Bad For Science Research Articles

‘Our chief want in life is someone who will make us do what we can.’—Ralph Waldo Emerson Uta Mackensen ![][1] All human beings are supposedly equal. But by looking at the gender distribution in high‐level management positions in industry, academia and public services, one cannot escape the fact that men seem to be more equal than women. This is not a satisfactory situation, particularly in an economy that depends on well‐trained and educated professionals, who are increasingly in short supply. Numerous strategies are being employed to close the gender gap, either through legislation or through raising awareness and training. Here, we would like to describe our company's experiences with introducing mentoring programmes that aim to increase the number of women in leading positions. This strategy actually works both ways by providing better training for women while acquainting their male superiors with the specific problems faced by the opposite sex. The European Technology Assessment Network report clearly illustrates the situation of women in academia. ‘The status quo [of women in science] is wasteful and inequitable. The abuse of the “old boys’ network” in some of our scientific institutions is an anachronism. The emphasis on gender in hiring and promoting has no place in modern institutions. It is not only bad for science but it denies many women the benefits of a scientific career that are enjoyed by men, such as the satisfaction of curiosity, setting one's own priorities, some status, and a certain degree of autonomy.’ (ETAN report, 2000). The main reason for this unsatisfactory situation is the ‘glass ceiling’, symbolising all invisible structural and cultural barriers that prevent a woman from climbing the career ladder. But women are equally capable of meeting all the requirements a leading position demands, a fact that is supported by numerous studies. In the real … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif