France aims to shatter ‘glass ceiling’ for women executives

[Quillan]

From the times today.: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6995911.ece

Is this such a good idea?

I have always been of the opinion that you employ the best person for the job regardless of sex, colour, age or physical ability (handicap) and I think that France already has such a law yet its not enforced. The other issue is the 'Grande Ecoles' where most, if not all, of the senior directors come from, are there enough places in them for women. I think that it is these 'Grande Ecoles' that should be forced to change their ways and some sort of quoter put on them, not just for women but for colour and physical ability. Without this, forcing company boards to consist of 40% women is stupid because there just is not enough women around to fill the places. I can see what they are trying to do and its good but I don't think they have really thought it through in how to actually apply it.

[Judith]

Well, it hasn't yet worked in the UK, after 30 years of legislation against sex discrimination etc.  However, there is probably a larger pool of qualified women in the UK than in France, and whilst progress is slow in the UK, it is slowly changing. 

The major obstacle, however, to improvement is the "mcp" attitude of most (male) employers who have an attitude very similar to that you seem to hold, Q.  Like you, I too believe in the best person for the job, but having spent many years job hunting at a professional level, at which I was well qualified, I can give several examples of when my age and sex "got in the way" of employing me.  I know many other women who could say the same.

In France, the position of the grand ecoles is yet another example of the "mcp" attitude.  Is it not chicken and egg situation - we can't pass this law because there will not be enough women to fill the postions required in the quota?  However, you might be surprised by the hidden talents of women, which once allowed out of the house, will turn out surprisingly well. 

How do I know - the ladies of my Inner Wheel club here in France are much better organised, better at doing, and achieving, than their husbands in the Rotary club (of which I am also a member).  Each meeting is minuted and the report sent to the whole membership.  I have yet to see minutes of any meeting at Rotary (that just one example where women are much better and more business-like)

However, it may be better with this law to make the quota a target to be reached within a certain time, and guess what, it will happen, though perhaps in France not as quickly as we'd (the women) like. 

Or indeed, perhaps they will pass the law, and then ignore it, as they usually do!!!!.