Gender Diversity and Changing Roles in IT/ITeS

Companies in India
TH EM E: I NNO VATIO N I N BUSI NESS TH RO UG H G ENDER
DI VERS IT Y

M ENTO R/ G UI DE
NAM E : DR. ABHI SHE K J HA
DE SI GNAT I ON: ASS I STANT PROFE S SOR
DE PART M E NT / S CHOOL : SCHOOL OF M ANAGE M E NT
 RESEARCHERS/ STUDENTS
S.No. Name of Student School Programme
1) Sanah Mehra School of BBA
Management
2) Riya Garg School of BBA
Management
3) Rashi Kataria School of BBA
Management
4) Kritika Sehrawat School of B.Com Hons
Management
5) Sunny Yadav Centre of Vocational B.Com Hons
Studies
6) Pooja Sinha Centre of Vocational B.Com Hons
Studies
 INTRODUCTION
A sterotype, disparity, and criticism-free environment promote creativity and efficiency in employees
as they are not worried about hiding their gender identity.
Nowadays, IT industry is becoming the most sought after career option for women in India. However,
the industry needs more female role models in leadership positions.
A Zinnov-Intel Gender Diversity Benchmark Report released in December, 2019 highlights that women
comprise merely 26% of IT/ITes roles at corporate in India compared to 31% representation in non-
technical roles. Moreover, women accounted for only 11% representation in senior leadership roles,
38% in the junior level and 20% in middle-level roles.
This report attempts to examine the emerging ‘new identity’ of Indian women in IT companies.
 LITERATURE REVIEW
•(Cheng and Groysberg, 2020) confirmed that inclusion of gender diversity at the board level in the organization enhances innovation and
success. Naveed, Khalid and Voinea (2022) confirmed that there is a high correlation between board gender diversity and green innovation
in corporates.
• Euchner (2013) identified how innovation in gender diversity leads to ease of change management in the organization.
• (Gomez and Bernet, 2019) emphasized how gender diversity boosts performance of employees and financial outcome of the
organization. Quintana, Marchante and Benavides (2022) found that innovation can mostly be achieved via gender and ethnic diversity at
workplace.
• Hayashi (2015) identified that fostering gender diversity and empowering women leads to increased innovation in the organization. Ruiz-
Jimenez, Fuente and Ruis-Arroyo (2016) supported the theory that gender diversity increases performance of top management teams in
technology firms.
• Hemmert, Cho and Lee (2022) identified that gender diversity promotes innovation all throughout the organization. Yang and Konrad
(2011) identified that there is a strong correlation between diversity and innovation being accomplished by the entire organization.
• Hernandez-Lara and Gonzales-Bustos (2020) revealed that women directors help in bringing innovative practices within the organization.
Hunt, Prince and Yee (2018) found that diversity can indeed be worked out to deliver performance.
• McCausland (2021) revealed that in order to go for innovation, one has to rely on diversity.
 RESEARCH GAP

1) There is a need to study the level of gender diversity on overall advancement of all the employees in
the organization. [(Gomez and Bernet, 2019) and Hayashi (2015)]
2) There is a need to study the level of gender diversity on increased investment in the organization.
[Ruiz-Jimenez, Fuente and Ruis-Arroyo (2016), (Cheng and Groysberg, 2020)]
3) There is a need to find the relation between gender diversity and increased revenue being earned by
the company. [McCausland (2021), Hemmert, Cho and Lee (2022) and Euchner (2013)]
 OBJECTIVES
1. To check the level of gender diversity in IT/ITeS companies.
2. To check the advancement of employees due to gender diversity.
3. To check the level of increase in investment due to gender diversity.
4. To check the level of increase in revenue due to gender diversity.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Type of Research: Analytical
Target sample: Employees of IT/ITeS Companies
Type of Sampling: convenient/ probability etc… Judgement Sampling
Sample Size: 150
Tools to be used: Data Collection Tools – Questionnaire, Google Form
Data Analysis Tools – Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Cronbach’s Alpha Test,
Chi Square Test of Independence,
Ordinal Logistic Regression test
 PROPOSED HYPOTHESIS

1) H0: There is no gender diversity in IT/ITeS companies

H1: There is gender diversity in IT/ITeS companies

2) H0: There is no effect on advancement of employees due to gender diversity.

