women

Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom

/ Susan Scrupski / 1 Comment
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I received a book from Wiley today that looks really interesting, “Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom.”  The authors, Matthew Fraser & Soumitra Dutta hail from INSEAD and the American University of Paris.  According to the press release, ” The book combines pop sociology with rigorous economic and organisational analysis, offering at times alarming case studies from the world of business and society at large.”That’s enough to get my attention.The authors go further with, “rather than feeling threatened or paranoid, today’s business leaders need to understand the Web 2.0 phenomenon, accept that it won’t go away, and embrace its potential to transform the commercial world.”I really enjoy the promo video too.  I hope the book lives up to its promise.  I’ll let you know.

The Feminist’s Ultimate Revenge…

/ Susan Scrupski / Leave a comment

Attending IT conferences there is normally an uncomfortable imbalance between the genders. (Guess which way?) A few weeks ago I attended SAP‘s flagship conference, SAPPHIRE. The company held a free, private concert at the Amway Arena in Orlando for the 15,000 or so SAPPHIRE attendees. Clapton, of course, was phenomenal.

One of the highlights of the show for me, however, was the obligatory rest room visit. Witness the photo below. There were lines (20 or so deep) for the MEN’s room! Fan—tastic. All the women were breezing in and out of the women’s room, only stopping to jeer at the men who were squirming in line.

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It’s 2008. We’ve (still) got the Beat.

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Living in Austin has its advantages. I was able to see the Go-Gos last night at Antones downtown. The club was sold out and the band did not disappoint. They’re still hot and they can still rock. Period. The crowd was wild with affection for the veteran new wave pop stars. Of course, it was mostly filled with middle-aged old punks like me who were reliving a bit of the energy of their youth, but hey– just like old times. Very fun.

The Go-Gos broke down barriers in their day. They were the first “girl band” to top the Billboard charts, and they wrote and played their own instruments. Tonight, as Hillary is cleaning up on Super Tuesday– looking strong heading toward the Democratic nomination, I’m really proud of the women who have inspired me over the years. That would include these raucous chicks from the Go-Gos who proved that chromosomes have nothing to do with achievement and raw energy.

For my part, I’m taking a more focused look at how I can promote women– women in tech, in particular– who deserve to be recognized for their contributions in an industry that outnumbers them nearly 5:1. For instance, I’m planning a panel for the Enterprise 2.0 conference in Boston on mashups. Mashups are probably the most sophisticated technology in the Enterprise 2.0 bag of tricks. I’m filling this panel and its moderator with all women. I actually got this comment from someone I really like who, of course, happens to be male: “Can it [the panel] really be successful with just women?” I replied to him, “Can a panel really be successful with just men?” So, Hillary could be the next President of the most powerful nation on earth; the Go-Gos are as edgy and accomplished as ever, and a cadre of smart women will lead an industry discussion on mashups.

It’s 2008 and the beat goes on.

Update: Okay, Hillary didn’t exactly “clean up,” but the girl took NJ, NY, Massachusetts, California, and Florida… after those I stopped paying attention. 🙂