Women Climb the Career Ladder

In our last issue Sinorama introduced four of Taiwan's most eminent working women. This month we will continue with five more women who have achieved outstanding success in high-level, management oriented positions.

Last year on August 14 swarms of people crowded in front of Taipei's Asia Trust building. Alarmed by rumors that challenged the credibility and stability of the trust, customers frantically withdrew their money.

At that time Cheng Chou-min, then president of Asia Trust, was not in Taiwan. His daughter Cheng Mien-mien, or Emilia Rojas, took the responsibility for handling the situation. Meeting with other financial organizations she arranged for loans and the transfer of money to outside branches. Insisting that customers be allowed to withdraw their money, she made efforts to calm both staff and customers.

Emilia remained calm and capable throughout the crisis. Within eight months, with aid from a British finance organization, Asia Trust was able to pay back its debts and restore credibility. After proving her capability and sense of responsibility through a difficult trial, Emilia was promoted to president.

One of 14 children of a wealthy overseas Chinese family in the Philippines, Emilia has always had a particular interest in business. At the age of 15 she began working for her father's company. Unlike a typical boss's daughter, she began at the bottom doing menial tasks. Later she took the jobs of typist, secretary, clerk and accountant, attending a women's college at night. After graduation she was promoted to manager.

Emilia now begins her busy day of meetings, reviewing reports and meeting guests at eight o'clock in the morning, and often puts in a 10 to 12 hour work day. Unafraid to ask questions, she never stops learning. Although she is president of the company, Emilia believes that success is a team effort, and those in the company are all partners. Confident in her own ability, she is strikingly modest, and open to the opinions of others. Her broad-minded approach, and responsibility in solving problems has won the strong respect of her employees.

Emilia is also the president of the Asia World Plaza hotel and shopping complex. Her success in this huge enterprise lies in her ability to find capable employees and delegate power and responsibility. All employees are given equal benefits, insurance, training opportunities and bonuses for outstanding work.

Although still in her twenties, Emilia has little time to enjoy her previous leisure pastimes, or for friends or romance. At the same time she feels it is a golden age, and she enjoys her freedom.

Huang Chao-heng is the energetic director of the publicly owned China Daily News. In her hands the newspaper has become a profit-maker, with the highest growth rate in 38 years.

In 1981 Huang Chao-heng was appointed assistant director of the China Daily News. After just one year she was appointed director. As her new duties expanded to encompass marketing and advertising Huang Chao-heng realized that the China Daily News, smaller in size and less authoritative than such papers as the Central Daily News, United Daily News and China Times, would need a new approach to increase sales.

Soliciting the opinions of rural subscribers she decided to place less emphasis on political news than on social news, sports, medical and consumer reports, and articles about education and technical development. She also made extra efforts to carefully record the achievements of each reporter, help them improve their reporting, and place each employee in a department best suited to his or her likes and abilities. While there is still much to be done with the newspaper, Huang Chao-heng's efforts have received favorable response.

Huang Chao-heng works long hours. When things go wrong her refuge is her home, where she can always relax when the pressures of her job become intolerable. Her husband, like a proud coach with a star player, is supportive and pleased with her achievements. Huang Chao-heng feels that strong support at home has been a crucial factor in her success.

Huang Chao-heng never planned to become the director of a newspaper. Diligently pursuing her interests, advancement came naturally. She feels that today women in Taiwan must not fail to grasp increasing opportunities to show their abilities.

Wang Jung-sheng originally studied philosophy at a university in Hong Kong, at the same time studying fashion, modelling and organizing her own shows. She eventually married and moved to the U.S. with plans of becoming a housewife. But her husband recognized her abilities and encouraged her to continue in the fashion world.

Preferring a "behind-the-scenes" type of work to modelling, Wang Jung-sheng began studying fashion design in New York, where she learned that a good designer must be able to create something novel. In designing clothes for the Chinese she must not simply imitate the leaders of western fashion, but rather design clothes with a more Chinese flavor for the Chinese body type. She also took full advantage of the wonderful array of fabrics and patterns typical to China.

Eventually Wang Jung-sheng expanded into clothes manufacture. In her New York factory she realized the advantages of a well-organized system, and good working conditions and employee benefits. She soon organized the factory into sections which would mutually supervise and check one another. The quality of her designer clothing, which falls more into the category of art than of manufactures, reflects the resulting high morale and conscientiousness of her employees.

