IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v68y2024ics1544612324009668.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Board gender diversity and innovation performance in manufacturing firms: What is the role of risk-taking?

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Jinzhi
  • Zhu, Songhua

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of board gender diversity on innovation performance in Chinese listed manufacturing firms, focusing on the mediating role of firm risk-taking. Analyzing 21,262 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2022, we find that board gender diversity positively influences innovation performance through increased risk-taking. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact is stronger in the Eastern and Central regions and in technology-intensive industries. These findings suggest that gender-diverse boards can foster innovation by promoting balanced risk-taking, particularly in regions with better institutional environments and technology-driven sectors. The results have significant implications for corporate governance practices and policies aimed at enhancing gender diversity and innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Jinzhi & Zhu, Songhua, 2024. "Board gender diversity and innovation performance in manufacturing firms: What is the role of risk-taking?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:68:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324009668
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.105936
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612324009668
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2024.105936?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gianni Brighetti & Caterina Lucarelli, 2015. "Gender differences in attitudes towards risk and ambiguity: when psycho-physiological measurements contradict sex-based stereotypes," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 24(1), pages 62-82.
    2. Bennouri, Moez & Chtioui, Tawhid & Nagati, Haithem & Nekhili, Mehdi, 2018. "Female board directorship and firm performance: What really matters?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 267-291.
    3. García-Granero, Ana & Llopis, Óscar & Fernández-Mesa, Anabel & Alegre, Joaquín, 2015. "Unraveling the link between managerial risk-taking and innovation: The mediating role of a risk-taking climate," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1094-1104.
    4. Sanjukta Brahma & Chioma Nwafor & Agyenim Boateng, 2021. "Board gender diversity and firm performance: The UK evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 5704-5719, October.
    5. Larelle Chapple & Jacquelyn Humphrey, 2014. "Does Board Gender Diversity Have a Financial Impact? Evidence Using Stock Portfolio Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(4), pages 709-723, July.
    6. Safiullah, Md & Akhter, Tanzina & Saona, Paolo & Azad, Md. Abul Kalam, 2022. "Gender diversity on corporate boards, firm performance, and risk-taking: New evidence from Spain," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    7. Yu, Wanqing & Gan, Yufei & Zhou, Bingjun & Dai, Jiapeng, 2024. "Revisiting the economic policy uncertainty and resource rents nexus: Moderating impact of financial sector development in BRICS," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. García Lara, Juan Manuel & García Osma, Beatriz & Mora, Araceli & Scapin, Mariano, 2017. "The monitoring role of female directors over accounting quality," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 651-668.
    9. Zhang, Dongyang & Wang, Jinli & Wang, Yizhi, 2023. "Greening through centralization of environmental monitoring?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    10. Chen, Jie & Leung, Woon Sau & Goergen, Marc, 2017. "The impact of board gender composition on dividend payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 86-105.
    11. Huang, Ying Sophie & Wang, Chia-Jane, 2015. "Corporate governance and risk-taking of Chinese firms: The role of board size," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 96-113.
    12. Xiaoping He & Shuo Jiang, 2019. "Does gender diversity matter for green innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(7), pages 1341-1356, November.
    13. Shafqat, Mahnoor & Ayub, Huma, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance in the Manufacturing Sector in Pakistan: Moderating Role Gender Diversity of Board," Journal of Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies, CSRC Publishing, Center for Sustainability Research and Consultancy Pakistan, vol. 8(1), pages 189-200, March.
    14. Griffin, Dale & Li, Kai & Xu, Ting, 2021. "Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Innovation: International Evidence," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 123-154, February.
    15. Fabrice Galia & Emmanuel Zenou & Marc Ingham, 2015. "Board composition and environmental innovation: does gender diversity matter?," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 24(1), pages 117-141.
    16. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Bouri, Elie & Azam, Muhammad & Azam, Rauf I & Dai, Jiapeng, 2024. "Economic growth and environmental sustainability in developing economies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    17. Shamsul N. Abdullah & Ku Nor Izah Ku Ismail & Lilac Nachum, 2016. "Does having women on boards create value? The impact of societal perceptions and corporate governance in emerging markets," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(3), pages 466-476, March.
    18. Maria Strydom & Hue Hwa Au Yong & Michaela Rankin, 2017. "A few good (wo)men? Gender diversity on Australian boards," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 42(3), pages 404-427, August.
    19. Ajay Palvia & Emilia Vähämaa & Sami Vähämaa, 2015. "Are Female CEOs and Chairwomen More Conservative and Risk Averse? Evidence from the Banking Industry During the Financial Crisis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(3), pages 577-594, October.
    20. Muhammad Nadeem & Stephen Bahadar & Ammar Ali Gull & Umer Iqbal, 2020. "Are women eco‐friendly? Board gender diversity and environmental innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3146-3161, December.
