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IBM has also partnered with the Global Summit of Wom-
en for 5 years and participated as speakers and facilita-
tors in conferences in Mexico, Egypt, Germany, Vietnam,
and in Chile this year. “In each of these countries,” she
explains, “we invite IBM executive women and local busi-
ness women to attend the lunch that IBM hosts annually.
These types of partnerships enable us to meet women
business owners, provide coaching and mentoring—as
well as an opportunity to share with them solutions IBM
has to help their businesses grow and succeed.
Research Counts
A few years ago, the company hired the Center for
Women’s Business Research to conduct a study designed
to help IBM better understand the buying behavior and
challenges confronting businesses owned, led or infl u-
enced by women worldwide.
“Research and market intelligence is very important to
Marilyn D. Johnson us,” Johnson explains. “Women own one third of all busi-
Vice President, Market Development, IBM
nesses worldwide and represent 52 percent of the global
population. We also know 72 percent of global women
executives are working mothers and are concerned with
Growing Marketplace
work/life balance as are women in the United States,”
she says.
Marilyn Johnson leads an organization responsible for the
development of IBM’s strategy for marketing to business- IBM is a founding corporate member of the Center for
es owned or operated by Asians, blacks, Hispanics, Native Women’s Business Research. Over the years, the company
Americans and women in the Americas. Johnson’s mission has partnered with CfWBR to gather research on women
also includes women-owned and women-led businesses business owners in the US and globally. Johnson says IBM
in selected markets around the globe. “IBM has focused has sponsored research on women business owners and
on the growing marketplace of businesses owned, led the challenges they face in starting and running their own
and infl uenced by women globally for a few years now,” businesses; multi-cultural women business owners and
she says. how women business owners use technology.
Along with identifying strategic clients, the company also “Often our research confi rms what we know and experi-
views partnering with women’s organizations and par- ence daily,” she says. “Sometimes we gather information
ticipating in a host of international women’s conferences we can take specifi c actions on.” For example, she ex-
as key to its longterm growth. With hundreds of women plains, “We shared with IBM Finance that many small and
attending these forums, IBM reaches a diverse group of medium business owners were experiencing problems
business leaders—women whose success will affect the securing fi nancing to support their technology purchases
economic futures of their countries. and investments.” As a result, IBM developed a program
for small and medium-sized businesses to apply for this
“We actively support organizations that help us reach
type of fi nancing. “We have also partnered with Virginia
this marketplace, such as the Global Summit of Women,
Littlejohn at Quantum Leaps in helping us assess the size
Women Presidents’ Organization, International Women’s
and challenges of global women businesses,” she says.
Forum and others, “ Johnson says, adding, “We have
been a long time partner of the Women Presidents’ Or-
Johnson’s team also has a great partnership with Maria
ganization, which was United States based until the last
Ferris, director, Global Workforce Diversity, IBM. “She’s
few years, and we were pleased to support the opening
a friend and advocate for all women workplace issues.
of global chapters in Canada and the United Kingdom.”
One of Maria’s global focus areas is the advancement of
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