Most CEOs didn't have huge offices, limousines and country club memberships. That's one reason women, minorities and immigrants have done so well here. Indeed, one of the greatest changes is the increase in the number of women and minorities in the workforce, particularly as company founders, senior executives and venture capitalists. The valley has done a remarkable job of attracting and using talent from all over the world. Silicon Valley Network's recent decision to close down its digital divide project indicates how little headway we've made in this important area.
Companies also have yet to figure out how to best help our schools.
Executives over the last decade have come to understand schools' importance, and many companies devote substantial resources to schools. But neither they, nor school administrators, have figured out how the institutions can work well together. High-tech companies also need to increase their effectiveness in public policy. That proposal aroused the industry, which helped defeat Carter's proposal. High-tech executives were equally incensed, and effective politically, when the Financial Accounting Standards Board tried to change the accounting for stock options and on the issue of shareholder lawsuits.