Never before has there been such a confluence of international attention to the economic importance of women and the need for policies to enable them to fulfil their potential. The position of women – as employees, consumers and leaders – is seen as a measure of health, maturity and economic viability. Why Women Mean Business takes the economic arguments for change to the heart of the corporate world. This powerful new book analyses the opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women in the workplace and the marketplace. Find out how companies that learn to adapt to women will be better able to respond to the challenge of an ageing workforce and the demands of the next generation of knowledge workers. The authors compare policies and approaches in countries around the world, that offer surprising and envious results. The optimisation of women’s talents will boost the bottom line. Taking action to achieve this will require sustained courage and conviction from today’s corporate leaders. Reading Why Women Mean Business will be an important first step.
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"This powerful new book analyses the opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women in the workplace..." (Women–omics.com, October 9th 2008) "Wittenberg–Cox & Maitland have opened new ground (and) added a useful dimension to the debate" Management Today , February 2008) "Offers many fascinating findings on the roles of women today... a highly collaborative book" ( People Management , Thursday 7th February 2008) "...a cheering alternative to the traditional whinge about men holding women back in the workplace" ( Financial World , February 2008) "step–by–step guide for mangers on how to create growth by valuing the input of both women and men" ( theglasshammer.com . Tuesday 5th February 2008) " need Maitland and Wittenberg–Cox to spell out the persistence of "soft" barriers and spur the politicians to demand reforms." ( commentisfree.guardian.co.uk ) "At least someone is talking sense, and we shouldn′t be surprised that it′s a woman." ( Scotland On Sunday , Monday 11th February 2008) “Why Women Mean Business is an innovative and stimulating book.” ( Financial Times , Tuesday 26th February 2008) “[The authors] make a convincing case for more women in senior business roles. The case is supported by sound research.“ ( Financial Times , Thursday 28th February 2008) “…offers practical advice, backed up by case studies and statistics.” ( Director , March 2008) “This powerful new book brings together…the multiplicity of opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women...” ( The Business Channel Newsletter , March 2008) “…this book lays out the importance of retaining women in senior leadership positions, and the dangers of ignoring half the talent pool.” ( Harper′s Bazaar , April 2008) “The authors have been meticulous in their research, with an impressive collection of up–to–date, relevant case studies and statistics.” ( Personnel Today , Tuesday 1st April 2008) "Why and how to improve women′s place in business leadership”. ( International Herald Tribune, Friday 4th April 2008) “The book is a comprehensive understanding of the emergence of women as the next economic revolution”. ( TNT Link newsletter , March 2008)
"Wittenberg–Cox & Maitland have opened new ground (and) added a useful dimension to the debate" Management Today , February 2008) "Offers many fascinating findings on the roles of women today... a highly collaborative book" ( People Management , Thursday 7th February 2008) "...a cheering alternative to the traditional whinge about men holding women back in the workplace" ( Financial World , February 2008) "step–by–step guide for mangers on how to create growth by valuing the input of both women and men" ( theglasshammer.com . Tuesday 5th February 2008) " need Maitland and Wittenberg–Cox to spell out the persistence of "soft" barriers and spur the politicians to demand reforms." ( commentisfree.guardian.co.uk ) "At least someone is talking sense, and we shouldn′t be surprised that it′s a woman." ( Scotland On Sunday , Monday 11th February 2008) “Why Women Mean Business is an innovative and stimulating book.” ( Financial Times , Tuesday 26th February 2008) “[The authors] make a convincing case for more women in senior business roles. The case is supported by sound research.“ ( Financial Times , Thursday 28th February 2008) “…offers practical advice, backed up by case studies and statistics.” ( Director , March 2008) “This powerful new book brings together…the multiplicity of opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women...” ( The Business Channel Newsletter , March 2008) "Thorough and direct… both a practical and lively a read… clear, authentic, stimulating and sometimes provocative.” ( Financial Times , Fri 14th March 2008) “…this book lays out the importance of retaining women in senior leadership positions, and the dangers of ignoring half the talent pool.” ( Harper′s Bazaar , April 2008) “The authors have been meticulous in their research, with an impressive collection of up–to–date, relevant case studies and statistics.” ( Personnel Today , Tuesday 1st April 2008) "Why and how to improve women′s place in business leadership”. ( International Herald Tribune, Friday 4th April 2008) “The book is a comprehensive understanding of the emergence of women as the next economic revolution”. ( TNT Link newsletter , March 2008) “…an interesting and timely contribution to the debate over women’s role and purpose in business…peppered with case studies…a refreshing book...” Edge July/August 2008 “Packed with research studies and examples, the writers make a powerful case for extensive change.” The Marketer June 2008 “I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to think strategically about current trends in the economic and employment markets.” The Journal May 2008 "...widely researched, with lots of facts...I would say this book is a must–read...provides a new and interesting take on equality issues" (On Target, November 2008)
