Search

Based on the notion that a diverse board takes a more balanced perspective and pays greater attention to financial reporting oversight, this paper examines the association between board gender diversity and financial reporting quality. Specifically, we study the enablers that allow women to add value to the monitoring activities in the context of limited affirmative actions to promote women on boards. We provide evidence that increased share of women on boards is associated with improved financial reporting quality proxied by reporting timeliness, earnings management, and auditor opinions. We find that in companies that do not have a sufficient number of women on boards, the critical mass effect can be replaced by the “voice” effect, i.e., it is still possible to improve financial reporting quality by having a woman chair the board.

PurposeEnterprise social media can be the organizational transactive memory in which the knowledge dialogue provides users with the metaknowledge to support knowledge transfer. The purpose of this study is to examine a mediation model to show how perceived critical mass, openness and affiliation climate affect organizational knowledge transfer through the mediation of improving the metaknowledge of who knows what and whom.Design/methodology/approachTo test the mediation model and corresponding hypotheses, this study employs structural equation modeling analysis using 264 valid questionnaires.FindingsThe study found the two mediators fully explained the effects of the three preconditions on knowledge transfer.Originality/valueThese results help us to better understand the benefits of enterprise social media and the functions of transactive memory in organizations.

This study examines the influence of women’s board representation on the proportion of women senior managers in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1999 to 2019. We take a multi-theoretic approach, drawing on the trickle-down effect, critical mass theory, and agency theory, to explore several aspects of this topic. We find that more women on boards is associated with more women in senior management as suggested by the trickle-down perspective. We also find support for a critical mass effect; while one or two women on a board is beneficial for advancing women into senior management, three or more women directors is more advantageous. Consistent with agency theory expectations, the relationship between women on boards and senior management gender diversity is driven almost entirely by women in non-executive, rather than executive, board positions, presumably as a result of the relative independence non-executive directors have compared to their executive director counterparts. Our study suggests that increasing women’s board appointments is a potential solution to the underrepresentation of women senior managers and may assist in building a pipeline for future CEO and board appointments.

I n the years that led to the deployment of 5G networks, people often read of the envisioned transformative power of 5G in everyday life, with examples usually drawn from health care, entertainment, and automation. As explored in this column, these promises are finally coming to fruition as more trials and near-commercial deployments showcase the capabilities of 5G in these areas. At the same time, reports are coming in documenting that 5G adoption is reaching critical mass, typically targeting the midband spectrum in an effort to deliver both maximum speeds and optimal coverage.

We empirically examine the role of board gender diversity in influencing stock price crash risk at the firm-level in twelve (12) Asia-Pacific Markets. Using a dataset comprising data from 1021 listed firms over the period 2006–2016, we employ a random effect model in a regression setting. Controlling for the firm and market-level variables, we find that board gender diversity results in lowering the stock price crash risk of the firm. Bifurcating women directors on corporate board into numerical representation (token and critical mass representation), the results support our main conjectures and suggest that the economic significance of this relationship is higher for firms that have three or more women directors on the board as compared to the firms that have less than three women directors on the corporate board. Our results are robust to alternative measures of stock price crash risk, potential endogeneity and selection biases.

This paper provides evidence that the #MeToo movement revised investors’ beliefs about the costs (benefits) of fostering an exclusive (inclusive) culture, as reflected by the absence (presence of a critical mass) of women directors in the board room. Tracking the timeline of events associated with the #MeToo movement, beginning with the Harvey Weinstein expose in October of 2017 in the New York Times, we document contrasting market reactions to the movement depending upon the existing culture of the firm. While firms that historically have excluded women from their board experienced a negative market response as momentum for the cause increased, firms that historically embraced the inclusion of women on their board enjoyed positive returns as #MeToo events unfolded. In contrast, examining randomly generated pseudo-events occurring during the same time frame, we do not detect differences in the market’s response to these pseudo-events when comparing firms with exclusive and inclusive cultures. In the context of increased regulator attention to board gender diversity as well as the ESG activist campaigns by large institutional investors, our study documents a shift in investors’ beliefs about the risks associated with future revelations of misconduct and also about the value of having women in the board room shaping the culture of the firm.

This paper investigates the influence of size when co-producing housing. Based on Olson’s logic of collective action and a literature review of collaborative housing, the research builds an analytical framework comparing small, moderate and large co-produced housing projects. The research is based on a cross-disciplinary qualitative study of collaborative housing projects in Nantes, Brussels and Zurich. The analysis of the projects links a spatial investigation of the dwelling spaces with in-depth field observations and interviews to bring to light housing configurations, residents’ practices and settlements’ populations. Larger collaborative housing projects yield two major benefits. On the one hand, size reduces spatial particularisms, thereby allowing for a multiplicity of dwelling practices. On the other hand, the benefits generated by critical mass and the possibility for residents to avoid mandatory interactions with others can favour social inclusion both within the project and in the neighbourhood. Given their greater spatial diversity and social mix, large-scale collaborative projects tend to offer more resilience to familial and societal changes. Size could hence be a valuable asset in new sustainable design, provided some precautions are taken, viz: ensuring solidarity despite heterogeneity, preventing oversizing and establishing the cultural and legal conditions for alternative developments.

Women legislators prioritised and contributed to getting three family Bills passed in Kenya’s National Assembly 2013–2017. This was the first National Assembly in the country to benefit from gender...

