Board and executive gender diversity as a driver of airline efficiency: A network-DEA analysis

Pere Suau-Sanchez*, Augusto Voltes-Dorta, Laura Lamolla

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

This paper investigates the influence of gender diversity on the efficiency of airlines. Despite global progress towards gender equality, the airline industry continues to exhibit a considerable gender gap, especially in leadership positions. Our study utilises a Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to assess the performance of airlines concerning gender diversity in board and executive roles. By analysing a dataset of airlines of different continents and covering the period before and after the COVID-19 crisis, gender diversity’s impact on airline efficiency (defined as the ratio of the sum of its weighted outputs to the sum of its weighted inputs) is examined during times of significant operational stress. A second-stage estimation further enriches the analysis to assess the influence of external variables. Our findings reveal that airlines with higher gender diversity on their boards and executive teams exhibit better efficiency before and after COVID-19 crisis. The study contributes to the broader discourse on gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated sectors, offering insights into the strategic benefits of inclusive leadership practices.
Original languageEnglish
Article number102745
Pages (from-to)1-24
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of Air Transport Management
Volume124
Early online date16 Jan 2025
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 16 Jan 2025

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • airline efficiency
  • DEA
  • gender
  • post-COVID
  • executive team

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