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2017 - 10:15
Women today make up some 50% of the workforce, some 60% of university students and 80% of those taking purchasing decisions. However, when it comes to executive positions, the percentage falls to 15%. In the publishing world, in full preparation mode for another Sant Jordi's Day, this fact is even sadder when we take into account that it is a sector that is completely woman-friendly. That is according to the participants of a meeting on innovation led by women in the world of books being held as part of the Kosmopolis festival.
Moderated by Joana Sánchez, president of Íncipy and Inesdi; the speakers are Lauren Romeo, of Tekstum Solutions, a company specialising in Big Data in the world of publishing, Maribel Riaza, a specialist in innovation in libraries, Anna Ascolies, of The Spanish Bookstage, and editor of Ara Llibres, Mireia Lite. Most of them represent a very typical profile of entrepreneur in publishing: women who, after working for large companies in the sector who reach the glass ceiling, take the the step of setting up their own projects independently.
Forced to start a business
"We women have to leave the big companies and start our own businesses, because organisations often do not let you," says Maribel Riaza, specialist in innovation in the world of libraries.
Anna Ascolies, who is behind The Spanish Bookstage, a website that lets you know the condition of authors' rights in real time, believes that "in the publishing environment it is seen as a good thing for women to set up their own projects" and that society values independent initiatives led by women.
A whopping 80% of top positions are held by men, which shows how far there is to go for women to achieve parity, even in the publishing world. For the editor of Ara Llibres, Mireia Lite, the problem is that companies do not look for their executives in the world of arts and humanities but rather in business schools, which are dominated by men. That is why she thinks it is time to find new leadership models.
More data: some 80% of students in the arts and humanities are women, and these subjects are the ones that lead to working in the world of books. Therefore, it is a sector dominated by females, both as editors and authors. It is also dominated by female readers, as women have traditionally been the main consumers of books. It is paradoxical, point out experts, that in the end the decisions about what women read are taken in large part by men.
More self-critical and demanding of themselves
According to Segons Lauren Romeo, a specialist in Big Data, another problem is that women are much more self-critical and when it comes selling their merits and skills they do not stand out as much as men. Similarly, Mireia Lite believes that "men have no problem giving their opinions about everything and accepting any post. We women have to get rid of our complexes."
Fortunately, adds Joana Sánchez, social networks "have given us a voice, we women can now give our opinions and be heard." Sánchez completely favours establishing quotas for having women on directors boards and other spheres.
The president of Íncipy and Inesdi is also optimistic about the future of women in the sense that businesses are increasingly oriented towards helping people, and have more transparency, cooperation and co-creation, spheres in which women can stand out.
Moderated by Joana Sánchez, president of Íncipy and Inesdi; the speakers are Lauren Romeo, of Tekstum Solutions, a company specialising in Big Data in the world of publishing, Maribel Riaza, a specialist in innovation in libraries, Anna Ascolies, of The Spanish Bookstage, and editor of Ara Llibres, Mireia Lite. Most of them represent a very typical profile of entrepreneur in publishing: women who, after working for large companies in the sector who reach the glass ceiling, take the the step of setting up their own projects independently.
Forced to start a business
"We women have to leave the big companies and start our own businesses, because organisations often do not let you," says Maribel Riaza, specialist in innovation in the world of libraries.
Anna Ascolies, who is behind The Spanish Bookstage, a website that lets you know the condition of authors' rights in real time, believes that "in the publishing environment it is seen as a good thing for women to set up their own projects" and that society values independent initiatives led by women.
A whopping 80% of top positions are held by men, which shows how far there is to go for women to achieve parity, even in the publishing world. For the editor of Ara Llibres, Mireia Lite, the problem is that companies do not look for their executives in the world of arts and humanities but rather in business schools, which are dominated by men. That is why she thinks it is time to find new leadership models.
More data: some 80% of students in the arts and humanities are women, and these subjects are the ones that lead to working in the world of books. Therefore, it is a sector dominated by females, both as editors and authors. It is also dominated by female readers, as women have traditionally been the main consumers of books. It is paradoxical, point out experts, that in the end the decisions about what women read are taken in large part by men.
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| Women stress their importance in the publishing sector. JV |
More self-critical and demanding of themselves
According to Segons Lauren Romeo, a specialist in Big Data, another problem is that women are much more self-critical and when it comes selling their merits and skills they do not stand out as much as men. Similarly, Mireia Lite believes that "men have no problem giving their opinions about everything and accepting any post. We women have to get rid of our complexes."
Fortunately, adds Joana Sánchez, social networks "have given us a voice, we women can now give our opinions and be heard." Sánchez completely favours establishing quotas for having women on directors boards and other spheres.
The president of Íncipy and Inesdi is also optimistic about the future of women in the sense that businesses are increasingly oriented towards helping people, and have more transparency, cooperation and co-creation, spheres in which women can stand out.