Women in Information Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 165-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Woszczynski ◽  
Martha Myers ◽  
Catherine Beise
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Role Models ◽  
College Preparation ◽  
Community Groups ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Women In It ◽  
It Managers ◽  
Family And Work ◽  
Women In Information Technology

IT managers must recruit and retain a skilled and diverse workforce in order to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s increasingly globalized enterprises. The pipeline for women in IT starts small and shrinks as women are disaffected from the profession at all levels of school and career. This chapter surveys the literature concerning the dearth of women and categorizes this literature along dimensions of methodology, variables, and groups studied. Numerous suggestions and guidelines for improving women’s representation have been offered. Recurring themes include lack of self-confidence, lack of pre-college preparation, the need for mentors and role models, the importance of community groups, and the need to value both family and work priorities. Few studies have empirically tested these recommendations, and much work remains to be done in order to understand and address the real issues. Solutions to recruiting and retaining women may serve other under-represented groups as well, making IT classrooms and IT workplaces more congenial and ultimately more productive environments for everyone.

The Pipeline and Beyond

2011 ◽  
pp. 1005-1011
Author(s):  
Martha Myers ◽  
Janette Moody ◽  
Catherine Beise ◽  
Amy Woszczynski
Keyword(s):  
World Wide ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Annual Conference ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Underrepresented Groups ◽  
Career Opportunities ◽  
Women In It ◽  
It Managers ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Political Norms

Women have been involved with IT since the 19th century, when Ada the countess of Lovelace was the first programmer for Charles Babbage’s analytical engine. Grace Murray Hopper’s contributions to COBOL and computing several decades ago are considered so significant that an annual conference is held in her honor (see http://www.grace hopper.org). In fact, the earliest computer programmers tended to be women more often than men (Panteli, Stack, & Ramsay, 2001). As the IT field progressed, however, it evolved into what many still view as a male-dominated domain, some say due to its increasing association with power and money (Tapia, Kvasny, & Trauth, 2003). Today, women make up at least half of World Wide Web users (Newburger, 2001), but this has apparently not translated into a proportionate participation in IT careers. IT managers must recruit and retain a skilled and diverse workforce in order to meet the needs of increasingly global enterprises where cross-cultural, heterogeneous work groups are the norm. However, numerous sources (Information Technology Association of America [ITAA], 2003; Zweben, 2005) agree that the proportion of females to males selecting and completing degrees in IT-related fields is declining. Not only are women missing out on career opportunities, but the IT profession is also missing potentially valuable alternative perspectives on system design (Woodfield, 2002). Worldwide, the digital divide is more extreme for women than men (Hafkin & Taggart, 2001), with the result that in many developing countries, women’s access to computers is more limited than men’s access. However, IT is an important driver for economic development and should provide women with new opportunities to better their circumstances, provided that a variety of challenges, such as technical education and social and political norms, can be addressed (Hafkin & Taggart, 2001). Even in more developed countries, females face well-documented (Margolis & Fisher, 2002; von Hellens, Nielsen, & Beekhuyzen, 2004) obstacles all along the pipeline beginning as early as middle school and continuing through college, graduate school, and the career. Developing solutions to recruit and retain women in IT may serve other underrepresented groups as well, making IT classrooms and IT workplaces more inviting and ultimately more productive environments for everyone.

The Retention of Women in Information Technology - A South African Perspective

2003 ◽  
pp. 50-56
Author(s):  
Nata van der Merwe ◽  
Adrie Stander
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
South African ◽  
World Wide ◽  
The South ◽  
It Industry ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Women In It ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Women In Information Technology

The retention of women in Information Technology (IT) is a global problem. This chapter reflects on the results of a comprehensive study of women in the South African IT Industry. Areas covered are demographics, experience and qualifications, the work environment, discrimination, gender issues, technical abilities, mentors and other issues related to women in the IT industry. Factors affecting the retention of women in the South African IT Industry are identified, and popular beliefs with regard to the preferences of female IT employees are examined. The authors believe that the findings reported on in this chapter can provide valuable insights that can be used by companies world-wide to enhance employment policies as well as recruitment and retention strategies aimed at women in IT.

