An Absence of Women Managers : Korea"s Unacknowledged Corporate Scandal

An Absence of Women Managers : Korea"s Unacknowledged Corporate Scandal

  Women are 41% of the Korean workforce, but less than 5% of managers. Female role models do not exist and male managers tend to use male sex-based ascription in job assignments. Yet compared to firms without a single woman manager, Korean firms employing at least 2 women managers had better performance in terms of market share and profits. Barriers facing women include a corporate structure that prohibits women from moving laterally or upward benefits given men for their compulsory military service male networks based on school and military ties traditional attitudes of male preference, privilege and dominance and the lack of penalties for disobeying anti-discrimination laws. Women, men, corporations and government, need to be involved to create awareness of problems women face and to acknowledge the necessity of change.