from Hacker News

Companies With More Women Board Directors Experience Higher Financial Performance

by byosko on 10/3/07, 2:17 PM with 7 comments

I wonder how many startups have female board members?

"Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women board directors attained significantly higher financial performance, on average, than those with the lowest representation of women board directors, according to Catalyst's most recent report."

  • by andrew_null on 10/3/07, 3:11 PM

    Causation != Correlation

    Maybe companies with higher financial performance tend to add more women board directors later on, as they grow in employees and revenue.

  • by mattmccor on 10/3/07, 8:21 PM

    This is who the study was done by:

    "Catalyst is the leading nonprofit corporate membership research and advisory organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women and business"

    Does it seem like an independent study?

  • by mynameishere on 10/3/07, 4:53 PM

    The numbers don't pass the smell test. Best bet: All-male boards represent brand-new companies. Only mature, profitable companies start to worry about installing "tokens".

  • by imsteve on 10/3/07, 4:17 PM

    counter-theory:

    Having higher performance (or brighter outlook) allows companies to take on weaker performing women.

    --yes that guess is politically incorrect