ESRI Discussion Paper Series No.385 CEO Gender Bias in the Formation of Firm-to-Firm Transactions

 While female CEOs are under-represented, the barriers they face in the business environment remain poorly understood. This study investigates the influence of gender bias in forming CEOs' business networks. Using transaction data of 1 million Japanese firms, we find that CEOs of the same gender significantly trade more than those of the opposite gender, mostly driven by small- and medium-sized firms in which CEOs presumably have a strong involvement in transactions. As most CEOs are male, such same-gender bias reduces the trading opportunities for females relative to male CEOs. Regarding mechanisms, our survey reveals both the existence of barriers that impede male CEOs from becoming acquainted with female CEOs and the tendency for male CEOs to prefer interacting with male CEOs over female CEOs.