The Glass Ceiling - Does It Still Exist?
The Glass ceiling is an unacknowledged discriminatory barrier that prevents women from rising to positions of power or responsibility, within a corporation. This obstacle is faced by thousands of women trying to fulfill their career goals and objectives. The following article will explore how the glass ceiling works, who it affects and what can be done to minimize this problem.
Women account for 43% of the total Australian Workforce, yet an estimated 5% of the directors of Australia's 500 largest companies are women. From our 50 biggest listed companies only 2 have female chief executives. This gender imbalance is not an indication of the ability or professionalism of women, but is a testimony to the power, influence and prejudice of men (Jory, 2003:1). Men have always detained the most senior ranking positions in Australia, and there's still a big factor of the old boys club in the corporate world. All of these factors contribute to the shatter proof glass that for so long has confined women to the lower ranks of the corporate world.
As mentioned the issue of the Glass Ceiling is due not to the capability or aptitude of women, but one reason that is repeatedly knowledge lack of there experience. Recently there have been calls for women to increase their line experience. This is yet another attempt to explain the glass ceiling, it is suggested the prerequisite was just another form of discrimination against women, because most male directors been chief executives. "Only about 35% of men currently on boards have CEO experience. What do the remaining 65% have? When will the excuses end?" (Heilemann, 2003:1). Therefore, there is no merit in this explanation of the glass ceiling. One of the difficulties facing women is attributed to taking time out to have and raise children. After raising children women find it difficult to re - enter the work force and to be promoted. Women for some reason find it easier to progress through the ranks when they were young and
Women account for 43% of the total Australian Workforce, yet an estimated 5% of the directors of Australia's 500 largest companies are women. From our 50 biggest listed companies only 2 have female chief executives. This gender imbalance is not an indication of the ability or professionalism of women, but is a testimony to the power, influence and prejudice of men (Jory, 2003:1). Men have always detained the most senior ranking positions in Australia, and there's still a big factor of the old boys club in the corporate world. All of these factors contribute to the shatter proof glass that for so long has confined women to the lower ranks of the corporate world.
As mentioned the issue of the Glass Ceiling is due not to the capability or aptitude of women, but one reason that is repeatedly knowledge lack of there experience. Recently there have been calls for women to increase their line experience. This is yet another attempt to explain the glass ceiling, it is suggested the prerequisite was just another form of discrimination against women, because most male directors been chief executives. "Only about 35% of men currently on boards have CEO experience. What do the remaining 65% have? When will the excuses end?" (Heilemann, 2003:1). Therefore, there is no merit in this explanation of the glass ceiling. One of the difficulties facing women is attributed to taking time out to have and raise children. After raising children women find it difficult to re - enter the work force and to be promoted. Women for some reason find it easier to progress through the ranks when they were young and