More than a decade ago Dutch and German Institutions expressed their worries about the decline in education on and research in the field of Process Safety. More recently the IChemE (UK) published a report “Improve Process Safety Education in Undergraduate engineering”. In France several publications from teaching staff of multiple universities raise questions on “why, what, and how to teach Process Safety”. The Dutch Institution AGS† made a number of recommendeations to counter-act the decline, the German Institution Dechema-ProcessNet released a position paper with recommendations for Education, in France the discussion continues, especially for the content of the study prgramme of the Engineering Schools. Time to investigate if the worries are still valid and what has been done with the recommendations. From a selection European universities, the curricula Chemical Engineering (both BSc and MSc) were examined for the presence of courses ‘Process Safety’. If present, the topics taught within and the time involved (as % ECTS from the total ECTS of the curriculum) were analysed. The analysis shows that the time taken to teach process safety subjects is on average 1.6 % of the total ECTS of the BSc curriculum and 3.4 % for the MSc curriculum. Next, the study searched for key-words in the description of the courses Process Safety. The key-words were categorised to allow a sensible analysis. The gathered data have been clustered into topics, using domains (AGS) and taxonomy (MKOPSC) as a guide. Furthermore, the study reveals that there is no consensus on what subjects to be educated as the ‘absolute minimum’ in curricula Chemical Engineering. Neither in the regular curricula nor in the ‘Advanced MSc’ ones, is a common base found on what to teach as a minimum. A foreseeable consequence of the limited amount of time devoted to Process Safety in regular BSc and MSc curricula, is that the subjects are taught in one or two courses rather than spread evenly over years or semesters. Rather than in one single course, educationalists would prefer to teach engineering and safety courses alternately. Examination of the course contents shows that the subjects taught within process safety courses are well-known, leaving less room to discuss new theories. This is quite acceptable for undergraduate education but for graduate programmes and especially the Advanced MSc, subjects at the forefront of knowledge would be expected. Operating in the forefront of knowledge will originate from research and as pointed out by the Dutch AGS report, a critical mass of research staff is needed to safeguard the development of new knowledge. Alas, the opposite is seen. As the number of students choosing science declines, staff is reduced, chairs are abolished and research effort diminishes accordingly. However, the needs of industry doesn’t decline proportionally. For that reason a plea is made to join forces and build an Advanced MSc programme ‘Process Safety’ taught by a partnership of several universities, with some distribution of safety research in partnership.

Introduction. This article is devoted to the consideration of American media-political discourse in the context of the migration crisis and is a fragment of a large-scale study of migration, racist, media-political and crisis discourse, as well as the discourse of enmity. The relevance of the study of migration discourse is evident, as migration processes and, in particular, the migration crisis have a significant impact on modern society and raise a number of serious, sometimes unmanageable issues for politicians. The article provides an analysis of discursive strategies typical of migration discourse, including an evaluation information strategy and discrediting tactics, as well as the role of cognitive metaphor in their implementation. Consideration of the actualization of migration discourse strategies at the linguistic-cognitive level, in the context of the theory of conceptual integration, allows us to distinguish various ways of metaphorical understanding of migration and the migration crisis, which constitutes the novelty of this study. Methodology and data sources. The study was conducted using the American periodicals. Texts were selected by a continuous sampling method. The study was conducted in the context of a critical approach to the analysis of discourse at the linguistic and linguistic-cognitive levels. The linguistic plan of the discourse was considered through the study of communicative strategies and tactics involved in media texts, using methods of discursive analysis, and semantic-stylistic/lexico-semantic analysis at certain stages. The main method of studying the linguistic-cognitive plan of discourse was cognitive-discursive analysis of the conceptual metaphor within the framework of the blending theory. Results and discussion. In the American migration discourse, a persuasive strategy has become widespread, which is often implemented through the evaluation information strategy. One of the main means of implementing the evaluation information strategy is the mechanism of cognitive metaphor. The conceptual signs identified during the analysis of the metaphor as a natural phenomenon of the water element can be explained by the natural characteristics of water as liquid and correlate with the number of migrants: the heating of water to the boiling point correlates with the critical mass of the number of migrants, the sharp breakthrough of water through the dam is compared to an excessive increase in the number of migrants. Also, the identified conceptual signs are associated with the effect of the surprise of what is happening (an unexpected influx of migrants as a bursting of the dam), a gradual and inconspicuous development of events (undermining the foundations of society and oppressing migrants as a slow destruction of soil by groundwater). Conclusion. The migration crisis is one of the key social problems of modern American society. The research conducted within the framework of blending theory provides an opportunity to identify specific ways of metaphorizing the migration crisis and to analyze various implications and background knowledge that are actualized as two scenarios of the same metaphor are implemented and displayed in the emergent structure of the blend.

Evangelicals are one of the largest subgroups of the US population. With formal associations over 200 years old, they are certainly not new on the scene. Yet, their political group activity has remained relatively unexplored. Why do they emerge and what constitutes the evangelical group universe? Using an original dataset of evangelical groups and drawing upon a rich literature of theories of group formation, I use population ecology to explain evangelical interest group emergence. I find that evangelical groups are approaching a critical mass where competition for resources discourages group formation. I also find strong evidence that the political polarization of the mid-1990s encouraged group formation at a staggering rate. I also demonstrate that evangelicals are responsive to “threats” to their social values. In addition to this, I control for a number of other variables that further bolster the evidence that population ecology is a good way to explain a complex religious group.

A critical mass of literacy scholars have re-defined what it means to prepare reading teachers toward approaches that foreground culture, critical inquiry, and multilingualism. An upsurge in resear...

“Comparative Law is en vogue”, claimed Ralf Michaels almost twenty years ago, referring to the conference that took place in New Orleans in 2000 to celebrate the centenary of the first International Congress of Comparative Law. Now, two decades later, the same can be said with regard to Chile: as evidenced by the recent creation of the Chilean Network of Comparative Law, in our country, Comparative Law as a discipline has finally achieved sufficient maturity and critical mass that it may now take on an organized and institutional form.

Online health communities (OHCs) have become important resources from which members can obtain social support. Since most benefits of OHCs are provided by its members, it is crucial that OHCs maintain a critical mass of active members. This paper examines temporal changes in members' participation in a cancer-orientedOHC, focusing on the changes in members' motivations and behavior as they transition from newcomers to other roles or when they ultimately leave the community. Our work used mixed methods, combining behavioral log analysis, automated content analysis, surveys and interviews. We found that shifts in members' motivations seemed to be driven by two sources: the internal dynamics common to becoming a member of most online communities and the external needs associated with their cancer journey. When members' disease-driven needs for support decreased, most members quit the site. The motivations of those who stayed shifted from receiving support to providing it to others in the community. As in many online communities, old-timers contributed the vast majority of content. However, they encountered challenges that threatened their commitment, including negative emotions related to other members' deaths, which led them to take leaves of absence from the community or to drop out permanently. Implications for the motivation changes ofOHC members are discussed.

Digital learning objects are new kinds of resources which teacher librarians will be required to manage and make accessible to teachers and students. In Australia there are currently large-scale national and state initiatives underway to develop a critical mass of learning objects. The development of a Learning System Architecture has also become a vital step to make it possible to manage these learning objects. Packages that will enable students and teachers to communicate, collaborate, locate and access resources within intellectual property arrangements, assemble digital resources into learning sequences, assess and report are all necessary requirements. The Learning System Architecture emerging in Australia enables these disparate systems to function together as seamless and interoperable packages. A new profile of teacher librarian competency is being developed in Tasmania to assist with planning the professional learning needs of this group. The new profile includes understandings and experience of information communication technologies and online learning. Managing these new digital resources to support the teaching and learning is a key new professional role for teacher librarians.

