- Title
- South African women in information technology
- Creator
- Motaung, Linda
- Subject
- Women in science -- South Africa
- Subject
- Women computer industry employees Information services industry -- Employees Women -- Effect of technological innovations on -- South Africa Businesswomen -- South Africa
- Date Issued
- 2019
- Date
- 2019
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MBA
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/41964
- Identifier
- vital:36613
- Description
- Information Technology (IT) is a contemporary field of study which is driven by society’s use of computer based technology. Computer tools such as web applications and networks are useful resources that collect, analyse and distribute large volumes of information globally. The various uses of IT can be seen in many aspects of modern daily life from transportation to communication systems, they feature significantly in meeting the needs of the fast-paced world of business. Globally IT is recognised as a ‘key’ skill required to meet the needs of the current and future job market. However, the field is faced with a skills shortage challenge as job vacancies remain largely unfilled due to the low supply of technically qualified talent. The challenge faced in the field of IT is that the demand for highly skilled and qualified talent in the job market is high, while the supply of talent is not sufficient. Thus, there is a gap between the opportunities and skills available in the IT workforce. A factor that compounds the lack of available talent in IT is the low levels of participation and representation of women. Technology is part of the universally significant STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, which prior academic research has indicated as critical fields that have previously been male dominated and have low levels of participation from women. In this treatise an in-depth examination of women’s career choices with regards to the profession of IT in the global and South African context will be discussed. A thorough analysis into the various factors that influence the participation of women, the implications this has for South African businesses and the proposed interventions for future implementation will be included. The aim of this empirical study is to primarily identify current career trends that relate to female choices in the field of IT, to recognise the leading factors that impact women to enter the profession and to identify the factors that lead to a high turnover mid-career. Lastly, this treatise will propose how businesses can combat these negative gender gap trends and attract female talent. The literature review extensively considered published academic articles that have discussed the personality traits and external environmental factors that substantially influence the female gender’s choice of career. The underlying theories that explain gender involvement in career choices will be examined with a focus on the application of these theories in the IT field. A quantitative study in the form of an online survey was conducted to test the formulated conceptual model. Inferential statistics coupled with descriptive tests evaluated and analysed the feedback of the respondents. The survey was conducted amongst professional women, currently working in an IT career to establish the factors that have attracted their participation in the field and the factors that influence their longevity in the IT field. The main findings of the study indicate that women who opt for a career in IT have high levels of intrinsic motivation, confidence and possess similar mental abilities as their male counterparts. The respondents indicated the lack of encouragement or discouragement from close sources of support such as peers, family members and religious circle. The recommendations are based on the fact that entrance to the field of IT, for women, is through raising interest in IT from early schooling life. This, interest results in growing familiarity with the subject area, IT careers and the IT environment. The lack of women in IT academic and top-level management positions has resulted in less solutions being availed for attracting and retaining women in IT. Women in IT face similar working conditions of male dominated environments where family demands, gender bias and alienation result in occupational challenges. The research identified the factors that have largely influenced the career choices of women in IT and investigate the social structures that affect the retention of women in IT. The research contribution of this study is to increase the awareness by young females regarding careers in IT. Future research in obtaining larger sample sizes affecting all parts of South Africa will increase the understanding of South African Women in IT. Through research, the investigation of modern factors that affect the choices of the younger generation including practice and application of practical solutions will result in a bigger impact in the IT sector.
- Format
- xiii, 166 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | LINDA MOTAUNG.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |