Ashok Dhillon
Mar 8, 20142 min
Globally, women still make up approximately 50% of the human population (nature knows best), in spite of the insane practice of female infanticide, still indulged in by certain races because of historically entrenched, invalid assumptions about supposed male superiority, from the time in human history when wooden clubs were the only known and preferred weapon in warfare. In other words, from the time when most sentences among humans were just grunts.
Women produce 50% of all the food in the World, and overall, perform 66% of the work. Women own 40% of all private business in the formal economies. On average, women control 80% of the household spending and $28Trillion (that’s right with a Capital ‘T’) in consumer spending globally. Most studies conducted by respected global institutions and consultancy firms verify the fact that on most business metrics (benchmarks) women out perform men, generally, and this in-spite of the incredible obstacles that are put in front of them from birth. Yet the perception that women are somehow inferior, weaker and are not as smart as their male counterparts is still pervasive in the developed and not-so-developed societies and countries.
It is astounding that most men never stop to think, especially in those societies where the culture of male ‘machismo’ is entrenched (just about everywhere), as to how vital women are to their very existence and the well being of the human race, including the tough guys. One would think that such a basic fact would be self-evident to all, but most people just never seem think about it, or get it.
So we at GETAnalysis thought that on this March 8th, 2014, International Women’s Day, we would present some numbers that prove that women are not only vital to humanity and its well-being, but are in fact superior performers in business, in general, even in BIG business; the ultimate male bastion of false bravado and overblown hubris.
In Business (North America) Women Make Up:
- Approximately 46% to 47% of the workforce
- At entrance level approximately 53%
- At managerial and professional level 51.4%
- At the executive officer level 14.6%
- At the board level 16.9%
- At the CEO level only 3% to 4.6% (ironically – in Brazil 12% - in India 11%)
Performance in Business:
- Companies with more women on their Boards outperform their rivals by 42% higher return in sales
- A whopping 66% higher return on invested capital
- 53% higher return on equity
- Generally higher profitability and
- Generally higher share price
Sources: McKinsey; Grant Thornton: Catalyst; Financial Times; the Economist
We followed some Public Women Led Companies, did detailed financial reports in 2014, and through a mock fund we came out ahead by more than 40% on average!