Saturday, October 13, 2007

Gender Equity in the Boardroom

Fjordman has written several times about Karita Bekkemellem, Norway’s Minister of Equality. A dyed-in-the-wool feminist, she is dedicated to the advancement of “equality”, and wields a power to enforce gender equity that American feminists can only dream of.

Last night a Norwegian reader sent us the following email:

Norway is truly a totalitarian state. The Government are going to dissolve highly successful companies which do not meet their — the leftist Government’s — ridiculous quota of a 40% female representation of board members.

They give the Nobel Peace prize to Al “Göbbels” Gore, and they have now blatently started to meddle in the internal affairs of the country’s business comunity.

I’m flabbergasted…

He’s referring to this story from Aftenposten:

Karita BekkemellemNorway’s center-left government has issued a warning to 140 companies that still don’t have enough women on their boards of directors: Appoint more, or be dissolved.

Government minister Karita Bekkemellem intends to enforce Norway’s law requiring that at least 40 percent of the boards of stocklisted companies be made up of female directors.

Companies organized as “ASA” corporations are required to meet a state-mandated quota that calls for 40 percent of their directors to be women.

The quota was ushered in during the previous center-right government coalition, and has been enthusiastically embraced by the current Labour Party-led government.

Equality minister Karita Bekkemellem told newspaper Aftenposten on Friday that those companies failing to meet the quota will face involuntary dissolution from January 1. Many are within traditionally male-oriented branches like the offshore oil industry, shipping and finance.
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Among the firms targeted on Bekkemellem’s list are some fairly large companies including Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA, securities firm Carnegie ASA, Awilco Offshore and Frontier Drilling. Some of the stocklisted companies have no women at all on their boards of directors, including DNO, Ocean Rig, PetroJack and Teco Maritime.

“My advice to them is that they take responsibility and find the women they need,” she said. She called the law “historic and radical,” and said it will be enforced.

Considering that they’re subject to this kind of government meddling in business, Norwegians should be glad that their country has North Sea oil. Nothing else in Norway is likely to be turning a profit for the forseeable future.

3 comments:

spackle said...

This is incredible, but sadly we are not far behind here in the US. I am hard pressed to see this kind of thing legislated here, but in private these things are done all the time. Here is a quote from a writer in the "Boston Globe" written a few days ago by a "David D'Alessandro" who says he has had a career as a "employer,board member and adviser". This is what he says to his underlings in regards to hiring blacks for positions (quotas).

"The answer goes something like this. Whenever a job opening occurs and the company is short on African-American employees, the manager is given the following directive: “You will find and hire a qualified black person. I don’t care how long it takes. They are out there and you will find one. And by the way, do not hire one who is destined to fail just to fill the slot. I am holding you personally responsible for that individual’s success. Your job is on the line if that person doesn’t make it.” Amazing how quickly managers miraculously accomplish this task. I have tried it many times. Never fails."

Isnt that amazing? Didnt the Soviets used to shoot Generals who's underlings failed? Now we just fire them and ruin their careers and businesses. Multi-Culti is a beautiful thing.

Gregory said...

I am beginning to see the good in islamic views of women.
Maybe the world should welcome islam with open arms in order to put those greedy, power hungry shrews in their place.
Especially in Norway, where there is a huge network of muslims already.
Give a muslim a hug boys.

Whiskey said...

This is just one more aspect of the eternal war between elites and minority allies, women, and the targets: middle class white guys.

The "secret sauce" of the West's success has been the ability of middle-class, ordinary "beta males" to have their own families, and for the society to fully harness the productivity and energy of these men in pursuit of their own families.

Most other societies restrict reproduction and family formation to that of the Alpha males. Naturally women want polygamy with Alphas, as without constraints on their choices, Alphas (socially dominant, powerful men) are better choices. More money and power and traits: aggression and dominance, that are inherited.

This explains the Feminist-Muslim alliance. They both want the same thing, Alphas dominating reproduction and defacto polygamy. Feminists just over-estimate their ability to control the partnership.