Arguments based on ethical sensitivity differences, gender-based functional differences, and gender discrimination suggest that having more women on the board of directors improves corporate environmental actions (CEA). However, empirical evidence of this relationship has provided inconsistent results. To explore this inconsistency, we draw on critical mass theory to examine how women on boards influence CEA. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms during 2010–2016, we find that firms with a critical mass of at least three female directors on their boards engage in both higher quality and faster speed of environmental actions. In addition, we find that government monitoring (as a formal institution) positively moderates this relationship. We also find that local religious ideology (as an informal institution) positively moderates the relationship between critical mass of women on the boards and CEA speed. Our findings provide insights about gender diversity on boards to corporations and policymakers.

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of how a crowd-shipping platform can achieve a critical mass of senders and carrier crowd members to yield network effects that are necessary for the platform to grow and thrive. Specifically, this research studies the participation decisions of both senders and carriers over time and the impacts of the resulting feedback loop on platform growth and performance.Design/methodology/approachAn agent-based model is developed and used to study dynamic behavior and network effects within a simulated crowd-shipping platform. The model allows both carriers and senders to be represented as autonomous, heterogeneous and adaptive agents, whose decisions to participate in the platform impact the participation of other agents over time. Survey data inform the logic governing agent decisions and behaviors.FindingsThe feedback loop created by individual sender and carrier agents' participation decisions generates complex and dynamic network effects that are observable at the platform level. Experimental results demonstrate the importance of having sufficient crowd carriers available when the platform is initially launched, as well as ensuring that sender and carrier participation remains balanced as the platform grows over time.Research limitations/implicationsThe model successfully demonstrates the power of agent-based modeling (ABM) in analyzing network effects in crowd-shipping systems. However, the model has not yet been fully validated with data from a real-world crowd-shipping platform. Furthermore, the model's geographic scope is limited to a single census tract. Platform behavior will likely differ across geographic regions, with varying demographics and sender/carrier density.Practical implicationsThe modeling approach can be used to provide the manager of a volunteer-based crowd-shipping program for food rescue with insights on how to achieve a critical mass of participants, with an appropriate balance between the number of restaurant food donation delivery requests and the number of crowd-shippers available and willing to make those deliveries.Social implicationsThis research can help a crowd-shipping platform for urban food rescue to grow and become self-sustainable, thereby serving more food-insecure people.Originality/valueThe model represents both senders and the carrier crowd as autonomous, heterogeneous and adaptive agents, such that network effects resulting from their interactions can emerge and be observed over time. The model was designed to study a volunteer crowd-shipping platform for food rescue, with participant motivations driven by personal values and social factors, rather than monetary incentives.

This study uses social capital theory to explain the power of social capital in mediating relationship between citizens’ behaviour and compliance in local governments. The research builds on past studies that used citizenship, agency and stewardship theories to examine the mediating role of social capital in the association between citizens’ behaviour and compliance in local governments. The findings revealed that social capital partially mediates the association between citizens’ behaviour and compliance. This article urges citizens to come together, leveraging on social capital to garner critical mass to drive compliance. The study findings present both policy and managerial implications.

Introduction: The health workforce is the channel for delivering health interventions to populations. A critical mass of health professionals is necessary to manage a health system and is often a crucial limiting factor in the delivery of quality health services. India’s current situation, juxtaposed with its medium-term and long-term HRH (human resources for health) requirements, necessitates reassessing the policy levers that are available at the national level. Objective: To suggest strategic options to recommend India’s way forward to meet challenges related to health service delivery and public health with an HRH focus. Methodology: We reviewed and compared studies from different countries which focused on strengthening HRH at the national level. A two-step approach towards identifying and selecting HRH strategic options was adopted: desk review and discussions. A list of strategic options for reforming the current state of HRH in India was developed on the basis of lessons learnt from the review. These options were then scored and plotted on a grid (for innovation, disruption, difficulty of implementation, budget for implementation, importance and time period for implementation) in discussion with experts. Result: Based on the lessons learnt, eight strategic options were suggested for India: instituting a national HRH body; developing partnership models for the public sector and the private sector; setting benchmark HRH ratios; allocating at least 2.5% of the GDP to health; allocating at least 25% of all development assistance for health to HRH; halving the current levels of disparity in health worker distribution between urban and rural areas; evaluating HRH support through the National Health Mission (NHM); and maintaining a live register of HRH. Conclusion: The research is timely as India moves towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a particular focus on universal health coverage (UHC) and Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The suggested strategic options for the way forward shall help India in dealing with the current health crisis to emerge with a strong public health system.

Using standpoint epistemology and critical mass theories this study examines outcomes of the 2012 ProQuote [ProQuota] initiative in Germany demanding at least 30% women in leadership per newsroom. ...

Boards of directors have recently become more attentive to their stakeholders' concerns, providing more transparent information and adopting more sustainable business strategies. This study investigates the influence of a critical mass of women on boards on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure score and its three components separately. Using a sample of the FTSE‐MIB listed companies in the 2005–2017 period, we show that reaching a critical mass of female board members—going from one or two women to at least three—enhances the level of ESG disclosure. The results also show that the critical mass of female board members has a positive influence on every component of the ESG score, with the highest contribution of women reaching the governance score. These findings provide insights to shareholders and policymakers and suggest that a critical mass of female board members is particularly effective in improving transparency, and it can be seen as a mechanism to transit to stakeholder governance, fostering more sustainable behavior in firms.

