Beyond tokenism: a contingency model of board gender diversity and environmental innovation in Korean and Japanese firms

초록

This study explores the contingent relationship between board gender diversity and environmental innovation in East Asian firms, focusing on organizational and contextual factors. Integrating tokenism theory and threat rigidity theory, we examine data from 81 Korean and 234 Japanese publicly listed firms over a 14-year period (2007-2020). Our findings reveal that board gender diversity alone does not significantly enhance environmental innovation. Instead, its impact is shaped by specific moderating factors: strong sustainability governance and ethical climates amplify the positive effects of board gender diversity, while high-carbon industries further magnify these interactions. Additionally, we show that the positive influence of sustainability governance is less pronounced in countries with higher gender economic parity, highlighting the interplay between organizational and institutional contexts. These findings contribute to the corporate governance and sustainability literature by identifying mechanisms through which token women directors can overcome constraints to drive innovation. Practical implications emphasize the need for robust governance structures and ethical climates to leverage the potential of diverse boards, particularly in high-stakes industries.

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