Women and Editorial Leadership of Scientific and Academic Journals: An Explorative Study

Abstract

The gender balance/imbalance in the governance of academic journals tied to the different scientific areas (i.e., the editorial board composition) represents a rather under investigated topic among the literature stream on diversity in top academic positions. Starting from this premise, the work aims to detect the gender (im)balance within the most prestigious international journals of Accounting. After having traced the theoretical background, the research design includes the empirical investigation focused on the Accounting journals ranked in the list proposed by the Association of Business Schools (ABS) in 2015 and included in the Italian ANVUR list (2017). Results confirm the underrepresentation of women in the editorial team and leadership positions of Accounting journals, as it happens in other fields included among the STEMs (such as Medicine or Math) or non-STEM disciplines (i.e., Management and Marketing). The work has scientific implications since it points out the limited potential of women scholars in covering governing roles and gaining worldwide visibility. Editorial board membership is in fact both a professional honour in recognition of achievements and an opportunity for professional advancement. Under an operational and political perspective, it contributes to nurturing the debate on the presence of an insidious discrimination that is often not easily recognized.