Baker, M; Ali, M and French, E (2021) Leadership diversity and its influence on equality initiatives and performance: Insights for construction management. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 147(10): 02147, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Gender-diverse leadership shapes the design and delivery of policies, programs, and practices implemented to address diversity management. Drawing on stakeholder theory, this paper proposes and tests the positive impacts of board gender diversity and top management team gender diversity on diversity-related human resource initiatives and work-life initiatives. Moreover, using strategic human resource management theory and ability-motivation-opportunity theory, this study proposes and tests the positive effects of human resource and work-life initiatives on organizational financial performance. Based on contingency theory, it proposes and tests the moderating effect of an inclusive diversity environment on the initiatives and financial performance relationship. Using time-lagged archival data collected from 367 Australian organizations, findings indicate board gender diversity is positively associated with both human resource and work-life initiatives designed and implemented to address diversity management. Work-life initiatives are positively associated with both increased operating revenue and profit before tax. Further, the work-life initiatives-profit before tax relationship was strongly positive for organizations with a high diversity environment. We discuss theoretical and research contributions and practical implications.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | board diversity; financial performance; gender equality; human resource initiatives; top management team diversity; work-life initiatives |
| Index terms: | program, revenue, contingency theory, motivation, gender equality, top management team, profit, drawing, human resource management, financial performance, human resource |
| Subjects: | business analysis, sociology, psychology, software systems, economic analysis, social justice, technical documentation, management |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Human Resources, Organizational Design, Ethics, Design Practice, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here