Do women today have the same chance to achieve success in business as men? Are top management positions predetermined for men, or do women who show talent have their place?
Although we live in a modern society where such questions should not be raised, examples show the opposite. The share of women in the boards of leading global companies in Western civilization is extremely low. The intention to change this state of affairs is held by European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, who wants to push through a law that contains a rule stating that company boards in the EU must have at least 40 percent female members by 2020.
What is the situation in Croatia and the region, and what do leading businesswomen think about it will be revealed to participants of the 2nd Women in Business meeting 2012, on December 6 at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb.
The keynote lecture on the topic ‘5 things every woman can do to achieve a successful career’ will be delivered by Dorothy Dalton, co-founder of 3Plus International from Brussels, which deals with international development and bringing women into managerial positions in well-known global companies. We asked her several questions related to this always relevant topic.
What do you think are currently the biggest obstacles women face in business? There are numerous obstacles. Which of them is greater or harder to overcome varies from woman to woman or depends on geographical location. In short, at the macro level, most corporate cultures are at odds with the direction in which the surrounding society is developing. It is necessary to balance the growing number of highly qualified women entering the labor market with the economic challenges caused by an aging population. The global population is becoming increasingly older, but with a trend of declining birth rates. Women are increasingly deciding not to have children, which will ultimately lead to fewer young people to support older generations. Advanced economies need women who give birth and corporations that support this. It is not popular to talk about it, but sometimes it is women who create obstacles for themselves or other women.
