By George Anderson
The C200 Business Leadership Index, a report that provides a year-to-year benchmark of the progress women are making in influencing U.S. business, calls this year's numbers "sobering" because, while females are gaining more clout, the earliest they will achieve parity is expected to be 2018.
The group that produces the report, The Committee of 200 otherwise known as C200, gauges progress based on an evaluation scale of 1 - 10 in areas including: "business ownership; board seats at Fortune 500 companies; corporate officer positions at Fortune 500 companies; company size of women-run businesses; venture capital funding; line-to-staff ratios; gender wage gap; MBA enrollment at top business schools; keynote speaking platforms; and charity fundraising chairs."
Between 2004 and this year, women scored 5.06 on the parity scale. This current score marked a nine percent increase from the previous year, which also increased nine percent from the year preceding it.
The good news, according to C200, is that the number of women-owned businesses continues to grow. The average size of women-run businesses was up seven percent between 2004 and 2005.
On the negative side, women-owned businesses are finding it harder to obtain venture capital. C200's Index shows a 25 percent drop in this area over the 2004 and 2005.
Moderator's Comment: From your vantage point, what is the most exciting and troubling aspects of the progress women are making in retailing and related businesses? - George Anderson - Moderator