Lesson 3 Women Leap Off Corporate Ladder

Many turn to start-ups for freedom1 Women's start-ups have higher success

By Stephanie Armou

Corporations are losing thousands of female employees and managers eager to start businesses of their own.

Professional women say they're leaving corporate jobs because of advancement barriers, scant help balancing work and family, and a desire to pursue an entrepreneurial goal.2

Like a growing number of women, JoAnn Corn abandoned a successful corporate career to launch her own business, Health Care Resources, a Denver-based firm3.

“I was petrified, ”says Corn, who has continually expanded her business. “I was just champing at the bit.4My mind was filled with these ideas, but they were suppressed.”

An unprecedented number of professional women are taking the same initiative. The number of female-owned businesses is growing at nearly twice the national average, a pace that alarms some private employers.

“The loss of women's talents in corporations is becoming increasingly worrisome, ”says Sheila Wellington, president of Catalyst, a New York-based nonprofit and research advisory group5.“Clearly, the message to Corporate America is maintain these women.”

The number of female-owned businesses grew by 78% from 1987 to 1996, according to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO)6. There were about 8 million female-owned businesses in 1996, or 36% of all businesses. Many women are shunning the private sector7because of:

■ Barriers to advancement. Nearly 30% of female entrepreneurs with prior private-sector experience cited glass-ceiling issues8as the major reason they left corporations, based on a 1998 survey by Catalyst, NFWBO and The Committee of 200, and organization of businesswomen.

“There didn't seem to be a lot of opportunity for moving up, ”says Diahann Lassus, who started her own financial planning firm in New Providence, N.J.9, after quitting a corporate management job.“I felt like the opportunities weren't there anymore.”

■ More flexibility. Even though entrepreneurs toil long hours, many can choose when they work.

“I can't wait for the day when I'm just doing my own business, ”says Tammie Chestnut, 27, of Tempe, Ariz.10, who recently launched a résumé consulting business11, The Résumé Shop, while working for the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. “I want freedom. I want to take the day off to spend with my child.”

The need for flexibility was cited by more than half the female business owners as a major reason for leaving corporate positions, based on the survey by Catalyst and other women's groups.

“I wanted to work part time and choose my own hours, ”says Aura Ahuvia, 33, who launched a monthly publication, The Washtenaw Parent12, in 1995 from her home in Ann Arbor, Mich13. “It gave me more flexibility than any job around here. If my kids get sick, I can take the day off.”

■ An entrepreneurial spark14. Many women say entrepreneurial interests were stifled at corporate jobs.

“As you get larger, it's really a struggle to think outside the box15, ”says Lois Haber, CEO of Delaware Valley Financial Services in Berwyn, Pa.16, which uses a focus group to foster creativity.“You just want to get the work done.”

Female-owned firms generate about $2.3 trillion in revenue, a 236% jump from 1987 to 1996. Female business owners employ about 18.5 million people, which means one out of every four company workers in the USA is at a female-owned firm.“The rise in women entrepreneurs is one of the big demographics changing our society, ”says Lynn Neeley, president-elect of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Female entrepreneurs

And it's an issue causing mounting concern for private employers trying to hold onto top hires17. Deloitte & Touche, for example, started programs such as flexible work arrangements to help stanch turnover. Others are taking advantage of the disillusionment: McDonald's ads woo franchisees with the slogan “Golden Arches, not glass ceilings.”18

“Women starting businesses today compared to 20 years ago are more likely to leave because they're frustrated, ” says Julie Weeks, research director at NFWBO. “Those are the kind of employees companies would love to keep.”

But going solo is no guarantee of success.19Women report they struggle to be taken seriously. Hours can be grueling. Failure rates are high.

While start-ups often have a shaky future, there is promise. Female-owned businesses are more likely to remain in operation than the average firm. The fastest growth today among female-owned firms includes manufacturing, construction, whole-sale distribution and agribusiness.

“They see an opportunity to make a difference and become involved, ”says Sharon Hadary, executive director of NFWBO. “Not only do we have more women-owned business, the businesses we have are more sophisticated and larger. The businesses themselves are becoming more substantial.”

The Small Business Administration reports that nearly three-fourths of female-owned firms launched in 1991 were still operating three years later, vs. two-thirds of all companies.

