In 2018, the Central Bank published their vision for diversity and inclusion in which it is stated that there should be a diverse workforce reflecting the society in Ireland. Support for diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) has increased substantially over the last decade. It is also recognised as being the next biggest challenge in firm management (Chen et al., 2021). This is true for the UK, Australia, US and many European as well as Asian countries. DEI initiatives and practices play an important role in firm management, performance, and corporate governance (Herring, 2009). Substantial existing literature explores the impact of gender diversity in top management on firm performance (Bennouri et al. 2018; Zhang, 2020). Simple quantitative metrics such as percentage of women, number of women board members, and gender diversity measures are widely used in literature. However, DEI practices at all levels in an organisation may impact the firm’s performance. McKinsey (2020) report 'Diversity Wins: how inclusion matters' highlights five areas of action for firms – ensuring representation, strengthen leadership for DEI efforts, equality of opportunity, zero-tolerance for discriminatory behavior, foster a sense of belonging. The impact of these initiatives must be studied based on different performance indicators. This project aims to investigate the impact of DEI initiatives on a firm's financial and non-financial performance indicators over the last decade. The findings from this project will have far-reaching implications for managers, employees, and investors. The stakeholders will be better equipped to understand the impact of the DEI initiatives on many facets of firm performance.
An honours degree in Business, Finance, Economics or related disciplines.
Self Funded (Scholarship not available. Fees & Materials to be paid by the student. Materials costs not significant)
If you are interested in submitting an application for this project, please complete an Expression of Interest.