NEW YORK, NY – As the nation recognizes Women’s History Month, the country continues to confront gender disparities in the workplace, business, and entrepreneurship. Columbia Business School’s faculty experts are at the forefront of groundbreaking research on these disparities, shedding light on key issues and proposing solutions to promote gender equity.
Here are six studies addressing key topics crucial for enhancing outcomes for women in business:
- The Gender Gap in Meaningful Work— Economists are finding that wage disparities might also be driven by how people select occupations. A new study from Professor Vanessa Burbano, the Sidney Taurel Associate Professor of Business and Professor Stephan Meier, the James P. Gorman Professor of Business and Chair of the Management Division, reveals that women find work more meaningful than men do, and that women-dominated professions often contribute more to societal welfare, influencing how women perceive their jobs compared to men. The research highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address workplace inequalities that extend beyond mere wage differentials. Read more about Professors Burbano and Meier’s research here.
- Race and Gender in Entrepreneurial Finance—Although Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the country, a gap in start-up financing remains. Professor Michael Ewens, the David L. and Elsie M. Dodd Professor of Finance, researched the persistent gaps in participation and financing faced by female and minority entrepreneurs. Despite successful fundraising efforts, female founders manage only 16-25% of startups, with Black entrepreneurs comprising less than 3%. The analysis reveals nuanced biases and information disparities, emphasizing the imperative for inclusive policies to promote equal opportunities in entrepreneurship. The research sheds light on the ongoing struggles for gender and racial equality in business. Read more about Professor Ewens’ research here.
- How Companies Communicate on Gender — Research shows that when companies hire female CEOs and appoint female board members, they undergo a noticeable change in how they talk about women leaders. A study from Professor Sandra Matz, the David W. Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business, finds that with women in leadership, linguistic shifts occur in company documents and on earnings calls, associating women with leadership traits without sacrificing likability. The research showcases how women play a pivotal role in reshaping language and dismantling stereotypes in business. Read more about Professor Matz’s research here.
- Gender Segregation and Applicant Pools — Gender segregation can often begin in the application process, with research showing that men and women are drawn to job postings. In a study from Professor Mabel Abraham, Barbara and Meyer Feldberg Associate Professor of Business and Professor Vanessa Burbano, the Sidney Taurel Associate Professor of Business, researchers find that male and female job seekers prioritize different signals when applying for positions, with men being influenced by consistency between leadership gender and organizational claims, while women prioritize signals of unbiased and equitable environments. By adjusting job postings to vary leadership gender and organizational claims, they observe shifts in applicant pools. Read more about Professors Abraham and Burbano’s research here.
- Corporate Boards and Gender Diversity — Efforts to diversify corporate boards can hit a wall: a phenomenon that researchers have identified as "twokenism." A 2019 study from Professor Modupe Akinola, the Barbara and David Zalaznick Professor of Business, revealed an overrepresentation of boards with exactly two women—a phenomenon termed "twokenism." This trend is more pronounced in visible companies, indicating pressure for conformity to descriptive social norms due to impression management concerns. Experimental data support these findings, showing decision-makers are less likely to add women or minorities once the group reaches the social norm threshold. This research sheds light on persistent underrepresentation of women and minorities, highlighting challenges and biases they face in organizational settings. Read more about Professor Akinola’s research here.
- Startup Funding for Women-led Ventures – Why Aren’t Startups Founded by Women Getting More Funding? —Businesses led by women face a significant hurdle in obtaining venture capital (VC) funding, being 63 percent less likely to secure it compared to those led by men. While prior studies have concentrated on gender biases during the investment-seeking phase, this research reveals that the gender gap manifests at various stages of the entrepreneurship journey. Particularly noteworthy is that it is largely influenced by factors preceding a woman's decision to embark on entrepreneurship or not. Professor Jorge Guzman, Gantcher Associate Professor of Business, and the study’s co-authors of London Business School, found that these findings fundamentally shift the focus of gender research in entrepreneurship to an area that has been overlooked until now. Read more about Professor Guzman’s research here.
To learn more about cutting-edge research being conducted, please visit Columbia Business School.
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