Intel Corp. As the importance of these business functions grows, so should the careers of women in these jobs. Technology has also started to have both direct and indirect influences on the position of women in business. Since men traditionally have held the reins of corporate power, any change is likely to work in women's favor, she says. As traditional firms begin to incorporate and partner with some of the new firms, I think we'll see a faster pace of change in the advancement of women in the traditional sectors. Technology also helps in a practical sense by enabling more flexible working methods, the most obvious example being telecommuting.
Companies are now a bit more nervous about their ability to recruit and retain people.
Of course, none of this guarantees an immediate shattering of the glass ceiling. While women may now have better prospects than before in highly global sectors and at small entrepreneurial firms, they may find other sectors less promising in terms of advancement to the top jobs for some time to come, says Prof. Sassen. In Europe, for example, regional manufacturing and retailing companies are seen as less receptive to change. Even in international businesses, women won't find the right opportunities opening up for them unless they learn to network effectively, says Ms. Marcus. Reputation and relationships are very important when it comes to things like nonexecutive directorships.