We investigate the trends and drivers of racial diversity on U.S. corporate boards. We document that U.S. boards are persistently racially homogenous, but that this is changing. About 10% of directors on the average board during our sample are non-white, however, new director appointments of...

We examine the effects of diversity in the board of directors on corporate policies and risk. Using a multi-dimensional measure, we find that greater board diversity leads to lower volatility and better performance. The lower risk levels are largely due to diverse boards adopting more persistent...

We investigate whether the gender composition of a fund management team influences investment decision making behavior. Using an experimental economics approach, we examine the relationship between gender diversity and investment decisions. We find evidence that a male presence increases the...