For women entrepreneurs, being docile at home may be the golden rule for a happy marriage.

Shi Qingqi, executive vice-president of the China Association of Women Entrepreneurs (CAWE) yesterday urged women to study not only strategies for managing a business but also skills to achieve domestic happiness.

"Don't treat your husbands the same as employees and try your best to be humble at home," Shi told a forum on women's leadership organized by Guanghua Management School of Peking University.

Shi based her suggestion on the finding that the majority of divorces of Chinese women executives result from their attitude of superiority towards their husbands.

"I personally suggest that marriage management should become an essential training course for women bosses and executives," said Shi.

Shi also said China had 20 million women bosses and executives by the end of 2003, who make up 20 per cent of all the entrepreneurs in China, and more than 40 per cent of them work in the private sector.

The number of Chinese women entrepreneurs has risen rapidly since 1996 but a large number of men started their businesses in the 1980s.

Shi's association forecasted that women entrepreneurs will make up 30 per cent of all the entrepreneurs in China within three to five years as educated women are finding many openings.

Despite that, women found that they have been heavily burdened by their families and their need to learn more.

The recent survey by the association showed that 85 per cent of women executives look after their kids' education and 60 per cent look after their parents.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent of surveyed executives said they need more training, because a lack of management skills and professional knowledge is their biggest obstacle for further development.

At the forum, Assistant President of Peking University Zhang Weiying said restructuring of China's industry, urbanization and the development of the country's west have all provided opportunities for women entrepreneurs, especially with the emergence of new service industries such as community work, tourism, healthcare and insurance.

"I'm sure they will have a bright future," said Zhang.

Zhang said Chinese women entrepreneurs should keep their eyes on the international market, take a chance and become international women entrepreneurs.

(China Daily  March 19, 2004)