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The Washington Post has a great article this morning about a study that was released that shows that women and minority business owners were booming before the recession began. A few of the interesting points the article brings up include the fact that by 2007 "minorities owned one in five small U.S. businesses, and women owned almost one in three." and that "The largest numerical increase in the five-year span was in businesses owned by women, up 1.3 million, to a total of 7.8 million. That represented a 20 percent increase."
The article touches a little on the impact of the recession but mostly highlights the great advances made before hand. I wonder if we will find that the struggling economy will have discouraged or encouraged this trend of women starting more businesses. I have very little knowledge of the inner workings of business but I can see how an argument can be made that the recession would allow more women to start their own businesses, however at the same time it could discourage women from leaving a secure job they already have to pursue a dream. In some ways this ties into the point that Ilana made in her post about how women are less likely to fight the wage gap during a time when even having a job is an accomplishment.
Obviously the faltering economy impacts everyone -- but it sounds like an obstacle like this may be providing women a greater opportunity for success. The article points out that "In an era when such high-profile female business executives as Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman have entered politics, an increasing share of U.S. businesses are run by women. A study published last year by the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute projected that small businesses run by women will create one-third of all new jobs."
So it seems like the numbers for women business owners in the future are getting increasingly more optimistic. If women really will be owners of 1/3 of the jobs opportunities and if the 30% Solution that Linda Tarr-Whelan describes and relies on really works than the potential for change in the future of the business world seems abundant. And what about having business women running for office? Will that increase the numbers? I think everything we have discussed and read in class points to yes. Tarr-Whelan's point about the sales from women owned businesses sales making up the equivalent of the GDP of China -- than maybe it really is true that more women owned businesses could save or at least jump start the economy.
One more side note that was included in the article which reminded me of a class discussion we had about women in construction -- the article points out that "More women are starting firms in nontraditional fields; they own about 11 percent of construction firms, for instance." Essentially it seems like the tide of change is definitely approaching.
See the article in the title of the post for more details.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
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3 comments:
It seems like more and more, I hear about women going out and starting their own business – which I looked up on forbes.com and women are taking the entrepreneurial leap at twice the rate at which men do so. And these businesses are growing revenue, profits and jobs faster than all businesses as a whole. This in my eyes demonstrates just how tough, innovative and commercial women can be.
But this success masks some important questions: If women are so successful working for themselves, why aren’t they just as successful in traditional corporations or in politics? Why is critical mass still an issue when it comes to the top positions? I don’t get it…
After all, setting up your own company is a complete risk -- so these brave women aren’t choosing the easy option, because they are buying into immediate debt with hope of profit. If anything, they’re leaving their home or job to do something harder.
But then I though,
Most females are energy drivers and better multi-taskers… and usually are not feeling exhausted and bitter after hard work… I also was thinking about the flexibility (work hours) piece with it comes to most company jobs vs. independent business… Company job usually have no flexibility about when you start and end your days. Women work just as hard (if not harder) than men, often do to other factors that are usually not male dominated such a child rearing… working a rigid schedule can become impossible. Forbes also said that most women business owners have children. And while they may work weird hours, they are highly productive. In essence, it doesn’t really matter which 80 or more hours you work…
Companies should really think about this, and yes – many of them are looking at alternative working arrangements for their employees… now have all the technology we need provide the opportunity for employees to work more flexibly. But it is not catching and instead of being more proactive in retaining and encouraging talent, companies do the opposite and send the talent (men as well women) screaming out of the door.
The success of women-owned businesses is cause for rejoicing. It benefits the economy and it benefits women. It even benefits men, who are more likely to be hired by women than women are by men, according to forbes.com. As the economy heats up again, the real competition for talent isn’t just in the big companies that seem to dominate our economy, but instead it is the business and ideas of women. Now that gets me excited!
It seems like more and more, I hear about women going out and starting their own business – which I looked up on forbes.com and women are taking the entrepreneurial leap at twice the rate at which men do so. And these businesses are growing revenue, profits and jobs faster than all businesses as a whole. This in my eyes demonstrates just how tough, innovative and commercial women can be.
But this success masks some important questions: If women are so successful working for themselves, why aren’t they just as successful in traditional corporations or in politics? Why is critical mass still an issue when it comes to the top positions? I don’t get it…
After all, setting up your own company is a complete risk -- so these brave women aren’t choosing the easy option, because they are buying into immediate debt with hope of profit. If anything, they’re leaving their home or job to do something harder.
But then I though,
Most females are energy drivers and better multi-taskers… and usually are not feeling exhausted and bitter after hard work… I also was thinking about the flexibility (work hours) piece with it comes to most company jobs vs. independent business… Company job usually have no flexibility about when you start and end your days. Women work just as hard (if not harder) than men, often do to other factors that are usually not male dominated such a child rearing… working a rigid schedule can become impossible. Forbes also said that most women business owners have children. And while they may work weird hours, they are highly productive. In essence, it doesn’t really matter which 80 or more hours you work…
Companies should really think about this, and yes – many of them are looking at alternative working arrangements for their employees… now have all the technology we need provide the opportunity for employees to work more flexibly. But it is not catching and instead of being more proactive in retaining and encouraging talent, companies do the opposite and send the talent (men as well women) screaming out of the door.
The success of women-owned businesses is cause for rejoicing. It benefits the economy and it benefits women. It even benefits men, who are more likely to be hired by women than women are by men, according to forbes.com. As the economy heats up again, the real competition for talent isn’t just in the big companies that seem to dominate our economy, but instead it is the business and ideas of women. Now that gets me excited!
I agree with you in that point. I think women-owned businesses are getting more and more successful and they are getting notice.
It is very interesting the question Emily point us about this: “If women are so successful working for themselves, why aren’t they just as successful in traditional corporations or in politics? Why is critical mass still an issue when it comes to the top positions? I don’t get it…”
I think that’s happening because these women-owned businesses are playing but their own rules. I know is very difficult and risky to have your own business, but as we can see, it is doable.
In the other side, working in traditional corporations and in politics place women into a completely different environment. People working in those jobs are ready to have different leaders and bosses. They are ready to keep the status quo. We can find a few women working in those areas and because they are a few, they are still being a few and unnoticed.
I like the idea of the 30% solution that Linda Tarr is presenting us in this book. I heard it before, but I thought it was not created with an international consensus in the famous UN Conference held in Beijing. I think the background of this idea make it more interesting and realistic.
Women critical mass would not be an issue if we can allow more women to create one and to present it. It won’t be an issue when we understand the fact that we need a 30% of women in those positions. It won’t be an issue when we let women been visible. It won’t be an issue when we (as right know) will be talking about it and discussing it. I think that could be our first step.
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