Are board member quotas good or bad? The Scandinavian experience
Demands for a stronger representation of females on the boards of directors have become part of corporate governance proposals, and even legislation, in many countries. One of the arguments behind this pressure is that female directors might be more independent in monitoring the management because they are not part of the “old boys club”.Prof Randøy's research, based on Nordic firms, has found that organisations with a high level of female directors are less inclined to recruit more female directors – as a sign of organisational resistance from the “old boys” directors. It has also been seen that female recruitment in countries with less pressure for such recruitment, is substantially lower. The Nordic experience can be seen as natural “laboratory” on various policies in relation to gender promoting strategies for boards.
About the Speaker:Trond Randøy is a Professor of International Business at University of Agder, Norway. His research focus is on corporate governance, international business, family firms, and microfinance. He has published some 20 articles in journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Banking and Finance, and Journal of Business Venturing. He has board experience from Europe, Asia, and the US.