[AISWorld] Published - Special issue on "Gender and Computing at Work" (Vol. 2, Issue 1) - the International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP)

[Celia R. Livermore]

International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP)
Official Publication of the Information Resources Management Association
Volume 2, Issue 1, January-March2011
Published: Quarterly in Print and Electronically
ISSN: 1947-9131 EISSN: 1947-914X
Published by IGI Publishing, Hershey-New York, USA
www.igi-global.com/ijep

Editor-in-Chief: Celia Romm Livermore, Wayne State University, USA

PAPER ONE

Gender and Anonymity in Virtual Teams: An Exploratory Study

Elizabeth Koh (National University of Singapore, Singapore) 
Na Liu (National University of Singapore, Singapore) 
John Lim (National University of Singapore, Singapore)

With the advancement of information and communication technology, virtual teams are becoming more popular as geographical constraints in collaboration have become a non-issue. Features of the technology and characteristics of the group influence interaction processes and outcomes. Two elements are the focus of this paper. The first is anonymity, which has been made feasible by technology. The other concerns gender. Gender is an important research target, and its role in groupwork must not be overlooked. Both elements have aroused much interest across multiple research fields. The existing literature shows their potential in influencing team collaboration processes, satisfaction, and performance. In this paper, the authors present a process-based interpretation of virtual team collaboration, incorporating the anonymity of technology and the gender difference of team members. Using a multiple case study approach, the paper identifies a key set of process variables that shape team performance. The study also examines the interdependencies among the processes. Task-related activity that occurred during team discussion was affected by gender anonymity, and this influenced group performance and members’ satisfaction toward the collaboration process. Group dynamics, including member awareness, leader emergence, and member’s conformity, are salient process variables that affect the virtual team performance as well.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=51347    

PAPER TWO

ICT as an Enabler for Small Firm Growth: The Case of the Mompreneur

Yvonne Costin (University of Limerick, Ireland)

The advancing pace of women’s entrepreneurial activity across the globe is a promising trend to fuel economic development and social progress (Fitzsimons & O’Gorman, 2005). Analysis of the reasons why women start a new business, the choice of product/service, and industry sector highlight the home-based female entrepreneur. These entrepreneurs constitutes a segment referred to as the mompreneurs—mothers who establish a business operated from home. Thus, although mompreneurs gain benefits of operating their business from home, they also experience additional challenges. One such issue is their dependence on ICT. To succeed and grow, mompreneurs’ businesses must use ICT as a backbone for the business in an integrated manner. In this article, the author examines the adoption and application of ICT in the mompreneur business, as well as the challenges encountered in its effective use. A specific emphasis is placed on the issue of ICT and its use by the mompreneur in undertaking business transactions and as a means of facilitating small firm growth.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=51348    

PAPER THREE

Support Structures for Women in Information Technology Careers   

Ruth Guthrie (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA) 
Louise Soe (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA) 
Elaine Yakura (Michigan State University, USA)

This paper examines issues of support for women with Information Technology (IT) careers. Data was collected from interviews with 38 women, which lasted about 90 minutes. Questions were open-ended regarding aspects of their careers and career paths. The women represented a wide variety of experience and nine different industry sectors and at varying organizational levels. Research on the lack of women in STEM disciplines focuses mainly on undergraduate education and attracting women to STEM disciplines, focusing on “filling the pipeline.” This paper examines what it takes to have a successful, satisfying career, highlighting areas of support for women that may influence their success in IT careers.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=51349   

PAPER FOUR

Gender Segregation and ICT: An Indo-British Comparison  

Sunrita Dhar-Bhattacharjee (University of Salford, UK) 
Haifa Takruri-Rizk (University of Salford, UK)

