Title: Boardroom diversity and its effect on social performance

Authors: Catherine Mercier-Suissa; Miriam Aziz

Addresses: IAE School of Management, Lyon 3 University, Lyon, France ' USEK School of Business, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon

Abstract: In this paper, we are trying to analyse if the boardroom diversity in the Lebanese companies would affect the corporate social performance. In a sample of 41 Lebanese firms, our results showed the effects of the specific variables that formulated the diversity of/in boards. The research question is: was there any significant relationship between each of the following: gender, age, board size, outside directors, serving as board members and the corporate social performance, in the Lebanese organisations. The findings of this research showed that there was no significant relationship between the independent variables; age, gender, outside directors, board size and dependent variable; corporate social performance. Theoretical/academic implication is: the board of directors that unfortunately still were single handedly employed by the owner families, unless it was a worldwide company. The results showed that most Lebanese organisations were family businesses, performing corporate social performance regardless of the board diversity.

Keywords: board of directors; corporate social performance; boardroom diversity; gender diversity; corporate social responsibility; CSR; Lebanon; age; board size; outside directors; family businesses; family firms.

DOI: 10.1504/EMJM.2015.072555

EuroMed Journal of Management, 2015 Vol.1 No.1, pp.57 - 69

Received: 21 Jan 2015
Accepted: 22 Jan 2015

Published online: 19 Oct 2015 *

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