Relationships between woman directors and firm performance: a literature overview

Abstract

The “gender gap” is the phenomenon quite present worldwide, it highlights inequity between men and women. The reasons for this are several, they are personal but also external: indeed stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against women are rooted in society. (Fiske, 1998) This study is focused on the “glass ceiling”, which is the vertical sectoral segregation and the impact that women directors (gender board diversity) have on firm performance. Previous literature has shown different results, some has evidenced a positive relationship between the two aspects, some negative and others have proved that there is no significant correlation between the two. According to the case-study research, there is evidence of the relationship between specific women's attribute and firm value. It suggests that it is not the women's mere presence on boards to influence firm performance.