The poor numbers relating to gender diversity that is, the significant underrepresentation of women in positions of leadership in business are well known. Gender diversity is not just a question of numbers, however: companies with greater parity between men and women are likely to be more economically successful than companies where men dominate, according to […]
In November 2020, the advocacy group Women in Banking and Finance launched a four-year research program, entitled Accelerating Change Together, to address gender and diversity issues in the financial and professional services sectors. WIBF commissioned the London School of Economics The Inclusion Initiative, led by LSE Prof. Grace Lordan, to conduct research on its behalf. […]
Prior research has revealed a ‘glass cliff’ phenomenon: Companies in crisis situations are more likely to appoint women top managers than companies that are not in trouble. These disproportionate crisis appointments often set up women executives to fail. Some have argued that companies in crisis appoint women as top managers because of stereotypical beliefs by […]
Drawing from a unique database of information spanning 25 years and taking a unique approach to defining work, a team of European researchers offer a mix of expected and unexpected insights into the progress of women in the workplace. The study, sponsored by the European Commission’s Joint Research Study, based its findings on an analysis […]
Despite the overwhelming consensus in favour of improving career and leadership opportunities for women in business, diversity statistics continue to demonstrate that best intentions have not led to results. The London School of Economics’ Inclusion Initiative, in partnership with the advocacy organization Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF), conducted a qualitative study to identify the […]
Women leaders must manage conflicting stereotypical role expectations. Their gender role expectations are centred on what psychologists call communal attributes, such as kindness, empathy and nurturing. At the same time, their leadership role expectations involve agency attributes, such as being aggressive and self-confident. These simultaneous, contradictory expectations often trap women leaders in no-win situations. On […]
Women continue to be vastly under-represented at the top levels of business, with recent figures in the U.S. indicating that less than 5% of major corporations CEOs are women, and less than 20% of corporate board directors are women. What accounts for this continuing gender disparity? This question, according to University of Virginia professor and […]
Interest in the need to develop training programs for women entrepreneurs is growing, especially in developing countries where the potential influence of women entrepreneurs is significant. In these countries, woman entrepreneurs are often the first women in their families to receive an education or training. They also offer much-needed leadership models for girls and women […]
Although mentoring is often cited as one of the paths for women to break down the barriers that hamper promotion opportunities and career success, what exactly can women learn through mentoring relationships and how does this make a difference for them in the workplace? This question is at the heart of a qualitative study on […]
The dearth of female leaders in industry, despite the stated intentions of most companies and organizations to encourage diversity and promote women, is well documented. Past studies in this field have focused in large part on the actions and biases of (mostly male) leaders, or on the career choices of women (e.g., fewer women training […]