ABSTRACT
Norway was the first country to legislate in 2003 that corporate boards of directors should contain at least 40 percent women for both public and private sector companies and continues to have one of the highest female workforce participation rates in Europe. Perhaps the most unexpected labour force characteristic found in Norway, given its ranking on gender equality, is the persistent difference between men and women's salaries. This chapter discusses the private sector, the percentage of women in management positions at all levels was 24 percent in 2007, and only 18 percent of senior managers in private companies were women. However, research on women entrepreneurs in Norway is scarce and studies often have serious methodological limitations. The literature in the area of women in management indicates that the trend for women to start their own businesses is increasing worldwide, and is quickly emerging as an area of growing research interest.
