Leadership structure, governance formation, and role multiplicity: the choice among female founders

Agnes Dyvik Clark

Chapter 18 in Advancing Corporate Governance Research, 2026, pp 351-368 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Designing a good governance architecture for new firms is crucial to their survival. There is a need for more research on different types of board directors, gender, leadership roles, and the benefits of outside directors in this context. Past empirical research on structural leadership change has constantly shown mixed results on firm performance, especially “CEO Duality.” Based on data from 245 female founders, the “best practice” among female entrepreneurs in Norway was found, using revenue growth to measure new firm performance. The data shows that female founders are better of with a dual role, as opposed to having a separate chairperson, if they recruit enough interlocked board directors who also serve on another organization's board. To explore this phenomenon in depth, the quantitative data is accompanied by shadowing as a qualitative method. This unravel formal and informal governance mechanisms, how female entrepreneurs in the roles of CEO and chair navigate the landscape of advice-seeking, and what personal attributions influence their approach to seeking and incorporating advice in this managerial context.

Keywords: Governance structure; Role multiplicity; CEO duality; Board interlocks; Female founders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035324958
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