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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
IS THE GLASS CEILING CRACKING?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:09:51 PM)
sian Americans are nearly twice as likely as Whites (55% vs 29%) to graduate from college. For the past decade Asians have outnumbered Whites at UC Berkeley (40% vs 36%), UCLA (41% vs 37%), UC Irvine (56% vs 27%) and UC Riverside (55% vs 27%). Asians also collectively make up 28% of the enrollment at top 20 business schools. AA comprise 60% of Silicon Valley's professional and technical workforce.
The one area in which Asian Americans have traditionally been underrepresented is the corporate executive suite. Everyone has heard of Charles Wang, founder/chairman of Computer Associates, Jerry Yang, founder/co-chief Yahoo of Yahoo! and a half dozen other AA success stories. But they are the founders of the companies they head up.
Looking at the Fortune 1000, Asian Americans account for barely 1.5% of top executives, a third of our representation in the general population and far less than what one might expect from our success in college and professional schools. The only visible AA CEO of a top 50 corporation is Avon's Andrea Jung.
Undoutedly many factors contribute to Asian underrepresentation in the executive suites of American companies. The most frequently cited include the collective youth and inexperience of Asians in management positions, difficulty of fitting into the corporate cultures of old-line companies, propensity for leaving to work on startups, higher concentrations in technical fields and language deficiencies. Then of course there's the factor many suspect but few have been able to prove: racial stereotypes and prejudices.
Is the underrepresentation merely the product of benign sociological factors or is there still a glass celiing that keeps Asians from climbing above middle and lower management?
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Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
What's the big deal about the Glass Ceiling. Think outside the box. I have only been in corporate America for two years. Just long enough to get some experience, network and make some great contacts. Add to that my years of interning in college and graduate school and I had a plan from the get go. Today, I am the owner and CEO of my own business. No glass ceiling for me. I refuse to play the Corporate America game. I make my own rules. You can watch things happen in Corporate America and bitch about why something or someone is unfair to you. Or you can may things happen, determine your own destiny with your own business. Forget the limitations of Corporate America and the glass ceiling. Embrace entreprenuerial spirit and go for it!!
AP
Monday, October 01, 2001 at 12:01:31 (PDT)
I have to tend to agree the 'The Voice' on his opinion.
Being educated to America ever since kindergarden, I always felt myself to be rather well assimalated in American culture. Once graduating into college I worked for one of the worlds largest consulting companies. One of my first supervisor on the project was a recent Asian immigrant. He came to the country to study undergraduate and married a Jewish women.
Observing his personality I slowly began to realise that I would probably not as good at the skills of "Perception Management" as my supervisor. The skill to make people perceive you are the right person at the right time for the job. Which is an invaluable skill in any corporate environment if you wish to be promoted at an excellerated pace...AM or not.
The point that there does exist is a glass ceiling. But it is not as difficult to get through as prior generations. It might not be as easy to get through as the white guy, but at least there is a chance to get through.
Growing up in the US...the most sucessful Asian I have always noticed were the entrepruer from a monetary stand-point at least. For a 12 hours a day (same amount of hours to make it in corporate america) they have very sucessful restuarants, storefronts, doctors office, CPA, computer companies, etc. Since most of us are American educated we can take those same business models and move them outside of the Asian community. Larger customer bases.
So if you're tired of chipping away at the Glass Ceiling in your current position. You can alway build your own house. Granted you might not have a fancy title or business card....but if you suceed all the $$$ is yours...
