Gender diversity and sustainability performance in the banking industry

AbstractThis study analyses the impact of female directors and managers on sustainability performance in the banking industry. Drawing on prior studies, we attempt to frame gender diversity, its determinants, and its consequences with respect to financial, social, and environmental performance. Our sample includes 880 bank‐year observations from 48 countries over the period 2011–2019. We conduct OLS and probit regressions on the panel data sample. The results show that increasing the proportion of female directors also improves the financial and environmental performance; female managers are keener on the social dimension and in engaging with stakeholders, than female directors. This study extends the current literature in the context of the banking industry, suggesting that banks should focus their efforts on establishing the right combination of female directors and managers. Furthermore, practical implications that encourage gender diversity among policy makers and regulators arise from this research

Governing FinTech for performance: the monitoring role of female independent directors

Purpose The use of digital technologies in the financial service industry has brought new complexities to the corporate governance in banks. Relying on the agency perspective of the shareholder, debtholder, and societal governance in banks, this research examines the impact of financial technology innovation (FinTech) on banks’ performance by enlightening the monitoring role of female independent directors. Design/methodology/approach Relying on a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016-2020, we hand-collected data on the use of FinTech by considering (i) the in-house provisions of FinTech solutions, (ii) the collaboration with external FinTech firms, and (iii) a combination of both measures. We run a panel data regression analysis with fixed effects, measuring bank performance through bank competitiveness and bank riskiness. Findings We find that FinTech increases bank competitiveness in gathering money from depositors and that independent women on board mitigate the negative relationship between FinTech and the riskiness of banks’ assets, ameliorating the conflicting interests among shareholders, debtholder, and societal governance. Originality/value This study emphasizes the complexities of bank governance when dealing with FinTech in the wider perspective of equity governance, debt governance, and the societal governance spotlighting the importance of appointing female directors in independent positions to enhance the bright sides of financial innovation. We enrich the literature on FinTech with a finer understanding of the drivers and implications of in-house provisions of FinTech solutions versus the collaboration with external FinTech firms

Governing FinTech: evidence from female directors in Italian banks

The use of digital technologies in the financial service industry has brought new complexities to corporate governance in banks. Relying on the perspective of the agency theory, this research examines the impact of financial technology innovation (Fintech) on Italian banks’ performance by explaining the moderating role of board gender diversity. Using a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016-2020 and employing fixed-effects regression models we find that gender diversity ameliorates the conflicting interests among shareholders, debtholders, and societal governance in banks increasing the contribution of Fintech to bank performance and competitiveness. This research provides theoretical contributions and practical implications for investors, government authority, and financial supervisor

Gender diversity and fintech: an empirical analysis on Italian banks

Financial technology innovation is a key enabling element in reaching a financially inclusive economic development. Moving from the management and governance theories on gender diversity, this research examines the effects of financial technology innovation (FinTech) adoption on the usage of financial services and banks’ performance by accounting for the moderating role of board gender diversity. Using a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016-2020 and employing fixed-effects regression models we find that the board gender diversity strengthens the positive effects of FinTech on the usage and operating efficacy of financial services. This research provides theoretical contributions and practical implications for investors, government authorities, and financial supervisors

Board gender diversity and FinTech: evidence from the usage and the efficacy of financial services

Financial technology innovation is a key enabling element in reaching a financially inclusive economic development. Moving from the management and governance theories on gender diversity, this research examines the effects of financial technology innovation (FinTech) adoption on the usage of financial services and banks’ performance by accounting for the moderating role of board gender diversity. Using a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016-2020 and employing fixed-effects regression models we find that the board gender diversity strengthens the positive effects of FinTech on the usage and operating efficacy of financial services. This research provides theoretical contributions and practical implications for investors, government authority and financial supervisors

The value of intellectual capital for university performance. A partial Least Square Path Modeling Analysis

Based on the IC-approach, in this paper we explore the direct and indirect effect of human, structural and relational capital to the university performance measured through the three institutional missions of teaching, research and entrepreneurship. We base our empirical investigation on a sample of Italian public universities followed for 4 years and perform a PLS-Path Modelling analysis. We find a significant and positive effect of relational capital on performance. We also observe that while structural capital has no direct link with performance its influence on performance happens only through relational capital. Our results contribute to the extant literature and suggests implications for practitioners