Close
    HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeDiversity and Equity and Inclusionback to Research & KnowledgeNo more excusesback to Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Report

    No more excuses

    How to finally shatter the glass ceiling and get more women onto boards.
    By Alexander Fleischmann
    January 2024
    Download full report
    PRINTABLE PDF - 2.32 MB
    Read more

    As we approach the 33rd anniversary of the US Department of Labor’s landmark report, The Glass Ceiling Initiative, the quote from Evan Kemp in the introduction to the original report is as relevant today to some women in business as it was a third of a century ago, according to new research from IMD in cooperation with The Boardroom.

    The research was undertaken in two parts:

    • One, qualitative interviews with 15 executives identifying as female who held or aspired to hold board positions.
    • Two, an online survey completed by 130 senior women in business. The findings were that the process of recruitment to company boards is opaque, with more than six in 10 of those surveyed saying that how individuals are elevated to the company’s highest positions is not transparent. And while more than half believe these appointments are based on merit, a third say they are not.

     

    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Board
    Browse all topics
    Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    Find out more
    Discover our latest research
    IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics
    All reports
    Keep reading
    Article
    People, Culture, and Strategy - The Boards Role

    #post_excerptHannele Jakosuo-Jansson of Neste and Finnair shared key insights on board roles in CEO transitions and culture shifts with IMD’s High Performance Boards program.

    Board Business Transformation Strategy
    By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Article
    5 Steps To Embracing Greater Diversity

    Embracing greater diversity is key as new EU legislation mandates stronger female representation on corporate boards. Diana Markaki shares expert guidance.

    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    By Diana Markaki-Bartholdi
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Article
    Responsible Leadership - Integrity & Authenticity

    Discover a framework for Responsible Leadership, guiding you to lead with care and ethics in an increasingly turbulent and complex world.

    Board Business Ethics Leadership Sustainability
    By Mias de Klerk
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Article
    Keep an eye on marketing if you want to avoid a car crash - Su-Mei ThompsonI by IMD

    Campaign failures at Apple, Bud Light, & Jaguar show why boards must prioritize marketing oversight. Insights from Su-mei Thompson.

    Board Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Marketing
    By Su-Mei Thompson
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Article
    Four areas where boards fall short

    This article examines four critical governance failures in boards: risk management, strategic oversight, executive and non-executive relationships, and integrity. It advocates for a shift in the role of boards from reactive oversight to proactive ...

    Board Change Management Disruption
    By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito
    in The European Business Review
    28 January 2025
    Read more
    Article
    Bias in Generative AI - Addressing The Risk

    Explore an IMD white paper with Microsoft and EqualVoice, launched at Davos, addressing GenAI bias risks and offering survey insights and recommendations.

    Artificial Intelligence Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    By Alexander Fleischmann, Öykü Işık and Sarah E. Toms
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Case Study
    China Resources Beer: Becoming future ready

    The China Resources Beer (CR Beer) case study is a compelling narrative of the world’s largest beer producer by volume under the leadership of CEO Hou Xiaohai. In 2016 CR Beer embarked on a pivotal transformation journey. This case study offers cr...

    China Digital Human Resources Strategy Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    By Mark J. Greeven and Wei Wei
    Case reference: IMD-7-2538, © 2024
    Read more
    Article
    DE&I: 5 small steps for big changes

    Corporate DE&I is not simply a question of fairness. Implemented successfully, it pays off for both the company and society in general. Here's how it's done.

    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    By I by IMD
    in I by IMD Brain Circuits
    22 January 2025
    Read more
    Article
    Theory of Equality - Change In The Workplace - Shelley Zalis

    Unlock the full potential of talent and innovation by ensuring equal opportunity and representation across race, gender, and background. Explore the Theory of Equality.

    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    By Shelley Zalis
    in I by IMD
    Read more
    Book Chapter
    Leading for inclusion

    In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a moral obligation but a strategic imperative. As global markets expand and societies become more diverse, businesses that champion inclus...

