Publication
Board gender diversity, firm performance and corporate financial distress risk: international evidence from tourism industry
Publisher:
Emerald
Date:
30-06-2022
DOI:
10.1108/EDI-11-2021-0283
Abstract: This paper examines contextual factors that affect the association between board gender ersity and firm performance. The authors use a global s le of listed firms in the tourism industry in 30 countries from 2015 to 2020. First, firm performance is positively associated with the proportion of female directors on a board. Second, the positive association between firm performance and the proportion of female directors on the board is higher in (1) countries with stronger shareholder rights, (2) countries with stronger securities law regulation stipulating disclosure of board ersity, (3) countries with stronger economic empowerment of women, and (4) during the COVID-19 crisis. Third, corporate financial distress risk is lower in firms with higher proportion of female directors on the board. Fourth, the negative association between corporate financial distress risk and the proportion of female directors on the board is more pronounced in (1) countries with stronger securities law regulations stipulating disclosure of board gender ersity, (2) countries with stronger economic empowerment of women, and (3) during the COVID-19 crisis. The results indicate that contextual factors (comprising country-level corporate governance structures, economic empowerment of women and economic crisis) can affect the association between board gender ersity and firm performance.