Mujeres en los cargos administrativos: como varían las cuotas entre países y su impacto financiero en las empresas (Noruega, Reino Unido y España)

Abstract

The effect women directors have on boardrooms has been a constant and highly important debate for several decades now. This dissertation aims to understand, analyse and compare the impact women have on corporate boards in three countries: Norway, Spain, and UK. Although the main focus of this paper is to assert what type of impact women have on boards, it is important to first understand the committee’s tasks, as well as its decisionmaking process. These last two play an important role when it comes to evaluating the impact women have in boardrooms. A comparison between women’s and men’s contribution to the board will help distinguish their strengths and weaknesses, in addition to clarifying which roles are more suited for each of them. Moreover, this dissertation also aims to determine whether a stricter legislation can positively affect companies when it comes to their financial reports. A close examination of these required quotas will be held for each of these countries, which will help paint a better picture of the barriers, both internal and external, women have to overcome in order to become directors. These might include cultural differences, less experience in boardrooms, among others. Furthermore, this research has addressed the topic in question by conducting a quantitative study, collecting the financial reports of a sample of the best 20-30 enterprises from UK, Spain and Norway. Within these corporations another analysis will be conducted. This one will examine the type of women that are being hired, which will include a study of women’s age, background, type of counsellor. As a whole, the research conducted wants to enlighten the importance of women in boardrooms, along with the contributions to these ones. The paper wishes to explain the advantages and disadvantages to having women on corporate rooms, in addition to recommending a course of action for these companies whose legal requirements are different.