This paper investigates whether gender quotas have had success so far in their primary goal of reducing gender disparities in Italian corporate boards. Debate about gender equality on boards gained momentum and global prominence over the last years attracting attention of both researchers and practitioners worldwide. Despite a remarkable progress in education and their participation in the labor market, women still face large barriers to advance into upper management and boardrooms and gaps remain. Women are still under-represented in senior executive and board positions worldwide even if there is wide variation across countries. The present is a qualitative study that aims to contribute to the ongoing international debate about gender diversity on corporate boards (or lack thereof), providing current evidence from Italy, four years after the entry into force of Law 120/2011, establishing legislated quotas in order to ensure gender-balanced corporate boards. Using the samples of Italian listed companies and government-controlled companies tracked by Consob and Cerved respectively, findings show a substantial progress of female representation in Italian corporate boards (including governing and auditing boards) over the period 2008-2015 and reflect the extent to which women are shattering the glass ceiling, right before and after the implementation of the new (although controversial) gender quotas regulation. However, even though the number of women who sit on corporate boards has increased, it is necessary to ensure that the appointment of women is a board’s genuine intention to become gender diverse and more effectiveness rather than evidence of a result driven by tokenism, designed to enhance corporate reputation and image.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the gender composition of the board of directors affects the sensitivity to gender issues in defining university strategies and therefore strategic plans. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an ordinary least square regression to test the relationship between gender sensitivity approach and board composition in Italian state universities (ISUs). The authors measured the gender sensitivity approach of each university by an index (gender sensitivity approach index) determined based on content analysis. Gender board composition is, instead, analyzed by heterogeneity (homogeneity) index (Herfindahl–Hirschman Index) of the board. Findings The finding suggests that, if the board has a certain level of heterogeneity, then university strategic plan (USP) is a more gender-sensitive approach. Research limitations/implications The study analyses only the 2018 USPs of ISUs and considers the presence of women within the board, and not their actual role and their position in the university hierarchy. Practical implications The practical implication of this study is that if universities want to guarantee gender equality, they should open their boards more widely to women. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that analyzes the relationships between board composition and sensitivity to gender issues within the USPs. The paper therefore contributes to the literature on governance in the public sector, particularly in universities. Moreover, it stimulates the accounting debate on gender issue and highlights that gender issues cannot be taken up by decision-making bodies that are not heterogeneous enough.

During the 2012-2016 period, a large number of Italian companies appointed women directors in their boards, an unusual and unpredictable fact in the Italian industrial system. This paper investigates if any significant reaction has consequently occurred in the Italian stock market. It assumes that a significant market reaction would indicate the investors view the female board members as a strategic value added at the decision making level. To achieve the objective, it was collected a database consisting of 76 appointments of women directors in 67 Italian listed companies over the period 2012-2016 and then it was investigated the stock price performance of those companies in that five years span. The research hypothesis is examined empirically through the event study methodology in order to check the existence of abnormal returns on the appointment of women directors. Findings suggest that investors do not strongly believe that the simple appointment of women directors would have a positive effect on the future performance of firms.

Limitations faced by southern Italy's small enterprises due to their dimensions may be overcome by cooperation strategies and network contracts. The international literature has highlighted that effectively governed business networks appear to more successfully allow partner firms to improve their economic performance and survive over time. This paper combines qualitative and quantitative analyses to test the above hypothesis. It also analyses the performance of southern Italian firms that have joined business network contracts equipped with legal personalitythe so called "reti soggetto" or "heavy contractual networks" (HCNs)compared to firms participating in business networks based only on contractual agreements, devoid of legal personality-the so called "reti contratto" or "light contractual networks" (LCNs). Our findings demonstrate that only 13% of all registered business networks are in fact operative. Among the networks with legal personality, approximately 28% are active networks. A similar trend was observed for network contracts devoid legal personality: only 11% are truly active. Performance measures (including profitability, financial situation indicators, and debt sustainability) also differ for firms belonging to HCN, compared to those belonging to LCN, in the years following the subscription of the network contract. Empirical analysis suggests that HCNs have significant positive effects on the performance of participant firms. We thus propose to verify the conditions that strengthen business networks in the south of Italy. We also recommend promoting the establishment of

The present paper shows how a non-invasive and low-cost photogrammetric stereo device allows the assessment of morphometric variations of the nose following rhinoplasty. Six female patients, aged between 24 and 37 years, underwent 3D stereo-photogrammetric scanning. Three-dimensional computerised models were generated, extracting also information related to the coordinates of facial landmarks, distances between landmarks, angles, in pre- and postoperative situation. Two kinds of analysis were carried out: (i) statistical correlation between size variations and (ii) morphometric analysis, including General Procrustes Analysis (GPA), Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Warping. The study shows the usefulness of the stereo-photogrammetric facial digitisation for morphometric analysis of the human face. Three-dimensional computerised models are also an important tool for the assessment of the surgeon's performance in the event of dispute between doctor and patient. Moreover, confirmation of the PCA as an analytical tool for the identification of components characterising the morphometric structure of the nose is highlighted.