The Indian Woman- An average looking middle aged member of the female species characterized by disheveled hair and sweat streaming down her brow as she tries to think up yet another strategy to keep her litter occupied while taking note of the progress made by her culinary creations, which are simmering in the kitchen, in addition to maintaining a supervisory eye on the performance of the maid servant, and is mentally taking stock of the households current finances in order to determine the new budget, all this while ensuring that there no changes in the idyllic lifestyle enjoyed by her family – a typical moment in her uneventful life.
We may now ask ourselves who better to cope with the pressures of the boardroom than this traditional symbol of comeliness, this epitome of efficiency, tempered with a steel spine and a shrewd intellect and an endless supply of patience. Well this does bring us to another topic of debate as to exactly what may be acceptable under the broad heading of management.
Consider a definition of management as the effective and efficient utilization of resources in order to attain pre- defined goals by a group of individuals responsible to an organization. Looking at this description in a new light, can any of us deny the effectiveness of a housewife, whose aim is to ensure a comfortable life for her family using the limited means available while balancing the finances of the household, as an exemplary example of managerial efficiency?
If an organization be composed of several independent departments, like purchasing, finances etc., which function proactively in order to create wealth for the entire enterprise, the homemaker does not lag far behind in terms of the decision making and strategic empowerment that she wields in the domestic abstractions of these managerial power houses.
If we are to acknowledge management, it should not be contingent upon the fact that its efficiency should be quantifiable in terms of income or product value generated or by the size or nature of the institution in which it occurs. Applications of management should not be restricted to the monetary economy alone. Management extends itself to any kind of task or duty, it provides a measure for the effectiveness of the execution and also lends itself as an indicator to the quality of the job undertaken. Under such classification, shouldnt the average Indian homemaker be recognized nay lauded for her ability to manage the complex and close-knit clique of individuals, and maintain their well-being as well as a socially acceptable position in the community for them? Until such time as we learn to appreciate the pertness and acuity of the home maker, possessing minimal education, her acceptance into a boardroom is certainly under shadow of doubt.
Another facet of the argument leads us to the fact that men and women are fundamentally different. Research has unequivocally assured us of the fact that the thinking of a male is more one dimensional while that of a female is more conducive to multidimensional or abstract concepts, which equips them with a higher emotional quotient and therefore better at multitasking and coping with strenuous workloads. On the other hand, males are definitely a much better choice for analytical, logical and tasks which require data interpretation. Given this broad segregation in their capabilities, one ponders as to whether a common yardstick of comparison between these vastly different personalities would be justified. However, in this competitive world one can allow a few hiccups and swallow the medicine with a spoon full of sugar nonetheless.
Sari in the Boardroom This topic seems to loom around the traditional picture of an Indian woman. The sari is not only an elegant costume, but is also the universally accepted symbol of Indian feminism. In a way it is a metaphor, in that the woman draped within the sari is seldom allowed outside the household in pursuit of a career. It serves as a representation of the bonds that tradition and society have for imposed upon the Indian woman, preventing her foray into fields other than the domestic cluster, starting with the very clothes she adorns- the sari.
Traditionally, the role played by an Indian woman has had very little scope outside the confines of the household into which she was born or wedded into. The average Indian household does not believe or rather support the education of its female progeny. Right from childhood, the woman is taught not more than necessary to ensure the smooth running of her future home. Her education, apart from the regular schooling, revolves around the arts and crafts sewing, singing, painting, sketching etc. Anything beyond this and the girl is considered forward and bold, implying unsuitable for the tamed and domesticated role of homemaker that she is expected to don. Surrounded by this apathy, she is closeted by the expectations and latent demands that society impinges on her. Buckled by such beliefs and values, is it really a wonder that the Indian woman has not scaled the professional ladder as compared to her counterparts?
From the vedic ages, although the education of woman was advocated, her role was constricted to the mundane domestic chores. In effect, her domain of power was within the four walls labeled home. This gave root to myopia that a woman cannot survive the harsh realities of the workplace. That she would be cowed by the male populace who lord the fields and that she will not measure up to the task delegated. The constant reinforcement of this pessimistic incline, right from the family to friends to society at large has taken its toll. The net result has been the unwillingness of the woman to step out of the house as a wage earner.