The choice for corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a strategic tool remains a debatable issue. While past studies suggest that the financial performance of a firm is the primary driver of CEO turnover; we found that a firm's CSR performance also has a relationship with CEO turnover, a negative relationship. Consistent with the hypotheses, our findings suggest that firm's CSR performance positively moderates the firm's financial performance–CEO turnover relationship. The firm's negative CSR performance–CEO turnover relationship is more pronounced in highCSR‐ranked firms. Precisely, the findings posit that CSR appears to (a) reduce likelihood of CEO turnover in general, (b) somewhat increases the likelihood of CEO turnover in case of poor financial performance, and (c) greatly reduces the likelihood of CEO turnover in case of better financial performance is good. Therefore, a CEO who is motivated to deliver profits in a socially responsible way may face both positive and negative personal consequences. Given the importance of the board gender diversity/gender critical mass, our findings show that the presence of gender critical mass moderates the firm's negative performance (CSR and ROA)–CEO turnover relationship. Further, we split the sample into low and highCSR‐ranked firms, and the findings show that the presence of gender critical mass substitutes the firm's negative performance (CSR and ROA)–CEO turnover relation in highCSR‐ranked firms; whereas, it moderates the relation in lowCSR‐ranked firms. Therefore, the presence of gender critical mass supports the statement that “CSR—combined with board gender diversity—is the new competitive environment for CEOs.”

Cyber risk has become one of the greatest threats to firms in recent years. Accordingly, boards of directors must be continually vigilant about this danger. They have a duty to ensure that the companies adopt appropriate cybersecurity measures to manage the risk of cyber fraud. Boards should also ensure that the firm disclose material cyber risk and breaches. We examine how the board’s gender composition can influence the extent of such disclosure, based on a sample of the companies listed on the S&P/TSX 60 Index over the period 2014–2018. Results show evidence of a positive association between the presence and level of cybersecurity disclosure and board gender diversity. However, the board must boast a critical mass of at least three women before this positive impact can be observed. Our findings contribute to the debate on the importance of gender diversity by adding the concept of the positive influence of heterogeneity on cyber disclosure. We also augment the literature on the critical mass of women in boardrooms by providing empirical evidence that three or more women constitute the threshold for better governance. Our study has important implications for investors, stakeholders and regulators. If investors wish to increase cybersecurity disclosure, they should ask for more diversified boards. Our findings support regulators in their efforts to increase women’s representation on boards by providing empirical evidence of better outcomes with this type of board composition.

Background Paediatric rheumatic diseases are a leading cause of acquired disability in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific Countries (SE ASIA/ASIAPAC). The aims of this study were to identify and describe the challenges to the delivery of patient care and identify solutions to raise awareness about paediatric rheumatic diseases. Methods The anonymised online survey included 27 items about paediatric rheumatology (PR) clinical care and training programmes. The survey was piloted and then distributed via Survey-Monkey™ between March and July 2019. It was sent to existing group lists of physicians and allied health professionals (AHPs), who were involved in the care pathways and management of children with rheumatic diseases in SE ASIA/ASIAPAC. Results Of 340 participants from 14 countries, 261 participants had been involved in PR care. The majority of the participants were general paediatricians. The main reported barriers to providing specialised multidisciplinary service were the absence or inadequacy of the provision of specialists and AHPs in addition to financial issues. Access to medicines was variable and financial constraints cited as the major obstacle to accessing biological drugs within clinical settings. The lack of a critical mass of specialist paediatric rheumatologists was the main perceived barrier to PR training. Conclusions There are multiple challenges to PR services in SE ASIA/ASIAPAC countries. There is need for more specialist multidisciplinary services and greater access to medicines and biological therapies. The lack of specialist paediatric rheumatologists is the main barrier for greater access to PR training.

After World War I, many European nations no longer wanted to depend on foreign fossil fuels and sought national renewable sources. In France, inhabitants of the forest regions of south-west advocated wood as a technological alternative for fuel, envisaging the transformation of forest waste into an inexhaustible energy source for cars and trucks. Despite the lobbying efforts of political and military leaders, wood fuels failed to gain enough momentum in France. Because of the huge variety of production techniques required specially adapted machines, the challenge to the primacy of petroleum fell short. It mirrors the current debates on establishing a post-fossil fuel world as it shows that the overabundance of technological alternatives may prevent any one of them from reaching a critical mass. The article engages in a dialogue between history of technology and sustainability studies by trying to understand the promises and failures of the past alternatives to the petroleum-based technological paradigm.

Push-Pull-Mooring framework is adopted to identify the antecedents affecting users’ switching intention from Internet payment to mobile payment. Using the data obtained from 264 valid respondents, the results show that both the mooring factors (perceived switching cost and personal innovativeness) and pull factors (relative advantages of substitute information technology and critical mass) are direct antecedents affecting customer switching behavior. In addition, mooring factors could moderate the relationship between push factors (dissatisfaction on system quality and dissatisfaction on service quality) as well as pull factors and customer switching intention. Managerial implications of findings were provided to payment service providers for maintaining incumbent customers and attracting potential customers.

Hoy en día uno de los factores que ha sido identificado como fundamentales para el crecimiento de los países es el emprendimiento. Así también, los países, sobre todo de la región latinoamericana abordan el reto de aumentar su capital humano emprendedor, particularmente aquellos emprendedores dinámicos, que nacen en el ambiente académico. Sin embargo, para crear esa masa crítica de potenciales emprendedores, es necesario conocer los factores que fomentan o inhiben sus aspiraciones emprendedoras. El objetivo de este trabajo es el de examinar, si existen diferencias en las aspiraciones emprendedoras de los estudiantes hombres y mujeres universitarios de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP). El diseño metodológico propone un estudio de tipo descriptivo, basado en la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado (TCP), que aportará conocimientos entorno a las diferencias de género, tomando en consideración la actitud, la norma subjetiva, el control percibido, la educación en emprendimiento, y su relación con la aspiración emprendedora. El instrumento que se utilizará será un cuestionario aplicado a estudiantes de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. A partir del análisis de las hipótesis planteadas, se presentarán conclusiones y recomendaciones encaminadas a proponer programas y políticas basadas en una mayor claridad de la aspiración emprendedora universitaria, específicamente de la UTP, que procuren el fortalecimiento del tejido empresarial, basado en conocimiento, elevando de esta manera la competitividad del país y la participación de la mujer universitaria en actividades productivas innovadoras, no tradicionales, sobre todo de áreas de ciencia y tecnología.

Rheumatology workforces are increasingly challenged by too few physicians in face of the growing burden of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Rheumatology is one of the most frequent non-surgical specialty referrals and has the longest wait times for subspecialists. We used a population-based approach to describe changes in the rheumatology workforce, patient volumes and geographic variation in the supply of and access to rheumatologists, in Ontario, Canada, between 2000 and 2019, and projected changes in supply by 2030. Over time, we observed greater feminization of the workforce and increasing age of workforce members. We identified a large regional variation in rheumatology supply. Fewer new patients are seen annually, which likely contributes to increasing wait times and reduced access to care. Strategies and policies to raise the critical mass and improve regional distribution of supply to effectively provide rheumatology care and support the healthcare delivery of patients with RMDs are needed.