    21. Asad, Muhammad & Akbar, Saeed & Li, Jing & Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali, 2023. "Board diversity and corporate propensity to R&D spending," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    22. Mohsni, Sana & Otchere, Isaac & Shahriar, Saquib, 2021. "Board gender diversity, firm performance and risk-taking in developing countries: The moderating effect of culture," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    23. Li, Lu & Zhou, Shiqi & Xu, Wei & Dai, Jiapeng, 2024. "Green innovation's impact on corporate financing: New insights from BRICS economies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    24. Mao, Connie X. & Zhang, Chi, 2018. "Managerial Risk-Taking Incentive and Firm Innovation: Evidence from FAS 123R," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 53(2), pages 867-898, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Beloskar, Ved Dilip & Haldar, Arunima & Gupta, Anupama, 2024. "Gender equality and women’s empowerment: A bibliometric review of the literature on SDG 5 through the management lens," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    2. Nguyen, Thi Hong Hanh & Ntim, Collins G. & Malagila, John K., 2020. "Women on corporate boards and corporate financial and non-financial performance: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Yu, Chang, 2023. "Board gender diversity and investment inefficiency," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    4. Lakhal, Faten & Hamrouni, Amal & Jilani, Ibtissem & Mahjoub, Imen & Benkraiem, Ramzi, 2024. "The power of inclusion: Does leadership gender diversity promote corporate and green innovation?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    5. Huang, Yichu & Fang, Feifei & Fan, Yaoyao & Ly, Kim Cuong, 2024. "Do ‘Lehman Sisters’ work in China? Women on boards and bank risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    6. Gambacorta, Leonardo & Pancotto, Livia & Reghezza, Alessio & Spaggiari, Martina, 2022. "Gender diversity in bank boardrooms and green lending: Evidence from euro area credit register data," CEPR Discussion Papers 17650, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Olga Dodd & Bart Frijns & Robin Kaiji Gong & Shushu Liao, 2024. "Board cultural diversity and firm performance under competitive pressures," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 59(1), pages 89-111, February.
    8. Paola Belingheri & Filippo Chiarello & Andrea Fronzetti Colladon & Paola Rovelli, 2021. "Twenty years of gender equality research: A scoping review based on a new semantic indicatorr," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-27, September.
    9. Cardillo, Giovanni & Onali, Enrico & Torluccio, Giuseppe, 2021. "Does gender diversity on banks' boards matter? Evidence from public bailouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    10. Claudio Nuber & Patrick Velte, 2021. "Board gender diversity and carbon emissions: European evidence on curvilinear relationships and critical mass," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1958-1992, May.
    11. Adams, Kweku & Attah-Boakye, Rexford & Yu, Honglan & Johansson, Jeaneth & Njoya, Eric Tchouamou, 2023. "Female board representation and coupled open innovation: Evidence from emerging market multinational enterprises," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    12. Huang, Peng & Lu, Yue & Wu, Ji, 2023. "Does board diversity in industry-experience boost firm value? The role of corporate innovation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    13. Usama Laique & Fahad Abdullah & Ijaz Ur Rehman & Bruno S. Sergi, 2023. "Two decades of research on board gender diversity and financial outcomes: Mapping heterogeneity and future research agenda," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2121-2144, September.
    14. Bona-Sánchez, Carolina & Fleitas-Castillo, Gema C. & Pérez-Alemán, Jerónimo & Santana-Martín, Domingo J., 2024. "Gender diversity and audit fees: Insights from a principal-principal agency conflict setting," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    15. Nitesh Pandey & Satish Kumar & Corinne Post & John W. Goodell & Rebeca García-Ramos, 2023. "Board gender diversity and firm performance: A complexity theory perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 1289-1320, September.
    16. Chen, Ning & Yan, Nan & Xie, Henglang & Ou, Yifan, 2024. "Impact of media attention on corporate green innovation: What is the role of dual environmental regulation?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    17. Shoham, Amir & Lee, Sang Mook & Khan, Zaheer & Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal, 2020. "The effect of board gender diversity on cross-listing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    18. Kalyani Mulchandani & Ketan Mulchandani & Sahil Singh Jasrotia, 2021. "Does gender diversity on firm’s board affect dividend payouts? Evidence from India," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-11, December.
    19. Alkhawaja, Abdallah & Hu, Fang & Johl, Shireenjit & Nadarajah, Sivathaasan, 2023. "Board gender diversity, quotas, and ESG disclosure: Global evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    20. Rakesh Pandey & Pallab Kumar Biswas & Muhammad Jahangir Ali & Mansi Mansi, 2020. "Female directors on the board and cost of debt: evidence from Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 4031-4060, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Board gender diversity; Innovation performance; Firm risk-taking; Manufacturing firms; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:68:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324009668. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.