Another argument that stands in the way of a working Indian woman is the fallacious assumption that children can not be raised in the absence of a mother. In keeping with the general opinion of the male dominated society it is drummed into the psyche of a woman that it is HER responsibility to raise the children. One forgets that the word parenting as well as parent is not a reference to the mother alone, rather it encompasses any individual who can and will assume the responsibility for a child. Instead of encouraging the decision, the working woman is fed with guilt for having neglected her family for the selfish perusal of her career. What they fail to appreciate is her balancing both her home and her official capacities, without compromising either i.e. she does not shirk from her domestic chores, she will still come home to cook dinner for her loved ones. Rather than applauding her persistence and grit, she is emotionally attacked for abandoning her family.
At the outset it does seem that the woman is driven by her male counterparts, but is that the true picture? The Indian woman is forsaken by her counterparts from other generations as well! Very few mothers in law would accede to their daughters in laws professional aspirations, either as an entrepreneur or as an entity in an organization. Even a co-home maker would express shock and disbelief at such a bold decision. When women themselves succumb to the dictates imposed by the conveniently labeled values, what hope can there be for her acceptance into the corporate environs? Indeed, it seems as thought the crossing of the corporate threshold by a woman amounts to a second marriage with new responsibilities and tasks and is looked upon unfavorably by the rest of the ilk.
From an organizational point of view, women are liabilities as they are more likely to take an evening off to spend time with the family than stay in to work late. Their commitment to familial ties prevents their being accepted into the throes of corporate boardrooms. The fact that they might get in the family way also increases apprehensions about the long holidays this would entail. However the recruiters fail to take into consideration that women are treasure loyalty and dedication than men due their emotional maturity, thus more likely to stay in the organization. This spurious reasoning for not employing women heightens the prejudice against her attempt to eke out a living.
Yet another pestilence that dogged a womans career climb was the infamous glass ceiling policy. Although women were recruited their career climb was stunted after a certain point of time. Preference was given to male colleagues as the organization could not bear the stigma of having a woman at the top.
Thus women face discouragement not only from the home front but in some ways from the corporate one too. Surrounded by such a defeatist attitude, not many women dare to explore the horizons beyond the view from their haven and shelter. They mentally resign themselves to the fate of a lifetime married to the domestic clutter that is typical to households.
Hope is there yet. Despite the widespread notions of the wife by the hearth philosophy, some people are challenging it and winning. The advent of widespread education and global awareness has slowly begun to prick the hides of the conservatives and has brought along with it a new breed of Indian Women. Equipped with an armor of education and well versed with the ways of the world, these adventurers hesitate not to quote their favorite role models who have inspired them to aim for more. Raised by parents who value tradition yet do not ratify the necessity of their child to simply live as The lady of the household but instead allow her to explore domains and fields and support her along every step of the endeavor.
This bold, brash form of the sari loses none of its tradition or values or for that matter elegant, it simply spills over to the corporate boardroom making it a more cheerful and sunny and homely place. There can be no denying the right of a woman to work. This new wave has also opened the eyes of enterprises who are welcoming female employees with open arms. Indian woman have also succeeded in scaling the peaks of management and vying for the top spots with their male rivals. Gladiators who have survived the harsh conditions of the domestic household, how much more of a challenge could the new role offer? Hats off to these pioneers, who have trudged through the corporate jungle and braved the industrial smog thus paving the way for the next generation to follow suit.
These women have shattered the glass ceiling and used the shards to mirror their accomplishments to the eyes of an incredulous world. Ms. Lalita D. Gupte, Joint Managing Director of ICICI and Naina Lal Kidwai, the Managing Director of HSBC who was also the first Indian woman to complete her MBA in Harvard are towering examples in this regard. Having scaled the ladder they are veritable role models, inspiring the society to purge its outlook on the working woman.
Sudha Murthy is another such. The first woman employee at Telco, she personally convinced JRD Tata of her worth and persuaded him to take female employees. The story does not stop there, she also topped the written exam and sailed through the interview. She is a legend in her own right.
The concept of women executives is steadily catching on. People are slowly opening up their minds to the new avatar of the Indian woman, still draped in her sari with the same sweet smile, but instead of comeliness, a figure that oozes authority and power, a visionary who handles every situation with finesse, the perfect picture of grace under pressure. The future is inevitable- Women mangers are here to stay.
About The Authoress: Arthi V.P. is a second year student of PGDIM at NITIE-Mumbai. She hails from sunny Chennai and likes watching movies and giving words to her thoughts.