New research on women in leadership
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Associate Professor Peter McGraw |
A recent study conducted by Macquarie University has found that while more women are employed in the Australian workforce in 2006 than ever before, representation at senior levels still remains low.
Australian Census of Women in Leadership
The 2006 Australian Census of Women in Leadership was carried out by a team of researchers from Macquarie University on behalf of EOWA (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency). Led by Associate Professor Peter McGraw, Director of the Labour Management Studies Foundation, and Professor Graham Wood from the Department of Statistics, the team collected and analysed data from the top 200 ASX companies.
The EOWA census is now conducted bi-annually and has been conducted four times in total. The Census quantifies the contribution women make to corporate Australia at the highest levels by analysing the percentage of women who are represented on boards, at executive manager level, or have the position of chairperson or chief executive officer.
Today, women account for 44.8 per cent of the Australian labour force but according to the 2006 study, as occupational seniority increases, representation of women decreases. At senior levels women become increasingly under-represented at executive manager and board director level there are roughly ten men for every woman. This disparity is even more pronounced at chief executive officer level within the ASX 200 where there are only six female CEOs in total.
International comparison
"Australia doesn't do very well in comparison to America, Canada and the UK," explains McGraw. "I think a lot of it has to do about attitudes to women in management and business practices which aren't very female friendly in this country."
In the United States women serve on the boards of 89.4 per cent of major companies, with the United Kingdom not far behind with 78 per cent. Australia is lagging behind with just 50 per cent of companies having female representation.
Is women's representation on the rise?
"In 2006, women hold 12 per cent of executive management positions in the ASX 200, a marginal increase over two years. Whilst we are far from the tipping point, we have seen a significant increase in organisations with 25 per cent of more of the executive team being female," says Anna McPhee, Director of EOWA.
Of the 200 ASX organisations that took part in the census, there are five companies that have 25 per cent or more women board directors and also 25 per cent or more women executive managers. These companies are: David Jones Limited; Great Southern Plantations Limited, Just Group Limited; Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited and Ventracor Limited.
Does the future look bright?
Will the future bring more equality at senior levels? "It will be interesting to see whether the representation of women at senior levels increases in the next generation," says McGraw. "With more women in the workplace at lower levels today and even more graduating from universities the future appears brighter."
Labour-Management Studies Foundation at Macquarie University aims to contribute to a higher level of understanding of industrial relations and human resource management issues. The Foundation conducts research and disseminates ideas through publications, lectures, seminars and conferences.
For further information contact Associate Professor Peter McGraw peter.mcgraw@mq.edu.au or visit the Labour-Management Studies Foundation www.lmsf.mq.edu.au