HONG KONG: The age of male dominance in the work place is under siege, as men find their competitive standing increasingly eroded by women who have higher education, better qualifications and are capable of earning higher incomes, a human resources expert and academic said.

Figures from the Census and Statistics Department revealed that women are now highly competitive with men in terms of education and salaries. Some 42.5 percent of postgraduate research students were women in 2008/09, compared with 20 percent during the 1986/87 school year. Women also made up more than half (52.2 percent) of the students in post-secondary education in 2006.

Female managers and administrators earned HK$30,000 a month in 2008, in parallel with the salary of men in the same positions. The number of female directorate officers in the civil service increased from 35 in 1981 to 368 in 2008.

Ng Chau-ping, a 23-year-old recent graduate in applied biology who is continuing toward her master's degree in biomedical science, said, "I believe I can have better career prospects and attain a higher salary with a high educational level."

Ng expected to pursue a career in a government laboratory that will give her about HK$30,000 a month after finishing her doctoral degree.

Felix Yip, president of the Hong Kong People Management Association, said women surpass men in their attention to details, perseverance and soft skills, especially in dealing with people, adding that women are generally more sensitive than men.

Yip stated females are already surging ahead of males scholastically. "Boys don't consider things thorough enough. Many of them are playing while girls of the same age are generally more mature and focusing on studies," he said.

He attributed girls' better performance to more career paths but asserted that boys remain dominant in areas like three-dimensional graphics, mathematics and engineering.

"Men are also famous for their bold acts," Yip continued, adding that many entrepreneurs and investors possess these characteristics. He believed males should have more commitment and be more focused on work so as to succeed in the job market.

Wong Kit-mui, assistant professor of sociology of the Hong Kong Baptist University, attributed the increased educational levels for women to the change of family mindset on nurturance of children.

"Parents nowadays give their best to kids regardless of sexes and their own earning income," Wong said, adding that theoretically no biological difference on intelligence between the two sexes should be present.

Traditional beliefs that women should be the main caregiver of the family put enormous pressure on women.

"Pressure comes from both work and family, where taking care and bringing up children is believed to be basic responsibilities of females," Wong said.

She added that not all women have benefited from the rising status, and she anticipated a wider social segregation between the rich and the poor.

"Lower-class women in the elementary field might be exploited and treated unfairly without much notice," she said.

Pang Lai-kwan, professor of cultural and religious studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong claimed men's ultimate positions as leaders in the community will not be affected by the increased educational and income standing of women.

"Women are stepping back from work at a certain age for their families. The conceptual role of women in society is still to stay home and take care of the family," said Pang.

(HK Edition 08/04/2009 page1)