The global landscape of gender quotas on corporate boards : contexts for adoption and opposition in 2014

Abstract

There has been an acceleration in the adoption of gender quotas on boards since Norway pioneered legislation in 2003. Countries that have made parallel reforms have primarily been in the western European bloc, while other countries have displayed strong resistance to this measure. The reasons underlying support and resistance have been argued across the globe, and their consistent application raises questions about why certain countries have been more aggressive in adopting quotas, compared to those that continue to resist. This paper aims to understand some of the national contexts of these countries. In doing so, a theoretical framework is applied using a selection of factors that may facilitate understanding and simplifying complexities within each polity. In addressing what common factors and disparities exist within and between countries that have adopted quotas compared to those that continue to oppose, potential implications for policy makers such as the use of critical junctures and the media become apparent.