This article is based on the premise that African authored travel writing about European socio-cultural spaces during the colonial period has the potential to interrogate notions about contemporary African identity while contributing to the collective ideological construction of the wider African society. Recent studies in African thought and ideology have provoked research into African-authored travel writing and the extent to which such travelogues have influenced discussions about the opinions and ideas, as well as a collective self-examination of African identities. These African-authored travelogues do not only represent a critical mass of source materials that highlight the racial discriminatory practices which many Africans encountered and still grapple with as sojourners and travellers to the British (Western) metropolises, but they also serve as a means of reimagining the diverse ways which Africans negotiate the identity quandaries they find themselves in within the context of a hegemonic milieu. The article focuses on the broader issues of identity and thematic ideological categories, using close reading strategies within a multidisciplinary context in analysing an African authored travelogue, “An African in an English School,” which was published in the December, 1937 edition of The West African Review magazine, and written by S.A.T. Taylor. Taylor writes about his impressions of the British educational system and difference, while simultaneously highlighting stereotypical perceptions about Africans by Europeans or the people of England.

This article substantiates the priority directions of innovative and technological development of the agroindustrial complex of Kazakhstan at the present stage. Like the national innovation system of Kazakhstan as a whole, the scientific and innovative infrastructure of the country's agro-industrial complex, including agriculture, demonstrates a low ability to develop a critical mass of high-tech innovative technologies developed by domestic scientists and introduced into production. The current situation is aggravated by the low financial and investment potential of farmers ' entrepreneurs and the lack of an effective system for developing and distributing in-demand innovative knowledge and technology among agricultural producers, as is widely used in world practice. To solve these problems, the authors conducted a theoretical study of the possibilities of using the mechanism of public-private partnership and developing the activities of centers for the dissemination of innovative knowledge. In accordance with the best international practice, these measures are the main directions for increasing the scientific and innovative potential of entrepreneurs and farmers in Kazakhstan. Based on the analysis of international experience in applying the main forms of public-private partnership in the scientific and innovative sphere of the agro-industrial complex, priority measures are proposed to enhance the participation of institutional investors in long-term financing of hightech projects in agriculture. In conclusion, recommendations for further improving the scientific and innovative potential of agricultural producers in the country, including measures of state and institutional support for innovation processes, as well as mechanisms for creating a network for the dissemination of innovative knowledge among farmers are presented.

The original Muscle Beach, in Santa Monica, California, is a site that looms large in the historical imagination. At once a hotbed of physical culture practices and a pop culture reference point, t...

Purpose This study aims to identify the impact of mobile payment on firm performance by developing a model based on the technology, organization and environment framework (TOE framework) including relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, innovativeness, mobile payment knowledge, critical mass, competitive pressure and external support. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from the retail and service firms in Bangkok, Thailand (n = 387). Multiple regression analysis was applied to test the proposed model and carried out in SPSS version 25. Findings The results indicated that the TOE factors, including relative advantage, innovativeness, mobile payment knowledge, critical mass, competitive pressures and external supports, can predict firm performance. While innovativeness is the strongest predictor of positive firm performance, on the other hand, critical mass is found to be negatively significant on firm performance. Practical implications This research suggests that firms that accept mobile payment can identify the positive impact on firm performance and it is important for payment service providers and the government to work closely with firms. Originality/value As some merchants still refuse to implement mobile payment services in their business, this current study seeks to understand the impact of mobile payment. However, not many studies are reported its impact in Southeast Asia. This study is probably the first in Thailand to examine the impact of mobile payment on firm performance in the retail and service firms.

The removal of board members of deposit money banks (DMBs) in Nigeria with larger proportion of male directors in the last decade (2009-2018) for corporate reporting and governance irregularities has become commonplace. Also, the indifference of the extant corporate governance code in the Nigerian banking industry to the gender diversity in the DMBs’ boards despite the global phenomenal nature of the practice poses a lot of questions. Given these rationales, this study examined the influence of female board representation on the practices of income smoothing via provision for loan losses. The time-series cross-sectional dataset related to the variables of the study for a sample of 15 DMBs were extracted from the annual reports of these banks for the period 2007-2018. Data collected were analysed using Prais-Winsten regression model with correlated Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (P-W/PCSEs). The results showed, on the whole, that the reduction in income-smoothing practices is engendered by the extent of female board representation given the significantly negative coefficients of proportion of female directors and Blau Diversity Index. Specifically, among the five continuous measures of female representation, proportion of female directors and Blau Diversity Index explain better the reduction in the income-smoothing practices. For five categorical female representation indicators, presence of at least one woman in the audit committee (F1AD), presence of at least three women on the board and having female chief financial officer (FCFO) are better predictors but that of F1AD is contrary to the prior expectations. The study also established that the reduction in earnings-smoothing practices cannot take place until a critical mass of female board members is present. The study solicited for the appointment of at least three female directors and having female CFO on the DMBs’ boards among others.

Background Development of a critical mass of evidence-based practice (EBP) mentors for healthcare professionals is pivotal in facilitating and sustaining system-wide implementation of evidence-based care, especially for nurses. Empirical evidence shows that organizational factors are strongly associated with EBP. However, the understanding of organizational support to promote EBP competency is found lacking, especially in Mainland China. Aims The purposes of this study were to (1) establish a baseline assessment of EBP nursing leadership and work environment support as well as EBP competency for EBP mentors of nurses in Western China, and (2) explore how nursing leadership and work environment impact the EBP competencies of mentors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. The study population was 286 EBP mentors for nurses from six urban general hospitals in Xi'an City, Shanxi Province. The EBP Nursing Leadership Scale and the EBP Work Environment Scale were used to evaluate their perceived organizational support. EBP competency was measured by the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire. Results There was insufficient time for EBP mentors of nurses to engage in EBP. Lack of experts in EBP and educational offerings about EBP were identified as the two lowest workplace organizational supports for EBP. The respondents reported themselves as not competent in EBP, especially for the knowledge/skills. EBP nursing leadership and work environment support were key predictors of the self-reported EBP competency in the stepwise multiple linear regression models (β = .211-.345, p Linking evidence to action It is imperative to provide EBP mentors for nurses with the knowledge and skills to achieve the expected level of EBP competency. Strategies for developing a cadre of EBP mentors for nurses who have competency in EBP need to be multipronged and target the cultivation of an organizational culture that supports EBP.

