The University of Cape Town`s Department of Information Systems has embarked on a comprehensive study to determine the status of women in the local IT industry.
The study, spearheaded by lecturer Nata van der Merwe, aims to ascertain the current status of women in IT and find out what prompts women to enter the IT industry, their perceptions of the industry and what keeps them there.
The study will run until mid-December, with initial findings due to be released in January. The full results of the study will be presented at the Information Resources Management Association (IRMA 2002) conference in Seattle in May next year. It also acts as a pilot study for a PHd by Van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe says she initiated the research because there appears to be a lack of similar research in the industry. "There are many studies on what makes women enter IT, but few - if any - look at their experiences while working in the industry, and what factors keep them within the IT sector. In short, we want to know why only around 20% of IT workers are women and what happens to them after they receive their qualifications."
She also hopes to find out why relatively few women reach senior management level in the IT industry.
The study aims to highlight the role of company policies and workplace climate as factors contributing to women`s decision to either leave the IT industry or persevere.
Among the issues that are being investigated are the impact of male dominance in the industry on the self-confidence and perceived career progress of women employees; the effect of gender stereotypes on the roles assumed by women in work-teams and the perception women have of their possible progress on the corporate ladder; the effect of muscular management styles on the way women experience the workplace; the effects major life-style changes such as marriage or children have on women`s career decisions and career paths, discrimination and societal pressures.
It is hoped that the study will deliver findings that can be presented to industry, to help counter the IT skills shortage by allowing for more "women-friendly" strategies. "We want to be able to use the results to make recommendations to business on HR policies, workplace climates and management styles."
The study is available online, at http://itwoman.co.za.
"We hope as many women as possible will complete the questionnaire," says Van der Merwe, "to make the findings as comprehensive and representative as possible."
Share