Business Case Studies, Executive Interviews, Kamal Singh on Women Executives

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Executive Interviews: Interview with Kamal Singh on Women Executives
July 2007 - By Dr. Nagendra V Chowdary


Kamal Singh
working with the British Council as Head,
Governance & Social Justice, India.


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  • So, what's the role of leaders and organizational policies in preparing women?
    I feel its not a question of merely "preparing women" it's a question of ensuring equal opportunities, and that well includes "preparing men" too. This means improving the understanding of what equality is, what equal opportunities are, where and how discrimination is taking place, what role employers and employees can play and what role family and community can play. For example, the recent legislation about sexual harassment at the work place or

    about domestic violence means that both men and women need to understand what it means, what kind of behavior is not acceptable and what needs to change.

  • What are the symptoms and sources of gender inequality? Are they specific to a culture?
    Gender is a social construct through the process of socialization we internalize certain roles and then imbibe these stereotypes. Patriarchy has resulted in women's subordination. Worldwide women have been deprived of claiming their rights and their autonomy. This is evident if you study the research, analysis, process and outcomes of the 4 UN conferences held since 1975 (at Mexico, Copenhagen, Nairobi and Beijing). The critical areas of concern include women and poverty, education, health, decision-making, economy, media, violence etc. Basic issues are worldwide, and then there may be some specific to certain regions, e.g., the high incidence of female foeticide in Punjab and Haryanawhich ends a girl's right even to be born.

  • Many approaches have been suggested to rid gender inequality. However, most of them seem to address the symptoms, rather than the sources. What are the best ways to tackle the sources? What can be the steps to root out sources of discrimination and score possible wins?
    I value every approach used to tackle gender discrimination, no effort can be small. In my experience access to quality education is a way forward education that analyzes discrimination, removes gender bias, inculcates basic respect and dignity for all and empowers individuals to take action for rights and justice within their own spheres of influence and beyond.

  • Statistics also suggest that as women approach the top of the corporate ladder, many jump off frustrated or disillusioned with the business world. The glass ceiling still seems to be present. What will it take to finally shatter it?
    I don't know the source of your statistics. Yes, the glass ceiling is still an issue because the decisionmaking arena is still dominated by men, who bring to the workplace their internalized gender biases. In a study in the UK on women in politics, the "glass ceiling" was reversed to a "glass trap door" as many women political workers experienced that when it came to election time and tickets to be distributed the best of women workers just became "invisible" and went down the glass trapdoor! Possibly, a critical mass of women in various fields will help crack the "glass" syndrome. I think we're getting there!

  • There were enough women movements across the globe using radical rhetoric and legal action to drive out overt discrimination. But most of today's barriers seem to be insidious. Gender discrimination now is so deeply embedded in organizational life, as to be virtually discernible. In a so-called "flatworld", what needs to be done to wipe out gender discrimination?
    As I have said earlier, a rights-based approach is needed: women must believe, and men must accept, that women too have a right to speak, right to be heard, right to say ‘No' if they choose to, right to make a mistake an awareness and promotion of equality and diversity from school education onwards is needed. In UK the Equal Opportunities Commission has done a lot of work with employers on wage disparity and sex discrimination. Discrimination exists even for people with disability our law says 3% reservation for employment of people with disability, but only some employers and organizations have identified job profiles for which they can be employed. Women with disability face double discrimination. Our caste and class system means that women are further discriminated against when from certain caste. And, these days a new form of discrimination is your accent of spoken English!

  • Women are said to have entered the workforce in droves and it is generally agreed that they add enormous value. But organizational definitions of competence and leadership are still stereotypically associated with men: tough, aggressive, decisive. How to bridge suchimplausible gaps?Are there any best practices (examples) that you wish to share?
    Sarah Longwe has ident if ied var ious categories of gender impact indicators, e.g.

  1. Indicators of progress towards equality in terms of material wel fare, e.g., reduced workload; improvement in health and nutritional status; use of fuel-saving stoves; clean water supply close by.
  2. Indicators of progress towards equality in terms of access to key economic resources, e.g., increased income; diversif icat ion in women's income-generat ing skil ls; increased herd/dairy/livestock managed by women.
  3. Indicators of progress towards equality in terms of awareness of one's own situation and that of others, including those of oppose sex, e.g., increased awareness of women's legal rights; sharing of domestic tasks between women and men; nar rowing of l iteracy gap between men and women.
  4. Indicators of progress towards equality in terms of active participation in development projects and activities, e.g., increased proportion of women in management committees; increase in numbers of women speaking up in meet ings; increase in number of projects identified by women.
  5. indicators of progress towards equality in terms of control of decisions affecting one's family responsibilities and one's role in the community, e.g., women's and men's shared involvement in household budgeting; frequency with which women travel or attend school out of choice; participation of women in previously male-only local structures.

    I think a better understanding of such indicators by employers, employees, policymakers and politicians would help make progress.

1. Women's Western Wear Market Case Study
2. ICMR Case Collection
3. Case Study Volumes

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