Gender diversity in R&D teams and innovation efficiency: Role of the innovation context✰

•Explicates the informational and social benefits of R&D team gender diversity towards innovation efficiency.•Illustrates how the firm’s task intensity and task complexity amplify the benefits of R&D team gender diversity.•Explains how the market competition and market uncertainty enlarge the benefits of R&D team gender diversity.•Provides implications to both managers and policy makers on the issues related with female R&D employees.