Issue #11

As others have pointed out on this blog, perhaps we should look to culture, rather than corporate power structure, if we want to help women break through the glass ceiling. Perhaps we should change the environment in which we raise our children, do so in such a way as to prevent them from falling into sterotypical molds as they grow up. I know that I am painting in very broad strokes as I say this, but my main point still stands: I do not believe that companies should be required to balance their workforce unless there were some evidence showing that such actions would improve profit or productivity. Fortunately, the authors of the article do provide such evidence, although not all of it is convincing. The first study merely shows a correlation: it does not provide a definitive link between high investment returns and a high number of women in management. The second study is more interesting, as it establishes a real connection (that of the tendency to avoid groupthink) between gender equality and productivity. Clearly such research is valuable, and more of it should be pursued along these lines. My overall opinion, in light of the preceding, is split. I still stand by my earlier statement that companies should not be forced to adopt gender equality, though tentative studies have shown a connections between a high number of employed women and a high degree of success. Barring further evidence, and more case studies, I do not really know what to think. More definitive evidence one way or another is what I would like to see.