gender in the global information economy

Gender in the Global Information Economy

Dr. Eileen M. TrauthCollege of Information Sciences and Technology

Center for the Information SocietyThe Pennsylvania State University

[email protected]

March 2008 Athens University of Economics & Business

The Problem of Gender Diversity in the Global IT Field:

Who Cares?

• Consumer argument (business)• Innovation argument (business)• Equity argument (society) • Demographic argument (society)


Agenda

Gender, globalization and the information economy

Socio-cultural Influences on gender in the global information economy

Socio-cultural issues for gender in the Greek information economy


4

The Information Economy

Information Society

Information Economy

SecondaryInformationSector –Consumers

Primary InformationSector - ProducersHW, SW, systems/servicesContentIT people


The Global Information Economy

– Telecommunications – Internet– Outsourcing/offshoring– Global work teams– Global software development– European Union


Information Society in Austria• Pervasive “By 2015 about four fifths of all human work will consist

of handling information…”

• e-inclusion “eEurope Action Plan 2005 focuses above all on users,

male and female. At all levels and for all activities full social participation is paramount…”

• EQUAL – EU initiative to fight discrimination and inequality in the labor market has specific programs to support women and ICT


Human Diversity in the Global Information Economy

– Nationality – Race– Ethnicity– Age– Socio-economic class– Gender


Gender as Diversity

A type of diversity => apply diversity concepts

Where gender is similar to and different from other types of diversity

Gender interacts with other types of diversity (e.g. race)

All societies experience gender, do not necessarily experience other types of diversity


Benefits of Diversity:Economic Development & Innovation

• Knowledge (services) economy• Technology (fuels knowledge economy)

– Services vs. technology– continuous innovation vs. commodity

• Talent (human capital development) - brainpower & creativity to fuel innovation


Benefits of Diversity:Economic Development & Innovation

• Tolerance (of human differences)– Richard Florida (“Creative Economy”)

proposition: for attracting and retaining talent– Trauth proposition:

• for stimulating creativity/innovation atmosphere• for accepting new ideas of new people• for lowering barriers to entry to field


Benefits of Diversity: Economic Development & Innovation

• Stimulating innovation– Creative thinking– Workers representative of consumer base

• Competitive advantage– Broader lens => wider set of

opinions/experiences => more creativity & better decision making


Reality of Diversity: Globalization of IT Sector

• Cross-cultural IT work• Cross-cultural IT clients• Adapting to cultural differences re: gender

– Cultural differences in the global workplace: work ethics, work styles, customs

– Work relationships– Working with people who are ‘different’ from you– How similar tasks differ from nation to nation– Diversity and communication in small groups– Diverse project teams


Socio-cultural Influences on Gender in the Global Information Economy

• Culture– Perception of work style in IT incompatible

with motherhood• “A mother should be at home with the children”

– ‘New’ messages sent to girls about career-parenthood; ‘old’ messages being sent to boys

• changes in male gender identity to accompany changes for women?

• role of partners in successful women in IT



• Culture– Technical women incompatible with gender

identity?– Women still hold dual roles: work & home– Cultural attitudes about gender roles limit a

woman’s opportunity for advancement– The purpose of employment is to provide

security for family not personal fulfillment• a woman is not a serious employee



• Economy– Size (and economic importance) of the information

economy influences perceptions about women working in IT

– Definition of “women’s work” and “men’s work” varies across nationalities

• Software: OK in India, Ireland; not Australia• Engineering: OK in communist countries, US (now?); not

Ireland, Australia

– Economic necessity has contributed to social acceptability of women working



• Infrastructure– IT training for working class women must go beyond

IT skills to structural barriers of poverty, spatial isolation, illiteracy, sporadic work, and racial/ethnic discrimination that limit women’s ability to compete for jobs

– Girls getting less exposure to IT– Access to the Internet

• Transportation barriers• Language barriers• Financial barriers• Other barriers



• Public Policy– The “information age” needs the best brains

available• National information society policy• EU information society policy

– Discrimination policies– Maternity policies– Policies of countries in which you work


Socio-cultural issues for gender in the Greek information economy

• Is ICT use in Greece gendered? – If no, what is the evidence of this?– If yes, what types of use are considered

‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’?”• Is the IT profession in Greece gendered?

– If yes, what is the evidence?– If no, what is the evidence


Discrimination v. inclusion

DiscriminationTarget v. agent Intentional v. unintentional

InclusionWelcoming climateTreatment of ‘other’Active v. passive marginalization


Tolerating, managing & celebrating diversity

• Tolerating: ‘accepting’ people who are different from you; non discrimination

• Managing: ensuring inclusion in the presence of diversity

• Celebrating: seeing value and positive effects from human differences


Managing Diversity

• Corporate policy interventions – Mentoring– Diversity training– Diversity committees

• Monitoring progress– Numbers– Diversity climate studies

• Affirmative action, equal opportunity & anti-discrimination, “fair” vs. “unfair” discrimination


Managing Diversity

• Recourse– For targets of discrimination

• Accountability – For ‘anti diversity’ behaviors– For achieving diversity goals

• Global business– Not a choice– Degrees of experiential understanding

gender in the global information economy

Documents

diversity conceptswhere

global information economydr

diversitya type of diversity

human work

global workplace

societies experience

work styles

work ethics