Introduction
The term the ?glass ceiling? first came into use in 1986 when two Wall Street Journal reporters coined the phrase to describe the invisible barrier that blocks women from the top jobs in corporate America. In the article, The Corporate Woman, the authors described a corporate world in which access to the top for women was blocked by corporate tradition and prejudice. They wrote that ?the executive suite seemed within their grasp, but they just couldn?t break through to the top.? Among the reasons cited for the existence of the glass ceiling were the belief that women are too easily diverted form their careers by family. The biggest obstacle women face is also the most intangible, men at the top feel uncomfortable beside them.
Body
Over the past thirty years women have made huge strides in the workplace, however it is a rarity to find women holding the elite positions in the corporate world. If the women who have already made it are to be believed, numbers alone may not be enough. Stereotypes, myths and preconceptions still block women from advancing up the corporate ladder. Women still encounter difficulty reaching the top rung, attaining a certain level and then hitting a ?glass ceiling?, a phrase coined by an author in The Wall Street Journal back in 1986.
With women?s unprecedented achievement in the workplace, not only do women now make up nearly half of the labor force, they are better educated than ever. More than half (54%) of all college graduates are women and many go on to earn advanced degrees. In spite of their progress, women in business still encounter invisible barriers. The ?glass ceiling? keeps the best and the brightest from reaching their full potential. For example, less than 10% of all senior management positions are held by women, an extremely modest increase from the 3% of twenty years ago. Clearly much needs to be done to increase these low numbers in the immediate future.
While women have become more common in today?s business world, the statistics would lead us to believe that the transition has been sudden, instead the process has been much more evolutionary in nature. During the last twenty years, women in the labor force rose at a rate twice that of men. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 58% of women age sixteen and over are now in the work force, compared with 76% of men. By the year 2005, between 61% and 65% of women will be in the labor force, compared with 74% to 76% of men. According to the Wall Street Journal analysis, men still hold a majority of management positions. Women held 30% of management jobs in 1992, which was up from 21% in 1982. The journal predicts that it will take another twenty to thirty years for women to tip the scales to a more balanced position in management and leadership roles in business. Despite the odds, there are some companies where women are shattering the ?glass ceiling.?
The lack of adequate education, training and experience in the past, to some extent, explained the difficulties women experienced in obtaining management jobs. Today, a large and increasing proportion of women in many countries are well qualified, which allow more women to hold more management jobs, but they tend to be at lower levels and in less vital areas. Women often do better in professional and financial services, as well as public service.
The invisible barriers that limit women?s progress toward employment extend all the way from the ?glass ceiling? at the top of the nation?s largest corporations to the ?sticky floor? of low-paying jobs. A process of practices that eliminate women for higher positions creates these barriers. Barriers exist in the structure of work organizations, and in educational and economic systems. Advancement beyond low paying jobs must be considered in a broader context than movement up the hierarchy of a private sector. In the best case, advancement means a job change that results in better pay, benefits, working conditions, or security. The majority of women employed in the largest and most stable U.S. companies work in clerical, blue-collar, service, and sales jobs. Women in these types have few opportunities for promotions and they face many structural and cultural barriers that keep them from earning more money.
Hewlett Packard is one of the companies giving women the opportunity to crash through the invisible barriers, Carleton Fiorina recently became the CEO of the computer making giant. Fiorina has an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland and an M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She started out as a secretary at Hewlett Packard, which then led to her position at AT&T selling phones to the government. Working the way up the corporate ladder at AT&T led to one of Fiorina?s great achievements as an executive with Lucent, a spin off corporation of AT&T. Fiorina later became the president of the $20 billion Global Service division at Lucent. Because of her great accomplishments, she was the first choice to take over Hewlett Packard. Fiorina is quoted saying, ?My gender is interesting but it is not the story here?, she prefers the focus be on her remarkable achievements as an executive with AT+T and its lucent technologies spin off. ?No woman has achieved leadership at this level of American business?, says Sheila Wellington, President of Catalyst, a New York City organization that tracks women in the work force. ?It?s going to give young women, girls, a powerful message.?
Among the reasons for the existence of the ?glass ceiling? is the belief that family too easily diverts women from their careers needs. Balancing a family and managing a business is no easy task. Men may get ahead informally during a golf game, whereas women are more likely to be doing laundry or taking care of their kids, which allows limited time for outside socializing with upper management. Diana Bennett, president of D.L. Bennett & Associates says, ?instead of golf on Saturdays, women should work their way up by joining civic, charitable and business boards. But if you?re going to join a board, be involved,? Frank Fiorina, the husband of Hewlett Packard CEO Carleton Fiorina, helped his wife follow her dreams and have the opportunity to get ahead. Once her career started blossoming, Frank took early retirement from his job as a director of government sales at AT+T to become a full-time househusband. This allowed Carleton to aspire to everything she is today.