H1: There is an effect of advancement of employees due to gender diversity.

3) H0: There is no increased investment due to gender diversity.

H1: There is an increased investment due to gender diversity.

4) H0: There is no increased revenue due to gender diversity.

H1: There is an increased revenue due to gender diversity.
 PILOT STUDY
(Fieldwork)
Questionnaire 1/2
A research was conducted on the topic “Innovation In Business Through Gender Diversity.” We conducted a survey with the help of
a questionnaire and collected 61 responses in total. Basic information of each respondent such as name, email address, contact
number, etc was also collected.

The questions that were asked are mentioned below-

Q1) Which age group do you belong to? 

Q2) Are you working?

Q3) Where are you working? 

Q4) What is your gender? 

Q5) Do you think men and women are equal?

Q6) Do you think men and women are treated equally at your workplace?

Q7) Does your workplace have a gender inclusive culture?

Q8) Has their ever been an incident at work where you felt harassed or bullied because of your gender?
 PILOT STUDY
(Fieldwork)
Questionnaire 2/2

Q9) How important is gender at your workplace when it comes to advancement opportunities such as promotions, bonuses, etc?  

Q10) Have you ever felt that your gender has played a role in you missing out on promotions, key assignments, or any other such opportunity to
get ahead? 

Q11) If you are given the opportunity to hire between two people, one male and one female, both with the same skillset and qualifications, who will
you hire and why? 

Q 12) Has there been any recent event in which gender diversity was paid attention to in your organization? (Gender Balancing Event)

Q 13) Please mark the level of change in gender diversity at your workplace after the gender balancing event on the following scale:-

1) 1 – Too low, 2) 2 – Low, 3) 3 – Average, 4) 4 – High, 5) 5 – Very High

Q 14) Please mark the level of advancement /growth of all employees at your workplace after the gender balancing event on the
following scale:-

1) 1 – Too low, 2) 2 – Low, 3) 3 – Average, 4) 4 – High, 5) 5 – Very High

Q 15) Please mark the level of increased investment at your organization after the gender balancing event on the following scale:-

1) 1 – Too low, 2) 2 – Low, 3) 3 – Average, 4) 4 – High, 5) 5 – Very High

Q 16) Please mark the level of increased revenue at your organization after the gender balancing event on the following scale:-

1) 1 – Too low, 2) 2 – Low, 3) 3 – Average, 4) 4 – High, 5) 5 – Very High

The results of the survey in the form of pie charts are given ahead-
If you are given the opportunity to hire
between two people, one male and one
female, both with the same skillset and
qualifications, who will you hire and why?
Lots of different answers were given for
this question. However, majority of them
said that the gender will not be a deciding
factor and whichever candidate is better
suited for the role will be given the job.
Few responses also said that they would
hire the female candidate so as to
increase diversity and inclusivity. Few
responses said that they will hire that
candidate who has a higher financial
need. One response said that they would
hire only the male candidate. 
 Has there been any recent event in which gender diversity was
paid attention to in your organization?
Yes
No; Sales; 0.3; 30% No

Yes; Sales; 0.7; 70%

Please mark the level of change in gender diversity at

your workplace after the gender balancing event on the
following scale:-
1
1; Sales; 0.1; 10% 2
5; Sales; 0.2; 20%
2; Sales; 0.15; 15% 3
4
5

4; Sales; 0.35; 35% 3; Sales; 0.2; 20%

Please mark the level of advancement /growth of all employees at
your workplace after the gender balancing event on the following
scale:-
1
5; Sales; 0.15; 15% 2
1; Sales; 0.3; 30% 3
4
4; Sales; 0.2; 20% 5