"Wittenberg–Cox & Maitland have opened new ground (and) added a useful dimension to the debate" Management Today , February 2008) "Offers many fascinating findings on the roles of women today... a highly collaborative book" ( People Management , Thursday 7th February 2008) "...a cheering alternative to the traditional whinge about men holding women back in the workplace" ( Financial World , February 2008) "step–by–step guide for mangers on how to create growth by valuing the input of both women and men" ( theglasshammer.com . Tuesday 5th February 2008) " need Maitland and Wittenberg–Cox to spell out the persistence of "soft" barriers and spur the politicians to demand reforms." ( commentisfree.guardian.co.uk ) "At least someone is talking sense, and we shouldn′t be surprised that it′s a woman." ( Scotland On Sunday , Monday 11th February 2008) “Why Women Mean Business is an innovative and stimulating book.” ( Financial Times , Tuesday 26th February 2008) “[The authors] make a convincing case for more women in senior business roles. The case is supported by sound research.“ ( Financial Times , Thursday 28th February 2008) “…offers practical advice, backed up by case studies and statistics.” ( Director , March 2008) “This powerful new book brings together…the multiplicity of opportunities available to companies that really understand what motivates women...” ( The Business Channel Newsletter , March 2008) "Thorough and direct… both a practical and lively a read… clear, authentic, stimulating and sometimes provocative.” ( Financial Times , Fri 14th March 2008) “…this book lays out the importance of retaining women in senior leadership positions, and the dangers of ignoring half the talent pool.” ( Harper′s Bazaar , April 2008) “The authors have been meticulous in their research, with an impressive collection of up–to–date, relevant case studies and statistics.” ( Personnel Today , Tuesday 1st April 2008) "Why and how to improve women′s place in business leadership”. ( International Herald Tribune, Friday 4th April 2008) “The book is a comprehensive understanding of the emergence of women as the next economic revolution”. ( TNT Link newsletter , March 2008) “…an interesting and timely contribution to the debate over women’s role and purpose in business…peppered with case studies…a refreshing book...” Edge July/August 2008 “Packed with research studies and examples, the writers make a powerful case for extensive change.” The Marketer June 2008 “I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to think strategically about current trends in the economic and employment markets.” The Journal May 2008 "...widely researched, with lots of facts...I would say this book is a must–read...provides a new and interesting take on equality issues" (On Target, November 2008)
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"Packed with research studies and examples, the writers make a powerful case for extensive change."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
How and why companies that are "gender bilingual" are the most highly-admired, best to work for...also, most profitable
19 Mar 2012
By Robert Morris
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
This is one of two books written by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox that I have recently read, the other being How Women Mean Business published two years later (2010). It would be unfair to both books to suggest that one is a prequel or sequel to the other. There is much to be said for reading both, perhaps this one first, but each can - and indeed should - be judged on its own merits. At least that is the approach I now take.
In this book, Wittenberg-Cox and her co-author, Alison Maitland, state their primary objective: to explain how and why understanding the core principles and potential benefits of "womenomics" will help us to understand "the emergence of our next economic revolution." In fact, that revolution is now underway. Its scope and depth are having an increasingly greater global impact. They suggest, and I emphatically agree, that gender is a business issue, not a "women's issue," as the same can also be said of parental (not maternal) rights, IT, results-driven management, process simplification, performance measurement, and onboarding. Over time, let's all hope and then work to ensure, a term such as "womenomics" will become obsolete, perhaps even quaint, as men as well as women derive increasingly greater benefits from equal opportunity that has everything to do with merit and absolutely nothing to do with anything else.
