The Cross-Cultural Dimension of Gender and Information Technology

2009 ◽  
pp. 1753-1760
Author(s):  
Haiyan Huang
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
Design Collaboration ◽  
Technology Industry ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Gender And It

The underrepresentation of women in the information technology (IT) sector has been widely studied in the contexts of western countries such as North American and Western European countries. These studies indicate that the underrepresentation of women in the IT sector is unveiled in multiple perspectives, including IT access, the development, adoption and use of IT, IT education, and the IT workforce in general and within the IT workforce structure itself (e.g., different levels of IT positions) (Cooper & Weaver, 2003; Gürer & Camp, 2002; Hartzel, 2003; Klein, Jiang & Tesch, 2002; Margolis & Fisher, 2002; Rommes, 2002; Trauth, 2002; von Hellens, Neilsen, & Beekhuyzen, 2001; Webster, 1996). Why is it important to study issues related to gender and information technology? First, it is argued that the information technology sector should value and leverage all kinds of diversity (including gender diversity as one dimension) to enhance productivity, to facilitate IT innovation, and to develop IT for a wide variety of people (Avgerou, 2002; Roberts, 2003; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006). Second, it is also argued that women’s underrepresentation in and exclusion from information technology can be attributed to power and socio-cultural reproduction of inequality through technology development and use, and the historically socialconstruction of technology fields as “masculine” domains, which result in a gendered digital divide (Cockburn, 1985; Kvasny & Trauth, 2002; Kvasny & Truex, 2001; Wajcman, 1991, 2004; Woodfield, 2000). Ignorance or failure to address issues related to gender and IT will further marginalize women’s participation in future economic and social development, and will endanger social equality and social welfare in general (Kvasny & Trauth, 2002). A significant trend of the contemporary information technology industry is towards globalization, which is manifested through a variety of established practices such as IT offshore outsourcing, global software development, and innovation through global R&D (research & design) collaboration (Sahay, Nicholson, & Krishna, 2003; Walsham, 2000, 2001, 2002). Such a globalization trend of the IT industry and market has put forward new challenges to gender and IT research, to incorporate the cross-cultural dimension. Similar to the rationale for studying gender and IT in developed countries (leveraging diversity and improving social inclusion), Hafkin and Taggart (2001) argued that it is imperative to examine the cultural factors while studying gender and IT in developing countries

The Cross-Cultural Dimension of Gender and Information Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 147-153
Author(s):  
Haiyan Huang
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Gender Relations ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
It Outsourcing ◽  
Cultural Dimension ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
It Workers ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Gender And It

