Women in Technology

[AppDefects]

Congratulations go out to the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology. This group represents the most prominent leaders who drive change, innovate and inspire others to succeed while contributing to the business direction of an organization.

[Chuxing]

(ISC)² Research Finds Women Comprise 24% of Global Cybersecurity Workforce:

https://www.isc2.org/News-and-Events/Press-Room/Posts/2019/04/02/ISC2-Research-Finds-Women-Comprise-...

[rslade]

> Chuxing (Community Champion) posted a new reply in Career on 04-02-2019 09:36 AM

> (ISC)² Research Finds Women Comprise 24% of Global Cybersecurity Workforce

Hmmmm. This is both encouraging, disturbing, and inconsistent with observations.

It's too bad that it's still only 24%.

It's good that it's growing.

I'm surprised that we aren't seeing more women actively participating in the
"community" if the number of women is growing. Particularly since they seem to
be heavily weighted to millennials, who should be keen on social media
participation.

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
Eventually, Barbra Streisand will not be remembered for her music
but only for the effect.
- https://twitter.com/mikko/status/573605676255150080
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[JoePete]

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@rslade wrote:
Hmmmm. This is both encouraging, disturbing, and inconsistent with observations.
It's too bad that it's still only 24%.
It's good that it's growing.

---

One nugget in the (ISC)2 report indicates that "higher percentages of women than men are attaining senior leadership and decision-making positions" such as CTO, IT director, etc. This would seem to indicate a disproportionate rise of those identifying as women vs those who identify as men when compared to the overall population (assuming there is a 3:1 ratio of men to women). 

There is a bit of a paradox to trying to read into such demographics. If the assumption is that there is a link between gender and the value someone brings to a profession, then doesn't it stand to reason that there is a link between gender and the appeal of a profession (to that gender) as well? An interesting case study is that post-2008 economic downturn, those companies with women on their boards tended to fare better than those that had all-male boards (McKinsey & Co did a study on this). The conclusion bandied about is that there is some link between gender and perception/embrace of risk. But the fallacy - perhaps - is assuming this to be a case of biology (or at least sexual identity) and not personality or experience.

[Leoh]

A friend of mine shared on Instagram the study about companies lead by women outperforming companies lead by all male leadership. The criteria was purely financial. I told her to be careful about that because I can use any criteria for the sake of financial growth and remove humanity from the equation.

Feels like we are celebrating primarily making more money than the fact that women are bringing in the money.

That means in theory one could exclude any group/individual/race/nationality/body shape/sexuality for the sake of financial performance.

What exactly are we celebrating and at the cost of what?

[JoePete]

---

@Leoh wrote:

A friend of mine shared on Instagram the study about companies lead by women outperforming companies lead by all male leadership. The criteria was purely financial. I told her to be careful about that because I can use any criteria for the sake of financial growth and remove humanity from the equation.

---

I believe it was McKinsey & Co. that did a study post-2008 crash, and the conclusion they drew was that companies with more women on their boards tended to handle the financial crisis better. The reasoning being that the stereotypical male thinking favored risk, etc. The problem I have with linking any demographic attribute to behavior is that there is no absolute correlation. Ultimately what we should desire is a diversity of veiwpoints unified by a perspective that is willing to listen to all. Today, we don't have either  - whether you are talking technology, politics, theology, or pretty much any sector of our society. Even on this issue of diversity, we are remarkably superficial and polarized. I credit our embrace of standardized testing, which ingrains in kids from a very early age that problems are solved with one and only one "right" answer. Certainly, the idiocy of our two major parties in the U.S. does not help matters. The reality, and we see this every day in information security, is that there are many ways of addressing a problem. All have strengths and weaknesses, and it takes a certain amount of analysis and open-mindedness to explore those possibilities. You do that, yes, in part to find the best solution, but more important, it is through an open mind and analysis that you develop the will to implement a solution attentively. This circles back to to the fact that we can talk diversity all we want, but unless we recognize the value of the people around us - and not begrudge them as the "opposition - then all we are doing is checking boxes. Yes, many women bring to the traditionally male-dominated tables a different experience and perspective, but that value is not linked to chromosomes.

[rslade]

> Leoh (Newcomer I) posted a new reply in Career on 06-24-2019 12:06 PM

> A friend of mine shared on Instagram the study about companies lead by women
> outperforming companies lead by all male leadership.

I can see that ...

> The criteria was purely
> financial. I told her to be careful about that because I can use any criteria
> for the sake of financial growth and remove humanity from the equation.

Amusing that you should put it that way. I highly recommend you read "The
Human Equation" by Jeffrey Pfeffer.
http://victoria.tc.ca/int-grps/books/techrev/bkhumequ.rvw