When Tokens Matter: A Critical Perspective on Tokenism and Women on Corporate Boards

23.02.2023 12:00 – 13:00

MANAGEMENT BROWN BAG SEMINAR / SHORT ABSTRACT


This paper challenges the existing understanding of tokens and tokenism within the context of women on corporate boards. We argue that extant tokenism scholarship adopts a reductive logic that equates tokens with tokenism and assumes the numerical underrepresentation of women on corporate boards as an implied signal of lack of power, thereby failing to fully reflect the differential power of tokens as prospective agents of both personal and inter-group change. Integrating perspectives from social psychology and management, we offer a more nuanced understanding of tokens by proposing four categories of women tokens: (1) the passive token; (2) the marginalized token; (3) the queen bee token; and (4) the changemaker token. These theorized categories aim to capture how women board members can differentially navigate group dynamics, contextualized on the responses of the dominant gender group and organisational and board norms and culture, consequently affecting the prevalence of tokenism on corporate boards.

Lieu

Bâtiment: Uni Mail

In Uni Mail

Boulevard du Pont-d'Arve 40
1205 Geneva

Room M 3250, 3rd floor

entrée libre