Women's Changing Role

In the last two decades of the Republic of China's growing economy, the composition of the labor force has been dramatically altered. The labor force is being polarized along sex lines. This in turn is creating forces in society that are coming into conflict with old traditional concepts about women, work and ultimately society itself. The economic revolution is bringing with it a cultural and social revolution that is changing the face of Taiwan.

From 1953 to 1964--the decade that saw the building of Taiwan's industrial base--labor was recruited from the fields and put to work in the industrial sector. As productivity rose so did the population, but there were few employment opportunities for women, who were still bound to the home. The annual growth rate of women in the labor force was a mere 1.6% while men were entering at a 2.1% rate.

The meteoric growth rates of the early 70's were a turning point in the restructuring of Taiwan's economy. Men couldn't keep pace with the expanding labor market, so women entered to fill the vacuum. Agricultural processing, textiles, plastics and other lower end labor intensive industries were soon the sole provinces of women. Women were entering the labor force at an impressive 7.5% annual rate and had already comprised 1/3 of the total work force. At all levels of employment, women were taking a more active role in the economy.

Since 1973 the growth of women in the work force has slowed to a more modest 3.4%, but the overall percentage continues to grow and stands at 36.2% today. Not only are their numbers growing but women are also leaving the traditional blue collar positions and heading for the comforts of the office. Women are being added to the ranks of secretaries, accountants and the service industries. 70% of the people now taking the civil service tests (coveted for the relaxed nature of the work) are now women. Women now make up 80% of the primary and middle school teachers.

Advancing through the rungs of the economy and level of education are, of course, closely related. As some of the old concepts of women's role in society have fallen by the wayside, the number of women receiving an education have increased at a rate almost 6 times faster than men.

According to psychological studies women tend to excel in communication skills and language while men are better suited to math and science. A quick perusal of university enrollment by departments will show that the sexes tend to gravitate to their strong points when selecting a major. What has many people worried is that public and private employment tests are geared to the person who has a good command of the language. People who can think analytically or are adept at organizing and getting things done (i.e. men) may not perform well on written tests.

Do these employment tests test only communication skills to the neglect of other important skills needed on the job? Are they indeed fair? These are questions that must be addressed by government and industry alike if the Republic of China is to keep abreast of today's rapidly changing world.

The director of Chengchi University's Graduate School of Psychology Huang Kuo-yen points out, "There are many skills needed in today's society that are not reflected in written tests. Some people who are mentally quick or analytically sharp but have a poor memory will be lost in the test scores." He suggests, "Before testing, analyse the job and set the parameters for the requirements of the job: what kind of technical skills are needed, personality required and/or special attributes that the successful candidate should possess. From these parameters design a test or a series of tests that will aid in finding the right person for the right job. Even if only a written test is used it should be designed with the practical aspects of the job in mind."

"Occupation analysis" includes anything the worker may come in contact with on the job: other people, machines, equipment, tools, situation etc. "Worker analysis" is concerned with the person: general intelligence, education level, experience, interests, personality etc. From these studies it is hoped that a better matching between worker and job can be achieved.

Society's value system plays a large role in determining the development of members of that society. Social expectations are not the same for men as they are for women. Chengchi University's Li Mei-chih said, "Traditional society has rather fixed roles for the sexes, roles that don't change overnight. Men are provided with a support system in society that allows them to be leaders, and self motivated. They go out and bring home the money to the wife who is patient, tolerant, caring and attentive. It's no wonder that men are found in business and industry while women tend to the schools and hospitals. Women are not encouraged to study engineering, forestry or electronics--so you don't find many women engineers or electricians."

Some occupations are considered feminine and others masculine. Men enjoy challenging and creative work. Comments Taiwan University's Kao Shu-kuei, "Men are not only looking for a 'job,' they are looking for a career to be successful at. Men are interested in realizing their potential; remuneration and perhaps, interest are secondary considerations. Men quickly become bored with routine and stability. Says Academia Sinica's Hsin-huang Hsiao, "Men need power and success more than women. Risk and variety are what keep the male captivated. Even if he is involved with the Humanities a man will be aggressive and competitive in his pursuit of success and recognition. That's why we are witnessing this sex differential in certain occupations. Some occupations, because of the special characteristics of the job, attract one or the other sex. It is not an isolated phenomenon separated from the rest of society. As the values of society change so will the roles that the members play in that society, and then so will the occupations that they choose. I don't think there is anything to worry about. It is a natural development and will take care of itself."

Nevertheless, there are many people concerned about this polarization of the sexes especially in education, where such a large percentage of the teachers in the lower grades are women. But, as Huang Kuo-yen points out, "In America the percentages are also quite high but there doesn't seem to be any big problems there." Concurs Kao Shu-kuei, "There is no reason to overreact. Ability and skills are what will determine who has what job in the future. Whether you are a man or woman you must produce on the job."

Values and traditional ways of thinking do not die easily. Even though 36% of the work force are women, only 0.1% hold upper echelon positions and the pay scales for men and women are still not equal. Advises Vivian Wu, the Chairperson of Yue Long, "Women need to have self confidence and not let sex be an excuse for success or failure. We must rely on our own skills and abilities to achieve equality."

For the working women in contemporary Taiwan there is the double burden of dealing with traditional attitudes and at the same time rising to the demands of today's work world. Executive Yuan Minister Without Portfolio K.T. Li pointedly remarks, "Women in Taiwan have proven that they can be successful in this highly competitive society. As women continue to make advances in education, I'm optimistic that the job discrimination situation will improve." For the Republic of China on Taiwan, a country lacking natural resources, it appears that a new force is just waiting to be used.

(Kirby Chien)

[Picture Caption]

1. Monasteries are finding it difficult recruiting men to fill their rolls. 2. Meticulous, observant and loving women become more than just teachers to the students.

1. Women are common in the editing room of many magazines. The readers wouldn't be able to tell the difference. 2. A woman's temperament helps in jobs that require a great deal of patience.

1. Factory workers are, for the most part, all women. Shown is one factory letting off for the day.