Airlines found more efficient with more women at the top

The aviation field was one of those most difficult killed by restrictions during the Kovid epidemic. Research led by Universitate Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) analyzed the efficiency of 45 airline groups in two years before and after the crisis: in 2019 and in 2022. The team investigated that the presence of women in the board of directors and their results in the executive teams of these companies.

“Despite the unprecedented crisis in our research, despite the unprecedented crisis due to the epidemic, the airlines under his leadership better adapted to the challenges,” by Professor Pere Suu-Sanshez, co-writer of UOC’s Faculty, Management and Transport Research Group (Sumat). “Women had a more positive effect than men that the airlines remained efficient after an epidemic,” he said.

Study, which included in the University of Edinburgh, is published in Air transport management journalTo measure efficiency, it included indicators such as the number of seats occupied, operational performance and stability.

According to the team of researchers, if 45 airline groups analyzed to increase the ratio of women on their board of directors and executive teams to at least 25%, to increase a target set by the Airlines Association IATA, their efficiency can improve up to 1.9% in terms of capacity management (available flights and seats) and up to 3.2% in other variants like stability.

“If we apply them in the industry as a whole and keep in mind that if they were achieved 50% representation targets, they are high,” these figures are enough. ,

Diversity improves decision making

The team selected a total of 45 airline groups representing various regions: 15 in the US, 12 and 18 in Europe in the Asia-Pacific region. The sample included a range of company size and commercial models, including full-service global airlines, such as American Airlines and low-cost carriers. The main criteria for selecting 45 companies had the availability of data on gender diversity in their executive teams obtained from the special database.

“However, the average ratio of women in the sector globally is 18% in the board of directors and 15% in the executive team, there are also airlines that are moving in such a way, such as Wuling, which has an executive team with 71% of women and 40% of management positions,” Suu-Socionz said.

The findings of the study suggest that their boards and their executive teams displayed more sexual efficiency before and after the Kovid crisis.

“Flexibility can be observed, in part, by diversity of decision -making. In airlines with more women, it facilitated more innovative and balanced approaches during the period of great uncertainty. These airlines also considered a long -term effect, not immediate effect,” Lamola said.

Equal results in other industries

To add to its analysis, the team also sought people’s opinion in senior management positions, executive boards and boards of directors in various fields and business models with separate business models. A total of 24 people contacted: 16 women and 8 men. No man responded, which has also been a case in a similar study in the aviation sector.

“It is true that other women leaders have either not responded to us when they have done in the past, which can indicate the effects of the ‘token’ theory, according to which many women who reach top executive positions hold a low profile on some issues, which to avoid conflict in a context for men,” Sua-Sochaz suggested.

The results obtained in research corresponds to studies conducted in other industries, which have also displayed that gender diversity translates into better business results. The next step for the UOC team has to better understand the specific causes of these results within the aviation field.

Lamola said, “Interviews and literature confirm that gender diversity brings a variety of approaches, experiences and skills to make decisions. It allows companies to solve complex problems with more new and balanced solutions,” Lamola said.