Title: The influence of women in shaping profitability and corporate social responsibility within knowledge-based economies and societies

Authors: Sujatha Pentireddi; K.M. Ashifa; Sukhwinder Sharma; Iskandar Muda; Divya Goel; S. Suman Rajest

Addresses: Department of Accounting and Finance, Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, Visakhapatnam, 530045, Andhra Pradesh, India ' Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Social Work, Istanbul Gelisim University, Istanbul, 34310, Turkey ' Department of Data Science and Engineering, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, 303007, India ' Department of Accounting, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia ' Jaypee Business School, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, 201309, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Research and Development (R&D) and International Student Affairs (ISA), Dhaanish Ahmed College of Engineering, Chennai, 601301, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Our research explores the interconnections between board diversity, corporate governance, and intellectual capital (IC) management in knowledge-based economies. Utilising the frameworks of upper-echelon theory and the knowledge-based view of the firm, we apply a multi-dimensional Intellectual Capital Index (ICI) to examine how board diversity measured by gender ratio, educational background, and professional expertise affects IC management effectiveness. Analysing a longitudinal panel dataset from various sectors in knowledge-based economies, we employ advanced econometric models, including multiway panel data analysis, to ensure rigour. Our findings reveal that board diversity significantly enhances IC management, fostering innovation and sustainability. Independent directors, unlike in traditional economies, play a crucial role in shaping IC management policies in these contexts. Control variables such as board size, meeting frequency, and organisational learning culture are also instrumental. Our study contributes to the growing literature on intellectual capital and corporate governance, with significant implications for policy formulation. Specifically, promoting board diversity can be a key strategy for optimising intellectual capital in knowledge-based economies.

Keywords: sustainability investment; CSR; corporate social responsibility; open innovation; independent directors; female managers; CSR reporting; corporate governance; knowledge-based economies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2024.143622

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2024 Vol.14 No.4, pp.387 - 410

Received: 26 Oct 2023
Accepted: 25 Aug 2024
Published online: 02 Jan 2025 *

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