Women MBA Students Place More Emphasis on Values and Ethics – In light of numerous cases of corporate and financial scandals, particularly in the United States, it is worth pondering what the future might bring. Based on a recent study of MBA students, some amelioration may be on the horizon. Twelve top graduate business schools, eight in the United States, three in Canada and one in the United Kingdom, participated in this survey, conducted by The Aspen Institute, a highly regarded think tank.

Its Deputy Director of the Business and Society Program, upon presenting the results of this survey, noted that “…the definition of business success is changing. Within this trend, women are a major force in rethinking the business landscape and holding corporate decision making to a high standard.”

Women MBA candidates identified a well-run company as one which adheres to a strong code of ethics and has a well defined mission. Women stressed the importance of work/life balance, favored responsibility to the community in which a company operates and recognized the need to place clients first in conducting business – even ahead of

shareholders. Market realities may have sunk in: If clients and customers are not satisfied with a company’s services or products that company does not do well. And neither do stockholders or employees.
Women in the survey also indicated that they were not so satisfied with their business preparation. In response to the question: “To what extent is your business education preparing you to manage values conflicts?” 25% of women responded “Not at all” versus 19% of the men.

Source: The Aspen Institute, Business and Society Program, “Where Will They Lead? - 2003 MBA Student Attitudes About Business and Society,” May 2003.

Understanding the Challenges of Women in Corporate Leadership – A lengthier, more detailed survey examining men and women in high-level positions in large multinational corporations also brought out positive characteristics about women. Three nonprofit research organizations concerned with workplace issues collaborated on a study juxtaposing “common wisdom” with actual findings in eight key areas. Twelve major multinational companies headquartered in the United States operating in a range of industries in manufacturing and services