scholarly journals Psychological characteristics and entrepreneurial intention

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 825-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sorayah Nasip ◽  
Sharifah Rahama Amirul ◽  
Stephen Laison Sondoh Jr ◽  
Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal
Keyword(s):  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Psychological Characteristics ◽  
Need For Achievement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Tolerance For Ambiguity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between individual psychological characteristics (i.e. innovativeness, locus of control, self-confidence, propensity to take risk, need for achievement and tolerance for ambiguity) and entrepreneurial intention. Design/methodology/approach A total of 676 undergraduate students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) have participated in the survey. The data were analysed using partial least square technique version 2.0. Findings The results have shown that innovativeness, self-confidence, propensity to take risk, need for achievement and tolerance for ambiguity are positively related to entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students. However, locus of control is not significantly related to entrepreneurial intention. Research limitations/implications Although samples of the research are quite large, this research only involves undergraduates in UMS. Therefore, findings obtained are not generalized because the results do not include other educational institutions in Malaysia. On the implication aspect, this research might give some views among undergraduates to embark in business after graduating. Practical implications In spite of that, students should be encouraged and equipped with innovativeness, self-confidence, propensity to take risk, need for achievement and tolerance for ambiguity to interpret successful entrepreneurial role models and identification of business prospects for their future career. Originality/value The findings of the research may extend existing knowledge in the entrepreneurial field as well as to provide valuable information to policy maker in strengthening and redesigning suitable curriculum not only at the university level, but also in pre-school by giving entrepreneurial awareness on how this knowledge will transform us into an entrepreneurial society that can create wonders for human kind.

Civic engagement and self-empowerment of second-generation Vietnamese in Czechia

2021 ◽  
pp. 011719682110405
Author(s):  
Tereza Freidingerová ◽  
Barbora Nováková
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Generation Immigrant ◽  
Immigrant Organizations ◽  
Vietnamese Community ◽  
Czech Society ◽  
Depth Interviews

The first cohort of Czech second-generation Vietnamese has only recently reached adulthood. Raised by Czech nannies, they received early socialization into Czech society, while Vietnamese culture remained unfamiliar. With this childhood experience, the generation grew into young adulthood questioning their identity/identities. Caught between social and normative pressures from both the Vietnamese community and Czech society, the formation of associations by second-generation Vietnamese can be a means to respond to their disadvantaged position. Based on in-depth interviews with leaders of these associations and participant observation of their activities, the article examines the goals and activities of second-generation associations (SGAs) and compares them with first-generation immigrant organizations. SGAs are shown to fill the gap of parents as key role models of socialization in Czech society and as platforms to enhance the self-confidence and sense of social responsibility of second-generation Vietnamese in Czechia.

Interventions and Solutions in Gender and IT

2011 ◽  
pp. 1991-1998
Author(s):  
Amy B. Woszczynski ◽  
Janette Moody
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Women In It ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Women In Technology ◽  
The Many ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Professional Fields ◽  
It Workplace ◽  
Gender And It

The role of women in technology-related fields began with promising contributions from pioneers like Grace Hopper. In recent years, women have moved away from information technology (IT) fields, and the number of women selecting IT majors in universities continues to decline. Likewise, the number of women employed in the IT workforce remains low and declining. Researchers have recognized the problem and have investigated the many reasons for low participation of women in IT-related fields. Researchers have proposed various interventions to fill the pipeline and retain women in computing. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current state of women in IT. We focus on girls and women at various life stages, from early education to the IT workplace. We also provide a discussion of the various methods and appropriate interventions that may be employed to encourage women to become empowered users of technology worldwide. We use a broad definition of IT, which includes computer science (CS), computer engineering, information systems (IS), information technology (IT), and related professional fields. By examining research from multiple technologyrelated fields, we gain a clearer picture of the many ways that women may participate in IT. Recent research on gender and IT has used an interdisciplinary approach, which has greatly expanded our potential for understanding why women decide not to pursue IT-related fields and how to implement appropriate interventions. Researchers from topics as diverse as IS, psychology, social sciences, education, and feminism, have taken a distinctive approach to understanding why women are not better represented in the IT workplace. We believe this broad, interdisciplinary approach has great potential to understand motivations for women pursuing IT-related careers. As Trauth & Niederman (2006, p. 8) said, “…the IT profession is challenged with meeting the demand to enlarge the IT workforce by recruiting and retaining personnel from historically underrepresented groups.” This chapter looks at women in IT, shedding light on one historically underrepresented group.

