We present the master’s dissertation developed within the scope of the POWER Project, entitled “Causal Configurations Leading to Women’s Representation on Boards: A Fuzzy Set Approach”, authored by Margarida Esculcas Pereira Gomes Simões and supervised by Professors Maria João Guedes and Dinis Macedo.
The study investigates the factors shaping women’s representation on boards (WoB), applying fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Four national-level conditions were examined: gender equality, women with higher education, voice and accountability, and political ideology. Findings reveal that no single condition is sufficient to explain WoB representation; rather, multiple configurations can lead to it. Gender equality consistently emerges as a central condition, while the influence of other factors is context dependent. This multidimensional approach underscores the importance of intersecting social, political, and institutional dynamics in fostering gender-balanced leadership, offering key insights for policymakers and corporate leaders committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5 and SDG 10).
You can consult this research work here.
