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Gender And Decision-Making In The C-Suite, Trang Doan

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study empirically tests the implications of five theories on the importance of gender in the C-suite. Specifically, I examine the impact of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) gender on the stock price response at the appointment of the executive and on post-hiring firm performance. The results from both tests are in support of the notion that female executives are less overconfident, but not less risk-averse, than their male counterparts. Particularly, I find that investors respond relatively less favorably to the appointment of female CFOs compared to that of male CFOs at firms characterized by high uncertainty. Further, the evidence …