It's Not About Gender -Professor
Published:Saturday | January 17, 2015 | 5:08 PMJodi-Ann Gilpin
Making reference to a recent study which found Jamaica with the highest
number of female managers globally, Professor Densil Williams, executive director at the Mona School of Business and Management says competence should be recognised over gender.
A new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) has found that Jamaica has the highest proportion of female managers internationally.
The study released in Geneva last Monday also found that while women were still under-represented in top management, the number of women in senior and middle management positions has increased over the past 20 years.
Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum last week, Williams said that he would never scoff at women wishing to take on managerial positions, once they are qualified.
"I don't think it's a gender issue, it's definitely a competence issue for me," he declared.
"I wouldn't want to get into discussions about which gender is better. One's ability to manage a position is what counts," Williams continued.
Technology and research
He also said that advancement in technology and research has contributed to significant improvement in the business sector.
"More persons are now formally trained in business and management, and having been formally trained in the area, there is a better understanding of the role that scholarship plays in making decisions. They see the importance of research and its use in putting forward solutions," the professor told journalists.
"The more we train people, the more they appreciate the importance of research, and certainly, for the last six to eight years, we have been seeing a greater appreciation for research, and that is definitely adding to the progress that has been taking place," he said.