Board Gender Diversity and CSR Performance: Do Societal Harmony/Mastery Orientation and Cultural Tightness-Looseness Matter?

Abstract

The purpose of this study is two-fold: (1) to investigate the moderating effect of the cultural value orientation of harmony/mastery on the relationship between board gender diversity (BGD) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance; and (2) to examine further whether cultural tightness amplifies the moderating effect of harmony/mastery orientation. Using a sample of 5135 firms across 25 countries during the period 2002–2021, our interaction model run with panel regression showed that the association between BGD and CSR performance is positively (negatively) moderated by harmony (mastery) orientation. Moreover, our test of a three-way interaction among BGD, harmony (mastery), and cultural tightness–looseness on CSR performance revealed that the moderating effect of harmony (mastery) orientation is amplified when cultural tightness increases. The findings suggest that harmony/mastery orientation matters more for the effects of BGD on firm CSR performance under tight cultural conditions. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the study.