There
is much descriptive research about women leaders, but
very little research exploring why there are so few
women on boards and leading Fortune 500 companies. In
order to be most effective in our goal of advancing
women at these levels, we must have a better understanding
of the barriers that women face.
Database
of Women Directors
The
Center houses a database of women who are pursuing membership
on Fortune 1000 boards. The database is comprised of
women who have completed the Women's Director Development
Program and wish to have their names submitted to board
placement firms, companies, and the Kellogg Network
of Corporate Governance. By making this database available
to carefully selected corporations and search firms,
we aid both our program alumnae and those in need of
exceptional director candidates.
Business
Cases
Business
Cases Featuring Female Protagonists
Business
school cases currently utilized in the classroom (both
MBA and Executive Programs) reflect an under-representation
of women on Boards of Directors, as CEOs and in senior
officer positions. The predominant portrayal of men
in top management positions impresses a subconscious
belief that women should not be in senior levels. In
an effort to change this, the Center fosters the writing
of new business cases with female protagonists to use
in the classroom. Copies
of these cases may be purchased by contacting the CEW.
Marketing--Revitalizing
Old Products
Quaker
Oats' Oatmeal Division
By Gretchen Hall under the supervision of Christie Nordhielm,
2002
At
the end of 1998, Quaker Oats' Oatmeal Division faced
declining sales and income, unique within a company
whose other divisions had posted record gains in that
year. Polly Kawalek had recently been promoted to President,
Hot Breakfast Division and in 1998 confronted an uphill
battle to revitalize the company's namesake brand.
Finance--Company
Valuation
West
Teleservices
By Robert O'Keefe and Mitchell Petersen, 2002
West
Teleservices was the eighth pure-play teleservices company
to go public. One of the players trying to convince
West Teleservice to go public was Smithson and Associates,
a regional investment bank. As a senior banker at Smithson
and Associates, it was Margaret Little's responsibility
to convince West Teleservice's management that Smithson
and Associates was the most qualified to underwrite
their offering. This case examines valuation in a context
where there is limited information—valuing the
equity of a firm with a limited operating history.
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