Friday 22 July 2011

Damning With Faint Praise…

Agnes Bolsø (associate professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) raves about Norway’s quota system for female representation on company boards:
The impact on company profits can be debated, but the effect on gender equality is clearly positive in the Norwegian case.
In a research project on gender in the boardroom I have led – funded by the Norwegian Research Council – we have interviewed board members about their experiences since the quota was introduced. We found that the new make-up did influence the decision-making process.
Wow! OK, so, how, exactly?
Greater female representation seems to make meetings a little more pleasant, the preparation material is tidier and more comprehensive, and the processes more formal. Our respondents call it professionalisation.



Wait, that’s it? Seriously?

All it appears to have done is make meetings a little more pleasant and better organised?

/facepalm
It is very hard to analyse the impact on profitability, and research on the economic effect of more women on boards is inconclusive.
I take it the statement ‘it is very hard to analyse the impact on profitability’ is wackademic-speak for ‘Christ, I can’t find a single shred of data that supports my hypothesis!’..?

And if there’s no evidence that this barmy policy is helping profitability or the economic position of the company – which let’s face it is a businesses’ raison d’être – why on earth shouldn’t it be scrapped forthwith?

7 comments:

Shinar's Basket Case said...

"and research on the economic effect of more women on boards is inconclusive."

In other words the cost of Bach Blossom aroma therapy candles ,new curtains and wheat grass juice in the board room isn't actually making them any more money.

Now there's a surprise.

Captain Haddock said...

"Agnes Bolsø (associate professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) ... "

Bet she's really only the Pencil Monitor ..

Shinar's Basket Case said...

Never trust a woman whose name ends in a monophthongal close-mid front rounded vowel.

MTG said...

Custard pie fights are best observed from behind the upper gallery screen.

SadButMadLad said...

Have you seen one of the Phd thesis she links to in her article in CiF?

Power and Eroticity in Management and Decision Making

"The material for this PhD project will be filmic representations where women are in
management and in leading positions. The material will be analyzed in the light of the erotic,
asking what part the ever present possibility of sex and eroticism play in the negotiations of
gender, this being in the context of topical and processual negotiations in a board meeting or
other meetings where management is performed."

So they will look at some films and come to a scientific conclusion then.

JuliaM said...

"In other words the cost of Bach Blossom aroma therapy candles ,new curtains and wheat grass juice in the board room isn't actually making them any more money."

*chuckle*

"Have you seen one of the Phd thesis she links to in her article in CiF?"

Hmmm, 'filmic representations where women are in management and in leading positions', eh? Bet they needed a few boxes of tissues at the screening...

Anonymous said...

Greater female representation seems to make meetings a little more pleasant
That is because we are trying to get into your pants, sugar. Alpha males will jump a horror pig on a dare.

Having seen an image of the pulchritudinous Agnes Bolsø myself, I am not man enough to tackle that. She could eat an apple through a tennis racquet.

The material for this PhD project will be filmic representations where women are in management and in leading positions.

Already done, vide NoTW and M Moseley, shurely?

and research on the economic effect of more women on boards is inconclusive.
I'm a social 'scientist' so I can't add up.

She should get a real job, painting radium onto the hands of watches, for example.