Women in Corporate Management in Canadian Organizations: Slow Progress?

Abstract

Examines the status of corporate women in Canadian organizations, from data provided by 124 vice‐presidents of human resources, through the use of anonymous questionnaires. Half were in resources and manufacturing and in organizations with less than 500 employees. Women represented about 40 per cent of their workforces. Few women were in senior management or in operations. Managerial women were perceived as having significant overlap in skills with men. Those differences that were noted were consistent with common stereotypes. Most organizations (90 per cent) indicated no change in the percentages of women at various levels during the preceding year. Not surprisingly, only about 30 per cent of respondents indicated employment or pay equity as an important human resource issue facing their organizations.