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Want to increase participation of women in IT work? Change the work.
IT Is Commonly understood that the IT work force lacks gender diversity. In 1983 women made up approximately 43% of the IT work force according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey. By 2008, while the total IT work force had more than doubled, the female percentage had dropped to 26%. In comparison, women represented approximately 46% of administrative, science, and technical workers and approximately 42% of all other occupations. A variety of explanations have been offered to account for the small share of women in IT. But based on our research4, 5 we believe choice plays an important role in explaining why there are so few women in IT, and this in turn has important policy implications for what kinds of interventions will be effective in encouraging more women to enter IT.
illustration by Jon han
Encouraging more women and minorities to choose IT careers would help raise the numbers in the field. Beyond this, however, increasing the diversity of IT will produce additional benefits by ensuring that IT professionals have a broad range of experience and interests. As Wulf has argued, “…those differences in experience are the “gene pool” from which creativity springs.” 6
The dearth of females in IT fields is part of a larger phenomenon of occupational segregation by gender. Explanations for these occupational differenc-
es can be grouped under three broad headings: discrimination; differences in ability; and choice. Identifying the reasons so few women enter IT careers is not simply an academic exercise; it also suggests some possible solutions
that may help to rectify this situation.
In the past few years a number of pilot efforts have been undertaken to address a variety of perceived obstacles to women’s participation in IT. These policy initiatives have focused on a variety
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