Women and the Work/Family Dilemma: How Today's Professional Women Are Confronting the Maternal Wall [Hardcover]

Deborah J. Swiss (Author), Judith P. Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 1993

Superwoman is a myth. And nobody, even the most successful woman, really has it all. These are just two of the conclusions from this timely book based on a survey of 900 women over a ten year period. The results provide a new definition of success which includes the homefront as well as the work-front.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This summary of the child-rearing experience of 902 female Harvard professional school graduates eloquently, if glumly, demonstrates that even prestigious positions and high salaries do not protect working mothers from job discrimination. Doctors, lawyers and business executives report on their survival tactics, frustrations and humiliations as they cope with overwork, glass ceilings and hostility--for example, one doctor was denied leave to recover from a round-the-clock vigil with her sick son (her boss told her to put a cot in her office if she got tired). Swiss, a former assistant dean at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Walker, a senior consultant for childcare at Harvard University, suggest that women modify their notions of success, consider part-time rather than full-time work and investigate the childcare policies of prospective employers. Only fleeting reference is made to the need for legislative reform.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The authors surveyed women graduates of Harvard professional schools over a ten-year period, using a sample that consisted of 902 surveys and 50 personal interviews. With both data and anecdotes, they show how this group of high-profile, upper-income lawyers, doctors, and businesswomen organize their home and work lives. Among the topics discussed are the detrimental effects of taking maternity leave. The authors conclude with a list of practical suggestions for employees and employers to begin a transformation of the workplace to better support balanced lives. For example, employers might support job-sharing teams and telecommuting, while employees should establish themselves professionally before having children and should not be afraid to establish personal criteria for "success." Ultimately, there are no surprises here, recommending this book for comprehensive collections only.
- Nancy Magnuson, Goucher Coll. Lib., Baltimore
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 253 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 28, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471533181
• ISBN-13: 978-0471533184
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,843,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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