Jeria L. Quesenberry

Ph.D. CandidateCenter for the Information SocietySchool of Information Sciences and TechnologyThe Pennsylvania State Universityjquesenberry@ist.psu.edu

The Role of Ubiquitous Information Environments in Work-Life Balance:

Perspectives from Women in the IT Workforce

Agenda

• Introduction• Background• Methodology• Initial Findings• Conclusions• Questions and Comments

Introduction

Growth of Ubiquitous Information Environments and Work-Life Balance Issues

Under-representation of Women in the IT Workforce

Objective of This Study is to Investigate the Role of Ubiquitous Computing in Work-Family Balance from Perspective of Females in the IT Workforce

Background

• Work-Life Balance Models • Consequences of Work-Life

Imbalance

• Ubiquitous Information Environments in Work-Life Balance

• Related Social Issues

MethodologyOverview

Research Questions:

1. How do ubiquitous information environments impact work-life balance for females in the IT workforce?

2. What are the implications of these impacts for the under representation of women in the IT workforce?

Research Design

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Theory

(Trauth, 2003)

Research Question

Trauth, E.M. (2003). “Qualitative Research in IST.” IST 597A: Qualitative Methods Course Presentation, March

27, 2003.

MethodologyResearch Study

• Piece of Larger Study of Women in the IT Workforce*– Interpretive Qualitative Research Study– Multi-Year Project with Female IT Practitioners and Academics– Represents Several Geographical Regions

• Data Collection– In-depth/Open Ended Interviews Lasted Approximately 90

Minutes in Length that Explore Three Main Areas

• Open Ended Coding Used to Analyze Data• Emergent Theory of Individual Differences

– Addresses Challenges to Theoretical Assumptions– Focuses on Differences within Rather than between Genders– Examines Issues at Individual Level Rather than Group Level

*NSF Award EIA-0204246

Initial Findings

• Overview• Positive

– Financial Aspects– Communication– Telecommuting

• Negative– 24/7 Workday– Rate of Technological

Change– Telecommuting

• Significance

Conclusions

• Study Demonstrates that not All Women are the Same and Should not be Viewed as a Variable Group

• Contributes to Theory and Practice

• Implications of Study

• Future Research

Questions and Comments