العوامل الداخلية و الخارجية المؤثرة في تواجد المرأة في مجالس إدارة الشركات المساهمة العامة : دراسة تطبيقية مقارنة في الإمارات و الكويت و عمان

Abstract EN

This study aims at investigating determinants of presence of women in boards of directors of publicly listed firms.

The study identified a number of internal and external factors that prevent women from serving on boards of directors.

Internal factors like as board size, institutional ownership, ownership concentration, board independence, firm market performance, firm risk, and company sector were all primarily influenced by agency theory.

Women's tertiary education levels, women's labor market participation levels, women's engagement in parliaments and ministries, and lastly, legal backing for women's inclusion on boards of directors were all primarily driven by institutional theory (quotas).

The study sample included (247) publicly held firms listed in three GCC financial markets.

Mainly, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abu Dhabi and Dubai financial markets, Boursa Kuwait and Muscat financial market (Oman) for the year (2018).

The study concluded that internal factors such as firm size and institutional ownership positively affect the representation of women on boards of directors.

With the exception of women's engagement in parliaments, the external factors identified by institutional theory had a favorable impact on women's presence in boardrooms.

This indicated that institutional theory lens is the suitable theory to understand presence of women in boards of GCC countries’ listed firms.

Based on these findings, the study made several recommendations mainly; embracing quotas for minimum number of women in boards to enhance their presence in leadership positions such as board rooms.

Activation of policies that support women's involvement in the labor market and advancement to positions of leadership in the business world, along with other recommendations as well.