Are the Expectations of Women Managers Being Met

In recent years firms have established a number of programs designed to encourage and improve the participation and advancement of women in managerial positions. However, there has been little attempt to evaluate their effectiveness. Women presently employed in management positions were surveyed to assess what programs currently exist as well as their evaluation of these programs. The results of this study indicate that the programs and policies available to women are often not those they view as most important. As a result, resources are being spent on programs viewed as unimportant and diverted from activities that could better contribute to the participation and advancement of women. Additional findings show that women who have progressed furthest in the organization view these programs as less important, possibly because they have been successful without them.