WOMEN ON THE MOVE
women. We have collaborated on programs—bridging Women’s Business Research and Wal-Mart unveiled a
the workplace and the marketplace—in the United States, groundbreaking study of US women business owners,
Canada, Brazil, China and South Africa. This continues to which quantifi es their economic impact and identifi es
be a great partnership that we will continue within IBM.” the needs of women entrepreneurs.
Early Vision
The study reveals that US women-owned businesses rep-
resent a vital component of the economy, responsible for
Probably one of the fi rst companies to recognize that
trillions in revenue and millions of employment opportu-
women-owned businesses were growing at a tremen-
nities nationwide. Key fi ndings of the study include:
dous rate and making signifi cant impact on the global
economy, IBM has positioned itself as a recognizable
• Women-owned fi rms have an economic impact of
and trusted IT provider that can help women grow
nearly $3 trillion.
their business.
• Women-owned businesses produce employment for
In late 2008, the Kauffman Foundation launched the
23 million people, 16 percent of all US jobs (direct and
fi rst ever Global Entrepreneurship Week—an effort that
indirect)
involved more than 3 million participants, 100 countries,
• If they were their own country, women-owned busi-
25,000 activities, and 8,800 partners. IBM was a corpo-
nesses would have the 5th largest world GDP.
rate sponsor. “We were delighted to engage with the
Kauffman Foundation on this endeavor,” Johnson says.
With the goal to inspire young people to embrace inno-
Smarter Progress
vation, imagination and creativity, Global Entrepreneur-
For the fi rst time in human history, says Johnson, “we
ship Week encourages youth to think big, to turn their
have the building blocks in place for engineering truly
ideas into reality, and to make their mark.
smart, self-monitoring, self-diagnosing systems. We
IBM also sponsored webcasts entitled “WomenSpeak” have the people, the tools and the technology. This is an
with global panelists that included women such as: untapped opportunity and represents potential for what
PROMERICA Bank Board Chairwoman Maria Contreras-
might be a better world for everyone. IBM calls our initia-
Sweet, the fi rst Latina to found a publicly traded com-
tives ‘Smarter Planet’”.
pany. IBM’s vice president of marketing development says
China Pacifi c Partners & TransCapital Group Managing
smarter planet is “about progress, about making busi-
Partner & CEO Virginia P’an, an internationally recog-
nesses and people, who work with, and for them, more
nized expert on global business.
progressive,” she says. “It’s about addressing the needs
of growth markets here at home and around the world,
Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network CEO &
about making the world work better—smarter. Please
Founder Bola Olabisi, one of Africa and Europe’s most
watch for our new global advertising campaign on IBM
infl uential and innovative women in business.
“Smarter Planet” initiatives and capabilities.”
Global Organization for Leadership & Diversity Founder
Millions of devices we use and rely on to live, work and
and Executive Director Hiroko Tatebe, an internationally
play have all become intelligent, she adds. “Embedded
recognized advocate for diversity and inclusion in Japan
with microchips and RFID technology, everything from
Asian Marketing Consultants President Chin-Ning Chu,
cell phones to refrigerators are technically ‘smart’ with
author of The Art of War For Women.
many devices having more processing power than the
rockets that put man on the moon.”
“The panelists for our global webcasts were outstanding
business women,” Johnson says. “We were so pleased
On top of that, she adds, “they are connected, capable of
to have them share their expertise with thousands of
talking to one another, sharing and exchanging informa-
women leaders and business owners across the globe,”
tion, “ Johnson said. “This means, everything can talk
she says. “We discussed how seemingly small ideas can
to everything—cash registers talking to supply chains,
turn into big innovations, if we act on these ideas.
individual heart beats talking to heart monitors talking to
doctors, and cars talking to roads talking to street lights
In the United States, women are starting businesses at
talking to toll booths.”
twice the rate of their male counterparts. This October,
the National Women’s Business Council, the Center for
www.womenofcolor.net WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2009 11
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76