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Businesswomen still hit glass ceiling [By Michael Kinsman] If you’ve been waiting for the day that women gain equality in executive suites and board rooms, you’ll need patience.
Research recently released by the University
Thiederman says she has seen very little
“Women may not play golf with men, or
of California at Davis shows that women hold
evidence that men consciously discriminate
maybe they weren’t in the service with them,
10.2 percent of the total executive officer
to hold women out of leadership positions
but they can have a comfort level with each
positions and board slots at the state’s 400
in the corporate world. Instead, she says,
other,” she says. “When this happens, I think
largest public companies.
some women simply aren’t as committed to
you will find more women in the executive
a career as men and choose to spend time on
ranks.”
That’s the same percentage as a year ago.
raising their families.
“As the epicenter of innovation, the eighth-
Thiederman acknowledges that some men
companies, or 31 percent of the total studied,
largest economy in the world in its own right,
might have inadvertently stifled the careers
have no female board members or female
and a trailblazer in social trends, California
of women because they prefer to have close
executive officers. More than 50 percent
should be in the forefront of women’s
associates who think like they do.
of the companies have no women in the
The UC Davis study found that 125
leadership in the corporate arena,” says
boardroom, and 48 percent have no women
Katrina Ellis, an assistant professor at the UC
“We have to face up to the truth that
Davis Graduate School of Management and
there are cultural differences between
author of the study. “The truth is, it is not.”
the genders,” Thiederman says. “Men
Chris Melching, chief executive of the
and women have different styles of
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Forum for Women
The survey shows that women hold 11.7 percent
communicating. But what we need to do is to
Entrepreneurs and Executives, is offering a
of all executive jobs in those companies and 8.8
find a way that they can be comfortable with
new placement service that identifies and
percent of all board positions.
each other for women to be accepted better.”
recommends experienced and qualified
Women make up 45 percent of California’s 17
Thiederman said one Texas financial
million-member work force.
institution has a two-way mentoring
She hopes that calling attention to the lack
program that pairs individuals with different
of women in key corporate positions will be
“I don’t think it’s realistic to expect women
backgrounds. One such match features a
a catalyst for change. But the UC Davis study
to hold 45 percent of those executive jobs,”
white male executive linked with a younger
shows she’ll still have to have patience.
said Sondra Thiederman, author of the book
Filipina. The idea is for them to get to
“Making Diversity Work” (Kaplan, $25).
understand each other’s cultural differences
in their executive ranks.
women for openings on boards of directors.
so they can work together more efficiently.
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