President Xi Jinping talks with female delegates while attending a top-level discussion with lawmakers from Hunan province on March 8, which was International Women's Day. Xi sent his greetings to all women across China. Lan Hongguang / Xinhua News Agency

Number of top female managers increases five percentage points, new report says

Women now hold about 30 percent of the top positions in Chinese mainland businesses, compared with 25 percent last year, according to new research.

The annual International Business Report, released on March 7 by global accountancy firm Grant Thornton, ranks China ninth among 36 major economies surveyed.

Overall, women hold only 24 percent of the world's senior business jobs.

Of the hundreds of mainland businesses surveyed this year, about 16 percent do not have women in high-level positions, compared with 25 percent last year.

Globally, 33 percent of businesses surveyed do not have high-level female managers.

As for the motivation to take on leading positions, more than 43 percent of female respondents said they wanted to promote business strategy and usher in changes in their companies. More than 46 percent of male respondents attributed their motivation to higher salary.

The survey also found that men are more driven by recognition of ability and the desire to influence others, while women have a stronger belief in the purpose of the business.

"Female leaders seem to be more dedicated to driving their companies toward achieving goals, and appear to be more committed to their jobs," says Xu Hua, CEO of Grant Thornton China.

Additionally, the survey found that women tend to focus more on cooperation, while men focus on assigning tasks.

About 26 percent of female leaders surveyed said they believed that having a positive attitude is essential, while 14 percent of male leaders thought so.

More than 20 percent of the male respondents said they thought the ability to delegate tasks is important, compared with 3.7 percent of women.

"Good communication is essential for every business leader. Through effective communication concerning company strategy and goals, leaders can drive their employees to achieve the company's vision," Xu says.

The annual report provides insight into the views and expectations of more than 10,000 businesses across major economies.

yuran@chinadaily.com.cn