Women and Social Capital Networks in the IT Workforce

Currently, the IT industry is experiencing explosive growth. As the need for more skilled IT workers increases, the focus on the diversity of individuals participating in IT jobs is highlighted. The under represented populations of women and minorities are being evaluated to determine ways to increase their lasting participation in the technology workforce. Although initiatives and programs have been established to recruit a more diverse labor force, the under representation persists. In an effort to address the problem of under represented populations in the IT workforce, it is necessary to evaluate the situation from a variety of angles and views. Specifically, we seek to better understand the “gender gap” in the IT workforce and the effect of social capital networks in the organization on women. Social capital can be defined as “an instantiated informal norm that promotes cooperation between two or more individuals” (Fukuyama, 1999, p. 1). Social capital among workers in the organization has been attributed to career success due to increased access to information, resources, and sponsorship (Seibert, Kraimer, & Liden, 2001). One of the ways that social capital can be gained is through participation in networks. Overall, the benefits or advantages gained through the networking process are attributed to an increase in access to and sharing of information. In this article, we consider social capital networks in the IT workforce and whether the existence of these networks assists in explaining the under representation of women in IT. Our research highlights the experiences of women practitioners and academics currently working in the IT field. Our aim is to uncover the story behind the organizational chart. In doing so, we summarize a study on women’s participation with social networks in the IT workforce presented in Morgan, Quesenberry, and Trauth (2004).

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Women and Social Capital Networks in the IT Workforce

Electronic Commerce ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-943-4.ch142 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1819-1826

Author(s):

Allison J. Morgan ◽

Eileen M. Trauth

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Information Resources ◽

It Industry ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Women's Participation ◽

Women In It ◽

It Workforce ◽

Organizational Chart ◽

Experiences Of Women

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Managing New Zealand Women in IT

Managing IT Professionals in the Internet Age ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-917-5.ch001 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Keri A. Logan ◽

Barbara Crump

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

New Zealand ◽

Work Environment ◽

Qualitative Studies ◽

It Professionals ◽

Women's Participation ◽

Women In It ◽

It Workforce ◽

Workplace Attitudes ◽

Males And Females

This chapter discusses workplace attitudes and policies that continue to affect women’s participation, retention, and promotion in the information technology (IT) workforce. It draws on data collected from two qualitative studies of New Zealand women working in the industry. The findings reveal that there are some distinct differences in the way in which males and females operate in the workplace, and that women’s values and different work practices are often not taken into account by management. Managers of IT professionals who recognise the subtleties of the gendered culture of the IT work environment and who develop and implement equitable policies and strategies will be rewarded by a creative, innovative, and productive workforce.

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Women, Men and Programming

Advances in Social Networking and Online Communities - Gender Issues in Learning and Working with Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-61520-813-5.ch001 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 1-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Inger Boivie

Keyword(s):

Computer Science ◽

Complex Analysis ◽

Feminist Research ◽

It Industry ◽

Men And Women ◽

Male And Female ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Women In It ◽

It Education ◽

Gender And It

This chapter explores aspects of the gendering of computer science and IT, related to epistemological issues of what computing is and what type of knowledge counts. The c is based upon an interview study of how students and professionals in the field of computer science, perceive programming in a broad sense. Much of the earlier research on the under-representation of women in IT education and the IT industry has tended to focus on factors and aspects where women and men differ in their relation to IT and computers. Inspired by feminist research, it is suggested that developing an understanding of the problem of gender and IT requires a more complex analysis than a dualistic focus on differences between men and women. This chapter analyzes interviews with a range of Swedish male and female students and professionals from the field, in relation to gender with respect to metaphors of programming, inclusion and exclusion, the notion of beautiful code, understandings of masculinity and programming, and the idea of dedication.

