STUDY SHOWS FEW WOMEN ON E-BUSINESS BOARDS

Internet companies in fact were more inclined to add women to their top executive suites, with women comprising 16% of their executives, compared with 10% at media, telecom and cable companies and 20% in network news organizations. However, of those with “clout titles” -- CEO down to exec. vp -- women don’t fare well in any communications industry, survey said. Overall, only 3% of top jobs were held by women at 757 companies surveyed.

It’s surprising that “future-oriented companies” such as those based on Internet don’t recognize that women represent new perspectives that can help in marketing and product development, said Kathleen Jamieson, dean of Annenberg School of Communication at U. of Pa. “When women are at the top, we change the culture and the numbers -- and numbers matter,” said PBS CEO Pat Mitchell. “Diversity matters because we need to reflect our viewership.”

Cellular market is example of how business can benefit from recognizing needs of women, SBC Senior Vp Priscilla Hill-Ardoin said. She said cellular, which was developed to serve business market, took off once companies recognized that there was a large market among women, based on safety concerns. “It’s a matter of good business sense,” she said. Study showed SBC had one of best records for hiring women, who comprise 32% of top ranks and 29% of board positions. CEO Edward Whitacre was personally involved in calling for action to increase women and minorities, Hill-Ardoin said. “It’s not lost on us that the primary decision-makers [on whether to purchase telecom products and services] are women,” she said. Hill-Ardoin said “added challenge” is faced by minority women because corporate world often views people of color as “higher risk.”

Panelists said commitment by top management was essential if companies were to diversity their boards and executive ranks. Others said “family friendly” programs could attract and retain more women because they still had primary role in caring for children and elderly relatives. It doesn’t cost more to institute flextime and other such programs because they result in more productive employees who aren’t “trying to juggle things,” Discovery Communications COO Judith McHale said. Once hired, mentoring and training can help women rise, panelists said. Companies should conduct thorough internal examination to determine whether they are encouraging or discouraging women from advancing, study said. It also recommended that executive search firms be encouraged to identify qualified women for top-level jobs when seeking candidates. McHale said her company linked executives’ bonuses to whether they diversified their work forces.

Sole male panelist -- HL Capital Chmn. Leo Hindery, ex-AT&T - - was among most outspoken. He said problem began in middle- management, where women often were stalled. Only solution to that is to fire middle managers who intentionally keep women from advancing, Hindery said. Asked why he thought numbers were so low, he said “white men don’t want to give up their responsibilities.” Hindery said report showed those who had succeeded tend to have “soft titles” such as public relations or human resources. “Intervention” is needed at elementary school level to encourage women to aspire to more powerful jobs, he said. FCC Comr. Ness, who was involved in development of survey project, said she was disappointed at small number of women in top corporate management when she joined Commission 7 years ago and situation had changed little. Govt. leaders can use their positions as “bully pulpits” to recommend action but ultimately it’s up to corporate world to realize “this is good for business,” she said.