The impact of board gender diversity on healthcare financial performance during Covid- 19: Evidence from Italian Healthcare Organizations

Over the past few decades, European institutions and policymakers have promoted gender diversity in management and strategic leadership roles. Prior literature has highlighted the importance of board gender diversity; nevertheless, previous studies have mainly focused on the private sector, while the public sector – particularly the healthcare sector – remains under-investigated. Hence, to fill this gap, the present paper aims to examine the impact of board gender diversity on Italian public health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the calls for more excellent representation of women in leadership roles. The research methodology uses an OLS linear regression model to examine the relationship between the number of women in top positions in Italian Healthcare Organizations (roles of general, administrative, and health managers) and their financial and non-financial performance. Results show that women’s involvement in governance positively impacts the performance of Italian healthcare organisations, while no significant association has emerged regarding non-financial performance. This study could represent a starting point for implementing measures that focus on the health sector. The sector has been experiencing a severe crisis for years and, therefore, needs innovative strategies for its relaunch.