An overview of the tested in the Russian Federation in 2009–2018 is presented. Models of cooperation between organizations of science, education and industrial partners: Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 9, 2010 No. 218, Federal law of August 2, 2009 No. 217-FZ, aimed at creating a ring of small innovative enterprises around universities, as well as the project of the Association of Entrepreneurial universities. It is proposed to be guided by the understanding of the criteria for technological development, which is proposed by the strategic planning documents, when determining the key functions of scientific and educational centers (SEC). The assumption is made that formalizing this concept would allow developing a more harmonious system of indicators of the technological development of the country as a whole and individual regions and more clearly formulating the goals and objectives of SEC as a model of technological development. It is noted that the SEC efficiency indicators proposed by the methodology of The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation to a greater extent reflect the totality of the functions of the cooperation participants, but not the quality of initiatives aimed at accelerating the technological development of the region. The basic conditions for productive cooperation are proposed to include the critical mass of specialized companies, ensuring the dominance of private initiative, attracting and retaining highly qualified specialists from scientific and business circles, as well as venture investors.

Despite considerable progress over the years, tuberculosis (TB) still remains the top cause of death among the infectious diseases and has devastating socio-economic consequences for people in low- and middle-income countries. To add to this, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened delivery of TB care across the globe. As a global community, we have committed to end the TB epidemic by 2030. The World Health Organization has framed a strategy to achieve this goal which consists of three pillars namely i) integrated patient-centred care and prevention, ii) bold policies and systems and iii) intensified research and innovation. An analysis of the performance of national tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) across the globe against the ten priority indicators recommended for monitoring the end TB strategy show that there are huge gaps at every step in the cascade of care of TB patients. In our view, these gaps reflect suboptimal implementation of existing strategies known to be efficacious and operational research (OR) is one of the best available tools to plug the gaps. In this paper, we define what operational research is and how it differs from other kinds of research. We also share our views and experiences about how operational research can be used by NTPs to identify implementation gaps and their reasons, and develop and test possible solutions - which are then integrated to make changes to policy and practice and eventually improve programme outcomes. OR can be defined as research into interventions, strategies and tools which produces practical useable knowledge that can be used to enhance the quality, coverage, effectiveness and efficiency of disease control programmes, health services or health systems in which the research is conducted. The key steps in integrating operational research in the NTPs include: i) securing political commitment reflected by inclusion of OR in the national strategic plans of NTPs and earmarked funding, ii) having a critical mass of dedicated and trained human resources in OR within the NTP, iii) setting research priorities and steering the direction of research in the country, iv) using output-oriented models of capacity building such as the Structured Operational Research Training Initiative (SORT IT) model and building communities of practice, v) harnessing existing capacity in the country by forging partnerships with academia, vi) NTP-led nationwide, multicentre OR studies, vii) providing access to anonymized patient and programme surveillance data, vii) creating a forum for evidence dissemination and fostering policy change and ix) monitoring and accountability. In conclusion, ending the TB epidemic will not be possible without new tools (diagnostics, drugs, vaccines) and a multi-sectoral response involving stakeholders beyond the health ministry, including private providers, patients and communities. However, timely conduct of operational research to fine-tune programme implementation and ensuring proper deployment of new tools will be equally crucial to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions and ultimately contribute towards ending TB.

Purpose: There is tremendous potential for vibrant township tourism in Zimbabwe. The country boasts an abundance of township tourism resources such as monuments of colonial history, administrative centers, informal sector activities, co-existence of traditional and modern cuisine, art and craft centers, community markets, iconic personalities and buildings, and others. Despite this rich heritage of tourism resources, township tourism has failed to attract a critical mass of clients to make it viable thereby depriving the country of potential revenue of this form of alternative tourism. Keeping this in mind, the main objective of the study was to develop a model for packaging and popularising township tourism in Zimbabwe. Method: The study adopted a qualitative methodology. Data were collected from Tour operators, residents, and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority through participant observations and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: The study revealed key challenges to the growth of township tourism being lack of finance, lack of support from authorities, illegal operators, and limited access to markets, stringent operational laws, and poor understanding of the concept. Furthermore, tour operators and residents were of the view that information should be disseminated through publicity associations, using brochures and travel shows to aid in popularising township tourism. Respondents highlighted the need for educating all stakeholders on township tourism and creating mutual relationships. Implications: Recommendations included stakeholder involvement and tour operators’ in-depth knowledge of iconic tourism resources in the township. It further recommends a strategic partnership with international tour operators offering township tourism.

Gender equity in medicine and surgery has recently received widespread attention. Unlike surgical specialties that remain predominantly male, the majority of obstetrician-gynecologists have been women for nearly a decade, and women have composed the majority of trainees since the 1990s. Despite a critical mass of women, biases related to gender persist in the field. Professional and behavioral expectations of men and women gynecologists remain different for patients and workplace colleagues. Gender discrimination and sexual harassment are still experienced at high rates by both trainees and obstetrician-gynecologists in practice. In addition, in other surgical fields, women gynecologic surgeons face a gender wage gap that is unexplained by differences in experience, hours worked, or subspecialty training. Academic advancement and the attainment of leadership positions remain a challenge for many women. Policies related to pregnancy and parenting may disproportionately affect the careers of women gynecologists. This article presents peer-reviewed evidence relevant to gender equity in the workplace and suggests proactive interventions to ensure diversity and inclusion for gynecologic surgeons.

Introduction Research is important for the development of physiotherapy practice, but several countries have a rather short history of physiotherapy as an academic profession. Purpose This study investigated physiotherapists' experiences and attitudes toward scientific research in Austria, where physiotherapists have only been qualifying at bachelor level since 2009. Methods A convenience sample of 597 qualified physiotherapists completed an anonymous cross-sectional online survey. Results Most respondents were female (n = 467, 78.2%) and in age groups between: 26-35 years (n = 149, 25.0%); 36-45 years (n = 178, 29.8%); and 46-55 years (n = 173, 29.0%). Seventeen respondents (2.8%) held doctoral degrees, and 61 (10.2%) had substantial research experience beyond undergraduate or master-level student research. More positive research attitudes were observed in participants who were male, younger, without children, had completed their physiotherapy qualification since 2009, were engaged in teaching and education, and held postgraduate degrees. Most frequently reported barriers and/or enabling factors for physiotherapy research were time, training, finances and a "critical mass" of research activity. Conclusion These findings highlight low levels of research activity among physiotherapists in Austria, despite general appreciation of the importance of research for the profession. The identified attitudinal profiles, barriers, and facilitators may inform initiatives for advancing physiotherapy research in the Austrian context.

