e earners in Fortune 500 companies, according to the Department of Labor. Of these women executives, 60% of them are sexually harassed by male counterparts. Women hold only one seat in ten on boards of directors of companies. There are only two women CEO’s in America. Ironically, women comprise 45% of America’s workforce. The Glass Ceiling Commission reports that even though women do make up nearly half the workforce they only hold 5 percent of the senior level jobs in corporations. The Commission also states that stereotyping and prejudice still rule most Corporate Executive Suites. It seems to be much easier for women to break through “The Glass Ceiling” in small to medium size companies than in the big corporations. Surveys show that in companies with 500 or fewer employees, 26 percent of their senior executives are women. This is more than double the 11 percent in larger companies. Another survey by The Economic Press shows that women constitute 35 percent of middle management in small to mid-size companies as compared with 20 percent in larger firms. In Fortune 500 companies, the survey found even fewer women in top management.The glass ceiling is forcing women to launch their own businesses because they are unable to break through the manmade obstruction. According to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, between 1987 and 1999 the number of women owned firms increased by 103 percent nationwide. The employment in these firms increased by 320 percent and sales have continued to grow to 436 percent. The Foundation also reported that in 1999 there were 9.1 million businesses owned by women in the United States. These businesses employed 27.5 million people and generated $3.6 trillion in sales. Men in Corporate America feel that women are responsible for home and family. Women have more demands outside the office than men. Women are responsible for childcare, care of elderly relati...
