Sandberg, in her book, sets out valuable skills for women to adopt in order to compete with their male counterparts and encourages women to join "lean in circles" for professional advice and networking.

In Hong Kong, there are several professional women's networking organisations, such as the Business and Professional Women's Association, the Women of Influence Committee and The Women's Foundation, among others, that are great platforms for women in business to receive encouragement, and to meet and share ideas and connections.

Anna-Marie Slot, partner at international law firm White & Case and also an AmCham Women of Influence Committee co-chair for 2013, says: "Women's organisations are helpful in providing people with tools that they can use as they see appropriate. It is useful to tell people that they can and should take control of their careers."

Emma Sherrard Matthew, global CEO of Quintessentially, and who is also on the board of The Women's Foundation, says: "Women's networks have the ability to be powerful and effective tools when supported by an organisational framework that supports gender diversity as a business imperative."

Sherrard Matthew points out that growing up among smart women also affected her outlook on life. "I am a great believer in women helping women. Having grown up in a very close relationship with my mother, two sisters and also having been to an all-girls boarding school, this has clearly had an influence and impact on my outlook on life. Over the years, I have found myself proactively reaching out and engaging smart, interesting and sassy women whom I admire and am inspired by. I enjoy working with and mentoring women, and sharing what I have learned over the years doing business."

Sandberg's message for "a truly equal world" includes one where "women ran half our countries and companies, and men ran half our homes". She acknowledges that barriers cannot be removed unless men and women change their mindset regarding gender roles, which are often conditioned from birth. "I think that it is hard to balance a successful career with fulfilling the duties of a full-time mother/housewife. Something will have to give," says Su Yin Anand, senior associate for Ince & Co.

"Managing both a successful career and being a caregiver requires co-operation between a couple and mutual support and understanding. So I agree that dividing household duties with one's husband is a good idea. However, this ought not to be too much of an issue in Asia, where help is readily available. The question is whether a woman is comfortable with the help being the children's primary caregiver."

Whether it is the helper or the husband, Sandberg points out that women must be willing to give up more control of the household in order for the 50/50 sharing to succeed.

Anand believes the playing field in Hong Kong is improving, thanks to people such as Sandberg and others paving the way for other women. Working in a field that is traditionally dominated by males - a litigation lawyer specialising in maritime disputes - she had some obstacles to overcome.

"I distinctly remember that one of the questions posed to me when I was applying for a training contract was whether I can swear as well as a guy. That was 10 years ago. Since then, times have changed. In Hong Kong, we have Sabrina Chao, who is the chairman of one of the big local ship-owning companies, and you see more females joining the industry on a daily basis. I believe in the two Rs - results and respect. If a woman can deliver results and garner the respect of her colleagues [male and female], there ought not be a glass ceiling. This should not come as a surprise, as I believe the same principle applies to men."

There are more companies committed to improving women's status, and The Women's Foundation works closely with many of them to improve the gender balance.

"Those companies that are starting to see real progress in the number of women in leadership positions have developed sophisticated strategies that integrate gender diversity into the business of the organisation," says Sherrard Matthew, who through The Women's Foundation has partnered with McKinsey to promote organisational best practices which support gender diversity, particularly with women's networks. "This is a key part of our work to support a pipeline of female executives and leaders in Hong Kong. "At The Women's Foundation, we have seen a proliferation of women's networks launching in Hong Kong and Asia over the last couple of years, as companies focus on ways to attract and retain female talent.

"These networks are at different stages of evolution, but most face common challenges - this is why we've decided to launch best practice guidelines for women's networks."

Balfe also points out that "gender research suggests that men are better at developing networks within organisations; whereas women build better external networks. By engaging men in the internal women's networks, this provides better visibility and sponsorship for high-potential females within their organisations."

However, Anand has doubts concerning women's networks. "If one has a strong support network at the workplace and at home, external network organisations may not be necessary," she says.

"I always hesitate in joining female industry organisations because of an innate fear that they may turn out to be feminist, male-hating organisations. I do not view my male colleagues as 'the enemy'. They are people I have to work with, just like my female colleagues. The competition with my male colleagues is no different from the competition with my female colleagues."