IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/mth/ber888/v10y2020i3p255-280.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Boards' Gender Diversity and Firms' Financial and Ethical Performance in Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Hafiz Muhammad Awais
  • Danish Ahmed Siddiqui

Abstract

Board diversity has lately being a heavily contested topic of research. Women, having a unique pool of resources and human capital, bring unique and diverse skills to the board that could improve board performance which positively impacts firm value. This study aims to investigate board gender diversity and its impact on firms' performance in Pakistan. More specifically, this study compares different performance characteristic of firms with and without gender diversity in boards. We also analyzed the effect of women on board (WOB) on different performance measures in the presence of control variables. These measures included Return to assets, equity and sales, TOBIN Q, and Ethical and Social Compliance (ESCC). For this, panel data of 4 years from 2015 to 2018 were collected from 100 companies, and ANOVA and regression analysis were performed. The comparative analysis showed that non-women component has a significantly higher ROA than women, whereas ROE is higher for women. Moreover, non-women board companies seem to take a higher financial risk by taking more leverage. Surprisingly, the ESCC factor seems to be significantly higher for non-women board companies showing better social compliance. Evidence from regression found remains inconclusive. In fact, the performance measures like Tobin Q, and ROA seems to be negatively affected by WOB, whereas ROE was positively and significantly affected. ESCC seems to have a strong and positive effect on Tobin Q in companies with WOB, as well as ROA in overall companies. Evidence also suggested that WOB also seems to have a negative effect on ESCC. Hence, in the case of Pakistan, the findings remained inconclusive because women representation on board is not enough to have an influencing role in the board. The size of the female representation on the board needs to be sufficiently large to have an influencing role on corporate boards.

