IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/fme/wpaper/96.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Implicit gender quota in European boardrooms

Author

Listed:
  • Joanna Tyrowicz

    (Group for Research in Applied Economics (GRAPE)
    University of Warsaw
    Institute of Labor Economics (IZA))

  • Hubert Drazkowski

    (Group for Research in Applied Economics (GRAPE))

Abstract

We test for implicit gender quotas in the boardroom. We use novel dataset covering 11 million European corporations over three decades. We find that -- accounting for the pool of available candidates -- gender-blind hiring of women to board positions is highly improbable. Implicit quotas refer to unspoken policies or practices that result in a specific gender composition. Tokenism is one such example: in order to project the reputation of supporting diversity, an organization may prefer to invite a single representative of minority (or representatives of minorities) without endowing them with actual decision power.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Tyrowicz & Hubert Drazkowski, 2024. "Implicit gender quota in European boardrooms," GRAPE Working Papers 96, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:fme:wpaper:96
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://grape.org.pl/WP/96_Drazkowski_website.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jennifer M. Knippen & Wei Shen & Qi Zhu, 2019. "Limited progress? The effect of external pressure for board gender diversity on the increase of female directors," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7), pages 1123-1150, July.
    2. David A. Matsa & Amalia R. Miller, 2011. "Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: Gender Spillovers in Corporate Leadership," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 635-639, May.
    3. Orhun Guldiken & Mark R. Mallon & Stav Fainshmidt & William Q. Judge & Cynthia E. Clark, 2019. "Beyond tokenism: How strategic leaders influence more meaningful gender diversity on boards of directors," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(12), pages 2024-2046, December.
    4. Astrid Kunze & Amalia R. Miller, 2017. "Women Helping Women? Evidence from Private Sector Data on Workplace Hierarchies," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 99(5), pages 769-775, December.
    5. Farrell, Kathleen A. & Hersch, Philip L., 2005. "Additions to corporate boards: the effect of gender," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 85-106, March.
    6. Viktor Bozhinov & Jasmin Joecks & Katrin Scharfenkamp, 2021. "Gender spillovers from supervisory boards to management boards," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(5), pages 1317-1331, July.
    7. Lena Janys, 2022. "Testing the Presence of Implicit Hiring Quotas with Application to German Universities," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 165, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    8. Elkinawy, Susan & Stater, Mark, 2011. "Gender differences in executive compensation: Variation with board gender composition and time," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 23-45, January.
    9. Agata Maida & Andrea Weber, 2022. "Female Leadership and Gender Gap within Firms: Evidence from an Italian Board Reform," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(2), pages 488-515, March.
    10. David A. Matsa & Amalia R. Miller, 2011. "Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: Gender Spillovers in Corporate Leadership," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, pages 635-639.
    11. Elkinawy, Susan & Stater, Mark, 2011. "Gender differences in executive compensation: Variation with board gender composition and time," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 23-45.
    12. Hubert Drazkowski & Bram Timmermans & Joanna Tyrowicz, 2023. "Gender board diversity spillovers and the public eye," GRAPE Working Papers 90, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    13. David A. Matsa & Amalia R. Miller, 2013. "A Female Style in Corporate Leadership? Evidence from Quotas," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 136-169, July.
    14. Emma von Essen & Nina Smith, 2023. "Network Connections and Board Seats: Are Female Networks Less Valuable?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(2), pages 323-360.
    15. Mario Bossler & Alexander Mosthaf & Thorsten Schank, 2020. "Are Female Managers More Likely to Hire More Female Managers? Evidence from Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(3), pages 676-704, May.
    16. Nina Smith & Pierpaolo Parrotta, 2018. "Why so Few Women on Boards of Directors? Empirical Evidence from Danish Companies in 1998–2010," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 445-467, January.
    17. Ashish Arora & Michelle Gittelman & Sarah Kaplan & John Lynch & Will Mitchell & Nicolaj Siggelkow & Cristian L. Dezső & David Gaddis Ross & Jose Uribe, 2016. "Is there an implicit quota on women in top management? A large-sample statistical analysis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(1), pages 98-115, January.
    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. Joanna Tyrowicz & Hubert Drazkowski, 2024. "Gender tokenism in corporate boardrooms in Europe," GRAPE Working Papers 97, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    2. Eline Schoonjans & Hanna Hottenrott & Achim Buchwald, 2024. "Welcome on Board? Appointment Dynamics of Women as Directors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 192(3), pages 561-589, July.
    3. Schoonjans, Eline & Hottenrott, Hanna & Buchwald, Achim, 2023. "Welcome on board? Appointment dynamics of women as directors," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-005, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Morikawa, Masayuki, 2016. "What types of companies have female directors? Evidence from Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37, pages 1-7.
    5. Mario Bossler & Alexander Mosthaf & Thorsten Schank, 2020. "Are Female Managers More Likely to Hire More Female Managers? Evidence from Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(3), pages 676-704, May.
    6. Viktor Bozhinov & Jasmin Joecks & Katrin Scharfenkamp, 2021. "Gender spillovers from supervisory boards to management boards," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(5), pages 1317-1331, July.
    7. Masayuki Morikawa, 2014. "What Types of Companies Have Female and Foreign Directors?," AJRC Working Papers 1404, Australia-Japan Research Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    8. MORIKAWA Masayuki, 2014. "What Types of Company Have Female and Foreign Directors?," Discussion papers 14032, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    9. Xing, Lu & Gonzalez, Angelica & Sila, Vathunyoo, 2021. "Does cooperation among women enhance or impede firm performance?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    10. Mario Bossler & Alexander Mosthaf & Thorsten Schank, 2016. "More Female Manager Hires through More Female Managers? Evidence from Germany," Working Papers 1618, Gutenberg School of Management and Economics, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
    11. Stephan Klasen & Anna Minasyan, 2021. "Affirmative Action and Intersectionality at the Top: Evidence from South Africa," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 3-35, January.
    12. Astrid Kunze & Katrin Scharfenkamp, 2022. "Gender Diversity, Gender in the Boardroom and Gender Quotas," CESifo Working Paper Series 10077, CESifo.
    13. Kunze, Astrid & Scharfenkamp, Katrin, 2022. "Gender Diversity, Labour in the Boardroom and Gender Quotas," IZA Discussion Papers 15691, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Paola Profeta & Giacomo Pasini & Valeria Maggian & Ludovica Spinola, 2023. "The gender composition of supervisor-worker dyads: Career blocks and gender pay gap," French Stata Users' Group Meetings 2023 17, Stata Users Group.
    15. Francis, Bill B. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Hovakimian, Gayane & Sharma, Zenu, 2023. "Gender pay gap in American CFOs: Theory and evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    16. Nikolaos Theodoropoulos & John Forth & Alex Bryson, 2019. "Are Women Doing It For Themselves? Gender Segregation and the Gender Wage Gap," DoQSS Working Papers 19-07, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.
    17. David A. Matsa & Amalia R. Miller, 2014. "Workforce Reductions at Women-Owned Businesses in the United States," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 67(2), pages 422-452, April.
    18. Tanaka, Takanori, 2019. "Gender diversity on Japanese corporate boards," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 19-31.
    19. Aksoy, Cevat Giray & Carpenter, Christopher S. & Frank, Jeff & Huffman, Matt L., 2019. "Gay glass ceilings: Sexual orientation and workplace authority in the UK," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 167-180.
    20. Song, Jun Myung, 2022. "Female senior managers and the gender equality environment: Evidence from south Korean firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; board; diversity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • 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
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:fme:wpaper:96. 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: Jan Hagemejer (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/grauwpl.html .

    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.