This paper considers the question of women executives and the problems they face, and how they can succeed in business.
IIntroduction
It should come as no surprise that women have proven themselves as capable as men in all fields of endeavor. Women serve in the House and Senate; command the Space Shuttle; practice law and medicine; drive trucks and race Indy cars. Their abilities should not be in doubt, and in fact they are not; what women still lack is opportunity. This seems to be a societal problem, and until both men and women can learn to view women as individuals, not merely as stereotypes defined by their gender, the prospects of women actually achieving the things they are capable of doing is not promising. There has been progress of course, but not as much as we might think.
This paper discusses women executives and the problems they face, and how they can become leaders in the future.
IIThe Problems
As I said above, women have the talent to lead, but they are rarely given the opportunity to do so. In a very revealing article, Margaret Heffernan recounts the disconnect between what women are being told and what’s actually happening. They are told that things are much better, that women hold senior executive positions and sit on various corporate boards. Investment firms develop portfolios for a target market of women who are substantial investors. One out of every four women out-earns her husband; women “control about 80% of household spending … buy 81% of all products … buy 75% of over-the-counter medications, make 81% of retail purchases, and buy 82% of groceries. … They also head 40% of all U.S. households with incomes over $600,000, and own roughly 66% of all home-based businesses.” (Heffernan, PG).
The Term Paper on Holding Women Percent Executive Men
Introduction Women are becoming an unmistakable portion of the workforce. Woman now make up 43 percent of the managerial, administrative, and executive positions in the U. S. This may sound impressive, but unfortunately most of those jobs are only in lower level management. Women only make up three to seven percent of senior management (vice president and higher). There is still a great inequality ...
But this is only part of the picture. The foregoing list discusses purchases for the home, such as groceries and medicines, but the downside is that this places women squarely in the traditional role of homemaker and caregiver. Of course they do all the shopping—they’re supposed to! The other side of the coin is bleak:
“The wage gap between male and female managers actually widened in the prosperous years between 1995 and 2000. In the communications industry … a woman earns 73 cents for every $1 a man takes home. Five years earlier, she made 86 cents. …Where women do hold executive positions, they are more often in management jobs that have relatively lower status — and hence less power. In the past 10 years, the percentage of business-school applicants who are women has not risen at all. It has remained stuck at around 38%. Meanwhile, women are leaving corporate America in droves. And by the way: Between 1992 and 2000, the number of sexual-harassment claims increased by 50%.” (Heffernan, PG).
Heffernan claims that there are three reasons for the failure of women to successfully move into the ranks of high-powered executives and leaders. First is the “toxic boss.” This macho type creates an atmosphere, often unconsciously, where sexual harassment, disparagement of women, and downplaying their abilities are tolerated. He does this because it’s what he knows; he thinks of women as stereotypes. Heffernan says that women are often simply paid less by this type of manger because it never occurs to him they deserve equal pay.
The second problem is that women feel they must make a choice of what “role” to play: “geisha, bitch or guy.” (Heffernan, PG).
To fit in, women assume the role they feel will be most advantageous. The “geisha” is hired because of her nice body and pretty face; the “bitch” is assertive and aggressive (traits highly desired in men but despised in women); the “guy” is the woman who plays by the men’s rules and becomes “one of the boys.” Nowhere here is it suggested that the woman simply be herself.
The Term Paper on World War Women Men Comment
Visions of WWI 1. Compare and contrast the fashions of the W. W. I. with the fashions of W. W.II a. What does hairstyle, length and width of skirts, jewelry, bathing suits, make-up, cigarette smoking, etc. indicate about W. W.I. and W. W. II: During W. W. I the Austrian wore the pike gray 1909 pattern tunic and trousers.They have three white stars on the collar which indicate Sergeants rank. Some ...
The third problem is that women are expected to make far more trade-offs than men. Even women whose jobs are as stressful as those of their husbands are still expected to take on the bulk of the chores at home. This unfair division of labor means inevitably that some of the woman’s dreams are thwarted.
