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Dubai: Indeed, the motoring business isn't just strictly for men.
Nissan Motors Co., Japan's third-largest carmaker, recently announced that more women have been appointed to its management positions and many of them are now working in the male-dominated manufacturing plants.
Since 2004, the number of women in Nissan management positions has increased from 36 to 101 and the percentage of women managers in the design, planning and product planning function has doubled, Nissan said in a statement to Gulf News.
The percentage of female sales staff at Nissan dealerships has likewise increased, and the percentage of women in manufacturing plants has more than doubled.
"Nissan worldwide is very conscious of the role of women in business and in the automotive market," said Toru Hasegawa, Nissan Middle East managing director.
Following results of its research that found women actually influence two-thirds of all car purchases, Nissan launched its programme called "Women in the Driver's Seat: Gender Diversity as a Lever in Japan."
As a result, the firm won the 2008 Catalyst Award, the annual worldwide prize that honours exceptional initiatives from companies that support and advance women in business.
World Bank data show that women are increasingly being recognised as important economic resources with a significant role to play in the private sector.
In the Middle East and North Africa region alone, about 25 to 30 per cent of the most successful entre-preneurs are reportedly women.
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