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Now, Isn’t That Special?
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Business New Haven
4/1/2002
By: BNH
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In the issue of Business New Haven we examine and celebrate “Women in Business” with a section devoted to the achievements of female managers, entrepreneurs and visionaries locally and across the state.
Maybe we shouldn't.
Would we publish a section called “Men in Business”? Probably not. And it may be that by singling out for special attention the accomplishments of women we are implying that they are the exception, and not the rule, in the business landscape.
It's a thorny issue. We all would prefer to presume that the success of women in business has become so commonplace that it no longer deserves special attention.
Or does it? As writer Susan Cornell points out in her page-one article, employment and sales growth in female-owned companies in Connecticut have actually declined against the national average over the past four years. Certainly, a majority of women-owned businesses here and elsewhere are small businesses, whose month-to-month fortunes tend to mirror hills and valleys in the larger economy. .
Perhaps that ought to be unexceptional. But we're not so sure. When female-owned businesses (large or small) succeed, so do we all. Because many small businesses live or die based on their ability to sell to larger companies, we believe it's appropriate for decision-makers at these larger firms to think about who they're buying from, and what it means for the economy of the region and state over the long haul.
Greater New Haven and Connecticut remain dependent upon a vibrant and growing small-business sector to fuel economic growth. That sector includes the bulk of women-owned businesses. It benefits us all to safeguard their place at the table, all things being equal.
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