Board gender diversity and earnings management in agricultural sector - Does it have any influence?

This paper investigates the effect of board gender diversity on earnings management which is one of the most debated issues in the corporate world. The results of the previous researches are mixed. Many studies, especially in the Anglo-Saxons states shows that the firms with greater female participation on their boards exhibit lower earnings management, which is explain as the results of psychologically differences between males and females which has different ethical sensitivity for consequence. This study conducted on Serbian agriculture companies listed at Belgrade Stock Exchange suggests that there is insignificant negative linear relationship between number of women in the board and earnings management. This finding are supported with the studies which indicate that the reasons for earnings management should be found in different factors, like cultural and political factors or religious attitude or age of the members of the boards not on the gender differences itself.