Archaeology of the Japanese diaspora has reached “critical mass” in its disciplinary development, and there is a need to document the current state of this burgeoning subfield of historical archaeology. In this introduction we present a summary of the history of the Japanese diaspora and an overview of scholarly literature in related disciplines. The papers in this special issue reflect both current trends in archaeological scholarship and point in new methodological and theoretical directions. A concluding forum by three historians of the Japanese diaspora offers a critical reflection on the assembled papers and places them within a wider academic context.

The authors look into two environmental movements that arose from grassroots initiatives. The first is Ecologists without Borders, the leading NGO promoting waste reduction in Slovenia. The second is Critical Mass, an international cyclists’ movement that seeks more public space for urban cyclists, which the authors studied in Belgrade and Budapest. Ethnographic analysis indicates that the two movements have had certain common experiences. The authors use these cases to investigate the social transition that such movements support and shed light on how they arise, function, and change over time.

Despite recent technological advancements, the slow adoption pattern of digital healthcare promotion programs continues to be a major problem plaguing many healthcare organizations today. The historical teaching case study is indispensable in improving our understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of contemporary digital healthcare promotion programs. This historical teaching case presents information about e-health, the e-commerce unit of a large multinational healthcare insurance company. The teaching case shows how despite e-health's ability to persuade a large registered base of users to trial its healthcare promotion programs, over 90% of these registrants discontinued use after a short trial period of using the technology. This historical teaching case focuses on the social challenges involved in persuading users to adopt and continue using e-health's major healthcare promotion innovation: an online nutrition center. Despite extensive promotions and the use of incentives, less than 10% of the user base adopted and continued to use this healthcare promotion innovation. The case reports on the discontinuance among digital healthcare promotion users despite the intensive efforts to retain them. Students and practitioners will gain insight into the key social challenges involved in achieving a critical mass of users for digital healthcare promotion innovations. The teaching case requires important decisions to be made by students and practitioners about present digital healthcare promotion programs by drawing on inferences from past digital healthcare promotion programs. Finally, this historical teaching case study makes a convincing case for the value of historical insights in informing present day challenges facing contemporary digital healthcare promotion programs.

Prior explanations for the observed result that employee cooperation demonstrates both positive and negative relationships with organizational performance often require psychological reactions or cognitions. We use an agent-based model to assume away these effects and demonstrate a possible alternative relying on just three, simple features. These include (1) limits to an employee’s ability to help a colleague while also performing his or her own task, (2) the distribution of performance across the collective, and (3) the method of aggregating individual to organizational performance. Our model offers an alternative explanation to an empirical result, simple and sufficient conditions for producing a phenomenon, implications for theory on the nature of employee helping, and practical advice to evaluate the merits of helping interventions.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of women directors on US Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) value and performance.Design/methodology/approachArchival financial and board of director data for the 1999–2019 period are collected and analyzed using panel data regression analysis.FindingsThe main findings indicate that women directors’ presence renders a modest positive effect on REIT performance but only when they reach critical mass on REIT boards; and that women directors have no effect at all on REIT value. Additional findings indicate that women directors are more common on REIT boards after the enactment of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act but less common on boards in which the REIT founder is the chief executive officer.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first research on the effect of a gender diverse board on REIT value. It is also the first paper documenting a positive relationship between board gender diversity and REIT performance. This paper fills a research gap, as it is one of the few papers focused on gender diversity within the REITs board composition literature.

Purpose Women still face barriers that delay their upward mobility in organisations. This study aims to examine whether women experience critical mass as sufficient to shift deep level discursive dynamics, theorised as an (in)visibility Vortex. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative method was used to collect and analyse data on the lived experiences of 16 board-level female leaders who have been appointed to male-dominated boardrooms in South Africa. Findings The findings confirm that numeric representation is too simplistic to resolve deep level gendered dynamics. At a personal level: self-confidence, a bigger purpose and competence-experience were found to be counter-forces to Vortex. The role of the chairperson was also crucial. Practical implications Organisations must be reminded that even where the number of women on a board has reached beyond a critical mass, hidden barriers still exist. When developing women leaders, practitioners need to penetrate below the surface to appreciate the undercurrents and address them at that level. Organisations need to nurture the personal attributes that counter the forces of the Vortex. Mentorship, sponsorship and coaching may be beneficial. The role of the chairperson is especially important in disrupting deep level dynamics. Chairpersons need to be more deliberate and proactive to refute behaviours that exclude and undermine women’s full participation. Originality/value Contrary to the (in)visibility perspectives, the women in this study did not “withdraw” or “conceal” their gender when “exposed” in male-dominated boardroom dynamics. Reasons for this are explored including the potential for further research on the construction of a “trailblazing” identity.

As critical mass theorists have argued, the number of female legislators is important in the enactment of gender-status laws. Female legislators share strong beliefs on women's rights and have easi...

PurposeInformation technology is associated with psychological and physical risks such as high stress levels and antisocial behavior. The purpose of this paper is to understand why people engage in technology risk behavior, despite the negative consequences that might follow. Focusing on online games, this study identifies factors that affect individuals' intention to play online games and investigate whether the effects of these factors differ across different risk levels.Design/methodology/approachExperimental design was used as the research methodology. Subjects were randomly assigned to a single treatment with two conditions: high and low risk scenarios. A total of 597 responses were analyzed to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe research findings reveal that subjective norms, curiosity and playfulness have a positive effect on the intention to play online games, while critical mass has no effect on the intention decisions. Further, among the three significant constructs, playfulness turned out to be the only factor that is affected by risk levels.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends prior literature on technology adoption by examining the effect of different risk levels on adoption intention decisions. It further extends prior literature on online games by identifying the factors that drive individuals to play games while accounting for the risks associated with playing these games.Practical implicationsThe research study identifies factors that should be taken into consideration when promoting the adoption of technologies, including online games.Originality/valueThis study offers a new understanding of technology adoption decisions that takes into account the different levels of risk associated with technology use. It shows that an individual's curiosity and the pressure emanating from one's social network are powerful behavior drivers that persist regardless of the level of risk. Further, this research study is among the first to apply categorical least squares methodology combined with a procedure for a moderated structural equation model to test a structural equation model with categorical multiplicative terms in LISREL.

