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Gender Research Data Collections

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BOARDEQUALITY project - Women in the Boardroom: Institutional and Organizational Approaches to Gender Equality

Completed

Description

The key objective of the BOARDEQUALITY project is to develop a better understanding of women’s access and contribution to corporate boards, and to contextualize this understanding using an internationally comparative approach. We draw on institutional and organizational theories to explain the persistent underrepresentation of women in the upper echelons of organizations. The project combines an internationally comparative analysis of quantitative data with in-depth national case studies based on qualitative research. In a first step, by means of a systematic literature review, we develop a detailed research agenda that will allow us to generate new knowledge on women’s access and contributions to boards. Second, we undertake an internationally comparative analysis of the relationship between the representation of women on boards and women in management, as well as between the representation of women on boards and the existence of diversity policies in firms. This analysis shows to what extent increasing women’s representation on boards contributes to gender equality in organizations more generally, thereby illuminating the impact for working women. The third step in this project is a case study of women on supervisory boards in Germany. An in-depth examination of women’s access to boards over time highlights through which paths women have made inroads to the top levels of organizations. Women’s contributions to boards are the key focus of qualitative research interviews with women directors about their experiences and views.

Project Details

Project Type
Research Project
Subject Group
Law, Economics and Social Sciences
Start
2013
End
2018
Funding
People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme

Organization

Faculty/Central Institute
Business and Economics
Institute/Seminar
Managment-Department
Field/Work Area
Management-Department

Project Team

Director
Prof. Dr. Anja Kirsch
Team Members
Elgen Sauerborn, M.A.

Contact

Email
anja.kirsch@fu-berlin.de

Publications

https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.524057.de/16-2.pdf

Researchers