Wang Jung-sheng believes that a woman in a high level position must never lose her femininity. Even an executive can maintain a gentle manner and appearance. She also feels that an executive female need not cast aside her domestic and leisure life.

Ch'eng Hsi-ling is the dean of the College of Business at Soochow University.

Ch'eng Hsi-ling's ability as department chairman led to her appointment as principal. She feels that fulfilling her new responsibilities requires not only administrative knowledge, but good relations with people as well. She enjoys meeting with faculty and administrators and hearing the opinions of others, which are used in her decision-making. While stressing the importance of meeting with others, Ch'eng Hsi-ling also realizes the necessity of organizing time to efficiently complete her own tasks.

Behind this successful woman is a supportive husband. Currently in the United States teaching, he has always been positive and encouraging. Her children are also in the U.S. With an independent family, Ch'eng Hsi-ling has had the time and freedom to pursue her own demanding career.

Jean Lin Chang is the Promotion Center Director of the Institute for Information Industry. Her job is to provide the business world with information about computer systems by means of organizing lectures and exhibitions, printing magazines and leaflets, and offering individual advice. Organizations come to her for recommendations and help in finding the type of information system most appropriate to their needs.

Jean graduated from Taiwan National University with a degree in business, and went on to Michigan State University for an M.A. in statistics. Upon her return to Taiwan she began work as a systems analyst. In determining the system most appropriate for specific companies' needs Jean learned the importance of good communication skills, which she has maintained throughout her career.

Those who know her say Jean herself is like a computer. She is able to digest a large quantity of information and uses her quick intelligence and strong sense of logic to come out with a fast, accurate solution. Quick response and accurate decision-making are the keys to her success.

The staff at the Institute is predominantly male. When asked if this ever creates problems, Jean observes that they are intellectuals dedicated to their work, who respect her as they would a male director. Jean's soft manner has been advantageous in her often difficult position as negotiator in an organization that is part public and part private, where the interests of the two may often conflict.

Jean feels that she must maintain a calm work attitude to counter the stereotype of the emotional female. She claims that her anger is effectively vented in housecleaning. Jean's husband, a professor, often does the cooking at home, claiming that Jean's talents lie not in cooking but in information systems. He also realizes the importance of allowing a woman to pursue what she is talented at.

(Jill Ardourel)

[Picture Caption]

1. Emilia Rojas, president of both Asia Trust and the Asia World Plaza, has a calm, authoritative manner which belies her young age. 2. Emilia was hostess to Elizabeth Taylor on her visit to Taiwan.

1. Huang Chao-heng, director of the China Daily News, with husband, son. 2. Huang Chao-heng, known for her open frankness, works with energy and determination. In her year as director, the China Daily News has become a profit-maker.

1. Ex-model Wang Jung-sheng has always had a special interest in fashion. 2. Wang Jung-sheng, (third from right) with modelling students after a fashion show.

1. Dean of the Business College at Soochow University, Ch'eng Chia-ling often represents the school at academic conferences. 2. Possessing strong academic and administrative credentials, Ch'eng Chia-ling is the first woman in the Republic of China to hold the position of college dean. 3. Despite her frail appearance, Lin Chen-chen, Promotion Center Director for the Institute for Information Industry, works with tireless enthusiasm. 4. Lin Chen-chen lectures at a computer workshop at the Promotion Center.

2. Emilia was hostess to Elizabeth Taylor on her visit to Taiwan.

1. Huang Chao-heng, director of the China Daily News, with husband, son.

2. Huang Chao-heng, known for her open frankness, works with energy and determination. In her year as director, the China Daily News has become a profit-maker.

1. Ex-model Wang Jung-sheng has always had a special interest in fashion.

2. Wang Jung-sheng, （third from right） with modelling students after a fashion show.

1. Dean of the Business College at Soochow University, Ch'eng Chia-ling often represents the school at academic conferences.

2. Possessing strong academic and administrative credentials, Ch'eng Chia-ling is the first woman in the Republic of China to hold the position of college dean.

3. Despite her frail appearance, Lin Chen-chen, Promotion Center Director for the Institute for Information Industry, works with tireless enthusiasm.

4. Lin Chen-chen lectures at a computer workshop at the Promotion Center.