Most people tend to join mainstream trade unions for instrumental motives and not so much for ideological reasons. This instrumentalism, together with the passivity of most union members, endangers members’ union loyalty and their willingness to act collectively. One possible way to de-emphasize the traditional model of service-oriented unionism and strengthen union commitment is to involve members in small union tasks. By partially assigning day-to-day union work to lay members, it is believed that over-stretched union representatives will be able to assign more time to implementing union policies of strategic importance.The article examines to what extent new union members are willing to voluntarily engage in union tasks inspired by organizing unionism. To test this empirically, an e-survey was conducted among first-time members of a Belgian union. Predominantly young, the respondents had been members of the union for maximum of seven years. Belgium is an interesting case for exploring how member-union ties can be boosted, as it is a quintessential example of a country with a high union density characterized by instrumental and passive membership.Following the deletion of cases with missing data, 518 observations are available for analysis. The dependent variable measures the organizing-oriented activism intent based on union tasks reflecting one-on-one organizing tactics for reaching out to potential members. A critical mass of 41.3% new members is (greatly) interested in at least one task. The regression results show that two variables derived from the planned behaviour theory significantly influence organizing-based union tasks: the pro-union context and behavioural self-control, with the latter in particular a very strong antecedent. Apart from the finding that a larger membership base is interested in performing organizing-oriented tasks, the results also, support a developmental view on union activism, i.e. a step-by-step approach to stimulating union activism via introducing various levels of union participation., La plupart des gens ont tendance à s’affilier à un syndicat traditionnel pour des raisons pragmatiques, bien plus que pour des motifs idéologiques. Ce pragmatisme, conjugué à la passivité de la majorité des syndiqués, affaiblit la loyauté syndicale des affiliés et leur prédisposition à l’action collective. L’implication des membres dans des tâches syndicales plus modestes pourrait constituer une manière de sortir de ce modèle traditionnel (syndicalisme de service) et venir renforcer l’engagement syndical. En attribuant une partie du travail syndical quotidien à des membres ordinaires, les représentants syndicaux surchargés pourraient consacrer plus de temps à la mise en oeuvre des politiques syndicales d’importance stratégique.L’article examine dans quelle mesure les nouveaux affiliés en général sont disposés à s’engager volontairement dans des tâches syndicales inspirées par un syndicalisme basé sur l’engagement des affiliés. Pour le vérifier de manière empirique, une enquête en ligne a été menée auprès des membres qui s’affilient pour la première fois auprès d’un syndicat belge. Les répondants, jeunes pour la plupart, ne sont affiliés à ce syndicat que depuis sept ans au maximum. La Belgique constitue un cas intéressant pour analyser la manière de renforcer les liens entre les syndicats et leurs membres, car il s’agit par excellence d’un pays où la présence d’un taux élevé de syndicalisation s’accompagne d’une affiliation généralement pragmatique et passive.Une fois écartés les cas pour lesquels certaines données manquaient, 518 observations étaient disponibles pour l’analyse. La variable dépendante mesure le niveau de militantisme axé sur la mobilisation, sur la base des tâches syndicales reflétant des tactiques de recrutement face à face pour atteindre les membres potentiels. Une masse critique de 41,3 % de nouveaux membres se disent (très) intéressés par au moins une tâche. Les résultats de la régression montrent que deux variables dérivant de la théorie du comportement planifié influencent de manière significative les tâches syndicales militantes : un contexte favorable au mouvement syndical et, de manière encore plus nette, un autocontrôle du comportement. En plus de montrer que des tâches militantes peuvent intéresser une base syndicale plus large, les résultats plaident pour une approche progressive du militantisme syndical, soit une approche étape par étape qui vise à stimuler le militantisme syndical en introduisant des niveaux différents de participation syndicale.

Over centuries, but even more intensely since mid-20th century, in all domains of business, society and politics, we are witnessing reducing levels of sustainability. For decades, the environmentalists are warning us that our habitat is increasuingly becoming polluted, biodiversity being reduced, and soon half of world population will have problems in accessing clean water – a vital condition for healthy life. Socio-economic differentiation has reached unprecedented dimensions, middle classes have virtually disappeared, and quality of political leadership leaves much to be desired. Supported by the dominant economic doctrine on permanent GDP growth, and financial oligarchs' responsibility recognised only to corporate shareholders, is leaving no space for socially responsible corporate management. Many people feel helpless, but in spite of actively reacting and demanding change, they do not even participate in elections. Ironically, this is happening in times when people are more educated than ever before in history, with powerful science, research and technology – including ITC, which would allow us to productively interact, inspire, exchange experiences, and build critical mass around demands for badly needed changes. This is exactly the objective of the new Sustainability Network of Networks, expected to connect numerous groups around the globe – trying to introduce new, sustainable approaches to current economic and socio-political problems. With this new programme the Knowledge Economy Network, KEN (est. in Brussels as a non-profit association in 2011) is going to contribute to changes needed to achieve more sustainability in various areas of public and private domain.

Research question:This study examines the effect of board gender diversity and a critical mass of women on the board on organizational problems of non-profit sport clubs. It relies on theories from social categorization and information/decision-making perspectives and on critical mass theory. Research methods:Four waves of data from a German sport club panel (2009-2015;n = 6504) are used which allow analyzing causal effects with lagged variables. Gender diversity was measured with the share of women on the board, the Blau index, and the number of women on the board. The perceived severity of human resource, financial, facility, and development problems represent the dependent variables. Results and findings:The results of regression analyses show that board gender diversity significantly reduces human resource and financial problems. Human resource problems are even smallest in clubs with an overbalanced board (>= 60% women), while facility problems are perceived as bigger in such clubs. The results provided evidence for critical masses of one or at least three women for reducing human resource problems and of at least four women for perceiving bigger facility problems. Development problems are not impacted by board gender diversity or critical masses. Implications:The findings for human resource and financial problems support the information/decision-making perspective, suggesting that board gender diversity benefits the organization because of diversity in resource access, human and social capital, and improved quality of decision-making. Thus, increasing gender diversity of the board can be a way to reduce problems in these areas.