Factors That Influence Perceptions of it Diversity

Although researchers have considered diversity in IT, few studies have specifically analyzed the underlying components of individual perceptions of diversity. This research-in-progress reports on an exploratory factor analysis as an initial step towards validating the Diversity Perceptions Inventory (DPI). The DPI was administered to a group of 165 students, and four factors emerged from the analysis: motivation to select an IT career, teamwork perceptions, prior experiences in IT, and perceptions of diversity use in IT. The DPI is expected to be useful to researchers who want to study diversity dimensions, including gender, age, ethnicity, and disability status.