That's true where a significant portion of the population is unemployed and the means to self-sufficiency are unavailable. Good for a manufacturing-based mercantile system, but it does tend to isolate people.
In fact, it's very interesting that Hong Kong women cannot find their mates because now they are more picky in terms of physical look and wealthiness. They cannot settle for someone who is not good looking and not rich....
At the same time, the men population is smaller than the women. So many women would rather remain single all their lives than to settle for someone not meeting their expectations
Interesting comparison to post-WWII US. The distinction there is that the war claimed the lives of so many soldiers.
This had to play a role to some extent. Although the male population was probably seeing a higher demand for their labor, less of them could fully provide for a spouse, as is the custom in traditional society. So women with marketable skills could also enjoy the ability to provide for themselves.
This article is probably referring to the Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, bangkok. As far as I know, in Hong Kong, Singapore and even China, females are becoming even more prominent in terms of career. I believe that it is getting to a point of imbalance such that women these days in Asia do not rely on a men to support the family. Their average salary level is higher than men. Perhaps there are more jobs outside of manufacturing like finance and banking.
What interested me about the ILO report wasn't the suggestion that there were missed opportunities for creating more sweatshops. What it said, to my reading, was that East Asia's labor market is badly distorted. If true -- and how can it not be, if .75 of a billion people want to work, but face antiquated barriers -- then the current discussions of wages are missing a huge part of the story. I'm not sure this needs to be read as a rich/poor issue necessarily. We know that the United States, the richest country, roughly doubled its available labor in the second half of the 20th century, when many more women entered the peacetume paid work force. That affected how we think about the meaning of "employment" and certainly affected the wage calculations for virtually everything. What I took away from the ILO report was that when we talk about "Asian labor markets" compared to other markets, we're really talking, in one important way, apples and oranges, if 750million people are not part of the equation.
There is nothing that demoralizes one than when you are classed to be a second hand citizen. In a culture where women are not recognized for being able to perform as men, women will tend to have low esteem, loose confidence in themselves. To train and get them to work, it is going to be a great challenge because they are not used to it. But that does not mean that it is impossible to turn situation around for Asian women.
Pointing to a non-salaried segment of society and calling them "unemployed" is painting with a broad brush and not in keeping with what is standard practice in the developed world. For example, in the US, unemployment figures account only for those who are eligible for temporarily unemployment benefits.
As some pundits point out there is always work to be done, but usually a limited number of jobs. The availability of jobs can be a double-edged sword. The creation of a job usually means a good or service has been commoditized. Does a family in possession of some land that sustains itself count as unemployed?
If these companies are serious about hiring women and they lack the skills or education required, their only bet is to train and educate the women themselves. The Asian governments and its people have looked at women as seconde class citizens for centuries. This is going to be a long process of changing their culture to accept that women are capable of doing the jobs that the men have.
The ILO's statement about women being cheap labor is just another example of how women are viewed in that part of the world regardless of their capabilities.
"the argument from the ILO is that companies complaining about rising wages across the continent might do themselves a favor and target hiring at women, who are twice as desperate as men for work."
Wow! First these Asian women were marginalized by their own , now ILO in this statement suggests access for the undertrained women to employment is an option to employers who need "cheap" workers.
It is sad to imagine that these women would probably be hoarded into sweat shops.
"And then the companies could -- if no one else will do it -- build the schools themselves and train prospective female employees."
This is really good idea. I think the best option would be local government and companies coming together to redefine the education policies so that it reaches all the section of the society. One more option would be companies getting some tax benefits for proactively participating in literacy programmes.
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Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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