Advancing Women in Business--The Catalyst Guide: Best Practices from the Corporate Leaders

For those organizations which seek to establish and then sustain programs which optimize the talents of the women whom they employ, this is an immensely informative book. Of even greater value than the information provided are the specific suggestions it offers based on three decades of research on all manner of companies. Catalyst is a non-profit organization which "partners with U.S. corporations and professional firms that understand the critical power of women at work, that know that women's advancement is not a feel-good or even a do-good issue but a bottom-line practicality." The Catalyst Award is given to those corporations which have achieved lasting, measurable results in this area. The book examines many of these corporations. For example: IBM, Avon Products, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Eastman Kodak, Arthur Andersen, Motorola, American Airlines, Morrison & Foerster, McDonald's, J.C. Penney, Dow Chemical, Knight-Ridder, Texas Instruments, and Allstate. I hasten to point out that most (if not all) of the information and suggestions provided by the book are also relevant to small-to-midsize organizations and may indeed be of even greater value to them than to (let's say) "Fortune 100" companies.Advancing Women in Business is divided as follows: Part I. Changing the System Part II. Best PracticesPart III. Resources: The Catalyst Award"The Catalyst Approach" can maximize the value of a workforce by "capitalizing on the talents of women" only if all efforts are made within an "inclusive, problem-solving, comprehensive program." Specifically, first establish a strong foundation by connecting each initiative explicitly to a business rationale; next, build a fact base by gathering information that will create the baselines for evaluating each initiative's progress; finally, develop, pilot, and implement action plans whose initiatives achieve practical solutions tailored to the organization's environment. How? Several dozen corporations are examined which illustrate what the "Catalyst Approach" requires of those involved in its implementation. Specific strategies and tactics are discussed. Results are measured and evaluated. I rate this book so highly because I think it is very well written, because it provides a wealth of important information about "best practices from the corporate leaders", and because it includes a number of practical suggestions as to HOW to derive greatest benefit from that information. By now, frankly, I had hoped that a gender-specific book such as this would be unnecessary in the year 2000. Well, unfortunately, it is. I now hope that enough people buy it and enough organizations are guided by it so that one day very soon, my granddaughters read it and then ask me "What's this all about? Was it really like that? That's ridiculous!" Yes it is.

For those organizations which seek to establish and then sustain programs which optimize the talents of the women whom they employ, this is an immensely informative book. Of even greater value than the information provided are the specific suggestions it offers based on three decades of research on all manner of companies. Catalyst is a non-profit organization which "partners with U.S. corporations and professional firms that understand the critical power of women at work, that know that women's advancement is not a feel-good or even a do-good issue but a bottom-line practicality." The Catalyst Award is given to those corporations which have achieved lasting, measurable results in this area. The book examines many of these corporations. For example: IBM, Avon Products, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Eastman Kodak, Arthur Andersen, Motorola, American Airlines, Morrison & Foerster, McDonald's, J.C. Penney, Dow Chemical, Knight-Ridder, Texas Instruments, and Allstate. I hasten to point out that most (if not all) of the information and suggestions provided by the book are also relevant to small-to-midsize organizations and may indeed be of even greater value to them than to (let's say) "Fortune 100" companies.Advancing Women in Business is divided as follows: Part I. Changing the System Part II. Best PracticesPart III. Resources: The Catalyst Award"The Catalyst Approach" can maximize the value of a workforce by "capitalizing on the talents of women" only if all efforts are made within an "inclusive, problem-solving, comprehensive program." Specifically, first establish a strong foundation by connecting each initiative explicitly to a business rationale; next, build a fact base by gathering information that will create the baselines for evaluating each initiative's progress; finally, develop, pilot, and implement action plans whose initiatives achieve practical solutions tailored to the organization's environment. How? Several dozen corporations are examined which illustrate what the "Catalyst Approach" requires of those involved in its implementation. Specific strategies and tactics are discussed. Results are measured and evaluated. I rate this book so highly because I think it is very well written, because it provides a wealth of important information about "best practices from the corporate leaders", and because it includes a number of practical suggestions as to HOW to derive greatest benefit from that information. Frankly, I had hoped that a gender-specific book such as this would not be relevant in the year 2000. Well, unfortunately, it is. I now hope that enough people buy it and enough organizations are guided by it so that one day very soon, my granddaughters will read it and then ask me "What's this all about? Was it really like that? That's ridiculous!" Yes it is.

The book begins with a three phase approach for advancing women that is basic to all successful initiatives. It explores some of the best practices of corporations to provide advice on women's advancement issues. It also briefly highlights the programs of numerous Catalyst award winners. The book is based on Catalyst's research reports, case histories, and best practices. This is an interesting tour de force of best practices. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's SourceFinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.