The dazzling, ingenious window displays and well-trained, informative personnel which characterize the Sesame Department Store are in large part the work of Hsu Li-lin, the store's president.

When Hsu Li-lin is praised for her brilliant leadership abilities, she replies that such skills came only with continual study and training. Miss Hsu's original training was in fashion design. While attending Wenhua University she apprenticed with a fashion designer and came into contact with textile and clothing factories, eventually starting a small shop of her own. With a record of talent and responsibility she was hired by the Evergreen Department Store and later sent to Japan for further practical training in design, tailoring and marketing, returning home to a management position. During the next year she worked hard to add management and organizational skills to her knowledge of design.

When planning began for the Sesame Department Store, Hsu Li-lin agreed to take the position of business manager. With stiff competition from Taipei's numerous clothing and department stores, Miss Hsu realized that Sesame would need a special feature to achieve success. As the store is located in a high rent apartment and business district, women buyers from the area tend to have an interest in high quality fashion. With this in mind, Hsu Li-lin decided to gear her products to upwardly mobile professional women and young families.

In choosing manufacturers for Sesame, Miss Hsu chose those who make fashionable, high quality clothing. Hsu Li-lin's continual efforts to study the latest in foreign fashions and keep abreast of the new have made Sesame a well-known trend-setter in Taipei.

In addition to quality products, a top department store cannot be without top service. While salespersons are too often overly polite or pushy, those at Sesame are instructed to be practical and informative, advising customers on sizes and color combinations and informing them about materials and washing instructions. Hsu Li-lin holds classes to teach employees about the products, as well as instruct them in proper make-up, dress, appearance and manner with customers. Each sales clerk has a book in which is recorded the names and buying preferences of regular customers, which makes service more personable and efficient.

Hsu Li-lin rarely rests from her job's responsibilities. When asked how this influences marriage and family life, she replies that one has to take precedence over the other. A divorcee, Hsu Li-lin maintains however that her divorce was not caused by her career. At the same time, she advises young women not to marry too early, as career obligations can influence feelings about a marriage.

Wu Mei-yun is the determined, energetic editor-in-chief of Hansheng, or Echo Magazine. Born and educated in the West, she studied politics and history in Oxford, Ohio and then went to England to major in politics. During this time she came to realize that westerners had only superficial understanding of China and lacked any comprehensive journalistic introduction to Chinese history, customs and art. With the goal of helping foreigners become better familiar with Chinese culture, Wu Mei-yun decided to start her own magazine, and called it Echo.

Returning to Taiwan, she found enough backing and staff to begin. As initial funds were short, she converted her own home into Echo's office, where she and her devoted staff often worked fourteen hours a day.

Wu Mei-yun is a perfectionist who demands that her magazine be clear and vivid. The articles explain in readable language the results of scholarly advise and extensive reading, research and interviewing. As a result, Echo boasts subscribers from 35 different countries.

But Echo was not without problems. Chinese donators to the English publication were few. At one point financial strain prompted friends to convince her to quit. But with an undying love for her work and a driving sense of mission and optimism, Wu Mei-yun insisted on continuing. Earnings from sales of the magazine were adequate to cover printing, salaries and photography fees, after which it was necessary to branch out into other money-making projects. These included editing the multilingual Vista Magazine for the Bureau of Information, photography for the Tourism Bureau, and ads and calendars for private companies.

In 1978 Wu Mei-yun began publication of the Chinese magazine Hansheng. While Echo dealt with all aspects of Chinese culture, Hansheng was directed toward contemporary Taiwan.

Although Echo's publication began like a small family business, it had in time expanded to the point of requiring delegation of the responsibilities of publishing, advertising and sales to professionals. While Wu Mei-yun was an expert on Chinese history and culture, she realized the need for a business agent. She chose an English publishing company, which agreed to represent the Chinese Hansheng, after which magazine sales exceeded expectations.

Although profits from the magazine are still limited, Wu Mei-yun is not concerned. Her goal of transmitting Chinese culture has always outweighed the desire to create a large enterprise.

Li Chung-kuei is the administrative chairman of the Pacific Cultural Foundation. She maintains an extraordinary energy, which she considers her most valuable asset. Li Cheng-kuei is also blessed with an uncanny memory and language ability.

Li Chung-kuei received a Ph.D. in International Law from Paris University, after which she held leadership positions in organizations such as the Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations in the Ministry of Education, which sponsors student exchanges and cultural events. At the same time, she worked on improvement of testing and procedures for students going abroad, planned the International Cultural Center, and organized artists, opera troupes and student groups to tour abroad.

