Reproducing gender inequality: Segregation and career paths in information technology jobs in Australia

Reproducing gender inequality: Segregation and career paths in information technology jobs in Australia Gillian Whitehouse and Chris Diamond University of Queensland This paper draws on recent survey data to examine horizontal and vertical segregation within information systems employment in Australia, and seeks to illuminate the ways in which gender inequality is reinforced and/or reshaped at organisational level in this rapidly evolving area. Our analysis shows patterns of horizontal segregation across job categories that suggest some limitations to the use of simple dichotomies such as ‘hard’ versus ‘soft’ technologies to explain the occupational distribution of women, while also identifying patterns of vertical segregation consistent with the situation in the broader labour market. The organisational case studies highlight both cultural and structural barriers that tend to reinforce gender inequalities in information technology work.