Centuries ago, two metaphors emerged and have since become influential: the "crucible" and "the melting pot." Sometimes both have been invoked in a discussion of how immigrants "melt" into their new culture in the United States, as Crevecoeur describes it in his Letters from an American Farmer (1782). I rejected the concept of a melting pot when I first encountered a lengthy discussion of it in 1970, in Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan's Beyond the Melting Pot. Then and now, I reject this metaphor in favor of others, notably the salad or better yet, the symphony, and certainly much prefer those metaphors when acknowledging the diversity among women and men and when affirming the great value of such diversity. Differences between and among people should not separate them; rather, they should enrich and strengthen them.
Throughout their lively and eloquent narrative, Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland examine a range of major challenges, opportunities and issues. Just in Chapter One ("Womenomics"), for example, they explain:
o What "womenomics" means...and could provide
o Why women are "guarantors of growth"
o How organizations and individuals can be come "gender-bilingual"
o The cost of not being "gender-bilingual"
o The nature and extent of economic impact of three 21st century forces (i.e. weather, women, and the worldwide web)
There is also an abundance of valuable information, insights, and wisdom in each of the other chapters.
They also make brilliant use of several reader-friendly devices. For example, "Tips" on recruiting women Page 47), promoting women (67), tapping into the female market (100), and managing gender differences (127). She also provides 11 mini-case studies, six of them in Chapter Five ("Seven Steps to Successful Implementation"): Hands-on Experience, Role Reversal, Opening eyes, Lloyds TSB's multi-pronged approach, Schlumberger: A bold new approach to gender, and Bain & Company: Women hold the key, but men control the lock. The focus of all this material is on what can be learned from real people in real situations as they struggle to formulate and then implement programs and related initiatives to achieve "gender-bilingual" fluency.
The revolution to which Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland frequently refer offers almost unlimited opportunities to those who - regardless of gender - really do "mean business" in terms of principles as well as profits...non-negotiable values as well as adding value to the customers they are privileged to serve. It is by no means a coincidence: companies that are "gender bilingual" are the most highly-admired, best to work for...and yes, inevitably, they are also the most profitable.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out How Women Mean Business as well as Neil Howe's The Fourth Turning and Rebecca Costa's The Watchman's Rattle.
In this book, Wittenberg-Cox and her co-author, Alison Maitland, state their primary objective: to explain how and why understanding the core principles and potential benefits of "womenomics" will help us to understand "the emergence of our next economic revolution." In fact, that revolution is now underway. Its scope and depth are having an increasingly greater global impact. They suggest, and I emphatically agree, that gender is a business issue, not a "women's issue," as the same can also be said of parental (not maternal) rights, IT, results-driven management, process simplification, performance measurement, and onboarding. Over time, let's all hope and then work to ensure, a term such as "womenomics" will become obsolete, perhaps even quaint, as men as well as women derive increasingly greater benefits from equal opportunity that has everything to do with merit and absolutely nothing to do with anything else.
Centuries ago, two metaphors emerged and have since become influential: the "crucible" and "the melting pot." Sometimes both have been invoked in a discussion of how immigrants "melt" into their new culture in the United States, as Crevecoeur describes it in his Letters from an American Farmer (1782). I rejected the concept of a melting pot when I first encountered a lengthy discussion of it in 1970, in Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan's Beyond the Melting Pot. Then and now, I reject this metaphor in favor of others, notably the salad or better yet, the symphony, and certainly much prefer those metaphors when acknowledging the diversity among women and men and when affirming the great value of such diversity. Differences between and among people should not separate them; rather, they should enrich and strengthen them.