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Gender and the Information Technology Workforce

Managing IT Professionals in the Internet Age ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-917-5.ch002 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 18-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Eileen A. Trauth ◽

Jeria L. Quesenberry

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Social Construction ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Social Construction Theory ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

It Workforce ◽

Managerial Implications ◽

The Individual ◽

Gender And It

Despite increases of women in the labor force, females are largely under-represented in the American IT workforce. Among the challenges that managers face in addressing the under representation of women in the IT workforce is the identification of an appropriate theory as a basis for understanding data about gender and IT in order to reverse the gender imbalance. Hence, the purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the managerial implications of theory choice when addressing the under representation of women in the IT workforce. We provide an overview of the three main theoretical perspectives, the essentialist theory, the social construction theory, and the individual differences theory of gender and IT, which are used to understand and investigate the IT gender gap. We then make the argument that the essentialist and social construction theories do not provide the analytical robustness required to pay attention to more nuanced managerial recommendations. Finally, we demonstrate how the individual differences theory of gender and IT can significantly contribute to the reconfiguration of analytical knowledge of the IT gender gap and spur innovative management policies.

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The Social Construction of Australian Women in IT

Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4.ch174 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1105-1111 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sue Nielsen ◽

Liisa von Hellens

Keyword(s):

Research Area ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

It Industry ◽

Participation Of Women ◽

Women In It ◽

It Workforce ◽

The Social ◽

It Education ◽

Workforce Needs

The declining participation of women in IT education and professional work is now a well-documented research area (Adam, Howcroft, & Richardson, 2004), but the causes and remedies remain puzzling and complex. Studies have indicated that there are signs of the “shrinking pipeline” (Camp, 1997) even in the years between junior and senior high school (i.e., Meredyth, Russell, Blackwood, & Thomas, 1999) when girls’ interest and confidence in the use of computers declines markedly. A lack of clarity as to what constitutes the IT industry and the rapid rate of change complicate attempts to understand the reasons for the declining participation of women in the IT industry, as well as the declining interest in IT degrees. This is despite the fact that IT salaries compare well with other professional salaries and are superior to most traditional female occupations (Megalogenis, 2003). Our research also demonstrates that many people—especially women—enter the IT workforce via other qualifications indicating that traditional IT education is not very successful in attracting either the quantity or quality of students required to meet workforce needs. Furthermore, IT has not matched the rise in female participation in the traditionally male-dominated professions of science, engineering, and medicine.

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Issues Raised by the Women in IT (WINIT) Project in England

Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4.ch130 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 832-837 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marie Griffiths ◽

Karenza Moore

Keyword(s):

Gender Pay Gap ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

It Industry ◽

Pay Gap ◽

Classic Case ◽

Women In It ◽

It Workforce ◽

Social Fund ◽

Women’S Perceptions ◽

Analyse Data

This article explores several issues raised by the European Social Fund (ESF) Women in IT (WINIT) project (February 2004 to February 2006) which focuses on women in the IT industry in England. The project consists of an online questionnaire aimed at women currently in the IT sector in England and those wishing to return to IT following a career or “carer” break (a break to care for children, or sick or elderly relatives). The WINIT team aims to target 750 respondents in order to collect and analyse data from a demographically diverse group on a range of issues including perceptions of fairness of pay, promotion prospects and future career aspirations. In addition the WINIT team are currently conducting a series of in-depth interviews with women in the IT industry in order to gain a rich understanding of these women’s perceptions of, and experiences in, IT in England. In order to explore the issues raised by the WINIT project it is important to consider the wider historical and contemporary socio-economic backdrop of individual women’s experiences. The IT industry in Britain has experienced considerable expansion over the past twenty years. In November 2004 it was estimated that the IT workforce consisted of 1.2 million people (580,000 in the IT industry, with an additional 590,000 IT professionals in other sectors). There are also an estimated 20 million people in Britain using IT in their everyday work. All the above figures are predicted to grow between 1.5% to 2.2% per annum over the next decade (e-skills UK/Gartner, 2004). In terms of gender, in spring 2003 it was estimated that 151,000 women were working in IT occupations compared with 834,000 men, whilst in the childcare sector, there were less than 10,000 men working in these occupations, compared with 297,000 women (Miller, Neathey, Pollard, & Hill, 2004). To clarify, it is estimated that only 1 in 5 of the IT workforce in Britain is female (e-skills UK/Gartner, 2004). Such statistics indicate a classic case of horizontal occupational segregation. However, it must be noted that all statistics regarding the IT industry should be treated with caution given the problems of defining the sector (von Hellens, Nielsen, & Beekhuyzen, 2004). In the UK, figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) indicate that women accounted for 30% of IT operations technicians, but a mere 15% of ICT Managers and only 11% of IT strategy and planning professionals (Miller, Neathey, Pollard, & Hill, 2004). Although women are making inroads into technical and senior professions there remains a “feminisation” of lower level jobs, with a female majority in operator and clerical roles and a female minority in technical and managerial roles (APC, 2004). Again this is a classic case of vertical gender segregation with women more strongly represented in lower level IT occupations than in higher status and higher paid ones (Miller, Neathey, Pollard, & Hill, 2004, p. 69). There is a relatively narrow gender pay-gap in the IT sector in comparison with all occupations. According to the ONS (2003), the gender pay-gap amongst ICT professionals in terms of hourly earnings stands at 7.5%, which is slightly narrower than the figure for all professional occupations.

