2014: A year of change for women in business?
On 10 December 2013, as the year was drawing to a close, something unprecedented happened at Henry Ford’s venerable General Motors (GM). Mary Barra took the wheel, as CEO, to become the most powerful woman in the US car industry.Barra is one of a fast growing cadre of top female managers at GM; a quarter of its factory management are female. The cutting-edge technology electric vehicle program is driven by a woman. Barra has been described as ‘a coach, and that’s the sort of management style this company needs’ says David Cole of the Centre for Automotive Research.
She takes over from Dan Akerson, a former military man, who leaves on a high note. His new Chevrolet Impala has been cited as ‘the best saloon ever tested’ by the magazine Consumer Reports.
Will 2014 be different?
