To better understand the links between gender diversity and board dynamics, 45 male chairs of large Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) firms were interviewed to identify the impacts of the appointment of women on board functioning. Chairs held very positive perceptions about the influence of women board members, including improved dynamics around reflexivity, communication and debate which assisted chairs to promote a sense of shared group membership and cohesion. Every chair consciously worked to ensure that board member gender was not made a salient attribute or social category. Irrespective of gender, chairs encouraged board members to judge themselves as fulfilling specific components of the board skills matrix, while also identifying as a social category of highly qualified professionals rather than as unique individuals or factions categorised by gender difference or business track records. A preliminary social-psychological framework is proposed to guide future research and to promote improved boardroom practices.

JEL classification: D23, D74, G41

为了更好地了解性别多样性和董事会动态之间的联系，我们采访了澳大利亚证券交易所 (ASX) 大型公司的 45 名男性主席，以确定任命女性对董事会运作的影响。主席们对女性董事会成员的影响持有非常积极的看法，包括改善了围绕反思、沟通和辩论的动态，这有助于主席促进共享团体成员和凝聚力的感觉。每一位主席都有意识地努力确保董事会成员的性别不会成为突出的属性或社会类别。无论性别如何，主席都鼓励董事会成员判断自己是否符合董事会技能矩阵的特定组成部分，同时也将其识别为高素质专业人士的社会类别，而不是按性别差异或业务记录分类的独特个人或派系。提出了一个初步的社会心理框架，以指导未来的研究并促进改进的董事会实践。

JEL分类：D23、D74、G41