Girl talk: Female recruitment and diverse IT

Abstract

Purpose

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

Certain things simply do not belong together. Meat and vegetarians, bare flesh and cellulite, garlic and seduction. The possibilities are endless. Some people might be tempted to add girls and technology to the list. Given what statistics reveal about the IT sector, such considerations might well be warranted. In the UK, for instance, women account for just a sixth of the 1.6 million‐strong IT workforce. Only 20 percent of managers are female and with software professionals and strategists the proportion is even lower. A similar picture is painted globally, with research suggesting that the gulf between the number of male and female employees is if anything becoming even wider. And with the industry facing a growing skills shortage, it is little wonder that the technology world is showing its concern.

Practical implications

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Citation

(2008), "Girl talk: Female recruitment and diverse IT", Strategic Direction, Vol. 24 No. 11, pp. 23-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/02580540810915011