Gender diversity within the workforce in the microfinance industry in Africa: Economic performance and sustainability

This study examines the relationship of gender diversity within the workforce and the sustainability of economic performance within the microfinance industry in Africa as compared to the rest of the world. Measuring economic performance helps to demonstrate whether resources are effectively utilized to achieve social performance objectives. We use ROA—the most common measure of profit for financial institutions—to capture financial performance, and OpEx—the most widely used indicator of efficiency—to capture operating efficiency. We measure gender diversity within the microfinance workforce at two hierarchical levels. Our analysis of a data set of 1,389 observations in 1,053 firms suggests that gender diversity enhances economic performance, especially in Africa. We propose that policymakers and practitioners consider these results to determine how to best deploy women within the microfinance workforce to deliver sustainable economic performance. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Resume Cette etude examine la relation entre la diversite des sexes au sein du personnel et la durabilite de la performance economique dans l'industrie de la microfinance en Afrique, par comparaison au reste du monde. La mesure de la performance economique permet de demontrer que les ressources sont efficacement utilisees pour atteindre les objectifs de la performance sociale. La ROA— la mesure la plus courante permettant d'evaluer le profit des institutions financieres — est utilisee pour cerner la performance financiere et l'OpEx— l'indicateur d'efficacite la plus repandue — est utilisee pour determiner l'efficacite operationnelle. L'etude montre que la mesure de la diversite des genres au sein du personnel de la microfinance s'opere a deux niveaux hierarchiques. L'analyse de 1389 observations provenant de 1053 firmes indique que la diversite des genres ameliore la performance economique, notamment en Afrique. L'article propose aux decideurs et aux gestionnaires de s'inspirer de nos resultats pour mieux deployer la gent feminin dans le personnel des microfinances afin d'atteindre des performances economiques durables. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.