Comments on: In California, ‘dismal picture’ for women CEOs http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/in-california-dismal-picture-for-women-ceos/ Research news from leading universities Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:47:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Sal http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/in-california-dismal-picture-for-women-ceos/comment-page-1/#comment-543152 Sal Fri, 04 Jan 2013 05:47:09 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=232152#comment-543152 Why suddenly do all womyn want to leave home? Their presence among men at work place is an unwanted trouble . Anyway ... Dear womyn... No matter what, things will not change, men are men and womyn are women and this is the law of nature. Accept it or be extinct. Why suddenly do all womyn want to leave home? Their presence among men at work place is an unwanted trouble . Anyway … Dear womyn… No matter what, things will not change, men are men and womyn are women and this is the law of nature. Accept it or be extinct.

]]> By: Amanda Kimball http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/in-california-dismal-picture-for-women-ceos/comment-page-1/#comment-487202 Amanda Kimball Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:20:36 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=232152#comment-487202 Third, there is a tendency to extrapolate conclusions about performance incorrectly. For example, your argument is citing a sample with size N=1 to imply that women CEOs are not a good idea. Certainly the case you cite sounds like a poor CEO-company fit. Nevertheless, no one would claim that *every* woman CEO is perfect, but to look at *one* failure and take that as evidence that women as a whole should be reconsidered, is an example of a very commonly exhibited logical fallacy, and it is unfair to women. Finally, the overwhelming evidence actually points in the opposite direction. There is an indisputable correlation between corporate financial success and the presence of women on boards of directors and in executive positions. I have some data on this myself, and many reports I could cite if you're interested. The fact is, if performance was all that mattered, we would actually see more qualified women in corporate leadership already. Third, there is a tendency to extrapolate conclusions about performance incorrectly. For example, your argument is citing a sample with size N=1 to imply that women CEOs are not a good idea. Certainly the case you cite sounds like a poor CEO-company fit. Nevertheless, no one would claim that *every* woman CEO is perfect, but to look at *one* failure and take that as evidence that women as a whole should be reconsidered, is an example of a very commonly exhibited logical fallacy, and it is unfair to women.

Finally, the overwhelming evidence actually points in the opposite direction. There is an indisputable correlation between corporate financial success and the presence of women on boards of directors and in executive positions. I have some data on this myself, and many reports I could cite if you’re interested. The fact is, if performance was all that mattered, we would actually see more qualified women in corporate leadership already.

]]> By: Amanda Kimball http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/in-california-dismal-picture-for-women-ceos/comment-page-1/#comment-487182 Amanda Kimball Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:18:57 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=232152#comment-487182 Hello, this is the author of the UCDavis study. Thanks for this interesting comment. You raise a point that has been raised many times before, that women in business should be judged by performance. It seems to me that there are several problems with this approach. First, performance is not a level playing field. Studies show that when only one member of a minority group is included, that person exhibits poor performance. This phenomenon is due to the perception of being a mere token representative of the needs of the minority group, rather than a complex individual. Second, studies also show that women, more often than men, are given the CEO position when a company is already in trouble. Because there are so few women CEOs to begin with, the visibility of individual cases of failure are blown way out of proportion relative to a comparable situation involving a male CEO. Hello, this is the author of the UCDavis study. Thanks for this interesting comment. You raise a point that has been raised many times before, that women in business should be judged by performance. It seems to me that there are several problems with this approach.

First, performance is not a level playing field. Studies show that when only one member of a minority group is included, that person exhibits poor performance. This phenomenon is due to the perception of being a mere token representative of the needs of the minority group, rather than a complex individual.

Second, studies also show that women, more often than men, are given the CEO position when a company is already in trouble. Because there are so few women CEOs to begin with, the visibility of individual cases of failure are blown way out of proportion relative to a comparable situation involving a male CEO.

]]> By: Mash Ouf http://www.futurity.org/society-culture/in-california-dismal-picture-for-women-ceos/comment-page-1/#comment-476262 Mash Ouf Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:44:43 +0000 http://www.futurity.org/?p=232152#comment-476262 And with it's 40% female leadership, the Bebe company has destroyed shareholder value to the tune of 60% this year. Their board of directors has some quite elderly women, which is a surprise given the company cater to a consumer much younger. The last CEO (a woman) left very abruptly (a career jump) and put the company into a tailspin going into holiday season. So when we cry for more women in leadership roles, let's remember that they aren't always best for the company, its employees, customers, or shareholders. Performance should be all that matters, not gender. And with it’s 40% female leadership, the Bebe company has destroyed shareholder value to the tune of 60% this year. Their board of directors has some quite elderly women, which is a surprise given the company cater to a consumer much younger. The last CEO (a woman) left very abruptly (a career jump) and put the company into a tailspin going into holiday season. So when we cry for more women in leadership roles, let’s remember that they aren’t always best for the company, its employees, customers, or shareholders. Performance should be all that matters, not gender.

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