Examining the masculinity and femininity of critical attributes necessary to succeed in IT

Abstract

Some research findings show that women are even more likely than men to leave the information technology (IT) field and gender segregation in the types of jobs held within the broad field of IT is marked, with women especially rare in the higher paid job categories. Therefore, this study examines whether the gender segregation and turnover of women in IT, in part, shaped by the perception that the desired characteristics of IT workers that are necessary to be successful in IT occupations fit men more so than women. Research is being conducted at two organizations: a large international consulting firm and a Fortune 500 information technology company, limited to IT employees and stakeholders in the Northwest. This study is being conducted in two phases. The first phase activities involve focus group sessions and interviews at the participating organizations. In the second phase, a web-based company-specific survey will be developed and administered to a large sample of employees and stakeholders in each organization.