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Negotiating Political Power at ‘Critical Junctures’: Women and Constitution Drafting in South Africa and India

Journal of Asian and African Studies ◽

10.1177/00219096211025806 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002190962110258

Author(s):

Nila Mohanan

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Political Participation ◽

Interest Group ◽

Political Power ◽

Substantive Representation ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Critical Junctures ◽

Women's Participation ◽

Gain Access

From a feminist institutionalist perspective, this article engages in a comparative analysis of South Africa, one of the only post-transition democracies where women organized as a distinct interest group representing gender interests were able to negotiate and gain access to political power, and India, where women’s participation was predominantly as ‘nationalist women’. It argues that constitution drafting is a decisive critical juncture when descriptive representation can be translated very effectively into the substantive representation of women as equal citizens, provided women qua women and as gender-conscious agents are able to intervene to promote the cause of their effective political participation.

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The Career Length and Service of Female Policymakers in the US House of Representatives

Government and Opposition ◽

10.1017/gov.2016.37 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 437-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rodrigo Praino ◽

Daniel Stockemer

Keyword(s):

Gender Gap ◽

House Of Representatives ◽

Electoral System ◽

The Political ◽

Political Careers ◽

Men And Women ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Career Length ◽

The Us ◽

Using Data

Various studies have outlined the institutional (e.g. the existence of quota laws and the electoral system type of a country) and non-institutional factors (e.g. the political culture of a country) that account for variation in women’s representation, in general, and, in more detail, the low representation of women in the US Congress. However, no study has, so far, compared the Congressional career paths of men and women in order to understand whether this gender gap in representation stems from a difference in terms of the duration and importance of the careers of male and female policymakers. Using data on all US House elections between 1972 and 2012, we provide such an analysis, evaluating whether or not the political careers of women in the US House of Representatives are different from the political careers of their male counterparts. Our findings indicate that the congressional careers of men and women are alike and, if anything, women may even have a small edge over their male colleagues.

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Interim Management Strategy as a Way of Empowering Women Leadership

Handbook of Research on New Dimensions of Gender Mainstreaming and Women Empowerment - Advances in Religious and Cultural Studies ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-2819-8.ch018 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 328-345

Author(s):

Nermin Kişi

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Women In Leadership ◽

Leadership Roles ◽

Leadership Positions ◽

Women Leadership ◽

Representation Of Women ◽

Interim Management ◽

Decision Making Processes

Although major steps have been taken to increase inclusive representation of women in the workforce, there is a significant gender gap in achieving leadership roles in both developed and developing regions. In particular, many women around the world face serious challenges that prevent them from moving to leadership positions. Women's empowerment approaches are needed in order to have equal access to resources, to participate in decision-making processes, and to support career advancement. Within this context, interim management strategies can be considered as one of the empowering opportunities for women leadership. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the role of interim management on women leaders' empowerment. This is the first attempt that evaluates the notion of interim management as part of empowerment of women's leadership. It is expected to add value to literature on women in leadership positions and corporate decision-making.

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Interventions and Solutions in Gender and IT

Global Business ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-587-2.ch709 ◽

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.

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