AC dropout
Saturday, September 15, 2001 at 21:50:07 (PDT)
There is definitely a glass ceiling for Asian American males. I don't think it's as simple as being able to fit in or not. There is a point of modifying some of the ways in which one does things, i.e., the style of work; however, that is not the same as altering who you are as an individual, with all of the demographic, ideological, and political modifiers which go with that. In Korean corporate society, no one is asking you to change your cultural views, but merely to adjust work styles to that befitting the corporate culture you may wish to join. The cultural conflict is not on the basis of ethnic origin or social comfort. In the United States, when one is being considered to join the "inside" of a large corporation at the leadership level, the conflict in culture, not to mention mere physical appearance is more striking than not. It is difficult to change the ideological/cultural makeup of the background in which one grew up and then resume the "normal" Asian American social life on the weekends, only to return to the "cultura shock" of Monday morning at work. This is the major reason why the conflict is felt both ways. It is not a totally comfortable fit. I don't enjoy talking about football, basketball, or golf. And the lack of sincere interest on my part, I am sure, is felt by the folks with whom I interact. On an intellectual level, I enjoy the interactions with my colleagues, but socially, I'd rather be with "my own kind." This, I suggest, is the actual reason for the glass ceiling. I'd rather hang out socially with other Korean-Americans because there is no other expectation than to be myself. No need to explain, no need to play a role, none of that. Unfortunately, the efforts of Asian American parents at pushing for better and better educational opportunities will always be met with the glass ceiling unless the society itself changes at the core. Yeah, I am sure that some guys will write and claim that because of their exceptional situation, it proves that there is no such thing as a glass ceiling. I think I would qualify as one of those people. However, my interest in writing this goes beyond the "fruits" of my immediate environment because the social-political atmosphere affects each of us differently and because it is felt that I have "made it", does not mean that the global environment is where it ought to be. I don't enjoy being the exception because in a different society, I wouldn't be the exception. I hope this is clear.
Korean American neurosurgeon
ajschang@aol.com
Sunday, September 02, 2001 at 11:54:10 (PDT)
It is tempting to blame the system or other cultural biases for our own failures. Asian males face the same challenges in corporate America that women have faced and continue to struggle with.
Yes, corporate America is mostly dominated by white males and as such they tend to gravitate to the those of like nature. Don't we all tend to be somewhat prejudice to those individuals that ressemble ourselves?
The key for AM to break through the ceiling is to learn to understand the corporate view of the world and try to assimilate where logical. Likewise corporate America will continue to diversify, if at a snail's pace, and become more receptive to those that hold a different view of the world.
My brother and I are two years apart and both work for the third largest company in America and likely the world. We are of comparable intelligence, though that can be argued. Both have nearly identical educational background. Yet I'm in a mid management position while he's a high flyer and is one of the youngest individual in the history of the company to reach his level of management. What explains the difference between our two paths? Personality and choice. We have fairly different personalities. He fits the corporate image and I tend to rebel against it.
So, I do believe that the opportunities are out there, but we need to decide if we want to fit in or not. It is also worth noting that the women who have excelled in our company are also viewed as 'one of the boys'.
The Voice
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 15:31:04 (PDT)
Here's my data point: I am in my mid-30's and currently work as a manager in a relatively small company with about 100 employees. We're not even close to Fortune 1000, but we do enjoy a degree of visibility and prestige in our specialized sector.
In my previous job, I was a VP for another organization half the size of this one. In that role I accumulated much experience in strategic planning, department leadership and dealing with the board of directors. Ultimately, the confines of that small organization prompted me to look elsewhere for career growth. I ended up here, with a less impressive title but a fatter paycheck.
Today, I manage a team of 5 technical professionals, and my total compensation package is just over $90K (which is okay but far from spectacular in a city like Los Angeles).
I've been told that I will join the ranks of the senior executives next year. Whether that happens or not, my goal is to pass the $120K mark before turning 40.
A simple way to achieve the above is to jump ship yet again into a larger organization with more techs to supervise. This would not be difficult for me. I have a talent for technology management, and I can demonstrate a track record of consistently reviving a failing department into a dynamic team of motivated workers.
I do believe the glass ceiling against Asian men exists, but in my case, I have found a way to work around it, by developing my career among relatively small organizations.
The implication of the small size is that such organizations must remain progressive in order to survive and thrive. And, unlike Fortune 1000, such organizations are less likely to be the domain of mainstream white males who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.
Upwardly Mobile Asian Male
Wednesday, August 15, 2001 at 13:59:23 (PDT)
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