[WSJ Article] Asian Locals Facing Ceiling in Multinationals in Asia
An interesting insight and analysis into why, in Asia, most locals are facing a glass ceiling as employees in a Western organisation. The article also talks about the trend of multinationals relying on Western expatriates to fill top positions, even decades after having expanded into the region.
By Mariko Sanchanta and Riva Gold
An excerpt:
HONG KONG—As Western multinationals ratchet up their operations in Asia, there is one glaring omission from the upper ranks of management: Asians.
Asians are employed by multinationals in greater numbers than ever before at lower levels, but when it comes to the top roles, companies from food to finance tend to pick Westerners.
When Western companies first started expanding to Asia, headquarters sent an executive to Asia to show employees how the business should run. Decades later, not much has changed. In part, that’s because leaders tend to promote people in their own image and culture, perpetuating a cycle of white, male bosses, according to consulting and executive-search firms.
Many executive-search firms say their clients would leap at the chance to hire locally, but few firms are taking steps to develop and groom talent. […]
