Understanding the "Mommy Tracks"

2011 ◽  
pp. 164-181
Author(s):  
Jeria L. Quesenberry ◽  
Eileen M. Trauth ◽  
Allison J. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Career Decisions ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Family Issues ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Gender And It

Despite the recent growth in the number of women in the American labor force, women are still underrepresented in the IT workforce. Key among the factors that account for this under-representation is balancing work-family issues. This article presents a framework for analyzing work-family balance from a field study of women employed in the American IT workforce. The findings are examined through the lens of the individual differences theory of gender and IT to show the range of ways in which work-family considerations influence women’s IT career decisions. The framework is used to support the theoretical argument that women exhibit a range of decisions regarding career and parenthood: the non-parent, the working parent, the back-on-track parent, and the off-the-track parent. These findings illustrate an identifiable theme that crosses geographical regions and timeframes; societal messages are complex and difficult to digest and are processed in different ways by different women, yet they contribute to the decisions women make about their professional and personal lives.

Understanding the Mommy Tracks in the IT Workforce

2011 ◽  
pp. 1178-1183
Author(s):  
Jeria L. Quesenberry ◽  
Eileen M. Trauth
Keyword(s):  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Family Issues ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Female Responses ◽  
Gender And It

Despite the recent growth in the number of women in the American labor force, women are under represented in the IT workforce. Key among the factors that account for this under representation is balancing work-family issues. Some researchers have speculated that IT work is not an ideal fit for working mothers because of long work hours, increased conflicts with family responsibilities, and the difficulty of returning after maternity leave to an industry with ever evolving technologies (Kuosa, 2000; Webster, 1996). This article reports on an empirical study that explored the influence of work-family balance on American women’s participation in the IT workforce by using the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT (Trauth, 2002; Trauth, Quesenberry, & Morgan, 2004; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006). In doing so, we summarize a work-family balance study presented in greater detail in Quesenberry, Morgan, and Trauth (2004) and Quesenberry, Trauth, and Morgan (2006) that articulates the ways in which individual and environmental factors influence female responses to issues of work-family balance.

Environmental Context and Women in the IT Workforce

2011 ◽  
pp. 276-281
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Trauth ◽  
Jeria L. Quesenberry ◽  
Benjamin Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Context ◽  
Contractual Arrangements ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Time Work ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Information Work ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Gender And It ◽  
Part Time Work

The rise of the network society involves a transformation of employment, in which power relations shift with the flow of capital, leading to downsizing, subcontracting and networking of labor. These processes facilitate flexibility and individualization of contractual arrangements in information work. As a whole, there is an increase in self-employment, temporary work, and part-time work, particularly for women (Castells, 1996). This transformation of employment brings heightened consideration about the characteristics of the labor force. Thus, one need is to examine environmental context and the possible connections between economic and cultural factors of a region and the experience of women in the IT workforce. This article summarizes an empirical study presented in greater detail in Trauth, Quesenberry, and Yeo (2005) that explored the influence of environmental context on women in the IT workforce by using the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT (Trauth, 2002; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006; Trauth, Quesenberry, & Morgan, 2004).

Discrimination and Hostility Toward Women and Minorities in the IT Work Force

2011 ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hoonakker ◽  
Pascale Carayon ◽  
Jen Schoepke
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Work Force ◽  
The United States ◽  
Underrepresented Minorities ◽  
Informal Networks ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
It Workers ◽  
Work Family

There is substantial evidence for a critical shortage of skilled IT workers in the United States (Freeman & Aspray, 1999; ITAA, 2002). From 2000 to 2010, the occupation of computer specialists is projected to grow 69%, and the occupation of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 48% (Hecker, 2001). Although demand for IT workers dropped in recent years (5% alone in 2001, ITAA, 2002), there is still a lack of qualified workers, referred to as the “gap” in IT workers. A large subset of this problem is the under representation of women and minorities in the IT workforce. It is possible that if women and minorities were represented in the IT workforce (ITWF) in proportion with their representation in the general population, the shortage of IT workers in the U.S. could be solved (CAWMSET, 2000; Freeman & Aspray, 1999). Some preliminary work has been done to identify barriers to the entrance and retention of women and underrepresented minorities in the ITWF (CAWMSET, 2000; ITAA, 2000), such as lack of role models and mentors, exclusion from informal networks, stereotyping and discrimination, an inhospitable atmosphere towards women, unequal pay scales and inadequate work/family balance (CAWMSET, 2000; ITAA, 2000; Panteli, Stack, Atkinson, & Ramsay, 1999).

Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality in Europe

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Lomazzi ◽  
Isabella Crespi
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Gender Mainstreaming ◽  
Individual Values ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual

The book provides a systematic scientific overview of gender mainstreaming in Europe. It recalls the main steps of the origins and the development of the European gender mainstreaming (GM) strategy. The book also connects this framework with the current situation of gender equality and explores the strength and weak points of the strategy. To do so, it provides a critical evaluation of the instruments used to measure gender equality and explores how societal aspects, such as the opportunity structure defined by work-family balance policies and practices, affect the individual values of gender equality supporting the development of gender egalitarian cultures. Further, it develops an outline of the current and future challenges of the gender mainstreaming strategy, that run in parallel with the general European Union’s challenges, such as the integration process, economic crisis, migration and refugees crisis, and the rise of right-wing Euroscepticism. In addition, the old but always current problem of conceptualizing gender equality in different ways leading to jeopardized results. The book offers a critical review of the GM strategy in Europe and analyses whether and how gender equality in Europe is improving, with a specific interest in the cultural differences between the European countries where this common strategy is implemented.

