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The TARGET approach aims at establishing a reflexive gender equality policy in research performing and research funding organisations. Monitoring has enormous potential to support reflexivity at both the institutional and the individual levels in the gender equality plan (GEP) development and implementation context. To exploit this potential, the monitoring system has to consist of meaningful indicators, which adequately represent the complex construct of gender equality and refer to the concrete objectives and policies of the GEP. To achieve this, we propose an approach to indicator development that refers to a theory of change for the GEP and its policies. Indicator development thus becomes a reflexive endeavour and monitoring a living tool. This requires constant reflection on data gaps, validity of indicators and the further development of indicators. Furthermore, we recommend the creation of space for reflexivity to discuss monitoring results with the community of practice.

Gender inequality remains very strong in developing countries. Efforts are however made by actors involved in development projects to contribute to reducing these inequalities. Using observations coming from field experiences and a specific case for which some sex-disaggregated data are available, the author offers some lessons learned to practitioners. More specifically, this chapter questions the different phases of the project cycle, in particular the planning, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms regarding their role in considering gender. The chapter focuses on the relevance of initial gender diagnostics which allow identifying what needs to be addressed to reduce gender inequalities and proposing adequate solutions in specific cultural contexts. The author then provides some guidelines concerning operational arrangements necessary for effectively monitoring aspects related to the inclusion of women in development projects. This includes the design and implementation of a gender strategy, the designation of a dedicated focal point, the systematic planning and monitoring of sex-disaggregated data, the provision of staff skilled in gender issues, and the presence of a gender balance in project teams and support staff. The chapter emphasizes that it is essential to analyze the differential impacts that the development project may have on men and women; this is rarely done. Experience has shown that development can increase inequality due in particular to initial gender differences. Finally, the chapter recommends that to compensate for differences in initial opportunities and capacities, support for women in the budget should be strengthened.

Agency theory postulates that research and development (R&D) investments are subject to managerial discretion and thus may not enhance firm value as expected. The inconclusive empirical findings in the literature is a testament of that. This paper aims to investigate the interplay between board gender diversity (i.e. women on boards) and value relevance of firms’ effort to innovate as indicated by firms’ R&D investments.

Through a sample of 1,626 US-listed firms from the period 2004 to 2019, the authors examine whether board gender diversity promotes or hampers value relevance of firms’ efforts to innovate. The authors use ordinary least squares as the baseline model and address potential endogeneity through instrumental variable two-stage least square, and selection bias through Heckman selection model. Finally, the authors use the financial crisis of 2008 as a natural experiment to investigate the effect of board gender diversity during the crisis period.

The results show that board gender diversity positively moderates the relation between R&D and firm value. In times of financial crisis, R&D does not destroy firm value in firms with gender diverse board. The results are robust to measurement error, endogeneity issue, particularly simultaneity and selection bias.

The findings in this study have several practical implications. Firms that invest heavily in R&D should be mindful of gender diversity in their board recruitment strategies to enhance innovation outputs and firm value. Current and potential investors (i.e. shareholders) should take into consideration board gender diversity in their investment decision-making processes as the results show that gender diverse boards promote more effective governance, which, in turn, leads to better alignment of R&D investments with shareholder value. Regulators aiming to improve corporate governance policies should encourage gender diversity on the boards. The results align with global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality. Policymakers may use the findings in this study to advocate for more gender diverse governance structures within corporations.

This study investigates the role gender diverse boards play in creating value from firms’ R&D activities.

Investments in gender training for agricultural researchers have not attained expected outcomes, bringing into question the efficacy of training approaches used. New approaches for transformative gender training need to draw on lessons learned from previous courses. This chapter analyses short gender training courses identified using a scoping methodology. Selected courses offered between 2005 and 2015 for scientists in Eastern Africa were critiqued against a theoretical framework for transformative gender training. Also shared is a training model (Gender Responsive Researchers Equipped for Agricultural Transformation course) that addresses gaps in previous courses. The chapter identifies critical lessons for facilitating transformative gender training for non-gender research practitioners which include the need for inter-disciplinary grounding in the disciplines of gender and agriculture, having a phased course delivery and the value of continuous technical support during and after training. Gender training models should also allow for the deepening of gender awareness and consciousness by providing safe spaces for personal reflections on the root causes of gender inequalities and for the questioning of the internalized norms and biases.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance (hereafter, CG) reforms on the risk disclosure quality in an emerging economy, namely Pakistan. The authors also investigate the impact of CG reforms on the relationship between CG practices and risk disclosure quality.

