Female board directors’ resilience against gender discrimination

Goyal, R., Kakabadse, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9517-8279, Kakabadse, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0031-7767 and Talbot, D. (2023) Female board directors’ resilience against gender discrimination. Gender, Work & Organization, 30 (1). pp. 197-222. ISSN 1468-0432 doi: 10.1111/gwao.12669

Abstract/Summary

Despite regulatory efforts to promote gender diversity on boards, women are still severely underrepresented in board leadership in the UK, beyond FTSE 100 companies. Evidence suggests that women, when poorly represented inthe workplace, are more likely to suffer discrimination. In this study we report the first‐hand experiences of gender discrimination suffered by female directors and present the process of how they build resilience through developing coping strategies. Such resilience‐building processes seem to vary with the length of board experience of female directors. At the outset of their board journey, they adopt avoidant coping strategies of denial and disengagement. However, with experience in boards, they gain the confidence to pursue the active coping strategy of seeking and extending support. This qualitative study is based on 42 elite interviews of board Directors and is guided by the resilience theory, in the context of top FTSE boards. The article also discusses the contribution of the study to theory, praxis and policy.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/97130
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/gwao.12669
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation
Publisher	Wiley
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