Development of Gender-Specific Technologies. Evidence from China, Poland and Sweden

The broader interest and also the novelty of the research discussed here concerns gender aspects of technology use in the innovation system. The generic question that drives this research is to what extent it is necessary to distinguish between women and men in the use of technology. A second question is, if gender-specific differences exist, to what extent is the innovation system capable of utilizing experiences also from women. The empirical data presented here on women as innovators and users of technology indicate that there indeed exist differences in preferences between genders and that the innovation systems have been slow or incapable of exploiting these differences with a consequent welfare loss to society. Introduction and background In January 2006, the project Women Scientists in Gender-Specific Technological R&D – How do Women Scientists in Technological R&D Respond to the Needs of Women EndUsers? (WOSISTER) was launched. The project aimed at clarifying the process of how women scientists engaged in technological R&D respond to the needs of women endusers. In other words, how is demand by women end-users articulated and taken up by women researchers? Two sets of technologies – agricultural equipment for rural application and teleservices – were selected as case studies; one set representing mature,