Network Connections and Board Seats: Are Female Networks Less Valuable?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Network Connections and Board Seats

T2 - Are Female Networks Less Valuable?

AU - von Essen, Emma

AU - Smith, Nina

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - We investigate how sizes of professional networks affect the probability of appointment to a supervisory board and whether the effect is gendered. Using an employer-employee data set of the Danish labor market, 1995–2011, we find larger networks to associate with a higher probability of becoming a first-time director. The effect is larger for men. One explanation is that men, compared with women, have more connections to larger and listed firms and to other males—attributes that increase the appointment probability. Women who have connections to incumbent directors before being appointed director have more labor market experience than other directors.

AB - We investigate how sizes of professional networks affect the probability of appointment to a supervisory board and whether the effect is gendered. Using an employer-employee data set of the Danish labor market, 1995–2011, we find larger networks to associate with a higher probability of becoming a first-time director. The effect is larger for men. One explanation is that men, compared with women, have more connections to larger and listed firms and to other males—attributes that increase the appointment probability. Women who have connections to incumbent directors before being appointed director have more labor market experience than other directors.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146259850&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/719965

DO - 10.1086/719965

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85146259850

SN - 0734-306X

VL - 41

SP - 323

EP - 360

JO - Journal of Labor Economics

JF - Journal of Labor Economics

IS - 2

ER -