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Abstract
In a rapidly globalizing world, high growth sectors like information technology (IT) hold the key to narrow or broaden the gulf between men and women at work. However, there is a serious underrepresentation of women in the technology sector, particularly in leadership roles. This gulf between men and women at work is likely to widen unless immediate action is taken. ICT jobs can provide women with greater opportunities and higher wages, compared to the low-skill jobs that women are often crowded into. Yet, achieving gender neutrality and inclusivity in the IT sector is an uphill task. This paper focuses on the challenges, opportunities and conditions that can be created to facilitate the participation of urban, educated women of Pakistan in the IT sector. Although the empowerment aspects of individualization in the workplace for women are tangible, in Pakistan, there are a number of socio-cultural barriers and an implicit gender bias in education and employment which prevents greater participation of women in the IT sector. The paper also sets out specific recommendations for the government and private sectors to further increase gender inclusivity in employment. In doing so, it draws upon primary research and current behavioral economic insights and makes the case that a multi-sectoral effort involving the private sector, government, and macro-social environment is critical to radically disrupting bias, providing norm-changing solutions, and ensuring rapid gains to the economy from the inclusion of women in the sector.
Notes
1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2687247.stm.
2 http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2015-2016/economies/#economy = PAK.
3 Research indicates that the economic cost of women staying out of the labor market is between $42-$46 billion in year for the Asia-Pacific region (Tandon, Citation2012).
4 Lagarde Christine, https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/159423-Pakistans-moment-of-opportunity
5 Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2016.
6 http://www.pseb.org.pk
7 Interview data.
8 In the Philippines, the percentage of women employed in the field of science and technology was 52%. Malaysia has achieved gender parity in terms of participation of men and women in the IT workforce (UNESCO Science Report, Citation2015, Chapter 3, p. 93).
9 For instance, the introduction of 3G and 4G technology in Pakistan makes IT training accessible in remote and difficult to access areas of Pakistan, where private providers have already trained young women in IT and related skills http://fatada.gov.pk/project/establishment-of-women-skills-development-centers-in-fata/.
10 A good example of the empowerment of women entrepreneurs working in ICT-enabled businesses is Grameen Phone in Bangladesh, www.grameenphone.com.
11 A 2004 study asked Indian interviewees to react to the idea that mathematics is inherently masculine. Their response was ‘surprise, laughter, and bewilderment’ contrary to the reactions found among women in Western countries. The interviewees quoted several female mathematicians from Indian history (Mukhopadhyay, Citation2004).
12 The stereotype threat is one of the most widely researched areas in the field of social psychology. It makes the case that situational factors can influence people to confirm the negative beliefs/ stereotypes about certain social groups (Bohnet, Citation2016, p. 177).
13 Out of the 600 female entrepreneurs registered with the LCCI, 25 are specifically engaged in the IT sector.
14 The men were also randomly selected based on a list given by the LCCI.
15 LCCI is mandated to have all the entrepreneurs register with the institution and facilitate them in their entrepreneurial initiatives. In total four FGDs and seven interviews were conducted with the LCCI chamber staff. All members of the LCCI who had direct dealing with the entrepreneurs were interviewed.
16 Interview quotes by the head of PepsiCo, as they won the national award.
17 There are 2000 software houses and call centres in Pakistan with 14 IT parks located in major metropolitan area. The IT workforce include: Project Managers, Business Analysts, Software Developers, QA Engineers, Technical Writers, Graphics Designers, Web Developers and SEO Experts (Pakistan Software Export Board).
18 Interview data.
19 Interview quote of a woman IT entrepreneur.
20 Interview quote from male entrepreneur.
21 Interview quote of a woman IT entrepreneur.
22 The women who were ultimately successful in making it to decision-making roles, despite the conscious and unconscious gender biases, credited their accomplishments to familial support, motivation and flexible work policies that helped balance work and family commitments.
23 Interview quote from a female entrepreneur who set up a private IT firm.
24 Interview quote from the President of IT firm, (P@SHA).
25 Interview quote by IT employee in a private firm.
26 Interview quote by IT employee.
27 Interview quote by IT entrepreneur.
28 Cited as very important catalysts for their participation in the questionnaires.
29 Quote from a respondent in the FGD.
30 Quote from a respondent in the FGD.
31 Quote from an interview with LCCI staff.
32 Quote from interview with LCCI staff.
33 Interview quote from woman employee in the IT sector.
34 On a scale of 1 to 10, most responses were a 9 or a 10 on the lack of gender friendly organizational setup.
35 Interview quote by a woman IT entrepreneur.
36 Interview quote by a woman IT entrepreneur.
37 Interview quote by a woman IT entrepreneur.
38 Interview quote by a male entrepreneur running an IT firm.
39 Interview quote by an IT employee.
40 Interview quote by IT employee.
41 FGD quote from LCCI staff.
42 Bangladesh has formulated the National Science and Technology Policy, 2011 which encourages greater participation by women in science and technology (AASSA, Citation2015).
43 Interview data.
44 Interview data.
45 Interview quote by IT employee.
46 All insights gleaned after extensive interviews and focus group discussions in Pepsi Co International.
47 http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1333523681_951.pdf