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Is the information systems profession gendered?: characterization of IS professionals and IS career

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Nancy L. SchmidtAuthors Info & Claims

ACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems, Volume 37, Issue 4

Pages 26 - 41

https://doi.org/10.1145/1185335.1185343

Published: 28 November 2006 Publication History

Abstract

In spite of a more "feminine" nature of the information systems (IS) discipline due to its greater perceived social component, stereotypes and educational prejudices that are prevalent in the computer science discipline are assumed to exist in the information systems field. The objective of this study is to test the validity of this assumption by uncovering the perceptions of college students toward IS professionals and the IS profession. Our study reveals that stereotypes found to be associated with computer science also seem to permeate the IS field. However, after students are exposed to IS careers, they appear to grasp the unique nature of IS. In other words, while describing an IS professional and the IS profession, men and women were cognizant that the IS profession is a blend of technical, systems, social, and managerial components. This study also sheds some light on the question - Is the IS profession perceived to be gendered? Based on the study's results, we conclude that the students' perceptions of IS careers are to some extent gendered with a greater emphasis on masculine than feminine or gender neutral traits and abilities.

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Cited By

Rajala JIivari NKinnula MRajanen DMolin-Juustila T(2023)Perceiving ICT: Factors Influencing the Selection of Information Systems as a MajorProceedings of the 30th International Conference on Information Systems Development10.62036/ISD.2022.32Online publication date: 2023
https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2022.32
Rajala JIivari NKinnula MRajanen DMolin-Juustila T(2023)What Do They Study?: A Survey on Factors Influencing the Selection of Information Systems as a MajorAdvances in Information Systems Development10.1007/978-3-031-32418-5_13(223-237)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32418-5_13
Acilar ASæbø Ø(2022)Exploring students’ motivations in choosing to study information systems: is there a gender difference? A survey study in NorwayVINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-031554:6(1221-1232)Online publication date: 12-Jul-2022
https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-0315
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Is the information systems profession gendered?: characterization of IS professionals and IS career
1. Applied computing
  1. Education
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
        Information science education
    2. Computing profession
      1. Computing occupations

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Published In

cover image ACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems

ACM SIGMIS Database: the DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems Volume 37, Issue 4

Fall 2006

93 pages

ISSN:0095-0033

EISSN:1532-0936

DOI:10.1145/1185335

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2006 Authors.

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 28 November 2006

Published in SIGMIS Volume 37, Issue 4

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Cited By

Rajala JIivari NKinnula MRajanen DMolin-Juustila T(2023)Perceiving ICT: Factors Influencing the Selection of Information Systems as a MajorProceedings of the 30th International Conference on Information Systems Development10.62036/ISD.2022.32Online publication date: 2023
https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2022.32
Rajala JIivari NKinnula MRajanen DMolin-Juustila T(2023)What Do They Study?: A Survey on Factors Influencing the Selection of Information Systems as a MajorAdvances in Information Systems Development10.1007/978-3-031-32418-5_13(223-237)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32418-5_13
Acilar ASæbø Ø(2022)Exploring students’ motivations in choosing to study information systems: is there a gender difference? A survey study in NorwayVINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-031554:6(1221-1232)Online publication date: 12-Jul-2022
https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-0315
Bonner NKulangara NNerur STeng J(2021)An Empirical Investigation of the Perceived Benefits of Agile Methodologies Using an Innovation-Theoretical modelResearch Anthology on Recent Trends, Tools, and Implications of Computer Programming10.4018/978-1-7998-3016-0.ch010(202-231)Online publication date: 2021
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-3016-0.ch010
Merhout JBenamati JRajkumar T(2021)The influence of career panels on student perceptions, attitudes, and intentions toward the information systems professionDecision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education10.1111/dsji.1225720:2(61-75)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2021
https://doi.org/10.1111/dsji.12257
Mennega Nde Villiers C(2021)A quarter century of gender and information systems research: the role of theory in investigating the gender imbalanceGender, Technology and Development10.1080/09718524.2020.1859712(1-24)Online publication date: 20-Feb-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/09718524.2020.1859712
Vainionpää FKinnula MIivari NMolin-Juustila T(2020)Girls in IT: intentionally self-excluded or products of high school as a site of exclusion?Internet Research10.1108/INTR-09-2019-0395ahead-of-print:ahead-of-printOnline publication date: 8-Dec-2020
https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-09-2019-0395
Vainionpää FKinnula MIivari NMolin-Juustila T(2020)Career Choice and Gendered Perceptions of IT – A Nexus Analytic InquiryAdvances in Information Systems Development10.1007/978-3-030-49644-9_3(37-56)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2020
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Adya M(2019)Against All OddsCracking the Digital Ceiling10.1017/9781108609081.008(121-141)Online publication date: 10-Oct-2019
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Annabi HLebovitz S(2018)Improving the retention of women in the IT workforce: An investigation of gender diversity interventions in the USAInformation Systems Journal10.1111/isj.1218228:6(1049-1081)Online publication date: 7-Feb-2018
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