Throughout their lively and eloquent narrative, Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland examine a range of major challenges, opportunities and issues. Just in Chapter One ("Womenomics"), for example, they explain:
o What "womenomics" means...and could provide
o Why women are "guarantors of growth"
o How organizations and individuals can be come "gender-bilingual"
o The cost of not being "gender-bilingual"
o The nature and extent of economic impact of three 21st century forces (i.e. weather, women, and the worldwide web)
There is also an abundance of valuable information, insights, and wisdom in each of the other chapters.
They also make brilliant use of several reader-friendly devices. For example, "Tips" on recruiting women Page 47), promoting women (67), tapping into the female market (100), and managing gender differences (127). She also provides 11 mini-case studies, six of them in Chapter Five ("Seven Steps to Successful Implementation"): Hands-on Experience, Role Reversal, Opening eyes, Lloyds TSB's multi-pronged approach, Schlumberger: A bold new approach to gender, and Bain & Company: Women hold the key, but men control the lock. The focus of all this material is on what can be learned from real people in real situations as they struggle to formulate and then implement programs and related initiatives to achieve "gender-bilingual" fluency.
The revolution to which Wittenberg-Cox and Maitland frequently refer offers almost unlimited opportunities to those who - regardless of gender - really do "mean business" in terms of principles as well as profits...non-negotiable values as well as adding value to the customers they are privileged to serve. It is by no means a coincidence: companies that are "gender bilingual" are the most highly-admired, best to work for...and yes, inevitably, they are also the most profitable.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out How Women Mean Business as well as Neil Howe's The Fourth Turning and Rebecca Costa's The Watchman's Rattle.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Rolf Dobelli
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox and Alison Maitland have carefully gazed through the gender-equality kaleidoscope and then turned it slightly - giving readers a refreshing view. Treating women as a workforce minority is no longer acceptable; nor should executives manage them in the same way as their male counterparts. Women are different from men, and their work and leadership styles reflect this difference. Treating women like men, or trying to "fix them" so they will advance in a male-centric work culture has not been successful, as demonstrated by the dearth of women in high leadership positions and on executive boards. Therefore, company leaders must reframe the gender debate and repair their biased systems. This book tells them how. getAbstract considers it important reading for human resources directors and corporate leaders, who may be heartened by its assurance that organizations that become "gender-bilingual" will find solutions to many 21st-century problems.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I found this book easy-read and practical, with a well-balanced view on what women and men want. A must for businesses that want to attract women (and modern men) to buy their products and/or to attract and retain talent. It was great to read a book that speaks of the time we are in right now!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Source Book for feminists of every gender.
Why Women Mean Business is probably the most frequently referenced book in my library! It was published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons and written by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox and Alison... Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Jane Woods
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gender - a re-emerged top issue
As much as gender has been the undisputed priority of political and corporate initiatives in the equality or diversity arena, the question about the most effective approaches,... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2008 by EuropeanDiversity
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good analysis + relevant advice for change
This book actually works. It explains why few women rise to the top. It is because companies are generally not aware of how men and women live different lives and that companies to... Read more
Published on 18 May 2008 by Vegardig
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clear Perspective
This book takes the gender debate on to the next level and way beyond some of the tired arguments of the past. Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2008 by Tim Hollins (London, England)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Looking at he whole picture at last!
This book should be compulsory reading for MBAs and Chief Execs' alike.
At last this book looks at the 'the whole picture' of the world of business. Read more
At last this book looks at the 'the whole picture' of the world of business. Read more
Published on 29 Feb 2008 by Dr. L. Murgatroyd
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best argument so far!
As a trainer with a focus on women's empowerment I have been struggling to compose the conclusive argument to convince corporate professionals that women must share half the... Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2008 by Freeman Joanne
5.0 out of 5 stars
The talent wars aren't coming...they're already here
'Why Women Mean Business' is, finally, the indisputable, definitive business case for gender diversity. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2008 by Knowledge Omnivore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why Women Mean Business: Understanding the Emergence of our next...
I was delighted when I heard that Avivah and Alison were producing this book and eagerly awaited its launch. All in all, it was well worth the wait and unputdownable! Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2008 by K. H. Lopez
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