Labor force participation of women left behind in Tajikistan

This paper examines the impact of male migration on the labor force participation of the women left behind in Tajikistan. Studies from many countries show that when men migrate, female labor force participation decreases and this is largely explained by the income effect from remittances. Our study challenges this finding. Using panel data from 2007, 2009 and 2011, we find that, in Tajikistan, migration has no significant effect on the number of hours that women work. We use panel data which allow us to control for unobservable heterogeneity, rather than the cross-sectional data used by others. We analyze several countervailing factors that may have neutralized the income effect, such as the need to substitute for the missing labor in the household. We also find that women work more when the household has a farm, regardless of the presence of a migrant in the household.     

Does CEO gender matter for bank risk?

This paper addresses the relation between CEO gender and bank risk. We exploit a unique dataset of 365 Polish cooperative banks, 42% of which are run by female CEOs. We find that banks headed by female CEOs are less risky: they report higher capital adequacy and equity to assets ratios. Credit risk in female-led banks is not different from male-led banks, and therefore higher capital adequacy does not stem from lower asset quality and is likely to be linked to higher risk aversion of female CEOs. Our evidence supports the view that women are more risk averse bank CEOs than men. Our findings suggest that gender quotas in bank boards can contribute to reduce risk-taking behavior.     

Do Foreign Firms Transfer Gender Norms in the Labour Market? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

Closing the gender gaps in economic opportunities is crucial for boosting economic growth and the empowerment of women. In this paper, we study how foreign firms contribute in reducing gender disparities in the labour market by transferring the gender norms of their country of origin to the affiliates in the host countries. We use cross sectional data on foreign firms located in 19 Sub Saharan Africa countries in 2010 by UNIDO. We find that firms coming from more gender equal countries employ more female workers in their affiliates. This effect is more relevant for the highly skilled female workers.     

Female franchisees; a lost opportunity for franchising sector growth?

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate why female franchisees are under-represented in franchise ownership. A qualitative approach was adopted using a collective, instrumental case study of 30 female franchisees. A number of different types of influences were identified in the literature and then elucidated and assessed. It was found that push and pull factors, work–family life balance, franchising sector characteristics and external influences act as variable incentives and disincentives among female franchisees’ selection of the franchise business model with different levels of risk-taking propensity. The marketing efforts of franchises would be more effective if the way in which the identified influences that impinge on the selection of the franchise business model informed the prospecting of potential female franchisees. A further need is identified for franchises to adjust their recruitment programmes to reflect the variable effect of incentives and disincentives at different levels of capital investment. Limited research specifically examines the selection of the franchise business model by female franchisees with various levels of risk-taking propensity and identifies the nature of influences that act as incentives and/or disincentives on that selection decision.     

Gender equality's impact on female directors’ efficacy: A multi-country study

This paper studies the role of gender equality in female directors’ efficacy and its subsequent effects on firms. Female directors in more gender equal societies should possess greater skills and exert more influence due to better access to educational/professional opportunities and more amicable boardroom dynamics. Therefore, we hypothesize that gender equality serves as an important moderator in the relation between female board representation and firm outcomes. Using a multi-national panel comprising 1986 public firms from 24 countries or areas spanning from 2007 to 2016, we obtain results that firms with higher female board representation exhibit higher overall performance, less earnings management, and less excessive risk taking, in which all three relations are stronger in countries with greater gender equality. Taken together, our paper implies that the impact of female directors on firm outcomes depends on a country's overall level of gender equality.     

Enrichment for retail businesses: How female entrepreneurs and masculine traits enhance business success

Studies indicate that more male entrepreneurs are pursuing business ventures than their female counterparts. Latterly, there has been increased research interest in female entrepreneurs and their positive contribution to the retail economy. The main purpose of this study was to examine how some specific masculine traits can be enculturated into individuals (i.e. female entrepreneurs). The study also reviewed literature that discussed reasons which hinder female entrepreneurs in the retail world. The reasons range from being risk averse, being too agreeable and being overly anxious about failure. Through qualitative research exploration of female entrepreneurs, semi-structured interviews were undertaken to examine and understand their experiences. Themes which emerged from questioning the ten female entrepreneurs enabled the researcher to construct a theoretical framework. Analysis of the content findings showed that female entrepreneurs were indeed willing to adopt specific masculine traits. The result of this investigation is that through implementing specific masculine traits, female entrepreneurs have greater chances of success in their retail businesses. Although the research presented valid findings regarding the benefits of masculine traits on the retail industry, the research was limited by the sample size and the location of the research. This contribution remains unique in the way that it provides valuable information to the retail industry about the process of overcoming failure through enculturating masculine traits into female entrepreneurs.     

Fertility and the puzzle of female employment in the Middle East and North Africa

Female labour force participation rates across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have remained low for over four decades even though, in the same period, women's education rapidly increased and fertility rates substantially decreased. This study provides a better understanding of this surprising phenomenon by testing whether the number of children affects the mother's labour supply (using twins at first birth as an instrumental variable.) Despite a strong first stage, it does not find statistically significant effects in the second stage, even in the combined sample of over 100,000 observations. This non‐result, however, does not rule out that fertility affects women's employment in these countries. But it rejects impacts larger than 0.09. Similar twin‐studies in the United States found effects between 0.12 and 0.31. The paper discusses the implications of this result in understanding the puzzle of female participation in MENA and in designing policies to increase women's employment.     

铁路企业建立职业经理人制度探索

为进一步深化铁路企业改革,加快完善市场化经营机制,应积极探索建立职业经理人制度。在阐述职业经理人制度政策依据的基础上,提出推进职业经理人制度建设的基本条件,即建立公司化的法人治理结构,并从优化产权结构、明确权责划分、推进董事会建设、发挥职业经理人作用等方面对建立健全铁路企业法人治理结构进行论述。从管理机制、激励约束机制、引进退出机制3个方面,探讨铁路企业建立职业经理人制度形成机制,提出铁路企业应按照分层分类改革原则,逐步推行职业经理人制度。     

领导委派如何影响中层管理者内创业行为——积极追随力与多任务时间取向的调节作用

中层管理者作为战略性角色和操作性角色的结合体，其连接着内外部与上下级，是公司创业的重要力量。以20家企业201位中层管理者作为研究对象，对领导委派与中层管理者内创业行为关系进行研究。结果发现：领导委派对中层管理者内创业行为具有正向影响；积极追随力在领导委派与中层管理者内创业行为间起部分中介作用；中层管理者的多任务时间取向对领导委派影响中层管理者内创业行为的直接效应具有调节作用，对领导委派通过积极追随力影响中层管理者内创业行为的中介效应也具有调节作用。研究结论不仅有助于丰富内创业理论和追随理论，还可为激活中层管理者内创业行为提供重要实践启示。     

英国铁路经营管理状况探析

铁路是国民经济大动脉,在我国综合交通运输体系中居于骨干地位。"十四五"时期,为继续深化我国铁路市场化改革,在交通强国建设中当好先行,推动新时代铁路高质量发展,有必要对国外铁路市场化改革和经营管理状况进行研究和探讨。通过分析英国铁路市场化改革后的行业结构、主要资金来源和经营状况,阐述路网公司、客运公司、货运公司等不同类型铁路企业的经营状况,总结得出重视铁路基础设施的投资、补贴不同类型的铁路企业、制定鼓励铁路运输的政策法规和平衡路网企业与运输企业利益等启示,为我国铁路市场化改革提供有益借鉴。