3; Sales; 0.15; 15% 2; Sales; 0.2; 20%

Please mark the level of increased investment at your organization
after the gender balancing event on the following scale:-
1; Sales; 0.05; 5% 1
5; Sales; 0.2; 20% 2; Sales; 0.1; 10% 2
3
3; Sales; 0.15; 15% 4
5

4; Sales; 0.5; 50%

Please mark the level of increased revenue at your organization after
the gender balancing event on the following scale:-
1; Sales; 0.03; 3% 2; Sales; 0.07; 7% 1
5; Sales; 0.3; 30% 2
3; Sales; 0.15; 15% 3
4
5

4; Sales; 0.45; 45%

 Reliability test of Questionnaire

As the Cronbach’s Alpha value is more than 0.8, the questionnaire is deemed to be reliable.
 PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION
1) The research aims to check whether sufficient diversity is present in the workplace or not.
2) The research aims to check whether gender diversity encourages advancement of all employees
at the workplace.
3) The research aims to check whether gender diversity leads to increased investment in the
concerned company or not.
4) The research aims to check whether gender diversity leads to increased revenues for the
concerned companies or not.
 LIMITATIONS

1) Respondents appear hesitant to provide response to such sensitive information.

2) Only a limited number of companies in a limited area can be contacted.
3) It appears difficult to contact higher level managers or directors who are involved in policy formulation.
4) Few of the senior managers ask us to sign non disclosure agreements so it is not possible to divulge
information provided by individual company and respondents.
5) IT/ITes industry is already known to favour women centric policies. Hence, responses provided by the
industry may not be representative of the actual on ground activities.
 REFERENCES 1/2
(APA format)
Cheng, J. Y. J., & Groysberg, B. (2020). Gender diversity at the board level can mean innovation success.
MIT Sloan Management Review, 61(2), 1-8.

Euchner, J. (2013). Innovation is change management. Research Technology Management, 56(4), 10-11.

Gomez, L. E., & Bernet, P. (2019). Diversity improves performance and outcomes.
Journal of the National Medical Association, 111(4), 383-392.

Hayashi, Y. (2015). Diversity and innovation: empowering women fosters innovation.

Journal on Innovation and Sustainability RISUS, 6(1), 3-12.

Hemmert, M., Cho, C. K., & Lee, J. Y. (2022). Enhancing innovation through gender diversity: A two-country study of top
management teams. European Journal of Innovation Management, (ahead-of-print).

Hernández-Lara, A. B., & Gonzales-Bustos, J. P. (2020). The influence of family businesses and women directors on innovation.
Applied Economics, 52(1), 36-51.

Hunt, V., Prince, S., Dixon-Fyle, S., & Yee, L. (2018). Delivering through diversity. McKinsey & Company, 231

McCausland, T. (2021). Why innovation needs more diversity. Research-Technology Management, 64(2), 59-63.

Naveed, K., Khalid, F., & Voinea, C. L. (2022). Board gender diversity and corporate green innovation: An industry‐level
institutional perspective. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management.
 REFERENCES 2/2
(APA format)
Quintana-García, C., Marchante-Lara, M., & Benavides-Chicón, C. G. (2022). Boosting innovation through gender and ethnic diversity in management teams.
Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(8), 54-67.

Ruiz-Jiménez, J. M., Fuentes-Fuentes, M. D. M., & Ruiz-Arroyo, M. (2016). Knowledge combination capability and innovation: The effects of gender
diversity on top management teams in technology-based firms. Journal of business ethics, 135(3), 503-515.

Vehviläinen, M., Vuolanto, P., & Ylijoki, O. H. (2010). Gender equality in interface organizations between science, technology and innovation. Journal of
technology management & innovation, 5(1), 152-165.

Reguera Alvarado, N., Laffarga Briones, J., & Fuentes Ruiz, P. D. (2011). Gender diversity on boards of directors and business success. Investment
Management and Financial Innovations, 8 (1), 199-209.

Yang, Y., & Konrad, A. M. (2011). Diversity and organizational innovation: The role of employee involvement. Journal of Organizational Behavior,
32(8), 1062-1083.
THANK YOU