1. The Gender Gap in the Caribbean: The Performance of Female-Led Firms
Winston Moore*, Andrea F. Presbitero** and Roberta Rabellotti***
*Department of Economics, The University of the West Indies, Barbados
** International Monetary Fund, Washington DC
***Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy

2. Mixed Picture Female Managers Regional Context Educational outcomes
Labour force participation
Female unemployment
Mixed Picture
Low ratio of female senior executives
Women concentrated in middle management positions
Female business ownership
Female Managers

3. Research Hypothesis
Is this under-representation justified on the grounds of a productivity gap between firms that are managed or owned by women and those that are managed or owned by men.

4. Gender Gap in the Region: Firm Ownership

5. Gender Gap in the Region: Firm Management

6. Gender Gap in the Region: Major Obstacles to Female-Led Businesses

7. Impact of Gender on Firm Productivity
Different measures of firm productivity:
Value-added per worker
Sales per worker
Total factor productivity
Controls for other influences on productivity:
Size
Age
Export
Innovation
Ownership
Access to finance
Technical assistance
Firms with a dominant presence of women in management/ownership have lower levels of productivity
(Dominant Owner)
(Dominant Manager)
These effects disappear once one accounts for firm characteristics
Size
Financing constraints

8. Conclusions Female-owned/female managed businesses tend to be:
Smaller
Younger
Domestically owned
Limited access to finance
Explains much of the difference in firm productivity
Provides a basis for policy intervention