Underrepresentation of Women in Management Information Systems: Gender Differences in Key Environmental Barriers

Authors: Asli Yagmur Akbulut

Abstract:

Despite a robust and growing job market and lucrative salaries, there is a global shortage of Information Technology (IT) professionals. To make matters worse, women continue to be underrepresented in the IT workforce and among IT degree holders. In today’s knowledge based economy and society, it is extremely important to increase the presence of women in the IT field. In order to do so, it is necessary to reduce entry barriers and attract more women to pursue degrees in various IT fields including the field of Management Information Systems (MIS). Even though MIS is considered to have a more feminine nature, women still tend to avoid majoring in this field. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research that investigates the specific factors that may deter women from pursuing a degree in MIS. To address this research gap, this study examined a set of key environmental barriers that might prevent women from pursuing an MIS degree and explored whether there were any gender differences between female and male students in terms of these key barriers. Based on a survey of 280 students enrolled in an introductory level MIS course, the study empirically confirmed that there were significant differences between male and female students in terms of the key contextual barriers perceived. Female students demonstrated major concerns about gender discrimination related barriers, whereas male students were more concerned about negative social influences. Both male and female students were equally concerned about not being able to fit in well with other MIS majors. The findings have important implications for MIS programs, as the information gained can be used to design and implement specific intervention strategies to overcome the barriers and attract larger pools of women to the MIS discipline. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings, implications, and future research directions.

Keywords: Gender differences, MIS major, underrepresentation, women in IT.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1130949

References:

[1] NCWIT, National Center for Women & Information Technology, “Fact Sheet,” https://www.ncwit.org/ncwit-fact-sheet, (accessed on 11/20/2016), 2016.
[2] KGWI, Kelly Global Workforce Index, “The Talent Project, Women in STEM: A European Perspective”, http://de.slideshare.net/thetalentproject/kgwi-women-in-stem-a-european-perspective, (accessed on 11/20/2016), 2016.
[3] S. Beyer, K. Rynes, and S. Haller, “Deterrents to Women Taking Computer Science Courses,” IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, pp.21-28, Spring 2004.
[4] L. Carter, “Why Students with an Apparent Aptitude for Computer Science don’t Choose to Major in Computer Science,” Proceedings of the SIGCSE Conference, pp. 27-31, 2006.
[5] A. Craig, R. Paradis, and E. Turner “A Gendered View of Computer Professionals: Preliminary Results of a Survey,” Inroads SIGCSE Bulletin, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 101-104, 2002.
[6] J.M. Cohoon, “Toward improving female retention in the computer science major,” Communications of the ACM, vol. 44, pp. 108-114, 2001.
[7] J. Margolis and A. Fisher, Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing, Cambridge. 2003.
[8] S. Michie, and D. L. Nelson, “Barriers women face in information technology careers: Self-efficacy, passion and gender biases,” Women in Management Review, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 10-27, 2006.
[9] J. Teague, “Women In Computing: What Brings Them To It, What Keeps Them In It?” ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 147-158, 2002.
[10] B. J. Tjaden, and B. C. Tjaden, “A Worldwide, Web-Based Study of Attitudes of College Freshman towards Computing,” Proceedings of the Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp. 29-32, 2000.
[11] M. Ahuja, C. Ogan, S.C. Herring, and J.C. Robinson “Gender and Career Choice Determinants in Information Systems Professionals: A Comparison with Computer Science” in Niederman, F. and T. Farrat (eds.) IT Workers: Human Capital Issues in a Knowledge-Based Environment, Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, pp. 279-304, 2006.
[12] K. D. Joshi and N.L. Schmidt “Is the Information Systems Profession Gendered? Characterization of IS Professionals and IS Career,” Database for Advances in Information Systems, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 26-41, 2006.
[13] K.D. Joshi and K. Kuhn, “What Determines Interest in an IS Career? An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action”, Communications of the AIS, vol. 29, no. 8, 2011.
[14] J. L. Swanson and M.B. Woitke, “Theory into practice in career assessment for women: Assessment and interventions regarding perceived career barriers,” Journal of Career Assessment, vol. 5, pp. 431–450, 1997.
[15] J. L. Swanson, K. K. Daniels, and D. M. Tokar, “Assessing perceptions of career related barriers: The Career Barriers Inventory,” Journal of Career Assessment, vol. 4, pp. 219–244, 1996.
[16] Y. Guo “Career barriers for social work students in China,” Journal of Social Work, pp. 1–17, 2016.
[17] J. L Swanson and D. M. Tokar, “Development and initial validation of the Career Barriers Inventory,” Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 39, pp. 344–361.
[18] S. H. Lee, S. M. Lee, and K. Yu, “A typology of career barriers,” Asia Pacific Education Review, vol. 9, pp. 157–167, 2008.
[19] E. H. McWhirter, “Perceived Barriers to Education and Career Ethnic and Gender Differences,” Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 50, pp. 124–140, 1997.
[20] D. A. Luzzo and E.H. McWhirter, “Sex and ethnic differences in the perception of educational and career-related barriers and levels of coping efficacy,” Journal of Counseling and Development, vol. 79, pp. 61–67, 2001.
[21] E. H. McWhirter, D. M. Torres, S, Salgado, and M. Valdez, “Perceived barriers and postsecondary plans in Mexican American and White adolescents,” Journal of Career Assessment, vol. 15, pp. 119–138, 2007.
[22] R. W. Lent, S.D. Brown, and G. Hackett, “Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance,” Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 79-122, 1994.
[23] R. W. Lent, S.D. Brown, J. Schmidt, B. Brenner, H. Lyons, and D. Treistman, “Relation of Contextual Supports and Barriers to Choice Behavior in Engineering Majors: Test of Alternative Social Cognitive Models,” Journal of Counseling Psychology, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 458–465, 2003.
[24] M. C. Boudreau, D. Gefen, and D. Straub “Validation in IS Research: A State-of-the-Art Assessment,” MIS Quarterly, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 1-16, 2001.