Gender segregation in science, engineering, construction, technology (SECT) is a persistent feature, both in India and the UK. Although culturally the two countries differ, under-representation of women in SECT is widespread and a cause for general apprehension, and in recent years, this has gained recognition in the study of gender, work, and family. In this paper, the authors discuss findings of a comparative study undertaken between India and Britain in the ICT sector. Using 27 interviews with ICT professionals in the two countries, the authors discuss views on ICT education, recruitment, and employment practices, work-life balance, changing gender relations, opportunities for progression, and retention in the two countries. The authors take into consideration women’s role in power and politics and how the “public” and “private” patriarchy shapes women’s position in the labour market, with an essential backdrop of “patrifocality” in the Indian context.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=51350    


PAPER FIVE

The Effect of Gender on Perceived Benefits of and Drivers for ICT Adoption in Australian Medical Practices   

Robert MacGregor (University of Wollongong, Australia) 
Peter Hyland (University of Wollongong, Australia) 
Charles Harvie (University of Wollongong, Australia)

Similar to other Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), medical practices can gain a great deal by adopting and using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Unlike other SMEs, little is known about General Practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions of the benefits of ICT use or about the differences between these perceptions by male and female GPs. This paper reports a survey of these perceptions of the drivers for and benefits of ICT use by male and female GPs in Australia.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/article.aspx?titleid=51351    

BOOK REVIEW

Review of Gender and Information Technology: Moving Beyond Access to Co-Create Global Partnership

Reviewed by Christine Rodemeyer, Wayne State University, USA

To obtain a copy of the review, check out this issue at your local library or click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/Files/Ancillary/1947-9131_2_1_BookReview.pdf 

INTERVIEW
What It Means to be a Female Political Blogger:
An Interview with Debbie Schlussel

Interviewed by Celia Romm Livermore, Wayne State University, USA 
http://www.igi-global.com/Files/Ancillary/1947-9131_2_1_Interview.pdf  

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For full copies of the above articles, check for this issue of the International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) in your institution's library.  This journal is also included in the IGI Global aggregated "InfoSci-Journals" database: http://www.igi-global.com/EResources/InfoSciJournals.aspx.
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CALL FOR PAPERS

Mission of IJEP: 

The mission of the International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) is to define and expand the boundaries of e-politics as an emerging area of inter-disciplinary research and practice by assisting in the development of e-politics theories and empirical models. The journal creates a venue for empirical, theoretical, and practical scholarly work on e-politics to be published, leading to sharing of ideas between practitioners and academics in this field. IJEP contributes to the creation of a community of e-politics researchers by serving as a “hub” for related activities, such as organizing seminars and conferences on e-politics and publication of books on e-politics.

Coverage of IJEP:

 The International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) focuses on three major topic areas: the politics of information technology function and its role within organizations, the politics of virtual communities and social networking communities, and the role that electronic media plays in community activism and party politics at the local, national, and international levels. Within these major areas, specific topics of interest to be discussed in the journal include (but are not limited to) the following:

E-voting and electronically enabled e-government
Impact of globalization on the political role played by the IT unit within organizations
Impact of race and gender on electronically enabled political manipulations
Party politics and social activism
Politics of diffusion of change within organizations
Politics of social networking communities, including: learning communities, customers' communities, e-dating communities, gaming communities, support group communities, etc.
Politics of the IT function and role in organizations
Politics of virtual communities and social networking communities
Politics of geographically based virtual communities
Use of electronic media for surveillance manipulation and harassment
Use of electronic media in industrial and labor relations
Utilization of electronic media for governance and politicking at the municipal, state, national, and international levels
Utilization of electronic media for political debate, information sharing, political decision making, and fundraising

Interested authors should consult the journal's manuscript submission guidelines at www.igi-global.com/ijep 

All inquiries and submissions should be sent to: 
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Celia Romm Livermore at ak1667 at wayne.edu 

-- 
Celia Romm Livermore (PhD)
Editor-in-Chief
International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP)
School of Business Administration
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
E-mail address: ak1667 at wayne.edu
www.igi-global.com/IJEP

President Elect
Global Information Technology Management Association (GITMA)
http://www.gitma.org/