Many of women’s problems in moving into leadership positions stems from society’s attitude towards “women’s work” and “men’s work.” Women are still, after all this time, seen primarily as wife, mothers and caregivers. There are still many people who will happily tell you that a woman’s most important duty is to be a mother. Work is something they do until they find “Mr. Right.” In addition, wives have been unpaid for millennia, and so society translates their status as unpaid homemakers into low-paid office assistants. Women simply are not held in the same regard men are, and yet, paradoxically, more is expected of them. For instance Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, is under a microscope unprecedented in business; questions are asked of her that would never be addressed to a man. Reporters talk about her hairdo, clothes and appearance, something they would never do in connection with a male CEO. (Anders, PG).
IIIThe Solution
Are women the leaders of the future? Yes, but not in the way we think of leaders today, because the corporate system is structured to favor men, and will remain biased in their favor. Women will not become leaders within this structure. Therefore, in order to fulfill their potential and become effective leaders, women will have to follow a different route, one they have already adopted: they are leaving the corporate world in droves and starting their own businesses. They are refusing to allow men to dictate the terms of their lives, and are instead rewriting the rules, and doing it their own way. And they are remarkably successful. Heffernan spells out clearly why it is important for women to be on their own:
The Term Paper on Changing of Women Rules in Global Business
Now, the role of women in today’s society is becoming increasingly visible and important than in comparison with the situation of 30 years ago. More and more women have started to try their self in different areas of human society, such as politics, science, business, journalism, charity etc. And areas such as entrepreneurship and business is no exception, on the contrary, they have become a ...
“Women work differently from men. This is the great unspoken truth, the new orthodoxy that every woman I have encountered acknowledges — although usually only in private or with a group of other women. Their caution betrays a fear that is commensurate with the truth: the fear that an acknowledgment of difference will come to mean an acceptance of inequality. A fear that “different from” will morph into “less than.”
“I don’t believe that this is true. I don’t believe that we can make meaningful progress as long as we willingly live a lie. More important, the new generation of women won’t accept business on its old, dishonest terms. “ (PG).
These “dishonest terms” include the games playing I alluded to above; the willingness to accept a lower salary, and simply put up with objectionable and offensive behavior in order to be accepted as “one of the boys.” Women should not have to play mind games in order to secure employment, nor should they be denied the opportunity to advance simply because of their gender.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) published an article about the women in Congress, and mentioned that (1) there are far too few; and (2) how important it is for women to have mentors. Mentors can help women achieve their goals. (Berg, PG).
Finally, teacher Rayona Sharpnack has a more positive outlook: “I would like to see us doing much more to celebrate the accomplishments of women leaders, rather than continuing to focus on the obstacles that women face. It’s not that we should ignore the deficits, it’s just that there’s an enormous amount of great stuff happening that doesn’t get any airtime.” (Dahle, PG).
IVConclusion
Women are finally beginning to move into leadership positions, but are far short of achieving equality, either in pay or the number of executive positions they hold; they are also far short of receiving the respect and cooperation they deserve. Although it’s silly to deny that there has been progress, there is still a long, long struggle ahead. The only way women will truly become the leaders that they must be is to rewrite the rules, create a system in which they can find equality, and help one another to the top. Many women are already doing so, by creating and running their own businesses and getting out of the corporate structure entirely. This may well be the best option available for our future women leaders. Once again, they will have to prove themselves, and perhaps when a woman-run company takes a juicy contract away from a traditional one, they will finally be recognized for their abilities.
The Term Paper on Web Accessed Reiki Spiritual Practices
New and Improved? : The processes of globalization on spiritual practices; illustrated by the global spread of Reiki. The processes of globalization create an open market place for trade, but globalization is also an exchange of cultures, of ideas and practices. Spiritual practices and rituals are one of the ways in which a culture reproduces itself and as such, is subject to hegemonic forces ...
VReferences
Anders, George. “What if Carly Were a Man?” FastCompany [Web site]. April 2002. Accessed: 12 Jan 2003. http://www.fastcompany.com/online/57/ganders.html
Berg, Linda. “Envisioning the Future of Feminist Leadership in Congress.” National Organization for Women [Web site]. 2001. Accessed: 12 Jan 2003. http://www.now.org/nnt/special-2001/congress.html
Dahle, Cheryl. “Natural Leader.” FastCompany [Web site]. December 2000. Accessed: 12 Jan 2003. http://www.fastcompany.com/online/41/sharpnack.html
Heffernan, Margaret. “The Female CEO ca. 2002.” FastCompany [Web site]. August 2002. Accessed: 12 Jan 2003. http://www.fastcompany.com/online/61/female_ceo.html