“The biggest obstacle is they're not taken seriously, ”says Phyllis Hill Slater, president of the National Association of Women Business Owners. “I tell women, ‘The more money you earn the more seriously you'll be taken.'”

Worth the risk

Many women feel it's worth the gamble. Just last month, Geraldine Laybourne, the president of Walt Disney's20cable networks, said she will leave to start a firm producing shows for women and children.

Studies show women take greater risks. According to a survey, 59% of male business owners polled are in a business closely related to previous careers, while 56% of the women own businesses either totally unrelated to previous careers or that had been a personal interest.

The shifts can be dramatic. Gail Johnson quit a job as a systems programmer to start Lasting Impression, which helps clients with presentation skills and business etiquette.21

“This was always my love, ”says Johnson, 50, of Lafayette, Calif.22“It seemed appealing to be in charge and in control. You're out on a limb23more and you have to wear many hats24, but I love it.”

And today's female entrepreneurs are more apt to be former managers and executives, reflecting women's advancement over the years.

“I kept thinking, ‘Why am I making all this money for someone else? '”says Nina McLemore, who in 1995 co-founded Regent Capital Partners—an equity and debt investment firm—after being president of Liz Claibourne Accessories25.

Business experts say companies will continue losing professional women if they don't do more to encourage them to stay. They suggest retention and mentoring programs, flexible scheduling and a willingness to encourage creativity.

Some women say nothing would entice them back. Sharon Fein, 41, started her travel agency instead of taking a management job with a large travel firm.

“They wanted me to work more and longer hours for less pay. That's management, ”says Fein of Walnut Creek, Calif.26“That wasn't going to do it. I felt like I didn't have a choice. It's not without challenges, but it's gone very well.”

From USA Today, June 9, 1998

I. New Words

agribusiness [ˈægriˌbiznis] n. 农业综合企业

entice [inˈtais] v. to persuade someone to do something by offering something

grueling [ˈgruəliŋ] a. very tiring because you have to use a lot of energy for a long time

initiative [ iˈniʃiətiv] n. 主动的行动

petrify [ˈpetrifai] v. 使僵化，使失去活力

retention [riˈtenʃən] n. keeping

scant [skænt] a. barely sufficient

shun [ʃʌn] v. to avoid deliberately; keep away from

spark [spɑːk] n. interest

stanch [stɑːntʃ] v. AmE to stop the flow of liquid

stifle [ˈstaifl] v. to stop something from happening or developing

unprecedented [ʌnˈpresidentid] a. 空前的

worrisome [ˈwʌrisəm] a. causing worry or anxiety

II. Background Information

妇女地位

历史上，美国妇女为了争取自己应有的权利和地位共开展过两次规模较大的妇女运动。第一次是从19世纪中叶延续到20世纪20年代，主要目的是争取选举权；第二次起始于20世纪60年代，旨在获得各个方面的权益。经过长期不懈的努力，美国妇女的政治和经济地位有了很大的提高。

在政治方面，越来越多妇女进入高层领导职位，有的成为州长或市长，还有的成为国务卿、部长或议员。2007年Nany Pelosi当选为众议院议长。2008年大选中，美国妇女成绩斐然，国会中占有的席位创下历史最高记录：众议院女议员人数为74名，参议院女议员人数为17名。值得关注的是，这次总统选举中，女议员希拉里·克林顿成为民主党总统候选人最终角逐者之一，阿拉斯加女州长萨拉·佩林被共和党提名为副总统候选人。这意味着，在不久的将来，美国可能会出现首位女总统或副总统。

在经济方面，妇女发挥的作用越来越大，就业人数大幅上升。近些年妇女占美国就业人数的46%。

女性精英打破了许多行业男性经理一统天下的局面。高科技领域中女性领导比例相当大，如苹果电子计算机公司中有30%的经营管理人员和40%专业人员是女性。华尔街金融业在70年代中期女投资银行家和女经纪人还为数很少，现在已占1/4。会计师行业过去基本全是男性，现在女会计师比例增至40%。