The authors use a manual content analysis method to a sample of non-financial companies listed on the PSX-100 index for 2009–2015, to examine the impact of CG reforms on risk disclosure quality. The authors use pooled ordinary least squares and the system GMM estimations to test the research hypotheses.

The authors find that CG reforms have a positive impact on risk disclosure quality. The results indicate that certain CG practices such as CEO duality and board independence are associated with risk disclosure quality. Interestingly, the findings also highlight the effectiveness of CG reforms by showing that the revised code positively moderates the CG practices and risk disclosure relationship.

The findings of the study have policy implications for regulatory bodies of emerging economies trying to strengthen the CG structures and to introduce risk disclosure regulations to cater the information need of stakeholders.

The authors provide new empirical evidence for the impact of CG reforms on risk disclosure quality using a unique setting of an emerging economy, namely Pakistan.

This paper aims to establish and illustrate the levels of awareness of work‐life balance policies within the surveying profession in Australia and New Zealand. The culture and characteristics of the Australian and New Zealand work force are to be identified. The key aspects included in work‐life balance policies are to be illustrated and the perceived benefits for the surveying profession are to be noted. The paper seeks to posit that it is vital to comprehend the levels of awareness of work‐life balance issues within the surveying profession first, so that benchmarking may occur over time within the profession and second, that comparisons may be drawn with other professions.

There is a growing body of research into work‐life balance and the built environment professions. Using a questionnaire survey of the whole RICS qualified surveying profession in Australia and New Zealand, this paper identifies the awareness of work‐life balance benefits within the surveying profession.

This research provides evidence that awareness of the issues and options is unevenly spread amongst professional surveyors in the region. With shortages of professionals and an active economy the pressures on existing employees looks set to rise and therefore this is an area which needs to be benchmarked and revisited with a view to adopting best practice throughout the sector. The implications are that employers ignore work‐life balance issues at their peril.

There is much to be learned from an increased understanding of work‐life balance issues for professionals in the surveying discipline. The consequences of an imbalance between work and personal or family life is emotional exhaustion, cynicism and burnout. The consequences for employers or surveying firms are reduced effectiveness and profitability and increased employee turnover or churn.

Leading on from Ellison's UK surveying profession study and Lingard and Francis's Australian civil engineering and construction industry studies, this paper seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of adopting work‐life balance policies within surveying firms and to establish benchmarks of awareness within the Australian and New Zealand surveying profession.

This aim of this paper is to examine the existing gender digital inclusion evaluation guidance and proposes future research recommendations for their evaluation. Despite modern progress in towards gender equality and women’s empowerment movements, women’s access to, use of and benefits from digital technologies remain limited owing to economic, social and cultural obstacles. Addressing the existing gender digital divide is critical in the global efforts towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In recent years, there has been a global increase of gender digital inclusion programmes for girls and women; these programmes serve as a mechanism to learn about gender-specific digital needs and inform future digital inclusion efforts. Evaluation reports of gender digital inclusion programmes can produce critical insights into girls’ and women’s learning needs and aspirations, including what works and what does not when engaging girls and women in information and communications technologies. While there are many accounts highlighting the importance of why gender digital inclusion programmes are important, there is limited knowledge on how to evaluate their impact.

The thematic analysis suggests three points to consider for the gender digital inclusion programmes evaluation: context-specific understanding of gender digital inclusion programmes; transparency and accountability of the evaluation process and its results; and tensions between evaluation targets and empowerment of evaluation participants.

The thematic analysis suggests three points of future focus for this evaluation process: context-specific understanding of gender digital inclusion programmes; transparency and accountability of the evaluation process and its results; and tensions between evaluation targets and empowerment of evaluation participants.

The authors propose recommendations for gender digital inclusion evaluation practice and areas for future research.

The essay is addressed to practitioners in research management and from academic leadership. It describes which measures can contribute to creating an inclusive climate for research teams and preventing and effectively dealing with discrimination. The practical recommendations consider the policy and organizational levels, as well as the individual perspective of research managers. Following a series of basic recommendations, six lessons learned are formulated, derived from the contributions to the edited collection on “Diversity and Discrimination in Research Organizations.”