Growing Influence of Women

The growing influence and power of women will, in more ways than one, change the contour of individual, political and economic power in the world.

According to David Mercer, “The emancipation of women is now going beyond mere equality, even to establish a form of supremacy, so that the beginning of the Third Millennium might be considered to be the age of women” (Mercer, 1998).

The largest minority, that of women, will not merely achieve equality but will attain some degree of advantage as society overall is progressively feminized. We are entering upon what may come to be described as the women’s century (Mercer).

It is even arguable that, over the next century, the traditional position may be reversed, with women holding marginally more power than men, leading to tensions within some parts of society (Mercer).

The growing influence of women is slowly making its mark, in the West and, in some measures, the East. If we believe the scenario painted by David Mercer, the influence is going to become pervasive and omnipresent.

In the Philippines, a woman occupies the highest executive position. She is the second to become the country’s Chief Executive Officer. In the Philippine Military Academy, a male-dominated institution, women are starting to elbow males for the top positions, academically and militarily.

In my Strategic Management classes at the DLSU Graduate School of Business there are usually more women than men. It is something that was unthinkable 20 years ago. When I facilitate in seminars, I have noticed that more women register and participate. They are also the more diligent, arriving on time and participating in all exercises.

With nurses and care givers presently in demand, I will not be surprised if, in the near future, a big share of our inward remittances come from women.

Let me emphasize, however, that the growing influence and power of women versus men is not the issue. The major issue is that while before, they were not so actively participating in economic activities, they are, in the future, expected to contribute more to expand the pie and not just merely share in the pie. Despite the attendant social cost, the participation of women in economic activities should bring positive results.


(This article is part of a presentation on marketing trends delivered by Nick Fontanilla during the national marketing conference organized by the Philippine Marketing Association. For comments, email to abfontanilla@yahoo.com or nick.fontanilla@gmail.com)