With these experiences she was appointed in 1977 as administrative chairman of the Pacific Cultural Foundation, a private organization whose goal is to promote friendship and cultural exchange with other countries in the Pacific. Her work includes inviting foreign personages to visit Taiwan, funding the research of foreign scholars, publication of books and periodicals which deal with Chinese culture, and organization of academic meetings and conferences.

Li Chung-kuei's initial tasks were to begin organizing cultural activities, and seek out financial backing and staff. Cordiality and the sincere nature of the Foundation's goal made up for lack of business experience, and large enterprises were responsive to requests for donations. An American skating troupe, as well as notable Chinese singers, all of whom Miss Li had helped or worked with in past undertakings, agreed to do money-raising performances to help finance and make the public take notice of the Foundation. With this, the group went on to fund and organize a variety of conferences, seminars, fine arts programs, exhibitions and other exchanges.

Aside from her work at the Foundation, Li Chung-kuei teaches at Cheng Chih University and gives numerous lectures. Her busy life of conferences, meetings, lectures and banquets allows little time for family life or leisure. She realizes that women have to pay a greater price for a high position in society. But to Li Chung-kuei, society's needs for her capabilities in international cultural exchange outweigh the sacrifice.

Ch'en Shu-mei is the serious, practical vice president of Citibank. A graduate of Taiwan National University, she originally tested into the bank as a bookkeeper. She worked rapidly and efficiently. With the time saved, Ch'en Shu-mei took the initiative to help her co-workers. Her diligent and generous attitude caught the attention of her superiors, who recommended her advancement. By her seventh year she had worked up the ladder to assistant manager.

Ch'en Shu-mei's attitude is that one should work hard to continually learn new things--not for the sake of advancement but rather to increase one's own capabilities. Job promotion is simply a natural result of such attitudes.

When Ch'en Shu-mei became an assistant manager she learned that management meant more than simply doing a good job herself. It meant coordinating and gaining the cooperation of others. Ch'en Shu-mei studied ways of improving her management skills, often spending evenings pouring over books.

During the next six years she was promoted to manager, assistant vice president and finally vice president. Citibank has ten vice presidents, of which Ch'en Shu-mei is the only woman. She feels that her promotions were neither aided nor hindered by her sex. Hard work and ability equal to her male associates were the reasons for her success.

Now Ch'en Shu-mei's responsibilities include personnel, finances, training and public relations. She feels that each task requires a different type of attitude. Decisions about development require risk and initiative; those in the credit department demand a more conservative standpoint. Ch'en Shu-mei states that while women tend to be more meticulous than men, they are also more subjective. In duties such as personnel reports she realizes that it is important to concentrate on objectivity.

One way that Ch'en Shu-mei maintains her objectivity and calm is to engage in activities such as exercise and music. A wife and mother of two, she feels that a happy family situation helps her attitude at work. Her husband's parents care for the children when she is away, and she also hires domestic help to aid in housework and cooking. She sees the importance of spending most of her precious time at home with her family rather than in the kitchen.

How does Ch'en Shu-mei's husband feel about her executive position? As manager for Adidas, he feels little competition. Both agree that men do not always have to play the stronger role, and must learn to accept women in high-level positions.

(Jill Ardourel)

[Picture Caption]

While gentle and lovely in appearance, Hsu Li-lin, president of the Sesame Department Store, has a strong, determined character.

Hsu Li-lin often invites experts to lecture at the store, providing employees with on the job education.

1. Wu Mei-yun, editor-in-chief of Hansheng Magazine is sharp and efficient. 2. Wu Mei-yun with her two sons.

1. As administrative chairman of the Pacific Cultural Foundation, the eloquent, well-educated Li Cheng-kuei has made a significant contribution to international cultural exchange. 2. Li Chung-kuei at home with her husband Shih Ch'i-yang.

Hsu Li-lin often invites experts to lecture at the store, providing employees with on the job education.

1. Wu Mei-yun, editor-in-chief of Hansheng Magazine is sharp and efficient.

2. Wu Mei-yun with her two sons.

1. As administrative chairman of the Pacific Cultural Foundation, the eloquent, well-educated Li Cheng-kuei has made a significant contribution to international cultural exchange.

2. Li Chung-kuei at home with her husband Shih Ch'i-yang.