IT adoption by women executives

Towards a Gender and Social Identity Theory Analysis of Information Technology Adoption and Usage in Business

Environments

An Exploratory Analysis of the barriers in the Adoption of Information EnvironmentsTechnology by Women in Business

EnvironmentsJosé Esteves, Célia de Anca, Salvador Aragón

Background

• Some studies show that women are the predominant users of ICTSome studies show that women are the predominant users of ICTin the work (e.g. Instituto de la Mujer 2006).

• The cultural norms work clearly like entrance and permanenceThe cultural norms work clearly like entrance and permanencebarriers in computer engineering and sciences (Webster 1996).

• Nowadays, in Europe the female Internet use for educativey pactivities is higher than men (45% of the women use it asopposed to 40% of the men in EU 15).

• However, this percentage changes a lot if we analyze Internet usefor financial services (40% of the men use it as opposed to 25%of the omen)of the women).

Background

• The perception of the science and technology careers like sociallyThe perception of the science and technology careers like sociallyisolated, consuming of time, intensely competitive andincompatible with a healthful family, animate women to avoidthese careers.

• A confirmed tendency by the empirical works is the smallerdisposition of the female gender to course technical classes in theschool or university which has direct implications in the nature ofits future work (Gaskell 1992 Cohoon 2001 Joshi and Khunits future work (Gaskell 1992, Cohoon 2001, Joshi and Khun2001).

• Women have low shares of ICT-specialist employment and andWomen have low shares of ICT-specialist employment and, andif anything, these shares are decreasing or remaining constant, butrarely show an increase (Montagnier and Welsum 2006).y ( g )

Introduction

This research in progress study attempts to investigateThis research-in-progress study attempts to investigatethe reasons for women to adopt and use certain types ofIT in business environments and the impacts of that ITIT in business environments and the impacts of that ITadoption.

Research Methodology

We have started doing focus groups analysis, and in a secondphase we will do a survey to confirm resultsphase, we will do a survey to confirm results.

Demographics:Demographics:•A group of 7 women• age between 28 45• age between 28-45•Pos-graduated education (all with mba or finishing it)•All with laptop•All with laptop

Research Methodology

• Exploratory Analysisp y y• Qualitative research study• To obtain in depth information about attitudes• To obtain in-depth information about attitudes

beliefs, perceptions, behaviour, interests,emotional response and concernsemotional response and concerns.

What is a focus group?

A group interview or discussion (i lit ti h) t(i.e., qualitative approach) to access memories, feelings and perceptions concerning a specific p p g pfocused topic.

A data collection procedure.

Reference: Krueger, R. A. & Casey, M. A. (2000). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research. Sage Publications

7

Strengths of Focus Groups

• Provides concentrated amounts of rich data, in i i d i l h i fparticipants’ own words, on precisely the topic of

interest.• Interaction of participants adds richness to the data

that may be missed in individual interviews.• Provides critical information in development of

hypotheses or interpretation of quantitative data.yp p q

Sample

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4p p p p

Spain Brazil Spain Spain

7 7 8 107 7 8 10

All with a master or MBA degree

All with anuniversity or master

Doing an EXMBA Doing an EXMBAMBA degree university or master

degree

Age: 30 40 Age: 35 45 Age: 30 45 Age: 30 45Age: 30-40 Age: 35-45 Age: 30-45 Age: 30-45

All with a PC or l t d i t t

All with a PC or l t d i t t

All with a PC or l t d i t t

All with a PC or l t d i t tlaptop and internet

connection at homelaptop and internet connection at home

laptop and internet connection at home

laptop and internet connection at home

Most of them with children

Most of them with children

Most of them with children

Focus Groups: Initial Questions

• Do you think there is a technological gap between dmen and women?

• What reasons may cause resistance to the adoption and use of ICT?

• How the ICT helps in your work?p y

Cultural/Social Environment

Close Environment

IndividualIndividual

Cultural/Social Environment1. Lack of perception of gender differentiation

Close Environment1. Family2. Educational3. Work

IndividualIndividual

1. Attitude2. Basic Motivation

Individual Dimension: Attitude

• The first aspect in which all the group agreed is that women in their talks they• The first aspect in which all the group agreed is that women in their talks theynever speak of ICT.

• The exception is to mobile phones, but even the talks on mobiles are due to thevisual and fashionable aspects, rather than its capabilities of the mobile phone.

• Even if they are in a mixed group of women and men, they do not talk aboutICT, or if a topic like that appears, they try to change it immediately.ICT, or if a topic like that appears, they try to change it immediately.

• Although most of the women see a potential in ICT tools, they have preferredto focus in the problems associated to ICT use, mainly discussing the issues of“th iti d i ti t l f il ” th thi l bl d th“the writing and communication style of emails”, the ethical problems, and theproblem of confidentiality because everything is kept registered and can besent to others.