The underrepresentation of women in the information technology (IT) sector has been widely studied in the contexts of western countries such as North American and Western European countries. These studies indicate that the underrepresentation of women in the IT sector is unveiled in multiple perspectives, including IT access, the development, adoption and use of IT, IT education, and the IT workforce in general and within the IT workforce structure itself (e.g., different levels of IT positions) (Cooper & Weaver, 2003; Gürer & Camp, 2002; Hartzel, 2003; Klein, Jiang & Tesch, 2002; Margolis & Fisher, 2002; Rommes, 2002; Trauth, 2002; von Hellens, Neilsen, & Beekhuyzen, 2001; Webster, 1996). Why is it important to study issues related to gender and information technology? First, it is argued that the information technology sector should value and leverage all kinds of diversity (including gender diversity as one dimension) to enhance productivity, to facilitate IT innovation, and to develop IT for a wide variety of people (Avgerou, 2002; Roberts, 2003; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006). Second, it is also argued that women’s underrepresentation in and exclusion from information technology can be attributed to power and socio-cultural reproduction of inequality through technology development and use, and the historically social-construction of technology fields as “masculine” domains, which result in a gendered digital divide (Cockburn, 1985; Kvasny & Trauth, 2002; Kvasny & Truex, 2001; Wajcman, 1991, 2004; Woodfield, 2000). Ignorance or failure to address issues related to gender and IT will further marginalize women’s participation in future economic and social development, and will endanger social equality and social welfare in general (Kvasny & Trauth, 2002). A significant trend of the contemporary information technology industry is towards globalization, which is manifested through a variety of established practices such as IT offshore outsourcing, global software development, and innovation through global R&D (research & design) collaboration (Sahay, Nicholson, & Krishna, 2003; Walsham, 2000, 2001, 2002). Such a globalization trend of the IT industry and market has put forward new challenges to gender and IT research, to incorporate the cross-cultural dimension. Similar to the rationale for studying gender and IT in developed countries (leveraging diversity and improving social inclusion), Hafkin and Taggart (2001) argued that it is imperative to examine the cultural factors while studying gender and IT in developing countries. Although the research on the cross-cultural dimension of gender relations with information technology is limited, Galpin (2002) pointed out that the underrepresentation of women in IT seems to be a worldwide phenomenon indicated by statistics. Galpin (2002) also pointed out that there is a wide range of participation in IT by women, which is influenced by complex cultural and societal factors that are different from country to country. Models related to gender relations to IT developed in certain socio-cultural contexts may not be applicable to others (Clarke & Teague, 1994a; El Louadi & Everard, 2005; Mukhopadhyay, 1996, 2004). In addition to the importance of studying gender and IT within a specific cultural context, there is another perspective of the cross-cultural dimension of gender and IT: the increasingly diversified global IT workforce as a result of the IT skill shortage, global IT outsourcing, and other global IT collaborations. For example, under the pressure of the skill shortage of the IT workforce in America, the IT institutions and industry turn to the global intellectual pool for recruiting talented international students and skilled IT workers through F-1 and H1-B visas (National Research Council, 2001). According to the 2005 ITAA (Information Technology Association of America) report, the representation of Asian IT workers in the IT workforce doubled the number of Asian worker in the overall workforce in America (ITAA, 2005). Globally, an increasing number of countries have a maturing IT sector, which enables them to enter the global IT outsourcing market or to engage in globally distributed collaborative software work through virtual environment (Trauth et al., 2005). The mobility and cultural diversity of the global IT workforce will add more complexity to articulate their gender relations to IT since individuals may have different cultural backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, it is important for scholars and practitioners to explore the cross-cultural dimension of gender and IT to understand how the nuances of different cultural influences shape women’s relations with IT, to build knowledge with respect to the plural perspective of gender and IT research, and to prepare future global IT workforce. In this article, I first articulate the theoretical underpinnings of cross-cultural dimension of gender and IT research, then review some current studies related to this research area, and finally discuss some future research agendas.

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.

Factors that Influence Women and Men to Enroll in IT Majors

2011 ◽  
pp. 289-296
Author(s):  
Claire R. McInerney
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Doctoral Degrees ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Computer Engineering ◽  
Information Technology Industry ◽  
Technology Industry ◽  
Steady Growth ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Nature Of Information

Because of the ubiquitous nature of information technology, there is a continuous need for IT professionals. There has been a steady growth in the information technology industry as well as an increase in the use of information technology. However, the number of qualified technology workers has not kept up with the demand for technology-skilled labor. One reason for the workforce shortage is that women are underrepresented. Not only are there many fewer women in the IT workforce, but there are fewer women entering and graduating from traditional technology-related academic programs like computer science (CS), computer engineering (CE), and systems science. In 1986, approximately 36% of the U.S. graduates in CS and CE were women; in 2004, 17% were women (Bryant & Irwin, 2001; Carver, 1999; Zweben, 2005). Of those earning doctoral degrees in 2004 only 18% were women (Zweben, 2005). Given that 51% of the total population is women, these statistics give a vivid explanation of why there is a shortage of IT workers.

Theorizing Gender and Information Technology Research

2011 ◽  
pp. 1154-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Trauth
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Women In It ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Women's Relationships ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Gender And It