Translating Advances in Data Mining in Business Operations

2008 ◽  
pp. 2734-2748
Author(s):  
Henry Dillon ◽  
Beverley Hope
Keyword(s):  
Data Mining ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Discovery ◽  
Knowledge Discovery In Databases ◽  
Business Context ◽  
Business Operations ◽  
Analysis Tools ◽  
It Managers ◽  
Tools And Techniques

Knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) is a field of research that studies the development and use of various data analysis tools and techniques. KDD research has produced an array of models, theories, functions and methodologies for producing knowledge from data. However, despite these advances, nearly two thirds of information technology (IT) managers say that data mining products are too difficult to use in a business context. This chapter discusses how advances in data mining translate into the business context. It highlights the art of business implementation rather than the science of KDD.

A Review of Migration Processes to Open Source Software

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Razieh Sobhani ◽  
Habib Seifzadeh ◽  
Taghi Javdani Gandomani
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Migration Process ◽  
Efficient Process ◽  
It Managers ◽  
The World

With regard to the increasing spread of information technology in the world, access to this technology is of great importance. Due to their competitive advantages, open source software are more popular than the close ones and they are more widely used, as well. Having an appropriate process for migrating, identifying and ranking activities to prepare and perform the migration design in the organization, prevents the failure of the performance in organizations. Today, there are lots of migration processes in review of literature and this will confuse the managers to choose the most appropriate process for their organization. This article studies the presented processes of migration to open source software in the world and by presenting novel factors. It also attempts to introduce an appropriate framework to select the most efficient process in migration to open source software. So that organizations do not have a concern to choose the best migration process and IT managers are able to select the appropriate process for their organizations quickly and with no confusion.

IT Workforce Composition and Characteristics

2011 ◽  
pp. 850-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua L. Rosenbloom ◽  
Ronald A. Ash ◽  
LeAnne Coder ◽  
Brandon Dupont
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Labor Force ◽  
Labor Force Participation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Women's Representation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Women’S Representation ◽  
Women In It ◽  
It Workforce

Women are under represented in the information technology (IT) workforce. In the United States, although women make up about 45% of the overall labor force they make up only about 35% of the IT workforce. (Information Technology Association of America, 2003, p. 11). Within IT, women’s representation declines as one moves up to higher-level occupations. While women are relatively more numerous among data entry keyers and computer operators, they are relatively less likely to be found in high-level occupations like systems analysts and computer programmers. The relatively low representation of women in IT fields parallels a broader pattern of gender differentials in other scientific and technical fields. In all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields combined, women held 25.9% of jobs in 2003. Women’s representation varies widely by sub-fields, however; 65.8% of psychologists and 54.6% of social scientists are women, but only 10.4% of engineers, and 37.4% of natural scientists (Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology, 2004, p. 2). Over the course of the past 100 years, there has been a dramatic change in women’s economic role. In 1900, only one in five adult women worked outside the home, and most of these were young and unmarried (Goldin, 1990). Since then, male and female labor force participation rates have tended to converge. Between 1900 and 1950 there was a gradual expansion of women’s labor force participation. After World War II the pace of change accelerated sharply as more married women entered the labor force. During the 1960s and early 1970s a series of legal changes significantly broadened protection of women’s rights ending essentially all forms of overt discrimination (Fuchs, 1988; Long, 2001, p. 9-10). The removal of these barriers in combination with the availability of cheap and reliable birth control technology greatly facilitated the entry of women into higher education, and technical and professional positions (Goldin & Katz, 2002). Nevertheless, as the figures cited at the outset reveal, women’s participation in IT and other technical fields has not increased as rapidly as it has in less technical fields. And in striking contrast to the general trend toward increasing female participation in most areas of the workforce, women’s share of the IT workforce in the United States has actually declined over the past two decades. Any effort to explain gender differences in IT must begin with an understanding of how the number, characteristics, and pay of women in IT have evolved over time, and across different sub-fields within IT. This chapter provides a foundation for this analysis by documenting recent changes in the number of women employed in IT, their demographic characteristics, and relative pay.

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