Management-issues: Half of U.S. firms have no women at the top

Professor Constance Helfat via Management-issues.com about the new study by Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth that "found a complete absence of women executives in 48 per cent of the largest U.S. firms."

Author Constance Helfat, a professor at Tuck, estimated that the proportion of female chief executives would only increase from the current level of about 1.7 per cent to about 4.9 per cent by 2010 and 6.2 per cent in 2016."In order for women to continue to make and accelerate the sort of progress that our data indicate, they need to reach executive rank in the first place. Therefore getting qualified women into the executive hierarchy is critical," said Helfat.
Aggressive hiring and promoting of women also required an available talent pool, which was still a major issue that needed to be addressed, she pointed out."This has particular importance for the still low proportions of women in line positions, which are an important route to the top of the executive hierarchy.
Unless firms find ways to move women into line positions and retain them, the route to the top will remain much more difficult for women than for men," she added. Achieving the goal of getting more women into the top hierarchy would require commitment and leadership from America's most senior executive, she concluded.

Source: Management-issues.com by Nic Paton, December 1, 2006

WP: Job Security Wanes in Executive Suites

Professor Constance E. Helfat via The Washington Post about the high CEO turnover making chief-executive jobs less attractive:

"If you ask CEOs to take the risk of having to resign in a fairly public manner . . . people might be less willing to take the job and want higher compensation, which means you shrink the pool," said Constance E. Helfat, a strategy professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business who studies chief-executive turnover.

Source: The Washington Post by Brooke A. Masters May 18, 2006

WSJ: Business Schools Target At-Home Moms

Professor Constance Helfat via Wall Street Journal about the Tuck's initiative -- "Back in Business: Invest in Your Return" executive-education course, which is "geared toward women who have put their careers on hold to raise families and are ready to return to the professional world." Co-sponsored by City Group, the 11-day Tuck program will cost $6,000, including meals and lodging. Classes will start in October and "will walk students through recent changes in various fields", including subjects such as finance and accounting.

The Dartmouth program also offers resume-writing workshops, job-interview
coaching and networking opportunities. Representatives from Citigroup and other companies will be speaking and mentoring with classes. "We certainly can't guarantee jobs," says Ms. Helfat, "but we would like to provide a way to help the participants re-enter."

Source: Wall Street Journal by Anne Marie Chaker May 10, 2006

WP: The Challenge in Parting Ways With Top Executives

Professor Constance E. Helfat via Washington Post about the practice of forcing CEOs to leave their companies:

It's tough to pinpoint how many were forced out because many leave without explanation. But once in a while, a firm boots its chief executive in a very public way for practical reasons, said Constance E. Helfat, a corporate strategy professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. "If a company is doing poorly, then disruption may be good because you need a clear signal that 'we're going to change,' " Helfat said.

Source: The Washington Post by Dina ElBoghdady April 24, 2006