The success of women in the work place has been analyzed, researched, and talked about over the years.  Authors L. Cronin and H. Fine summed up their perspective in detailed chapters covering subjects like the “uneven playing field” to “men’s homosocial behavior.”  The rules, although the equality issue has been changed, are still played the same.

The rules of the game are gender neutral – be a team player, commitment to the job, develop mentors and advocates, and cautiously challenge the power to be.  However, when the rules are play by men – the success is more evident.  Women have made strides with no apparent success. 

Cronin and Fine state in Chapter 1 “the inequities between men and women and the stubborn disparities in their achievement.”  The problem is carried forward into Chapter 2 and has the authors detailing that men and women try to correct this incorrect predicament.  Men do not have conscious prejudices against women. They conclude it must be in their make up.”  Women, like men, look for inadequacies explaining their suboptimal record (Cronin and Fine, 2010, pp.48-49).  Chapter 3 introduces the male proving ground in the work place.  To prove their manhood, men enact the “homosocial” behaviors of distancing themselves from all things feminine, seeking the approval of other men (Cronin and Fine, 2010.  In turn this causes gender-neutral rules to become parity paradoxes for women.

The next five chapters detail several work place paradoxes – Team player – team supporting is valued while team undermining is sanctioned.  Women are stuck between keeping a second-tier role that underutilizes versus speaking up and violating the first rule of teamwork.  Mentors ad Advocates – the make or break of careers.  Women do not attract male mentors because most male mentors seek out male protégés.  Commitment to the Job – male dedication to work is rarely question regarding their parenting or commitment to family. However if women are committed questions are raised regarding their character.  Bonding supports a whole set of issue for women.  When they bond with other women, they reinforce their differences with men; however, should they try to be “one of the boys” they also alienate men.  Challenging the Power – the lack of organizational power pushes women to challenge the power, however, challenging the power causes them to be marginalized from it (Cronin and Fine, 2010, pp114-123).

Cronin and Fine conclude with the proposal of the “coed company”, an organization model that promises to eliminate these parity paradoxes.

            “Men need to let go of the workplace as a male proving

            ground and women need to give up their sense of victimhood.

            Women and men need to share equally in the rewards and

            responsibilities of the organization, and the organizational

            culture, policies, the sexes, and so in all aspects of organiza-

            tional functioning.

Cronin, L. and Fine, H. (2010) Damned If She Does, Damned If She Doesn’t: Rethinking the Rules of the Game that Keep Women From Succeeding in Business. New York: Prometheus Books, p. 272.        

            The population recently reached the 7 billion mark and discussion about the footprint that this population will leave has been heatly debated by scientist, as well as government official.  The solution resolve remains unresolved.

            In an editorial published in June 2010, approximately one year ago, the authors discuss the global over-population and the environmental and human rights aspects. The population debate is stuck in a stalemate between two well-meaning camps; conservationists, who saw increasing numbers of human encroaching on nature and Third World advocates; who rightly point out that most of humanity’s burden on the planet originates with a relative few. (Bauerlein, Jeffrey, 2010, p4-4).

            One important realization is that women play a major role in the population growth and the involvement and empowerment of women is key to protecting the environment and improving human rights.

            Every tiny improvement in the status of women, every bit of education for girls, translates into women having more control over their fertility, which translates into family sizes that match parents’ means and wishes, which in turns means more opportunity for the nest generation – a virtuous cycle of enormous potential (Bauerlein, Jeffrey,  2010, p4-4).

              A woman’s understanding of their rights to decide when they should conceive and how many children they can adequately care for has to be the number one issue.  Bringing children into an already poverty stricken family only continues the cycle of despair and a future of the same.

            Now with the population at 7 billion it is even more critical to educate women about their ability to make decision about their bodies.  In a recently article on CNN Opinion, Ted Turner (Founder and Chairman of the United Nations Foundation) expressed his concerns for global over population.

“We must assure that children will be born in a safe world with food, water for all.  Women want access to contraception for their families, health and their babies.” 

            Mr. Turner goes on to talk about making the investment in the education and access too birth control for women,  and what the return will mean to the health of our world. 

Turner:   “International family planning funds are crucial, cuts cost more in the long run.  The time is now.  The investment we make today will shape the world we leave the next generation.  If the United States wants to maintain its global leadership role, we must be thinking and make smart investments that will help us address both current and future responsibilities.  The best way to do this is to listen to women and fund international family planning.  Our future depends on it.”

            Women’s role in the future of our world has always been important, it seems

only now that importance is being recognized.  We (women) are not only the bearers

of life, but now bear the responsibility of making sure that that life inherits the best

world possible.  This is a responsibility I know we are capable of accomplishing. 

Bauerlein, M & Jeffrey, C. (2010, May/Jun). Too Many? Too Much?

Mother Jones. Vol. 35. Issue 3, P4-4.   http://libproxy.mcla.edu:2070

Turner, T. (2011, October). 7 Billion Reasons to Empower Women. CNN Opinion.

            http://www.cnn.com/2011