Abstract:

The number of papers studying and debating about the role of women in management has been increasing recently. These researches have focused on analyzing performance by means of comparing start-up capital, financing structure and financial performance in companies run by men and women. Research in both the manufacturing and service sectors has shown that companies run by women start with less capital and receive less external financing than companies run by men. This situation has caused the financial performance of companies managed by women to decrease. Feminist theories are the starting point for the analysis of these works. The aim of this paper is to examine research focused on the effect of gender diversity on the corporate financial structure and financial performance run by women and men in the context of feminist theories. In this context, this study examined the first tourism industry in relation to women’s employment. After that gender diversity impacting the firm’s financial performance is explained through liberal and social feminist theories. In the conclusion, it has been suggested that gender diversity, which has different characteristics and skills, is a way to use women and men workers for the benefit of companies especially in the tourism sector.

Keywords: