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Gender Quotas in Boards of Large Joint Stock Companies. Democracy vs. Inclusion?
Pål Schøne
Harald Dale-Olsen
Aagoth Elise Storvik
Mari Teigen
Fredrik Engelstad
Ellen Krag
Marte Løvstad
Lotte Grinna
Legal regulation of gender representation on corporate boards of enterprises has been a central issue in the public debate in Norway for more than a decade. Judicial elucidations were reported to two governments before the final adoption by Parliament in 2003. The bill was very controversial, dismissed by many as another Norwegian affirmative action invention. No other country has intervened into the recruitment of top positions in a similar way. There is a high degree of international attention directed at this legal reform, and it is highly important that such a radical measure is illuminated and documented by research. A broad analysis of the reform will throw light on prospects and restrictions on political intervention in working life, affirmative action policies in a broader sense, and enhance understanding of theoretical problems linked to property rights and state intervention in private spheres.
The is an umbrella spanning over four sub-projects: (i) Analysis of recrutment to boards by headhunting firms, data bases, and informal networks. (ii) Analysis of overlapping directorships, regarding the effects of centralization or decentralization as a result of the reform. (iii) Analysis of gender relations in the board room. Does the reform lead to changes in interaction between board members? (iv) Profitability. Does increased representation of women on the boards lead to higher profits in the companies?