November 2007 — News
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Women Lose Ground in IT, Computer Science
- Computer and mathematical occupations: 27 percent
- Computer Scientists and systems analysts: 30.3 percent
- Computer programmers: 26 percent
- Computer software engineers: 21.9 percent
- Computer support specialists: 33.2 percent
- Database administrators: 32.6 percent
- Network and computer system admins: 18.5 percent
- Network systems and data communications analysts: 24.5 percent
- Operations research analysts: 50.0 percent
- Computer hardware engineers: 11.1 percent.
And the higher the position goes, the worse it looks. Only 15 percent of CIOs in Fortune 500 companies are female, according to the study. And only 5 percent of CTOs in those companies are female.
"How effectively an organization develops its women as leaders depends on the climate of the organization and how being a woman fits with the styles and behaviors subordinates expect from leaders in that climate," the report said. It indicated that the least congenial atmospheres for women in computer sciences and IT are rigid hierarchies that emphasize the power of individual leaders and attention to task performance rather than outcomes.
It concluded, "Skill is not enough to make a woman an effective leader in challenging contexts. Having the organization validate her credentials makes her input credible and effective. To level the playing field for women leaders, women need to have rewards to distribute and to be regarded by their subordinates as legitimate. Organizations can facilitate both of these outcomes by empowering women leaders with resources and by publicly recognizing their qualifications and skills. Additionally, organizations should foster a climate that values change and innovation, that rewards performance as well as social cooperation and social complexity, and that encourages the sharing of power and information. Across all climates, paying attention to the proportions of women in upper and lower echelons of the organization can serve as a marker of the organization's success in promoting women's leadership."
Further information about the study and about NCWIT, including the full Scorecard report, can be found at the links below.
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About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at dnagel@1105media.com.
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