Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2007
Abstract
Boards of Directors are often criticized for being compliant or silent on critical issues. In the powerful yet collegial environment of the board, raising "tough issues" as proven to be a challenging task. This lack of action can result in ineffective decision-making and, in some cases like Enron, the demise of the firm (O'Connor, 2003). In view of the fact that management's expertise is valued (Baysinger, Kosnik and Turk, 1991), it takes tenacity to question management's judgments and recommendations (Janis, 1992; Sonnenfeld, 2002; Leblanc & Gillies, 2005). This is especially true if management is long tenured and powerful (Arthur, 2001). However, Kramer, Konrad and Erkut (2006) revealed an interesting phenomenon with respect to women on boards. In their Critical Mass study, many CEO respondents (male and female) reported that women, more than men, were prepared to push the tough issues at the board. This finding raises the question that lies at the center of the present qualitative research. When women champion the "tough issues" at the board, how and why do they do it and do they do it differently than men? A championing model is presented to examine the "tough issues" phenomenon and the potential collateral benefits for board performance. Women, currently underrepresented in the boardroom, may have a unique role to play in improving the decision-making quality of boards.
Keywords
women executives -- United States
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
McInerney-Lacombe, Nancy, "Women Directors: When Championing the "Tough Issues" at the Board, How and Why Do They Do It and Do They Do It Differently Than Men?" (2007). Student Scholarship. 540.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/540