    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Sustainability Leadership
    By Josefine van Zanten
    in Binder, Julia Katharina (Ed.); Haanaes, Knut Bjarne (Ed.) / Leading the sustainable business transformation: A playbook from IMD, pp. 319-329 / Hoboken: Wiley, 2025
    Read more
    People, Culture, and Strategy - The Boards Role
    By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    #post_excerptHannele Jakosuo-Jansson of Neste and Finnair shared key insights on board roles in CEO transitions and culture shifts with IMD’s High Performance Boards program.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Board
    Business Transformation
    Strategy
    Browse all topics
    5 Steps To Embracing Greater Diversity
    By Diana Markaki-Bartholdi
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    Embracing greater diversity is key as new EU legislation mandates stronger female representation on corporate boards. Diana Markaki shares expert guidance.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Browse all topics
    Responsible Leadership - Integrity & Authenticity
    By Mias de Klerk
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    Discover a framework for Responsible Leadership, guiding you to lead with care and ethics in an increasingly turbulent and complex world.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Board
    Business Ethics
    Leadership
    Sustainability
    Browse all topics
    Keep an eye on marketing if you want to avoid a car crash - Su-Mei ThompsonI by IMD
    By Su-Mei Thompson
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    Campaign failures at Apple, Bud Light, & Jaguar show why boards must prioritize marketing oversight. Insights from Su-mei Thompson.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Board
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Marketing
    Browse all topics
    Four areas where boards fall short
    By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito
    in The European Business Review 28 January 2025
    Summary
    This article examines four critical governance failures in boards: risk management, strategic oversight, executive and non-executive relationships, and integrity. It advocates for a shift in the role of boards from reactive oversight to proactive ...
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Board
    Change Management
    Disruption
    Browse all topics
    Bias in Generative AI - Addressing The Risk
    By Alexander Fleischmann Öykü Işık and Sarah E. Toms
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    Explore an IMD white paper with Microsoft and EqualVoice, launched at Davos, addressing GenAI bias risks and offering survey insights and recommendations.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Artificial Intelligence
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Browse all topics
    China Resources Beer: Becoming future ready
    By Mark J. Greeven and Wei Wei
    Case reference: IMD-7-2538 ©2024
    Summary
    The China Resources Beer (CR Beer) case study is a compelling narrative of the world’s largest beer producer by volume under the leadership of CEO Hou Xiaohai. In 2016 CR Beer embarked on a pivotal transformation journey. This case study offers critical insights that particularly resonate with Chinese corporations navigating similar challenges in an era marking the end of China’s rapid economic growth. Faced with industry saturation, changing consumer behaviors, the rise of digital technology and the imperative shift from expansive to high-quality growth, CR Beer’s story mirrors the predicament in which many Chinese companies find themselves today. The case delves into CR Beer’s strategic overhaul, how it optimized its vast 60,000-employee structure, streamlined operations and embraced digital transformation to remain competitive. CR Beer’s transformation was characterized by tackling “three mountains” – operational inefficiency due to numerous small factories with high costs and low-capacity utilization, weak brand presence in the high-end beer market and an underutilized and mismatched workforce. The study also highlights the company’s innovative approach to rebranding for younger consumers, integrating consumer insights into product development and exploring new business models. It underscores the importance of internal cultural shifts to support these external changes and the role of leadership in guiding transformation. CR Beer’s journey from traditional efficiency to future-readiness offers valuable lessons in managing large-scale organizational change, strategic management and business innovation. It provides essential insights for understanding the complexities of transformation in a rapidly evolving industry, making it a crucial read for those interested in organizational change, particularly in the context of the Chinese market and its unique challenges and opportunities.
    Reference IMD-7-2538
    Copyright ©2024
    Copyright owner IMD Copyright
    Organization China Resources Beer
    Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage
    Available Languages English
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    China
    Digital
    Human Resources
    Strategy
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Browse all topics
    DE&I: 5 small steps for big changes
    By I by IMD
    in I by IMD Brain Circuits 22 January 2025
    Summary
    Corporate DE&I is not simply a question of fairness. Implemented successfully, it pays off for both the company and society in general. Here's how it's done.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Browse all topics
    Theory of Equality - Change In The Workplace - Shelley Zalis
    By Shelley Zalis
    in I by IMD
    Summary
    Unlock the full potential of talent and innovation by ensuring equal opportunity and representation across race, gender, and background. Explore the Theory of Equality.
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Browse all topics
    Leading for inclusion
    By Josefine van Zanten
    in Binder, Julia Katharina (Ed.); Haanaes, Knut Bjarne (Ed.) / Leading the sustainable business transformation: A playbook from IMD, pp. 319-329 / Hoboken: Wiley, 2025
    Summary
    In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a moral obligation but a strategic imperative. As global markets expand and societies become more diverse, businesses that champion inclus...
    Read more
    Contact

    Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

    Related topics
    Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
    Sustainability
    Leadership
    Browse all topics