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Does executive gender diversity supply accounting conservatism in traditional societies? Evidence from CEO-CFO combinations in China

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  • Li, Xiping
  • Goodell, John W.
  • Liao, Jing
  • Yao, Shouyu
  • Liu, Xutang

Abstract

We evidence the reinforcement of traditional gender roles is a negative determinant of the presence of female CFOs. Firms that nevertheless have executive gender diversity, with male CEO-female CFO combinations, exhibit higher accounting conservatism, with this conservatism more pronounced in more traditional external environments. Female CFOs, supply accounting conservatism in greater amounts when 1) CEOs are male, and 2) the firm operates in a more traditional external environment. In especially traditional environments, female CFOs supply a counterbalance to excessive male risk taking. We contribute to understanding the impacts of executive gender diversity and the external conditions that mediate these outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Xiping & Goodell, John W. & Liao, Jing & Yao, Shouyu & Liu, Xutang, 2022. "Does executive gender diversity supply accounting conservatism in traditional societies? Evidence from CEO-CFO combinations in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:48:y:2022:i:c:s1544612322002069
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2022.102946
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    Cited by:

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    3. Wei Wang & Kimberly A. Eddleston & Francesco Chirico & Stephen X. Zhang & Qiaozhuan Liang & Wei Deng, 2023. "Family Diversity and Business Start-Up: Do Family Meals Feed the Fire of Entrepreneurship?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(4), pages 1265-1297, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender roles; Confucianism; Executive gender diversity; Accounting conservatism; Firm external environments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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