A fundamental consideration when attempting to understand the complex factors leading to the underrepresentation of women in IT is the choice and use of theory. Theories about women and their relationships to information technology and the IT profession guide the conceptualization of the research problem, the methods of data collection, the basis for analysis, and the conclusions that are drawn. However, a criticism of gender and IT research is that the topic of gender and IT is currently undertheorized (Adam, Howcroft, & Richardson, 2001, 2004). This undertheorization takes on several different forms. First, there are cases in which there is no theory in evidence to guide the conceptualization of the research project or to inform the data collection and analysis. Rather, the focus is typically on compiling and representing statistical data regarding the differences between men and women with respect to technology adoption, use or involvement in the IT profession. This form of undertheorization can be labeled pre-theoretical research. Second, other research, while not explicitly articulating a particular theory, nevertheless, is guided by a theory-in-use. For example, quite often a theory of inherent differences between males’ and females’ relationships to IT is used implicitly to guide data collection and analysis. This form of undertheorization can be labeled implicit-theoretical research. This approach is considered to be a type of undertheorization in that the lack of explicit discussion of a theory makes it difficult for others to discuss, challenge or extend the research. Finally, the body of research that reflects explicit theory-in-use has been shown to have gaps in the theoretical landscape (Trauth, 2002). That is, an argument has been made that current theories about gender and IT do not fully account for the variation in men’s and women’s relationships to information technology and the IT field. This form of undertheorization can be labeled insufficient-theoretical research. It is this third condition that is addressed in this article: the need for new theoretical insights to guide our effort to understand the underrepresentation of women in the IT profession.

Personality Characteristics of Established IT Professionals II

2011 ◽  
pp. 990-998
Author(s):  
Ronald A. Ash ◽  
Joshua L. Rosenbloom ◽  
LeAnne Coder ◽  
Brandon Dupont
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Labor Force ◽  
Work Motivation ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Well Being ◽  
It Professionals ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Personal Style Scales ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Employment Of Women

Women are underrepresented in the information technology (IT) workforce relative to the overall labor force, comprising about 35% of the IT workforce and 45% of the overall labor force (Information Technology Association of America, 2003). A basic question to be addressed is whether this underrepresentation is a function of barriers to employment of women in this career field or a function of career-related choices that a majority of women make during their lives. The research reported here is part of a series of studies attempting to better understand the reasons underlying this underrepresentation of women in this reasonably lucrative profession. Through a grant provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF 29560) and in partnership with Consulting Psychologists Press, we have been able to design and conduct an extensive survey of professional workers, IT professionals and a comparable set of non-IT professionals. The non-IT professionals included individuals who are similar to the IT sample in terms of education level (but not specific degree fields) and who work in jobs with comparable human attribute demands, including written comprehension, oral comprehension, oral expression, written expression and deductive reasoning. The survey items include measures of occupational personality constructs (RIASEC) and Personal Style Scales (PSS). The purpose of this article is to document similarities and differences between established IT and non-IT professionals and between males and females on these variables, thereby establishing a benchmark for comparisons with future samples of IT professionals. Why is this worth doing? Because in the last decade of the 20th century, a critical mass of knowledge related to personality in work organizations developed. Personality contributes to all that happens during a person’s career, and informs our understanding of things like work motivation, job attitudes, citizenship behavior, leadership, teamwork, well-being, and organizational culture. Increasingly we have realized that personality plays an important role in determining who is hired and fired (cf. Schneider & Smith, 2004), as well as who voluntarily stays in and leaves organizations (cf. Harmon, Hansen, Borgen, & Hammer, 1994; Holland, 1997).

Gender, Race, Social Class, and Information Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 705-710
Author(s):  
Myungsook Klassen ◽  
Russell Stockard Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Social Class ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Internet ◽  
It Workforce ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
The U.S

The issue of the underrepresentation of women in the information technology (IT) workforce has been the subject of a number of studies, and the gender gap was an issue when the digital divide dominated discourse about women’s and minority groups’ use of the Internet. However, a broader view is needed. That perspective would include the relation of women and IT in the communities in which they live as well as the larger society. The information society that has emerged includes the United States (U.S.) and the globalized economy of which it is an integral part. Women and minorities, such as African Americans and Latinos, are underrepresented in computer science (CS) and other IT positions in the U.S. In addition, while they are no longer numerically underrepresented in access to computers and the Internet, as of 2000 (Gorski, 2001), they continue to enjoy fewer benefits available through the medium than white boys and men. The following article explores the diversity within women from the perspectives of race, ethnicity and social class in North America, mainly the U.S. The technology gender and racial gap persists in education and in the IT workforce. A broader and deeper look at women’s positions in relation to the increasingly techno-centric society reveals that women may have reached equality in access, but not in academic study and job opportunities.

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