Developing women leaders: Abbott turns commitment into action and results

Citation

(2006), "Developing women leaders: Abbott turns commitment into action and results", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 14 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2006.04414bad.001

Developing women leaders: Abbott turns commitment into action and results

Developing women leaders: Abbott turns commitment into action and results

Patterson D. Journal of Organizational Excellence (USA), Autumn 2005 Vol 24 No 4, Start page: 39 (6 pages)

Purpose – to explain why Abbott has been recognized for its progressive efforts to increase investment in human resources, creating a diverse and inclusive workforce representative of the company’s stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – explains why this American health care company views the promotion of women into management positions as a critical component of its “Building a premier employer” strategy. Discusses the representation of women in the workforce, their influence as consumers and as members of the health care professions that make up Abbott’s customer base. Describes the company’s three-part approach to creating leadership and advancement opportunities for women: commitment to building and leveraging a diverse and inclusive corporate culture; specialized development and work/life programmes; and focused recruitment and retention. Lists programmes and actions used to turn this strategy into action and outlines some successful outcomes. Originality/value – concludes that Abbott believes that diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture will help the company to become the world’s premier health care employer.Style: Case study

Keywords: Diversity management, Leadership, Women executives