Gender in Management An International Journal

Ikävalko, Heini; Kohvakka, Roosa

2021 Gender in Management An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/gm-08-2019-0144

This paper aims to examine the moderating effect of employees’ work orientation and gender on their feelings toward pay, that is, the relationship between perceived fairness of a pay system and pay level satisfaction. The perceived fairness of pay system is investigated with two pay system procedures, namely, job evaluation and performance evaluation, both determining the level of base pay.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from three public sector organizations in Finland (N = 526). Linear regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between pay satisfaction, pay system fairness, work orientation and gender.FindingsThe results show that employees’ work orientation significantly and negatively relates to pay satisfaction. The interaction analyses suggest significant gender differences in the relationship between work orientation and pay satisfaction, as work orientation is negatively associated with pay satisfaction for women. They also show that work orientation and job evaluation fairness have a positive, joint effect on pay satisfaction.Practical implicationsThis study has implications for the implementation of fair pay practices in organizations. The role of work orientation in the relationship between job evaluation fairness and pay satisfaction highlights the importance of pay system fairness especially among work-oriented employees. Special attention should be paid on work-oriented women: With equal perception of pay system fairness, work-oriented women feel unsatisfied with their pay.Originality/valueThis paper is the first study to highlight the role of work orientation and gender in reactions related to pay.

Sarabi, Yasaman; Smith, Matthew

2021 Gender in Management An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/gm-07-2019-0129

This paper aims to provide an exploratory analysis of male and female directors, comparing the case of UK FTSE 350 boards of directors for 2010–2018, with Norwegian boards from 2002 to 2018, to examine patterns of busy female directors. This paper considers the differences between the effects of interest groups’ actions and those of quotas on the emergence of busy female directors.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a longitudinal approach, providing an examination of both non-busy directors and busy directors sitting on the boards of UK and Norwegian firms, with a focus on female directors. Drawing on methods from social network analysis, several trends and patterns are mapped for the two corporate systems. The paper tests whether the proportion of busy male directors is significantly different from the proportion of busy female directors in the two institutional settings.FindingsThe results show there has been an increase in the proportion of busy female directors, whereas the level of busy male directors is slightly decreasing in the UK from 2010 to 2018. In Norway, following the introduction of gender quotas on corporate boards, there has been an increase in overboarded directors, especially female directors, along with the rise of so-called “golden skirt” directors. However, when compared to the UK case, the proportion of busy male and female directors is higher, suggesting that the emergence of the golden skirts in Norway is not a result of quotas alone.Originality/valueThe topic of busy directors has received increased attention in recent years, yet the gender of these directors is often neglected. This paper provides an overview of the characteristics of busy female directors for large UK and Norwegian firms, presenting avenues for future research.

Ocak, Murat

2021 Gender in Management An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/gm-05-2019-0075

This study aims to contribute to the literature by offering a different sector and emphasising the importance of females in audit firm (AF) governance on audit firm performance (AFP).Design/methodology/approachOrdinary least squares (OLS) and instrument variables regression (IVREG) with two-stage least squares are used to test the paper’s hypotheses.FindingsBoth OLS and IVREG estimation results show that both the proportion of females and gender diversity at board and owner levels and the total number of shares of female owners seem to enhance the performance of AFs.Practical implicationsThese results may be important for policymakers and regulators to set a quota for women’s representation on AF governance or decide arrangements for women in AFs as in the regulations for the high hierarchical levels of other corporate firms.Originality/valueThis paper extends the current literature in the context of AFs in Turkey, positing that females in AF governance might enhance performance to a great extent.

Villanueva-Flores, Mercedes; Diaz-Fernandez, Mirta; Hernandez-Roque, Dara; van Engen, Marloes

2021 Gender in Management An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/gm-07-2020-0231

This study aims to examine whether the psychological capital of male and female university students explains the intention to undertake entrepreneurism. Following Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, the aim was to study whether perceived behavioural control and subjective norms influence entrepreneurial intention and if subjective norms moderate established relationships, in both genders.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modelling and analysis of variance was applied to test the hypotheses amongst students at a Spanish university.FindingsThe results showed that gender differences in psychological capital, in perceived behavioural control and in subjective norms existed between the male and female population, which explain gender differences in entrepreneurial intention. Similarly, subjective norms acted as a moderator in the relationship between psychological capital, the perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial intention, with the moderating impact being higher on the female population.Practical implicationsThe results obtained in this paper indicate that developing perceived behavioural control and the psychological capital of university students in training programmes of male and female students helps to promote their entrepreneurial intention. Similarly, the results suggest that building a support network, for instance of family and groups of friends is key to fostering entrepreneurial intention, particularly for women.Originality/valueEntrepreneurship is key to the successful employability of current and future generations in the labour market. This study examined key antecedents of student’s entrepreneurial intention and how these are gendered. For both men and women (investing in) psychological capital is important. Informal social support was shown to play a key role in women’s entrepreneurial intention.

Mulu, Hundera; Duysters, Geert; Naudé, Wim; Dijkhuizen, Josette

2021 Gender in Management An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/gm-08-2019-0141

The purpose of this paper is to develop items for measuring the role conflict between social role expectations (SREs) and entrepreneurial role demands (ERDs) among women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses 20 interviews and literature from SSA to develop items, a survey of 408 to conduct factor analysis and a survey of 307 to conduct criterion validity analysis.FindingsStatistical analysis shows that the scales used adequately captured two dimensions of SRE and ERD conflict: SRE-to-ERD conflict and ERD-to-SRE conflict. It was found that the SRE-to-ERD-conflict scale is reliable and valid with the five dimensions of entrepreneurial success and that women entrepreneur’s experience significant role conflict between SREs and ERDs.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication is that standard scales measuring work and family conflict, which tend to focus solely on the work and family context, cannot adequately account for role conflict among women entrepreneurs.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of these findings are discussed.Originality/valueNew scale items form measuring the conflict between SREs and ERDs were developed.