The author with women friends in China
One topic that really piques my interest is female entrepreneurs in China. After spending years in Beijing, I’ve come to deeply admire the country and the culture, but I’ve also come to understand that it is a tough place for women who wish to move up in the corporate ranks or start their own business.
Women work hard in China but in my own experiences, the top-level is dominated by men, which produces a unique culture in and of itself. This can be intimidating for any woman, which is certainly not unique to China [see previous Davos postings].
This NYTs profile provides a unique insight into what it takes for women to reach the top – the expectations and sacrifices. Ms. Dong’s choices are inspiring for their courage and tenacity but make me wonder for how long this model of female success will endure. Not everyone possess this same level of drive or ambition but does that mean that they cannot achieve a comparable level of success? Perhaps not now, but in the future will it be possible to achieve some sort of work/life balance for senior executive women in China? Or is the environment so fast paced, so competitive that if women don’t maintain this frantic pace they will inevitably fall behind?
Read the full NYTs profile here: Setting the Pace With Toughness – NYTimes.com.
There are a number of women organizations that support the professional and personal development of women. Two of my favorite are:
- WEConnect International: http://www.weconnectinternational.org/
- American Chamber of Commerce PRC Women’s Professional Committee: http://www.amchamchina.org/workingGroup/forum/66
I’d love to hear from some of our readers if they are familiar with any other great organizations committed to the general theme of increasing capacity for women in the workforce. Feel free to leave your links below in the comments.