美国妇女用自己的实绩证明了女性同样具有担当企业家的良好素质。美国华盛顿一家研究机构曾对645名女性经理，270名男性经理进行调查，结果显示：女性在认知、创意、监督、掌握工作进度等31项能力评估中，有28项优于男性。实践说明，女性企业家在排除纠纷、沟通认识、博采众议、团结员工方面明显胜过男性。

虽然美国妇女这些年来政治地位和经济地位有了很大提高，但与男性相比依然存在较大差距。根据世界经济论坛2006年对全球115个国家妇女地位的调查报告，美国妇女的政治地位排名仅为66位。统观美国几十年来的就业情况，可以看出存在两大问题。其一是收入差距（pay disparity）。从1979年到2008年期间，虽然女性员工与男性员工的工资比例由62.3%上升到80%，但是相同教育水平的女工与男工的差距依然明显，比例仅为72.6%。另一问题是女性员工职位晋升存在隐性障碍（glass ceilings）。2008年的统计数据显示：美国只有15.1%的公司有女性董事，公司高管女性所占比例是15.7%，高薪员工中女性所占比例仅为6.2%。无怪乎许多有才干，有抱负的女性管理人员脱离原来所在公司，自己创办企业。

III. Notes to the Text

1. Women leap off corporate ladder Many turn to start-ups for freedom—职业妇女跳出公司追求自由，自己创业

2. ... because of advancement barriers, scant help balancing work and family, and a desire to pursue an entrepreneurial goal. —……由于升迁遇到阻碍，难以平衡工作与家庭的关系，以及自己创业的欲望。（scant help—little help from the company and society in handling the relationship between their work and family）

3. a Denver-based firm—一家总部设于丹佛市的公司（丹佛为美国科罗拉多州的首府）

4. I was just champing at the bit.—我已经没有耐心再等待了。（be champing at the bit —to be unable to wait for something）

5. a New York-based nonprofit and research advisory group—一家总部设于纽约的非赢利性研究咨询机构

6. the National Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO)—全国妇女业主基金会

7. shunning the private sector—避免在私营企业中工作（shun—to avoid someone or something deliberately）

8. glass-ceiling issues—issues that prevent women from being successful, even though there are no actual laws or rules to stop them

9. New Providence, N.J.—新泽西州的新普罗维登斯市

10. Tempe, Ariz.—亚利桑那州的坦佩市

11. a résumé consulting business—一家简历资讯公司

12. a monthly publication, The Washtenaw Parent—一家名为《沃什特诺家长》的月刊

13. Ann Arbor, Mich—密歇根州的安阿伯市

14. An entrepreneurial spark—interest in being an entrepreneur

15. As you get larger, it's really a struggle to think outside the box, ... —As the company grows in size, you will find the corporate job restricts your development. It is very hard to be creative, ... (box—working cubicle)

16. CEO of Delaware Valley Financial Services in Berwyn, Pa.—位于宾夕法尼亚州伯温市的特拉华谷地金融服务公司的首席执行官

17. to hold onto top hires—留住高级职员

18. McDonald's ads woo franchisees with the slogan “Golden Arhces, not glass ceilings.”—麦当劳公司以这样的口号来吸引分店经理人才：“是金色的双拱门，而不是玻璃天花板。”（①Golden Arches—referring to McDonalds; ②glass ceiling—please see Note 8）

19. But going solo is no guarantee of success.—但是独创企业并不一定能确保成功。（go solo—means “start doing something on your own”）

20. Walt Disney—Walt Disney Productions, Ltd., a major producer of films for theaters and television

21. Gail Johnson quit a job as a systems programmer to start Lasting Impression, which helps clients with presentation skills and business etiquette.—盖尔·约翰逊放弃系统程序设计员的工作,创办了“永恒印象”公司，专门帮助客户掌握表达技能及商务礼节。

22. Lafayette, Calif.—加利福尼亚州的拉斐特市

23. out on a limb—alone and without help or support

24. ... you have to wear many hats, ... —... you have to shoulder many responsibilities, ... [Note the author's creative use of the idiom “wear two hats”(have two jobs or responsibilities)].

