기억과 훈련

본문

Work Life in Transition 2005:03
Gender Inequality in the IT Sector in Sweden and Ireland
Karen Davies and Chris Mathieu

This report summarises selected central findings and recommendations from a qualitative, empirical research project on gendered processes and inequality in the IT sector in Sweden and Ireland. The project comprised of 83 in-depth interviews with skilled, technical employees (e.g. consultants, developers) and management in six companies in Sweden and five companies in Ireland, plus 49 telephone interviews with women who had studied computer science at a Swedish university. The interviews were carried out between 2001-2004. The focus of the project was on conditions and relations within the sector, what in the report is referred to as the “pool”, rather than the educational process leading into the sector, what we refer to as the “pipeline.”

One of our central points is that too little attention has been paid to gender within the sector, whereas gender has received considerable consideration in relation to the pipeline. One reason for this situation is the basic assumptions and discourses that permeate the sector. These discourses revolve around how conceptions of similarity, difference and equality (with regard to men and women) are constructed in the industry, which in turn are linked to broader societal discourses. For the most part, it is assumed that gender is “not a problem at the workplace or in the industry” since subtle gendered processes are not perceived. Five key gendered processes, however, are identified in our analysis:

1) The role that key figures, or what we term “social leads” , play in drawing people into and then through the sector appears to be more important for women than men, highlighting the importance of personal relationships in recruiting women into the sector and positions within the industry.

2) A further finding is a tendency for women to be channelled into what we call “technologyplus positions” or positions in which technical knowledge and skill is combined with social and communicative based tasks, such as group or project leadership. This is linked to the assumption that women have greater social skills.

3) We have also found that perceptions of technological interest are often used as a proxy measure for skill or competence, and that expressions and perceptions of interest are strongly gendered.

4) The dimensions of time and space as conceived and practiced in the industry also have strong gender implications, especially when commitments out-side work are weighed in.

5) Individualization, both as a process and discourse, especially the individualization of task and career responsibility and the way it is associated with notions of commitment have far-reaching and differential effects. To a great extent, individualization masks or turns our attention away from gendered processes, as all major decisions are understood as “up to the individual”.

Based on these findings, six basic recommendations are offered, and areas for further research are prioritised.