1. ICT workplaces:
Cultures of Innovation & Gender
Cecilia Castaño
Oscar Pérez
November 2010
WOMEN AND ICTS THROUGH THE LIFECYCLE: AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Barcelona, 8-10 November 2010
2. Our approach to the Conference
• What’s up in Spanish ICT Innovative workplaces that can
influence women share ?
– Global influences: across Geographies & Industries
– Workplace conditions feeding back parent’s advices? (Mila)
• Reflections from original research (Qli&Qnti) directed to
ICT Innovative firms conducted in 2007 in Spain
• Segmented approach (several ICTs)
– Local (Spanish) vs. Global cultures
– Manufacturing vs. Services
– Narrow vs. Broad Innovation (Tech vs. No tech)
• Focus on top results & emergent questions
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3. Methods: Comprehensive approach
• Quantitative
– Secondary data –EU harmonized
• Spanish CIS “Community Innovation Survey” (2006)
• Focus: Narrow innovation focus, SMB, Spanish
– Two original surveys to complement
• Narrow innovation, SMB, Spanish
• Broad innovation, Leading global companies
• Qualitative
– Leading multinationals in Madrid
• North-american & Continental Europe
• Spanish multinationals
– Small & Medium sized across the country
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5. (Quantitative) Two separate worlds
• ICT Manufacturing vs. Manufacturing
– Women’s share better than Manufacturing
– Issue concentrates on gender gap at R&D
• ICT Services vs. Services
– Women’s share worse than Services
– Research gap comparable to other Services
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6. (Quantitative) Innovation & Women correlate
• Innovation correlates significantly with women
share in innovation & managing positions
• An open collaborative innovation more significant
– Specific issue with narrow innovation (negative
association)
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7. (Quantitative) Men are from Mars, Women are from
Venus
Men say that… Women say that…
top barrier to leadership positions top barrier
Globals 1 3 ,3 1 3 ,3
Work-Family balance 3 2 ,0
Critical mass
44
None
Other
3 3 ,3
4 0 ,0
16
8
Men say that..
top barrier to leadership positions Women say that…
in innovation technology is… top barrier
1 2 ,9 8 ,6
Locals 2 5 ,0
Work-Family balance 35
2 5 ,7 Critical mass
None
Other
15
5 2 ,9
25
Men & Women agree here ONLY!
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8. (Quantitative) Policies are being useful …
• Policies are found significant to bridge gap
– Transitions after maternity leave, Marketing of equality
measures, Kindergarten support, Extended Leave
• Narrow innovation, SMB, spanish
– Apart of work-family balance, lack of candidates big
issue
• Gender equality measures & work-family balance: significant
• Gender equality measures: significant for women at
innovation
• Broad innovation, leading global companies
– Work-family balance biggest issue
• Talent policies seem significant
• Flexible/Teleworking not significant
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9. (Quantitative) But policies are not solving
problems
• Many policies, but work family balance still
considered the biggest issue (by women)
• In fact, policies are more frequent at Globals but
…
– Women at managing & strategic positions ~15%
– Globals similar to locals at line mgmt. positions
• Develop discussion in Quali
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10. (Qualitative) Cultures as gender sensitive
contexts
From Local Cultures To Global Cultures
•Equality/Rigid/Reactive •Diversity/Flexible/Proactive
•Talent: Function/Knowledge •Talent: Market/Attitude
based based
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11. (Qualitative) Two approaches to gender
• Equality: Traditional/Reactive orientation to gender
– Gender neutrality discourse: Talent rules
– Gap explained by lack of candidates
– Though recognized
• Discretional role of middle managers
• Role of informal networks
• Long lunchs/meetings …
• Diversity: Innovative/Proactive orientation to gender
– Proactive to recruiting, retention, promotion of women
– Diversity contributes to business
– Cultural asset
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13. (Qualitative) Two different implementation
level
• Low, Reactive implementation level
– Envisioned as part of benefit package:
– Limited scope: discretional & not all positions
– Cultural resistance in rigid arenas: Bureaucracies
• Advanced, Proactive implementation level
– Envisioned as a cultural asset
– Aligned to flexible cultures: Postbureaucracies
– Understand them as part of culture management
• Actions towards changing mindsets: employees & mgrs
www.dubitare.com
14. (Qualitative) Issue 1: A commitment based concept
of talent
• Firms state to be driven by talent not gender
– Talent is dominated by commitment in both cultures
– This vision seems incompatible with women
preferences
• Local & Globals have their own barriers
– Locals with functional talent & rigid timing
• Rigid timing is a barrier: flexible timing still is relaxed working
• Flexible timing perceived as social benefit measure
– Globals with market talent & flexible timing
• Flexible timing frequently becomes long & unsocial hours
• Flexible timing was already there: part of the culture
www.dubitare.com
15. (Qualitative) Issue 2: Work-family balance is not
resolved
• Work-family balance issues not resolved for
strategic/innovative positions
– Career progression needs commitment
• Part-time not a real alternative
– Reaching the top involves family/personal life
outsourcing
• Connects with Quanti
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16. (Qualitative) Issue 3 : Trends make structural
personal
• Structural limits transferred to individual
responsibility: “Your call” (Joanne)
– Discourse say it is possible to have it all
• Just have to try harder …
– But … in current Organizations
• Flexibility is subordinated to company needs
• Commitment is a must for career sucess
• Current Globals best proposals
– Time management & tools to set your own limits
– Sabbaticals to recover
– Moving boundaries back towards organization
www.dubitare.com
18. In conclusion
• Gender & Innovation
– Different context for Manufacturing & Services
• Innovation & Women correlate significantly
– More significant with an open, broad innovation
– Efficiency vs. Equity vs. Organizational factors
• Men & women don’t agree on barriers
– Stereotyping?, preserving corporate image?, self-presentation?
• Organizational cultures are not all the same
– Diversity vs. Equality//Flexible-Non//Implementation levels
• Policies are not solving issues
– Teleworking/Flexible timing is not work-family balance
• Boundaryless work arises as key barrier in
Postbureaucracies
– Responsibility on individual increases
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19. We leave for later discussion …
• Medium term questions/tactics for bridging the gap
• Long term questions/strategy for bridging the gap
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