Suggested Citation

  • Hafiz Muhammad Awais & Danish Ahmed Siddiqui, 2020. "Boards' Gender Diversity and Firms' Financial and Ethical Performance in Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(3), pages 255-280, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:mth:ber888:v:10:y:2020:i:3:p:255-280
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ber/article/view/17309/13580
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ber/article/view/17309
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hoje Jo & Maretno Harjoto, 2011. "Corporate Governance and Firm Value: The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(3), pages 351-383, October.
    2. Jan Luca Pletzer & Romina Nikolova & Karina Karolina Kedzior & Sven Constantin Voelpel, 2015. "Does Gender Matter? Female Representation on Corporate Boards and Firm Financial Performance - A Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    4. Allen Kaufman & Ernie Englander, 2011. "Behavioral Economics, Federalism and the Triumph of Stakeholder Theory," International Economic Association Series, in: Lorenzo Sacconi & Margaret Blair & R. Edward Freeman & Alessandro Vercelli (ed.), Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance, chapter 4, pages 73-98, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. Allen Kaufman & Ernie Englander, 2011. "Behavioral Economics, Federalism, and the Triumph of Stakeholder Theory," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(3), pages 421-438, September.
    6. Jianakoplos, Nancy Ammon & Bernasek, Alexandra, 1998. "Are Women More Risk Averse?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(4), pages 620-630, October.
    7. , Aisdl, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance: A literature review," OSF Preprints aymk7, Center for Open Science.
    8. Eunjung Hyun & Daegyu Yang & Hojin Jung & Kihoon Hong, 2016. "Women on Boards and Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-26, March.
    9. Pathan, Shams & Faff, Robert, 2013. "Does board structure in banks really affect their performance?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 1573-1589.
    10. Liu, Yu & Wei, Zuobao & Xie, Feixue, 2014. "Do women directors improve firm performance in China?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 169-184.
    11. Gary S. Becker, 1964. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, First Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck-5.
    12. Helena Isidro & Márcia Sobral, 2015. "The Effects of Women on Corporate Boards on Firm Value, Financial Performance, and Ethical and Social Compliance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 1-19, November.
    13. Maretno Harjoto & Indrarini Laksmana & Robert Lee, 2015. "Board Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(4), pages 641-660, December.
    14. Liao, Lin & Luo, Le & Tang, Qingliang, 2015. "Gender diversity, board independence, environmental committee and greenhouse gas disclosure," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 409-424.
    15. Liu, Yu & Miletkov, Mihail K. & Wei, Zuobao & Yang, Tina, 2015. "Board independence and firm performance in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 223-244.
    16. Rachel Croson & Uri Gneezy, 2009. "Gender Differences in Preferences," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(2), pages 448-474, June.
    17. Amy J. Hillman & Gerald D. Keim, 2001. "Shareholder value, stakeholder management, and social issues: what's the bottom line?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 125-139, February.
    18. Niclas L. Erhardt & James D. Werbel & Charles B. Shrader, 2003. "Board of Director Diversity and Firm Financial Performance," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 102-111, 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. Rania Béji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Post-Print hal-03144756, HAL.
    2. Aruoriwo Marian Chijoke-Mgbame & Agyenim Boateng & Chijoke Oscar Mgbame, 2020. "Board gender diversity, audit committee and financial performance: evidence from Nigeria," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 262-286, July.
    3. Rania B'eji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Papers 2102.09218, arXiv.org.
    4. Kara, Alper & Nanteza, Aziidah & Ozkan, Aydin & Yildiz, Yilmaz, 2022. "Board gender diversity and responsible banking during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    5. Belaounia, Samia & Tao, Ran & Zhao, Hong, 2020. "Gender equality's impact on female directors’ efficacy: A multi-country study," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    6. Nhat Minh Tran & Thu Thuy Nguyen & Thi Phuong Linh Nguyen & Anh Trong Vu & Thi Thanh Hoa Phan & Thi Hong Tham Nguyen & Ngoc Diep Do & Anh Tuan Phan, 2022. "Female Managers and Corruption in SMEs: A Comparison Between Family and Nonfamily SMEs in Vietnam," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    7. 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).
    8. María Consuelo Pucheta-Martínez & Inmaculada Bel-Oms & Gustau Olcina-Sempere, 2018. "Female Institutional Directors on Boards and Firm Value," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 343-363, October.
    9. Renata Konadu & Gabriel Sam Ahinful & Samuel Owusu-Agyei, 2021. "Corporate governance pillars and business sustainability: does stakeholder engagement matter?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 269-289, September.
    10. María‐Florencia Amorelli & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2021. "Trends in the dynamic evolution of board gender diversity and corporate social responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 537-554, March.
    11. Rizwan Ali & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Talles Vianna Brugni & Jinsoo Hwang & Nguyen Vinh Khuong & Thai Hong Thuy Khanh, 2019. "Does CSR Moderate the Relationship between Corporate Governance and Chinese Firm’s Financial Performance? Evidence from the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Yunyi Li & Charl de Villiers & Lina Zixuan Li & Leye Li, 2022. "The moderating effect of board gender diversity on the relation between corporate social responsibility and firm value," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 109-143, March.
    13. Atif, Muhammad & Hossain, Mohammed & Alam, Md Samsul & Goergen, Marc, 2021. "Does board gender diversity affect renewable energy consumption?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    14. Konadu, Renata & Ahinful, Gabriel Sam & Boakye, Danquah Jeff & Elbardan, Hany, 2022. "Board gender diversity, environmental innovation and corporate carbon emissions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    15. Rania Beji & Ouidad Yousfi & Nadia Loukil & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Board Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility: Empirical Evidence from France," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 133-155, September.
    16. Alessandra Capezio & Astghik Mavisakalyan, 2016. "Women in the boardroom and fraud: Evidence from Australia," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 41(4), pages 719-734, November.
    17. Khine Kyaw & Sirimon Treepongkaruna & Pornsit Jiraporn & Chaiyuth Padungsaksawasdi, 2022. "Does board gender diversity improve the welfare of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(1), pages 200-210, January.
    18. Lu, Yun & Ntim, Collins G. & Zhang, Qingjing & Li, Pingli, 2022. "Board of directors’ attributes and corporate outcomes: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    19. Francesco Gangi & Antonio Meles & Eugenio D'Angelo & Lucia Michela Daniele, 2019. "Sustainable development and corporate governance in the financial system: Are environmentally friendly banks less risky?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 529-547, May.
    20. Ali Uyar & Cemil Kuzey & Merve Kilic & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2021. "Board structure, financial performance, corporate social responsibility performance, CSR committee, and CEO duality: Disentangling the connection in healthcare," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1730-1748, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Firm Value; Financial performance; Board of Directors; Ethical and social compliance; Tobin's Q; ROA; ROE; ROS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - 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:mth:ber888:v:10:y:2020:i:3:p:255-280. 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: Technical Support Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ber .

    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.