Board Gender Diversity and CSR Performance in a Patriarchal Society

The Role of Female Leadership Coalitions in Thailand

Sasin Associate Professor J. Thomas Connelly, Ph.D. investigates how board gender diversity relates to corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance in Thailand, where patriarchal and hierarchical cultural norms shape gender roles differently from those in Western economies. Drawing on theories from social psychology, the study proposes that Thailand’s cultural norms weaken the positive relationship between board gender diversity and CSR performance, as well as the relationship between female CEO leadership and CSR performance. Consistent with Social Role Theory and Role Congruity Theory, the empirical results show that neither female board representation nor female CEO leadership alone is associated with CSR performance. In support of Relational Identity Theory, however, the study finds that a coalition of a female CEO and female directors is positively associated with CSR performance. Robustness tests also confirm a positive relationship between CSR performance and firm valuation. The study concludes that coalitions of female leaders can provide a powerful mechanism for advancing CSR practices in emerging markets where cultural norms may constrain the effectiveness of individual female leadership. The full article is available through Wiley Online Library.