Nichols study shows Mass. has 'work to do' on women in leadership
Massachusetts businesses still have some work to do in placing women in leadership roles, according to the results of a study out of Nichols College.
The study, Massachusetts Women’ Leadership Index (MWLI), gave Massachusetts a score of 36 points out of a possible 100, according to a statement this week from the Dudley school.
“Given the progressive nature of the commonwealth, I would have guessed the index would be much higher than it is,” Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer said in the statement. “The MWLI indicates that collectively we have much work to do.”
The inaugural study, by Nichols' Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL), calculated scores in 10 categories and compared the results to national averages. The institute used recent data showing the percentage of female leaders lagging in the corporate world compared to men — but faring better in the nonprofit and government sectors.
Major contributors to the state’s score are statistics indicating that women represent only about 3 percent, 15 percent, and 12 percent, respectively, of corporate CEOs, board members, and executive officers in the Bay State, Nichols said. Those numbers compare with nearly 5 percent, 19 percent, and 15 percent nationally.
The MWLI also covers the percentage of women who are state legislators, mayors, police chiefs and school superintendents.
“Not only would greater female representation in leadership be more equitable, it would also positively impact organizations. Studies have shown that when more women hold leadership positions, organizations report higher return on investment,” wrote lead study author and IWL Faculty Director Jean Beaupre.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments