万花筒 2011-03-27&03-29 全球企业女性高管人数下滑

 As millions mark the 100th International Women's Day, a new report has found there are increasingly less women in senior management positions around the world.

 

Grant Thornton's Global Head of public policy and external affairs, April Mackenzie, says the percentage of women in such roles was down to 20 percent, from 24 percent in 2009.

 

"It was really disappointing to see that the infrastructure¹ hasn't been put in place to allow women to take more senior management positions."

 

She says the financial crisis may have played a role in pushing down the numbers, as well as some women dropping out of the workforce² to become entrepreneurs.Developing countries are at the top of the board when it comes to women in executive leadership positions.Thailand leads the way at 45 per cent, followed by Georgia and Russia.

 

At the other end of the spectrum³ is Japan, at just 8 per cent.

 

"Many developing countries have the family infrastructure where grandparents are often available for childcare, there's access to,there's also access to cheaper, generally, relatively⁴ speaking,cheaper childcare than those in developed."

 

Claire Knight⁵ is the Regional Human Interest Director for Saatchi & Saatchi X in London, responsible for Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa. While she's successfully climbed the corporate⁶ ladder, she says it wasn't always easy.

 

"Initially⁷, it's a definite struggle, when you first enter into a company. I didn't have that at Saatchi X but I've had that previously⁸, especially in some very male dominated industries such as manufacturing and telecommunications. And you very much have to prove your seat at that table."

 

But it's companies without female executives which April Mackenzie says will suffer.

 

"I think they're missing out on the management and board tables reflecting the population, reflecting the demographic of the world, reflecting the customer. They're also missing out on a different way of thinking, a different perspective, a different approach."

 

And there's hope there will be more women in top positions, as the global economic recovery continues.

 

Kirsty Basset,Reuters.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

3 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。