"Rate of Women's Advancement to Top Corporate Officer Positions Slow, New Catalyst 10th Aniversary Census Reveals" Catalyst Press Release. July 2006".
Catalyst announced that gender diversity growth has slowed amongst the Fortune 500.  Between 2002 and 2005 the increase in gender diversity resulted in a mere 0.7%, a decrease of 0.23% the lowest yearly gain in the past decade. At the current rate it could take over 40 years for women to be at parity with men. 

"Whither the Women? After Decades on Rise, Labor Participation Rate is down".  Washington Post, July 7, 2006. Nell Henderson.                        
 Since World War II and up until 2000, women entering the workforce had been steadily rising, so much so that it masked a steady decline in participation by men. A shrinking workforce accompanied by other trends paint a very challenging picture for organizations as they prepare for their future leadership.

"Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping Talented Women on the Road to Success". Harvard Business Review, March 2005, Sylvia Hewlett and Carolyn Luce.
Many highly qualified women exit their fast track careers for personal reasons. Although the "off-ramp" is not a difficult one to take, the "on-ramp" is extremely challenging for women who want to return to workplace. The anticipated "brain drain" could have serious implications, and firms must do what they can to ensure that their highly qualified women stay connected.

"Women Re-entering Workforce a Largely Untapped Labor Pool". Workforce Management. July 20, 2005, Jonathan Pont.
Finding qualified labor is and will be a increasing challenge for firms in today's market place. This article highlights ways firms can establish effective recruiting programs in order to take advantage of this untapped labor pool of very qualified candidates.


"Identifying and Cultivating High-Potential Employees". Chief Learning Officer. November 2005, Jeff Snipes.
Chief Learning Officers have, through experience, realized the value of developing their talent in house. In this article Jeff Snipes lays out those benifits, risks, and an excellent framework for companies to identify and develop their star employees.

"Behind the exodus of executive women: Boredom?".  New York Times. May 1, 2005, Claudia H. Deutsch.
Despite the fact that women now outnumber men in the workplace, only 2% of the nation's largest firms are run by women. Some experts believe this anomaly has less to do with discrimination than with the firm's ability to retain its high potential women.