A importância da diversidade de gênero na liderança de empresas do mercado financeiro

Abstract

The business world has long debated the effect of gender diversity on business outcomes. The research aims to present the profile of women in the leadership of companies in the Brazilian financial market. The methodology at first was a literature review based on the selection of articles and studies on the topic; then an exploratory research of a quantitative nature was used with the application of a data collection instrument followed by a discussion with the literature. Some researchers argue that gender diversity leads to more innovative thinking and signals to investors that a company is managed competently. In other words, beliefs about gender diversity create a cycle of self-fulfillment. Countries and industries that see gender diversity as important benefits can also signal to investors that it is a responsible and well-managed company. Sociological research on market valuation suggests that investors value it when companies use commonly accepted “best practices”, such as including diverse groups in hiring, and penalize those who violate these norms. Investors are starting to demand gender diversity in corporate leadership, and there is growing evidence that diversity matters to bottom-line results. In the empirical research, it was shown that the age group of the interviewees was mostly between 30 and 39 years old. Regarding training, most have a degree in Economic Sciences, and at the postgraduate level, only 26% have a specialization or an MBA and postdoctoral degree. In practice, most are in the area of finance. Regarding policies for gender equality, only 30.4% say that the company has this type of conduct. In terms of representativeness, 82.6% feel represented by other women at work, however, 47.8% said they had already been through an embarrassing situation. About sociodemographic profiles, most do not have children and are responsible for managing household bills and when it comes to income, most contribute only up to 20% in breadwinner families, although they are not the main breadwinners of the household. Whereas, it is important for business acumen to look for ways to employ and empower more at work, not just as a future business obligation, but also a solid business strategy.