.

Onsongo, S. K., Muathe, S. M. A., & Mwangi, L. W. (2020). Financial risk and financial performance: Evidence and insights from commercial and services listed companies in Nairobi securities exchange, Kenya. International Journal of Financial Studies, 8(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs8030051

Oudat, M. S., & Ali, B. J. (2021). The underlying effect of risk management on banks’ financial performance: An analytical study on commercial and investment banking in Bahrain. Elementary Education Online, 20(5).

Palvia, A., Vähämaa, E., & Vähämaa, S. (2014). Are female CEOs and chairwomen more conservative and risk averse? Evidence from the banking industry during the financial crisis. Journal of Business Ethics, 131(3), 577–594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2288-3

Paulraj, A., Chen, I. J., & Blome, C. (2015). Motives and performance outcomes of sustainable supply chain management practices: A multi-theoretical perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 145(2), 239–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2857-0

Perryman, A. A., Fernando, G. D., & Tripathy, A. (2016). Do gender differences persist? An examination of gender diversity on firm performance, risk, and executive compensation. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), 579–586.

Rahman, H. U., & Zahid, M. (2021). Women directors and corporate performance: Firm size and board monitoring as the least focused factors. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 36(5), 605–621. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm-12-2019-0252

Reguera-Alvarado, N., de Fuentes, P., & Laffarga, J. (2015). Does board gender diversity influence financial performance? Evidence from Spain. Journal of Business Ethics, 141(2), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2735-9

Richard, O. C., Roh, H., & Pieper, J. R. (2013). The link between diversity and equality management practice bundles and racial diversity in the managerial ranks: Does firm size matter? Human Resource Management, 52(2), 215–242. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21528

Robinson, G., & Dechant, K. (1997). Building a business case for diversity. Academy of Management Perspectives, 11(3), 21–31. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.1997.9709231661

Rose, C. (2007). Does female board representation influence firm performance? The Danish evidence. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 15(2), 404–413.

Sabatier, M. (2015). A women’s boom in the boardroom: Effects on performance? Applied Economics, 47(26), 2717–2727. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2015.1008774

Schmidt, U., & Traub, S. (2002). An experimental test of loss aversion. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 25(3), 233–249.

Schubert, R., Brown, M., Gysler, M., & Brachinger, H. W. (1999). Financial decision-making: Are women really more risk averse? American Economic Review, 89(2), 381–385. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.89.2.381

Schwartz, S. H., & Rubel, T. (2005). Sex differences in value priorities: Cross-cultural and multimethod studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89(6), 1010–1028. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.89.6.1010

Shrader, C. B., Blackburn, V. B., & Iles, P. (1997). Women in management and firm financial performance: An exploratory study. Journal of Managerial Issues, 9(3), 355–372.

Sila, V., Gonzalez, A., & Hagendorff, J. (2016). Women on board: Does boardroom gender diversity affect firm risk? Journal of Corporate Finance, 36(0929-1199), 26–53.

Siminyu, M., Clive, M., & Musiega, M. (2016). Influence of operational risk on financial performance of deposit taking savings and credit co-operatives in Kakamega County. International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovation, 4(2), 509–519.

Simpson, W. G., Carter, D., & D’Souza, F. P. (2010). What do we know about women on boards? Journal of Applied Finance, 20(2), 1–13. Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=2693058.

Singh, C., Solomon, D., Bendapudi, R., Kuchimanchi, B., Iyer, S., & Bazaz, A. (2019). What shapes vulnerability and risk management in semi-arid India? Moving towards an agenda of sustainable adaptation. Environmental Development, 30, 35–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2019.04.007

Smith, N., Smith, V., & Verner, M. (2006). Do women in top management affect firm performance?A panel study of 2,500 Danish firms. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 55(7), 569–593. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410400610702160

Terjesen, S., Couto, E. B., & Francisco, P. M. (2016). Does the presence of independent and female directors impact firm performance? A multi-country study of board diversity. Journal of Management & Governance, 20(3), 447–483.

Ujunwa, A., Okoyeuzu, C., & Nwakoby, I. (2012). Corporate board diversity and firm performance: Evidence from Nigeria. Review of International Comparative Management, 13(4), 602–620.

Upagade, V., & Shende, A. (2012). Research methodology (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Chand and Company Ltd.

Vafaei, A., Ahmed, K., & Mather, P. (2015). Board diversity and financial performance in the top 500 Australian firms. Australian Accounting Review, 25(4), 413–427. https://doi.org/10.1111/auar.12068

Vasile, B., & Camelia, B. (2017). Financial performance and the business risk in agricultural sector of Romania. Annals of Constantin Brancusi University of Targu-Jiu: Economy Series, 3, 75–82.

Wani, A. A., & Dar, S. A. (2015). Relationship between financial risk and financial performance: An insight of indian insurance industry. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 4(11), 1424–1433. https://doi.org/10.21275/v4i11.12111504

Wilson, M., & Daly, M. (1985). Competitiveness, risk taking, and violence: The young male syndrome. Ethology and Sociobiology, 6(1), 59–73.

Wintoki, M. B., Linck, J. S., & Netter, J. M. (2012). Endogeneity and the dynamics of internal corporate governance. Journal of Financial Economics, 105(3), 581–606.

Wisdom, O., Lawrence, I., Akindele, O., & Muideen, I. (2018). Corporate social responsibility and investment decisions in listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Journal of Economics, Management and Trade, 21(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.9734/jemt/2018/40844

Subscription or SAM Membership Required

Share This Article

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn