ABSTRACT

During the past decade Asia has experienced intense economic growth leading to a significant increase in demand for managers and professionals. In Asia, and particularly in East and South East Asia, women’s participation rates in the labour force are ranked among the highest in the world (see ILO, 2007). Higher educational levels and falling fertility rates have contributed to women’s increasing participation in the labour force. As women become more educated and qualified for managerial positions, the number of Asian women managers and executives is predicted to rise over the next decade. However, although several research studies pertaining to women in management were conducted during the 1990s, given the rapid changes in Asian workplaces over the past decade it may well be that much of what we know is outdated, irrelevant and based mainly on studies conducted in developed countries (Omar and Davidson,

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2001). This book examines the opportunities and challenges for women managers in the Asian cultural context and presents an update on their progress in management.