Is the glass ceiling cracked in information technology? …

A qualitative analysis: part 1

an article by Steven H Appelbaum and Kamal Argheyd (Concordia University, Montreal) and Neveen Asham (Technology Consultant in Montreal, Canada) published in Industrial and Commercial Training Volume 43 Issue 6 (2011)

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this research is to qualitatively investigate, through a literature review of past studies and an in-field case study, three different hypotheses regarding women working in the IT sector and their career and promotional aspirations.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was used for data collection from female employees with varying professional specializations across several IT departments within the company. Questions for the survey were designed from the findings of the literature review.
Findings
The results obtained have proven that married women who are intrinsically inspired to maintain their work-family balance face higher stress and more conflicts than those who do not. In addition, the glass ceiling was still evident in today’s corporations, but mainly affecting the older generation of women professionals. Also, the results slightly hinted at a ten-year cut-off period, after which promotional aspiration is lost.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the limitations of the research conducted, further qualitative studies can be done to compare careers and promotional patterns between men and women in the IT departments, as well as those between women in IT departments and women working in other departments.
Practical implications
Employers should strive to provide their female employees with practical solutions to allow for an easier balancing of work-family responsibilities, such as flexi-time and telecommuting. At the same time, the employers should place the female employees in more opportunity-enhancing positions within the corporation so that they can exploit or utilize their talents and increase the probability of climbing up the corporate ladder.
Originality/value
With a generous response rate, this paper provides a realistic perspective of professional females working within the IT domain with regard to their career and promotional aspirations.

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