Board Composition and Gender Diversity: Comparison of Turkish and Nigerian Listed Companies

The research related with board of directors is an important research stream. One of the most noteworthy dimensions related with board composition is board gender diversity. Although, many research is undertaken in developed countries related with board gender diversity, related research is still at infancy in developing and emerging market economies. This study aims to contribute to the literature by comparison of important board composition dimensions, that are board gender diversity, presence of independent directors and board size between Turkey and Nigeria. The findings indicate no statistically significant difference between the two countries in terms of board gender diversity and underrepresentation of female directors. According to the research findings, the underrepresentation of female directors is more obvious in Turkey. On the other hand, there exists statistically significant difference in terms of board size and presence of independent board members among the two countries. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.