future trends for women in business

Women in BusinessFrom MBA to CEO

The Problem:

Source: Catalyst.org

Women in Fortune 500 CEO Positions

476 men

24 w

om

en

Only 24 companies within the Fortune 500 have female CEOs, as of June 2014.

1In

20

That’s

Fewerthan

Has it Always Been This Bad?

Female CEOs Since 1995

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Source: Catalyst.org

Less than 20 years ago, there were no female CEOs in the Fortune 500

0

Female CEOs Since 1995

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Source: Catalyst.org

The fortune 500 got its first female co-CEO in 1996,Marion Sandler

1

Female CEOs Since 1995

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Source: Catalyst.org

The number of female CEOs grew steadily by 1 or 2 a year from 2001-2010

46 7

89

1012 12

15 15

Female CEOs Since 1995

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Source: Catalyst.org

But after dropping to only 12 in 2011

12

Female CEOs Since 1995

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Source: Catalyst.org

The number rose rapidly in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to its current 24

1820

24

What About Business School?

The Gender Gap on the MBA

57% Growth16% Growth

29% Growth

Source: TopMBA.com

On the MBA course itself, the gender gap is far less pronounced.

On average, women tend to represent 1/3 of MBA candidates.

33%

♀67%

♂

The Gender Gap on the MBA

• Recently, attention has been drawn to the presence of female leaders in case studies within MBA teaching tools, especially at Harvard Business School

The Gender Gap on the MBA

• Lesley Symons and Herminia Ibarra found that women featured as protagonists in fewer than 1 in 10 of the best selling MBA case studies.

Source: TopMBA.com

Where Does This Leave Us?

The Gender Gap on the MBA

Women In Business0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Although 33% of MBA Candidates are women…

The Gender Gap on the MBA

Women In Business0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

…Only 9% of Case Studies feature female protagonists…

The Gender Gap on the MBA

Women In Business0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

…And only 4% of Fortune 500 companies have a female CEO

The Gender Gap on the MBA

Women In Business0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

A lot of work must still be done to combat gender equality within business

The Problem Comes From Both Sides

“Typically, admission to the MBA requires prior business experience. If women are underrepresented in business, this will be reflected in MBA enrolments.”

- Cheryl de Ray, Vice Chancellor, the University of Pretoria

The Future

• Business schools, however, are aware of the need to continue to support women in business. To find out how they are doing it…

The Future

• …download our Women in Business e-paper, absolutely free!