Women In Business

For centuries, almost all economic activity was family-based. The family business rested on the division of labor among family members. Therefore the family was both socially and economically the foundation of the family business. Families were not only production units, but also education and consumption units that conveyed norm structures, values and professional identity to next generation. Although female family members have always been active participants in family businesses over the centuries, their role has often been neglected in previous studies. Women in Business Families: From Past to Present presents both conceptual and theoretically informed empirical papers addressing three related themes relevant for family business and gender in past and in present: heroic women entrepreneurs; invisibility / visibility of women in businesses; and business succession. The book Women in Business Families: From Past to Present balances between both historical and contemporary analyses. The chapters integrate the notions of time and gender in focusing on family businesses or business families in past and in present. This volume will be of vital reading to researchers and academics in the fields of Gender Studies, Family Business, Organizational studies, Entrepreneurship and the various related disciplines.

This book uniquely combines gender theory, case studies, and the legal challenges surrounding the mechanisms of gender discrimination at work. It provides the student with real-life examples from managers (based on interviews with people who experienced discrimination) that help students understand how gender discrimination operates, even when there are legal protections against it. At the end of each case study, students are asked to put themselves in the shoes of the individual experiencing the discrimination and ask themselves reflect on how they would handle the situation. Students must examine their own beliefs about gender and work place practices and consider consequences of actions they might take. In addition to the sections of theory, cases, and legal challenges, websites of interest are included student assignments and classroom activities. Key features include: Engaging case studies embedded in each chapter Legal cases that highlight each chapter and lend credibility to each case study Discussions of international/global situations Suggestions for student assignments/projects

Female executives of large companies are still in short supply in the U.S., but they have made great strides in recent years and their number is growing. Patricia Werhane and four other leadership experts interviewed twenty-two prominent women—including executives at Kraft, Boeing, and Harley Davidson—to uncover their leadership styles, reveal their most effective practices, and find out how they broke through the glass ceiling. This celebration of stellar executives highlights their achievements, the values and visions that guide them, and the contributions they've made to both their companies and industries. Besides enjoying fascinating stories, readers—both men and women—will gain insights that help them manage and lead better. Despite enormous strides in the status of women in business, female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies can be counted on two hands, and less than 15 percent of Fortune 500 board seats are held by women. These daunting statistics, however, belie another phenomenon: The iceberg of male domination in the boardroom is beginning to break up and melt. More and more women are assuming positions of real leadership. And it's none too soon. With the increasing diversity of the workforce, businesses need the wisdom successful female executives can offer. To encourage more women to step up to the plate, this book tells many stories of perseverance and inventiveness. But it digs deeper to reveal common qualities and characteristics that reflect a style of leadership that is in stark contrast—in every major dimension, from communication styles to team building to crisis management—to the traditional, white-male model that has dominated practice, theory, and management education. While men tend to be transactional leaders, the women profiled in this book are nothing less than inspiring, transformational leaders. The result is an incisive, engaging, thought-provoking, and ultimately empowering narrative that will serve as a guide for women now entering, progressing, and leading in the workplace—as well as the men with whom they work.

Meet ten hard-working and accomplished entrepreneurs from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. These leaders are taking charge, creating new businesses, and holding down top-tier executive positions. From Madam C.J. Walker, who built up her own hair care company in the early 1900s, to Anita Roddick, socially conscious founder of The Body Shop, these ground-breaking women led companies, helped others prosper, and brought about positive change. Entrepreneurs working today include Naina Lal Kidwai, a high-profile investment banker from India, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and Susan Mashibe, a Tanzanian aircraft pioneer. Brimming with enthusiasm and full of useful tips, these women teach us to be bold, take charge, and strive for success.

WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS “...gives example after example of the price that we all pay for a situation in which ‘women may hold the keys but men still control the locks’.” The Times “What’s especially valuable is the authors’ analysis of where companies go wrong in managing women...that’s how it will help women in the workplace.” Harvard Business Review “Lays out the importance of retaining women in senior leadership positions.” Harpers Bazaar “Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland have opened new ground.” Management Today WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS They make up much of the market and most of the talent pool. Reaching women consumers and developing female talent is essential for sustainable economic growth in the 21st century. Studies show that better gender balance in business means better bottom line results and greater resistance to economic crises. So why are there still so few women in leadership roles in business? Why are companies struggling to respond to today’s female consumer? Why is there a persistent pay gap between men and women around the world? Why Women Mean Business takes the economic arguments for change to the heart of the corporate world. Fully updated in paperback, the book shows why getting gender right matters – as much when the economy’s bust as when it’s booming. A must-read, packed with ideas from companies that have made it work, views from top business leaders and step-by-step guides to how we can all become gender bilingual.

Discover the deep, dark secrets of the Alpha businessman As a woman, you know you're every bit as effective and capable as a man is in the arena of business-but that doesn't mean there aren't things you need to know about men and business. In this invaluable guide for the modern businesswoman, former Alpha Male Christopher Flett reveals everything you need to know to understand, communicate, and compete with men in business. To some extent, business is still a man's world; here's how to play the game by their rules-and win: * Know what the average Alpha Male is thinking * Learn 10 things you need to know about men in business * Force men to take you seriously * Stop self-sabotage with male colleagues * Get all the credit you deserve * Be more confident and effective * Learn to take charge and lead * Never make excuses for failures * Keep secrets-it's vital * Never bring personal issues to the office * Gain credibility and trust with Alphas * Never look for affirmation openly * Effectively deal with condescending or disrespectful men * Understand why being "nice" gets you nowhere

This very impressive Handbook takes established research topics about women in management and treats them in fresh and novel ways. The chapters are intellectually interesting, sound, and provocative, and meet the editors aspiration to stimulate high quality research on women s experiences in work organizations. I recommend it highly. Jean M. Bartunek, Boston College, US This comprehensive Handbook presents specially commissioned original essays on the societal roles and contexts facing women in business and management, the specific career and work life issues of women in these fields, organizational processes affecting women, and the role of women as leaders in business and management. The essays shed light on the extant structures and practices of society and organizations that constrain or facilitate women s representation, treatment, quality of life, and success. Despite decades of ongoing inquiry and increasing interest, research on women in business and management remains a specialized field without mainstream acceptance within business and management disciplines. The Handbook presents the current state of knowledge about women in business and management and specifies the directions for future research likely to be most constructive for advancing the representation, treatment, quality of life, and success of women who work in these fields. It provides the foundations for improved societal and organizational structures, policies, and relational practices affecting all in business and management. Thus, by enhancing the knowledge base that improves the work and life situations of women, it suggests ways to elevate the societal and organizational systems for all. The Handbook will be an essential reference source for recent advances in research and theory, informing both scholars of organization studies, gender, diversity, and feminism; human resource specialists; and educators of and consultants to business organizations and management.

As women overtake men in education, they are running one-third of the world's businesses. However, women business-owners are concentrated in small and microbusinesses; fewer than 5 percent of CEOs of the largest global corporations are women. "Women in Business and Management" brings together available data and ILO statistics to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date, and global picture of women in the business world and in management positions. The report highlights the business case for gender diversity, the obstacles that women still face, and ways to move ahead. It advocates a greater role for national business organizations, which can assist their member companies in implementing policies and measures to recruit and retain talented women.