Equal rights has been a battle for women for many years, affirmative action finally has helped many women get what they deserve. Affirmative action refers to the steps taken by a company to increase the number and improve the rank of female workers. Due to Affirmative action, which was implemented 25 years ago, women are getting the jobs that they want and not the ones determined by their sex. Unfortunately, we are miles behind men in the workforce, but we are trying to catch up, and one day the struggle and the battle will be will worth it.
Women are not waiting for their chance to make it to the top; instead women are taking what they have learned and leaving their current position to start their own business. According to a study released last year by the National foundation for Women Business Owners, women own approximately 7.7 million firms, an increase of 43% since 1990. Women are forming new businesses at double the rate of men. In turn, big companies are losing valuable women, and it has become very costly to organizations that invested a lot of time and money into these women.
Conclusion
To succeed in business, women should acknowledge the glass ceiling, yet their goals should not be constrained by it. Instead, they need to leave the ?us against them? mentality behind and set their goals beyond those of their predecessors. Women have learned that they have the power to create their own opportunities, and that their full potential can be noticed. As the number of women in management continues to rise, more companies may find that when they reach into their pool for their next executive, the best person for the job may be a woman.
References
Chartrand, Sabra. ?Gender Gap Splits Views of Glass Ceiling.? The New York Times June 1996:
Greenfield, Karl Taro, ?What Glass Ceiling.? Time 154 Aug. 1999:
?The Glass Ceiling Revisited.? Editorial. Corporate Woman 1998:
Glass, Neil. ?Cracking the Glass Ceiling.? ABC News May 1996:
Другие работы по теме:
Galaxies Physical Properties Essay Research Paper SummaryWe
Galaxies: Physical Properties Essay, Research Paper Summary We were given a photograph of a number of galaxies. In order to locate a particular galaxy a series of numbers were laid out vertically and a series of letters were laid out horizontally. We were also given a magnifying glass with a built in scale to measure the length of the galaxy in millimeters.
Conservation Essay Research Paper Child DevelopmentFour year
Conservation Essay, Research Paper Child Development Four year old Nicolas, six year old Thomas, and eight year old Jamie were the subjects for all the following experiments. First, the experiment will be stated and performed, the reaction will follow second, and then a conclusion. All children were uninformed of what and why this was taking place.
BioTechnology Essay Research Paper The shortterm future
Bio-Technology Essay, Research Paper The short-term future of biotechnology in production agriculture looks bleak. The unattractive truth is that economics, not science can play a larger role in the future of biotechnology.
Diversity In The Accounting Profession Essay Research
Paper This article is an account of a panel discussion concerning diversity among the accounting profession. Minorities and Women continue to be underrepresented in the accounting profession. There are a few different reasons why this is so; ?a lack of knowledge among minorities about a CPA career, or a ?glass ceiling?, that discourages entry into the profession or leads to an early departure; and competition from other professions?.
The Fire Essay Research Paper The day
The Fire Essay, Research Paper The day started out as your typical summer morning of a teenager, trying to sleep in late. Little did I know that I would soon be involved in an incident that would forever change my outlook on life. As usual, I was spending the night at my friend Sarah Hall s house. The night before, Sarah s mom, Barbara, had told us that she and her husband were going to leave in the morning to help a friend.
Comparing
“The Glass Meangerie”, “Death Of A Salesman” And “A Raisin In The Sun” Essay, Research Paper In the stories, ?The Glass Menagerie?, ?Death of A Salesman?, and ?Raisin in the Sun?, there are many things in common. The most common thing in all of them I felt was how all the families all had ?American? problems. In ?The Glass Menagerie?, the ?American? problem was a family dealing with an ill member.
James Ambrose Cutting Essay Research Paper Ambrotypes
James Ambrose Cutting Essay, Research Paper Ambrotypes were a direct positive process effect achieved on glass coated with light-sensitive collodion, backed with black paint, paper or even black velvet.. It is also known as a collodion positive. They are often confused with Daguerreotypes because they were often housed in dag cases and confused with Tintypes because the images look very similar..
Sistine Chapel Essay Research Paper papal chapel
Sistine Chapel Essay, Research Paper papal chapel in the Vatican Palace that was erected in 1473-81 by the architect Giovanni dei Dolci for Pope Sixtus IV (hence its name). It is famous for its Renaissance frescoes by Michelangelo.
The Glass Meragerie Essay Research Paper The
The Glass Meragerie Essay, Research Paper ?The Glass Menagerie?, is a adorable little play written be Tennessee Williams. The play takes place in tiny apartment, behind an ally,
Glass Menageie Essay Research Paper In The
Glass Menageie Essay, Research Paper In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the glass figurine of the unicorn plays an inherently important role as a representation of Laura’s self esteem. The collection of glass figurines is used by Laura to escape from the dangers of the outside world. The unicorn is the central piece to her collection and is important because it directly symbolizes Laura.
Our Town By Thorton Wilder And The
Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams Essay, Research Paper When I compared Our Town by Thorton Wilder and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams I noticed a lot of differences and very few similarities. I noticed differences in the roles that the mothers played in each of the stories, and the impact that the father had on the family.
