Why Women Mean Business: Understanding the Emergence of our next Economic Revolution
“A timely contribution to the increasingly vocal debate about the economic importance of women. It is refreshing to read the authors’ comprehensive analysis of gender as a business issue, not a women’s issue… We can’t make the future happen unless women help the men adjust.”\ Niall FitzGerald KBE, Chairman, Reuters, in his foreword\ “This excellent book asks every leader in the public or private sector to act on Gender as a Strategic Business Imperative… The emerging force of women in the...
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Gender is a business issue, not a women’s issue. Never before has there been such a confluence of international attention to the economic importance of women. Their position as consumers, employees and leaders is being recognised as a measure of health, maturity and economic viability. They are becoming central to labour market solutions to the challenges of an ageing workforce, falling birth rates and skill shortages. Countries and companies are urgently seeking policies to enable women to fulfil their potential. Why Women Mean Business takes the economic arguments for change to the heart of the corporate world. Women today are a majority of the talent pool and make up to 80% of consumer purchases. This powerful new book brings together in a single, concise volume the multiplicity of opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women in the global workplace and marketplace. Book Benefits: Understand WHY companies that adapt to women will become all-round employers of choice, as well as more effective 21st century marketers Get a step-by-step guide, designed for managers, on HOW to drive growth by drawing on the complementary strengths of men and women See why many current approaches to gender have not worked and why we need a new perspective, recognising that women are both equal and different. Compare policies and approaches around the world, with surprising results Hear from business leaders such as Niall FitzGerald (Reuters), Carlos Ghosn (Renault/Nissan) and Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) on the gender issue The optimisation of women’s talents will boost business performance. Taking action to achieve this will require sustained courage and commitment from today’s corporate leaders. This is an opportunity not to be missed. It is time for CEOs to get serious about sex.
Foreword Niall FitzGerald KBE xiiiPreface Michael Kimmel xvAcknowledgements xxiWomenomics 1Guarantors of growth 1The strategic side of the gender divide 6Opportunity cost 9Valuing difference 12Becoming "gender-bilingual" 15Declining demographics is not destiny 1821st century forces: weather, women, web 22Most of the Talent 27The "talent wars" are here 28Female brainpower 30Under-used talent 34The role of business schools 36Tapping into the pool 39Recruiting: making women welcome 40Retaining: structural repairs needed 44Promoting: return on investment 57Building better boards 62Legislating solutions - the controversial quota 65Much of the Market 73Purchasing power - beyond parity 75Female finances 77Sex and segmentation 85The many faces of marketing to women 89Shut-your-eyes 90Marginalise 93Specialise 94Prioritise 96Becoming "Bilingual", What Companies Can Do 103A fresh look at traditional approaches to gender 103Equal and different 107Diversity dilemmas 110Recognise that "best" is biased 113Surprising sectors 119A new approach to gender 120Understand the starting point 120Personalise the conversation 124Manage the metaphors - the power of vocabulary and vision 126The building blocks of bilingualism 130"Getting it": top management commitment 131Management bilingualism: proactively managing difference 132Empowering women: the knowledge and networks to succeed 133Banning bias: identifying and eliminating systemic bias from corporate systems and processes 134Seven Steps to Successful Implementation 141Key success factors 141Awaken your leadership team 143Define the business case 148Let people express resistance 151Make it a business issue, not a women's issue 155Make changes before making noise 162Don't mix up the messages 166Give it a budget, not just volunteers 170Culture Counts, What Countries Can Do 183Making bosses and babies 183Best and worst: surprising results 187Imperfect deal in America 199Continents of contrast 206Public policy pull, private sector push 212Figuring Out Females 223What companies need to know about women 223Discomfort with "politics" 225The conversations that matter 236Careers are not straight lines 238Ambition 242Culture shock 244Self-affirmation 252The lure of entrepreneurship 256Alternative views of "power" 258Sex, success and the media 259Change agents on their own terms 264Tomorrow's Talent Trends... Today, "Women-Friendly" Means "People-Friendly" 271New models of work 273Fathers count too 277Technology as enabler 280The value of "grey" brainpower 285Making the most of the "Me" generation 291The future is already here 296Conclusion, From Better Business to a Better World? 301New voices, new choices 302New measures of success 306A challenge for business 309Index 317
