GMAT Essays (AWA)

"In business, more than in any other social arena, men and women have learned how to share power effectively."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above and support your views with reason or examples from your own experience, observations or reading.


The above statement is not acurate due to the fact that even though women have much better opportunity then in the past, there is still much more inequailites that must be reformed. Although women have some induries and countries where women are viewed as equals in the work place, the tradition of inequailty is still very present.

First, it is still difficult for women in the workplace to be viewed as equals to their male counterpart for various reasons. Women are always "at risk" of having children. In the business world this is viewed as a negative since maternal leave, which can cost the company money when its employee is not even working, is required by law. Also, another risk for the company is that when the kids are growing up the mother is more likely to take care of the children. This may be viewed as a distraction by the organization.

Second, although women have progressed in the United States for women equality, other countries around the world have been much slower to act. There are parts of the world where women are not even allowed to show there face in public and must be hidden behind a vail. In these countries power is not shared in the workplace.

Conversely, although there may be many instances of inequalities in the workplace, there are still places of work that women share power and even have more power then their male counterparts. Industries such as movies, music and televsion in recent years have been totally dominate by women. Such stars as Opra Winfrey have changed TV along with our socitey. She shows extrodinary power in her field.

The statement that women and men in business have been able to effectivley share power does not take into consideration certain factors such as children and international differences. However, in certain industries, there are those who defy those odds.