Gender and the Information Technology Workforce

2011 ◽  
pp. 18-36 ◽  
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.

Female Retention in Post-Secondary IT Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 317-322
Author(s):  
Jeria L. Quesenberry
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
It Education ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Secondary Information ◽  
Gender And It

The historical gender stratification in technical disciplines has been an area of study for many years and researchers have concluded that women are alarmingly under-enrolled in post-secondary information technology (IT) education (e.g., Camp, 1997; Teague, 2002; von Hellens, Nielsen, Greenhill, & Pringle, 1997). One challenge facing the IT gender gap discourse is the application of theories that focus on a variety of levels of analysis (Korpela, Mursu, & Soriyan, 2001; Walsham, 2000). Recently, the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT has been proposed by Trauth (Trauth, 2002; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006; Trauth & Quesenberry, 2006, 2005; Trauth, Quesenberry, & Morgan, 2004) to explain the underrepresentation of women in the IT workforce at both the societal and individual levels of analysis. To date, the majority of the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT research has focused on improving our understanding of the underrepresentation of women in the IT workforce.1 Hence, in an attempt to build on the theoretical foundation, this article reports on a literature survey of the influences on American women’s retention in post-secondary IT education.

Policies that make a difference: bridging the gender equity and work-family gap in academia

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 414-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine Ridgway O'Brien ◽  
Larry R. Martinez ◽  
Enrica N. Ruggs ◽  
Jan Rinehart ◽  
Michelle R Hebl
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Gender Equity ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Policies ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual

Purpose– This paper aims to highlight interventions that promote female (and male) faculty’s ability to balance work-family issues at a specific academic institution, in response to a demand in the literature that examines the intersection between research and implementation of organizational policies within a university setting.Design/methodology/approach– Using a case study framework, the researchers present qualitative experiences and quantitative data to evaluate the successful application of a work-family balance and organizational climate improvement initiative within an academic setting.Findings– By highlighting specific examples of work-family and climate initiatives at the individual, organization, and community levels, this case study presents several ways in which academic institutions specifically, and organizations generally, can implement policies that make a difference.Practical implications– Successful implementation of work-family balance and family-friendly organizational policies can positively impact employees.Originality/value– Our goal is to highlight and provide data showing a specific example of how female (and male) faculty members’ experiences can be (and have been) improved in a prototype institution.

Computers, Psychosocial, Work Environment, and Stress

2011 ◽  
pp. 111-115
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
System Analysis ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Workplace Stressors ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Action Strategies ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual

With the rapid rate of new technologies, coupled with telecommunications equipment being introduced into the workplace, further exploration is needed on how to effectively integrate and design these technologies to better support the roles of the individual, organization and society. Occupational roles are expanding along with new patterns of how individuals interact with these evolving technologies and their influences on different levels, that of the individual, organization and society. To more systematically analyze these technology based computerized information systems and their integrations with the physical workplace design, psychosocial issues, work organization and work/family balance factors, two theoretical models are presented and their relationship to workplace stressors and strain. These models highlight the importance of action strategies and applying a system analysis model that incorporates an interdisciplinary and macroergonomics perspective.

scholarly journals Grandmothers and Non-grandmothers in the Polish Labor Market: The Role of Family Issues

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1677-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Wilińska ◽  
Wioletta Grzenda ◽  
Jolanta Perek-Białas
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Women's Labor ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Market Withdrawal ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Family Issues ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Work Family

Drawing on the debates regarding work–family reconciliation in later life, we examine the extent to which the labor market position of grandmothers and nongrandmothers can be explained by their varied family situations. The data for this study comes from the Generations and Gender Survey for Poland and includes 5,999 women aged 45+ years. We use multinominal logistic regression models to explore the link between different family situations and labor market withdrawal into unemployment, sick/disability leave, and retirement. Our results indicate that neither caring for older parents nor living with children has significant effects on women’s labor activity. However, living with a disabled person reduces the chances for women’s employment significantly. In addition, women who have grandchildren have lower chances for being employed as compared with those without grandchildren. We discuss these findings in relation to work–family balance policies and research.

scholarly journals Factors Impacting Work Family Balance of Working Mothers

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-190
Author(s):  
Arri Handayani ◽  
Tina Afiatin ◽  
M. G. Adiyanti ◽  
Fathul Himam
Keyword(s):  
Working Mothers ◽  
Research Result ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Working Mother ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Women's Role ◽  
The Individual

Most working women find it difficult to get work-family balance because when they are in one domain, the other suffers. Work-family balance will be useful for organization, family, and the individual himself. This research was aimed at finding out factors that influence workfamily balance of working mothers in Semarang, using descriptive qualitative method. The research subject was selected using purposive technique with informant characteristics as follow: working mother, working husband, living together with husband, and having child under 18 years old. Based on the research result, it was revealed that there are six factors influencing work-family balance, either from internal or external factors. Internal factors that influence work-family balance are commitment, understanding towards women’s role, and individual’s character. Meanwhile, external factors that influence work-family balance are social support, either from husband, family, supervisor, or colleagues, the presence of a child, and working autonomy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document