Women directors and corporate board dynamics

The Centre for Technology Innovation and Engagement (C-Tie) invites you to the following seminar:

“Women directors and corporate board dynamics”

• Time: 5 pm UK time / 9 am Arizona time
• Speaker: Christy Shropshire is an Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University
• Online Zoom Meeting 
  • Meeting ID: 889 7117 5180
  • Passcode: *Y1N=s

Abstract:

This inductive study develops a behavioural theory of women directors’ perceived influence on corporate boards, bridging the paradox in corporate governance research between social barriers to women’s influence in the boardroom and positive firm outcomes associated with their presence. We offer novel theoretical insights on women directors’ perceptions of the board status quo, their behavioural responses to the barriers this context creates, and the perceived impact of their behaviours on board dynamics. Our qualitative data include a focus group of 10 women directors followed by one-on-one interviews with two board recruiters and 47 women currently serving on corporate boards, collectively representing 137 board seats and 794 years of cumulative board experience. We leverage the richness of these first-hand experiences to convey the multi-level behaviours that women corporate directors perceive as necessary to being heard in the short term while shaping the board status quo for the long term. Our emergent theoretical model articulates the mechanisms through which women directors subtly nudge interpersonal board dynamics toward inclusion and rigour while navigating invisible social challenges.

Speaker Bio: Christy Shropshire is an Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. She previously served as an associate professor in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and received her PhD from Arizona State University. Her research is broadly in the area of corporate governance, including board composition and effectiveness, diversity in the upper echelons, and stakeholder management. Christy's work has been published in a range of outlets, including the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Organization Science, and featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fortune, Forbes, and other business press. Some of her current projects explore women's experiences as corporate directors, and board and top management dynamics with respect to shareholder activism, corporate communications, and strategic decision-making processes. Prior to joining academia, Professor Shropshire worked as a human capital consultant, serving domestic and international clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare and financial services.