Saint Sernin Of Toulouse And Notre Dame
Of Paris Essay, Research Paper Saint Sernin of Toulouse and Notre Dame of Paris When one thinks of St. Sernin and Notre Dame, one tends to think of two beautiful cathedrals, not to churches that portray two totally different styles
Alice In Wonderland Essay Research Paper Lost
Alice In Wonderland Essay, Research Paper Lost in this land that?s so clearly make believe, my mind is playing tricks on me, and my eyes they do deceive. I feel through the looking glass and I hit the grassy floor,
The Glass Cileing Essay Research Paper Youve
The Glass Cileing Essay, Research Paper ?You?ve Come a Short Way, Baby!? Professor Diana Bilimoria hit it on the nail when she proclaimed, ?Even when women do all the right things, and have all the right stuff, they continue to be blocked from the innermost circles of power? (Daily). The increasing number of working women with an education and experience in the business world continue to encounter this blockade mentioned by Professor Bilimoria.
Glass Ceiling Summary Essay Research Paper Utilitarianism
Glass Ceiling Summary Essay, Research Paper Utilitarianism favors unequal treatment in the work place.CONTROLLING IDEA: Big corporations should be forced into applying affirmative action to equal out the male/female ratio in management positions.
The Glass Ceiling Is Cracking Essay Research
Paper The glass ceiling is an invisible barrier in organizations that prevents many women and minorities from achieving top-level management positions. In 1995, the Glass Ceiling Commission released its first report and found that only 5 percent of the senior-level managers in Fortune 1000 companies are women.
The Glass Menagerie 2 Essay Research Paper
In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams uses various types of symbolism. He uses the symbols to develop character and theme, to elaborate on what the characters aspire to be, and to identify what they actually are. Laura Wingfield is a very complex and important character to the play. It is from her that the name of the play derives from, being that she is the owner of the menagerie.
The Glass Menagerie Essay Research Paper In
The Glass Menagerie Essay, Research Paper In The Glass Menagerie there was a character that was alienated. Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who
Glass Meangerie 2
Glass Meangerie – Death Of Salesman – Raising In Sun Essay, Research Paper In the stories, іThe Glass MenagerieІ, іDeath of A SalesmanІ, and іRaisin in the SunІ, there are many things in common. The most
Solar Oven Essay Research Paper Solar OvenWhy
Solar Oven Essay, Research Paper Solar Oven Why it will work: It will work because the cold air under the box will be separated by four (4) wood pegs. The black, non-glossy paint will attract heat, rather than
Women Entrepreneurs In Small Business Essay Research
Paper Well I believe the developing countries could have a seminar on small business entrepreneurs every year just for women. Having a seminar on this topic could and should teach the women of these countries that the country is behind them all the way on them being an entrepreneur. They will learn that they will also be helping the country out.
Poem Breaking Me Essay Research Paper Breaking
Poem: Breaking Me Essay, Research Paper Breaking Me Everyday, I see your face, I wish that you?d stayed Don?t even know what made you run away It?s just the way, that you play the game
The Glass Menagerie Essay Research Paper First
The Glass Menagerie Essay, Research Paper First of all, I liked the way that The Glass Menagerie was not specifically dated. What I mean by this, is even though the play was written in the forties, today we (people in general), can still relate to some of the issues in it. Like take for example the disability issue.
Andy Kaufman Essay Research Paper My e
Andy Kaufman Essay, Research Paper My quote is, ?This man is outta his mind?. Andy Kaufman was a little crazy I have to say. Andy did some drugs when he was young. At as park in Chicago he got
My Friend
’s Bedroom Essay, Research Paper My friend s bedroom, on the second floor, is cozy and special. The shape of her bedroom is semicircular. As you walk into the room, the soft green walls and clean deep blue ceiling make the room seem light thus even cozier than it is. Moreover, you can see lots of stars scattered on the deep blue ceiling and walls.
Use Of Force Essay Research Paper The
Use Of Force Essay, Research Paper The Use of Force illustrates very well the feelings and emotions of a normally rational person, who, for any reason, is subjected to a situation that causes
The Safety Inspector Essay Research Paper The
The Safety Inspector Essay, Research Paper The Safety Inspector Mr. Redos, I am an inspector for the OSHA. I have noticed the following safety objects missing in the room F 203, chemistry room. These are sprinklers,
African America Women Essay Research Paper OUR
African America Women Essay, Research Paper OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN African American women have excelled in virtually every arena of the world?s spectrum. Born of a desire to succeed, Maggie L. Walker, Shirley Chisolm, Corretta Scott
Glass Menagerie 2 Essay Research Paper
“The Glass Menagerie”, “Blue Mountain”, “The Fire Escape” and “The Unicorn” are symbols in the ” Glass Menagerie” Discuss Williams use of these symbols in the “Glass Menagerie”.