25. Liz Claibourne Accessories—名为“Liz Claibourne”的一家配件工厂

26. Walnut Creek, Calif.—加利福尼亚州的沃尔纳特克里克市

IV. Language Features

《今日美国报》简介

《今日美国报》创刊于1982年9月15日，它是美国惟一的全国性综合日报。

当甘尼特报业集团（The Gannett Group）总裁纽哈思（Al Neuharth）宣布创办这份报纸的决定时，许多办报人都认为这是一个十分错误的决定。他们的担忧是很有道理的。从历史情况来看，美国只适宜经办地方性报纸，全国性报纸经济上一般都是亏本。

如今，《今日美国报》已是美国民众十分欢迎的报纸，销量214万，名列全国之首。

《今日美国报》每期共有四组56页：A组——新闻（News）, B组——金融（Money）, C组——体育（Sports）, D组——生活（Life）。各期第一页左下角有一个彩色示意图专栏“美国快照”（USA Snapshots）。A1有“形成我们国家的统计数字”; B1有“形成你的财政状况的统计数字”; C1有“形成体育世界的统计数字”; D1有“形成我们生活的统计数字”。

《今日美国报》具有下列鲜明特色：

1．版面固定清晰

该报每期共有十大栏目：各州新闻（Across the USA）；填字游戏（Crossword）；评论（Editorial）；生活（Life）；金融（Money）；美国新闻（Nation）；体育（Sports）；股市行情（Stock Tables）；国际新闻（World）；天气（Weather）。这些栏目每期位置固定不变，十分清晰，便于读者查找。

2．语言简明凝练

当今美国报纸为了与电子媒介争雄，转向深度报道，因而一般篇幅较长。而该报新闻报道突出新闻，少写背景，篇幅较短，语言十分精练，简洁明了。最长文章篇幅不超过35句，1000个词。文字按美联社可读性专家弗莱斯制定的可读性公式（Readability Formula）测定，属于“较为易读”（Fairly Easy）类别。语言简明凝练，可节约篇幅，刊登更多新闻，更好满足忙碌的人们对信息的渴望。

3．图片色彩鲜艳

该报图片色彩鲜艳，使报纸版面生动、形象、活泼。新闻摘要栏中每一条新闻前都标有实心点符号，显得十分醒目。

4．图表数据丰富

该报图表形象鲜明。每日“快照”既是生动的图表，又是新鲜及时的新闻，迎合读者通过形象方法获取信息的习惯。报中的数据十分详尽。该报有一整页为气象图表、股市行情和50个州体育比赛成绩。

5．内容注重正面

美国传统新闻界一向以“社会监督者”（watch-dog）自居，倾向报道阴暗面。而该报奉行的是“希望新闻”（Hoping Journalism），注重“新闻平衡”、“好坏搭配”，让读者看到希望和光明。

虽然该报获得很大成功，褒扬者众多，但也不乏贬斥者。有的新闻学者指出该报的新闻报道内容浅薄，具有粉饰太平倾向。还有的嘲笑它是“大型小报”。

V. Analysis of Content

1. According to this article, private employers___.

A. are indifferent to the leaving of top female employees

B. are trying to hold onto female employees

C. have done nothing to attract the females

D. can easily find male employees to replace female hires

2. According to this article, which of the following statements is wrong ?

A. Today, female-owned firms are more likely to remain in operation than the average firm.

B. The failure rate of female-owned firms is lower than that of the average firm.

C. In comparison to men, women take fewer risks in starting a business.

D. More than half of female owners are in a business irrelevant to previous careers.

3. The sentence “... you have to wear many hats, ...”in the last paragraph means___.

A. you have to put many hats on your head

B. you have to take up many responsibilities

C. you have to take many risks

D. you will feel cold at a high position

4. The central idea of this article is that___.

A. private employees should do more to encourage their female employees to stay

B. women are more independent in the business world

C. female-owned companies are more robust than the average firm

D. it's a growing trend for women to leave corporate jobs to start their own businesses

VI. Questions on the Article

1. According to this article, what causes professional women to leave their corporate jobs?

2. What was the major reason for 30 percent of women's decision to leave corporations?

3. What does “More flexibility”in this article refer to?

4. According to the article, is it easy for women to run their own business?

VII. Topics for Discussion

1. Is it a sign of social progress that more women start their own businesses?

2. Do you think that women in the United States enjoy equal treatment as men?