• They feel safer commenting certain issues/problems by telephone rather than adigital medium like email.

Individual Dimension: Basic Motivation

• All participants feel comfortable with of Microsoft Office tools, trying more andl l lik i l b h i i l dmore to learn tools like PowerPoint or Excel because of their professional needs.

Nevertheless, most of them do not have an advanced usage level, onlydeveloping the capabilities needed to perform their tasks.

• The topic of communication is probably the one that attracts more them,although the majority has admitted that they think that tools like the E mail oralthough the majority has admitted that they think that tools like the E-mail orthe Messenger are time consuming, and they prefer ICT tools using audiocommunication.

• As far as ICT projects, only one participant explained that she was involved in aproject of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) In her case since herproject of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). In her case, since herchildhood, ICT was present in her close environment. Her motivation for the useof the ICT is recognized in her company, what it has often made possible toinvite her to participate in projects where there is a technological base as theinvite her to participate in projects where there is a technological base, as thecase of the implementation of a CRM.

Individual Dimension: Basic Motivation

• If they have some free time available, the participantsmentioned that they do not think either about seeing somethingof ICT, or in venturing themselves to learn a new tool if theydo not see a practical utility in a short-term or medium-time

i dperiod.• This aspect may have a critical importance in the way ICT

courses are designed and taughtcourses are designed and taught.• The participants agreed that in the case of men exists an aspect

of the personality more of adventure and curiosity to learnof the personality more of adventure and curiosity to learnsomething, although they do not see it as applicable in the nearfuture.

Close Environment: Family

• Women who have had a computer and contact with ICT in theirWomen who have had a computer and contact with ICT in theirhouses since they were kids (although they had not used it), theyfeel more comfortable with ICT and its usage.

• Those women, who have not had previous contact with the ICT,continue having much more resistance to the ICT and theyperceive it as something related to work.

• Also it was analyzed the fact that the new technologies must allowh bi i k i h h d i f i hildthe woman to combine its work with the education of its children,

without this disable her to evolve in its career.• The fathers are ho spend more time ith the children in front of• The fathers are who spend more time with the children in front of

the computer.• Although part of the reason can be the overload of work of the• Although part of the reason can be the overload of work of the

woman, we thought that the main aspect is the cultural one andthe own attitude of the woman to ICT.

Social/cultural

• Most of the participants have mentioned that culture stills seeing men likeMost of the participants have mentioned that culture stills seeing men likewhom must have knowledge on ICT or “mechanical things” whereas womenshould have knowledge or experience in “more sensible” aspects.S ti i t ti d th t ti th h d t t• Some participants mentioned that sometimes the human resources departmentdirectors in their companies promote the same cultural mentality by not invitingor proposing more ICT courses for women.

• All the participants agreed that the adoption of the ICT can bring themprofessional benefitsprofessional benefits.

• Nevertheless, they have seen it like a need of the modern society to competeequally with men, but not as much as gender discrimination medium, probablyb f i ll h d f l di i i dbecause professionally they do not feel discriminated.

• At personal level, they see there is a disadvantage in relation to men. Those thathave children, still noticing that their daughters are not interested in ICT,, g g ,whereas their children are those that use more the computers in house.

Social/cultural

• When we began to argue with the evident numbers that exist of lack of womenin technical careers, and the fact that most of the participants did not have and d l l f t h l i l kill f th h d th dadvanced level of technological skills, some of them have expressed the need

of this issue of gender differentiation has to be improved.

• We perceive this factor of lack of perception of gender differentiation as adefensive way to not show that at this moment women are more vulnerable inICT skillsICT skills.

• Group thinking behaviours and social identity theory - Even some of themadmitted ICT was an issue, after 5 minutes they changed their position forthe opinions of the rest of the group, and they prefer to say (and beingcontradictory to previous position) that ICT skills were not a problemy p p ) pbetween men and women discrimination.

Limitations

• Yes, it is an exploratory study☺• Only women as participants• Only women as participants• Social Pressure in Group Decisions – group polarization• Groupthink• Groupthink

– group members try to maintain harmony and unanimity in groupgroup

– can lead to some better decisions and some worse decisions than individualsdecisions than individuals

Conclusions

• An exploratory conceptual model of the adoption barriers anduse of ICT by women in business environments.

• 3 important dimensions have been identified: the individualdimension, the dimension near surroundings, and finally the

lt l di icultural dimension.• These factors may have strong implications in the way women

are educated in ICT and the way ICT courses are designedare educated in ICT and the way ICT courses are designed.• The main implication would be the change of the design of

ICT courses trying to give eminently character of practice andICT courses, trying to give eminently character of practice andapplicability sense in the topics taught and sense of awarenessof the need to improve the ICT skills.

Further work

• Model Validation – Survey development.• Comparison between women and men.• Use of social identity theory• Use of social identity theory.