This volume, the first to focus exclusively on women serving on corporate boards of directors, provides the latest thinking and research findings on this increasingly important corporate governance issue. It includes censuses of women directors in a number of countries, identifies reasons for their limited numbers, indicates why appointing qualified women to boards offers competitive advantages, and suggests practical ways corporations can attract, recruit and appoint more women board members. Researchers interested in gender and corporate governance issues, companies interested in increasing their numbers of women board members, and women and men serving or hoping to serve on corporate boards will find this book of interest.
This volume introduces readers to recent developments in the fields of board of directors and corporate social responsibility. It also provides new insights and perspectives on corporate governance practices in different countries.
This book shows the way for directors to achieve high performance and be an essential part of a high-functioning board. Calderon and Stautberg prepare women to take their seat at the boardroom table and to thrive and add significant value once they get there. Board service today requires a more complex set of skills, experiences, and leadership styles than ever before.
The book discusses the various aspects of diversity of corporate boards in terms of gender, age, nationality, tenure, education, experience and personalities. It enumerates the need for such diversity in each category and related concerns. Statistics from around the world support the authors' claims. The nine chapters in this short book have not been previously published. - Explains the dimensions of board diversity and ways to use them to increase effectiveness - Supports its findings with statistics from around the world - Relevant for researchers and professionals working in corporate governance and corporate finance
THE BOARD GAME presents the undeniable case for having more women corporate directors at the decision-making tables of America's public companies. Fifty-eight women directors tell how they won their first board seats. From her executive-search perspective, author Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire gives valuable advice to women at all career stages so YOU, your sisters, your mothers, and your daughters will have a chance to win The Board Game.
Although women now represent over forty percent of the workforce in most countries, organizations have been slow to capitalize on the potential of their women employees. This volume focuses on the business case for change, sources of resistance - including male backlash, denial, inaction and repression - and both organizational and legislative initiatives to support women. Limitations of affirmative action programs and policies are identified. New approaches towards creating a more level playing-field in organizations are proposed. This volume should be of interest to women and men in managerial and professional positions, women and men studying in professional fields such as business, law and government, organizations interested in managerial best practice and academic researchers whose work examines women in management issues.
This book provides unique insights into how the idea of quota laws to get women on to corporate boards gained international momentum from its origins in Norway. Invaluable insights are gained through the stories of actors involved in shaping the discourse and practice on women of boards. In exploring political contexts, the role of the advocacy movement, experiences of women directors themselves and latest research findings, the contributors provide a comprehensive overview of the rationales, processes and outcomes of formal approaches to gender diversity on boards. Drawing on insights from political, business and academic actors, the book discusses how and why the Norwegian law on gender equality on corporate boards is turning into a blueprint for action internationally. Getting Women on to Corporate Boards will prove an invaluable resource for policy-makers, principle-setters, practitioners and students interested in the international lessons from Norway, as well as for current and potential female directors.
This edited collection provides a structured and in-depth analysis of the current use of quota strategies for resolving the pressing issue of gender inequality, and the lack of female representation on corporate boards. Filling the gap in existing literature on this topic, the two volumes of Gender Diversity in the Boardroom offers systematic overviews of current debates surrounding the optimisation of gender diversity, and the suggested pathways for progress. Focusing on sixteen European countries, the skilled contributors explore the current situation in relation to women on boards debates and approaches taken. They include detailed reflections from critical stakeholders, such as politicians, practitioners and policy-makers. Volume 1 focuses on eight European countries having adopted quotas and is a promising and highly valuable resource for academics, practitioners, policy makers and anyone interested in gender diversity because it examines and critiques the current corporate governance system and national strategies for increasing the share of women not only on boards, but within companies beyond the boardroom.
More Women on Boards: An International Perspective is the seventh volume in the Women and Leadership: Research, Theory, and Practice book series. The purpose of this volume is to explore the complexity of issues related to increasing the number of women on boards of directors around the world: how these issues have been understood; how they have been more and less successfully addressed in different countries and industries; and how they are similar, and yet different, as a results of cultural and legal differences. In the Introduction and 18 chapters included in this book, 42 researchers, activists, and practitioners who were raised or work today in at least 17 countries on 6 continents seek to answer the questions: “Why have women on boards?” “Why is adding women to boards so challenging?” “What actions increase the number of women on boards?” and “What can we learn from situations where there are women board members?” In seeking to answer these questions, the authors summarize previously existing research and share the results of their own recent qualitative and quantitative research studies conducted in many different countries. Both “fix the woman” and “fix the society” challenges and solutions are explored. Stories of women who have successfully joined and, in many cases, led boards of directors are shared. It is clear to us, and we believe will be clear to those who read this book, that there is no single program that will lead to gender equality on boards; however we believe that the authors in this volume provide a rich variety of research and well supported suggestions for addressing the challenges. When local cultures are considered and multiple suggestions implemented as appropriate, we are confident we will, together, increase the number of women on boards throughout the world.
A comprehensive guide to transforming boards and achieving best-practice governance in any organisation. When practising good governance, the board is the vital driver of organizational success, while fostering positive social impact and economic value creation. At all levels, executives around the world are faced with complexities rising from disruptive business models, new technologies, socio-economic changes, shifting political circumstances, and an array of other sources. High Performance Boards is the comprehensive manual for attaining best-in-class governance, offering pragmatic guidance on improving board quality, accountability, and performance. This authoritative volume identifies the four dimensions, or pillars, which are crucial for establishing and maintaining best-practice boards: the people involved, the information architecture, the structures and processes, and the group dynamics and culture of governance. This methodology can be applied to any board in the world, corporate or non-profit organization, regardless of size, sector, industry, or context. Readers are introduced to a fictitious senior board member – an amalgamation of board members from well-known organisations – and follow her as she successfully handles real-life challenges with effective governance. Drawn from the author's 20 years of practice and confidential work with boards across the world, this book: Demonstrates how high-performance boards innovate and refine their practices Discusses examples of board failures and challenges, including case studies from both for-profit and non-profit organisations including international organizations and state-owned agencies or even ministries Provides a proven framework to create best-in-class governance Includes a companion website featuring tools for board assessment and board practice High Performance Boards has inspired more than 3000 board members around the world. This book is essential reading for professionals and managers interested in governance and board members, senior managers, investors, lawyers, and students of governance.
