The renowned economist Lester Thurow, Lemelson Professor of Management and Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recently said, "Great challenges lie ahead and our economic future is at stake. Organizations cannot compete in a global environment without using women." In this light, the article attempts to capture the post-globalization changes brought about in the status and opportunities on offer to women and minority employees in global companies. Further, the article highlights the glass ceiling concept and how the global corporate giants are battling it out.

Stephanie, an African-American, is inducted as a new member in the board of a regional bank. In a meeting dealing with her core area, she tries to put forward her views eloquently. The chairperson immediately cuts off Stephanie, requesting members to cut short so that the discussion can get over quickly. The question that immediately haunts her is whether such biased treatment was due to her being a `black woman'. As a repercussion, Stephanie gets withdrawn from active participation in further meetings because she feels peripheral. She is faced by a dilemma: "Am I eligible enough to be an effective participant in this board?"

Traditionally, women and minorities have been heavily marginalized in terms of active participation in the workforce. Women have been kept restricted from gainful employment. Many women are engaged in household work which is not only unremunerative but also eats upon the working hours available to women for paid employment. In developing nations, women are engaged in unremunerative activities for 31-42 hours a week as against 5-15 hours for men. Even when women are employed outside the household sector, they continue to earn lesser wages than their male counterparts, take up more hazardous forms of employment, low security and social compensations, the International Labor Organization's report reveals.

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