WOMEN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAREERS: A PERSON-PROCESS-CONTEXT-TIME FRAMEWORK

The underrepresentation of women in IT is a research area that has received much attention in recent years. Extant research has examined many factors that contribute to and/or improve the widening gender gap. Review articles to date have focused on certain aspects of the field, e.g., the pipeline (Gürer and Camp, 2001), secondary and post-secondary education (Sanders, 2005; Singh, Allen, Scheckler, and Darlington, 2007), and women in IT careers (Ahuja, 2002). There is a need for a comprehensive framework that synthesizes and extends existing research using a new research lens. We propose an integrative organizing model that draws on the career theory literature, Bronfenbrenner\u27s ecological system theory (Bronfenbrenner, 2004), the relational model of career decisions (Mainiero and Sullivan, 2005), and Super\u27s life-span, life-space approach to career development (Super, 1990). Examples of how the framework can be applied are discussed

The Dynamics of Women in IT: A Unifying Framework

The underrepresentation of women in IT is a research area that has received much attention in recent years. Extant research has examined many factors that contribute to and/or improve the widening gender gap. Review articles to date have focused on certain aspects of the field, e.g., the pipeline (Gürer and Camp, 2001), secondary and post-secondary education (Sanders, 2005; Singh, Allen, Scheckler, and Darlington, 2007), and women in IT careers (Ahuja, 2002). There is a need for a comprehensive framework that synthesizes and extends existing research using a new research lens. We propose an integrative organizing model that draws on the career theory literature, Bronfenbrenner\u27s ecological system theory (Bronfenbrenner, 2004), the relational model of career decisions (Mainiero and Sullivan, 2005), and Super\u27s life-span, life-space approach to career development (Super, 1990). Examples of how the framework can be applied are discussed

Behind the Curtains of Privacy Calculus on Social Networking Sites: The Study of Germany and the USA

As social networking sites (SNSs) become increasingly global, the issues of cultural differences in participation patterns become acute. However, current research offers only limited insights into the role of culture behind SNS usage. Aiming to fill this gap, this study adopts a ‘privacy calculus’ perspective to study the differences between German and American SNS users. Results of structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis reveal distinct variability in the cognitive patterns of American and German subjects. We contribute to the theory by rejecting the universal nature of privacy-calculus processes. From a practical standpoint, our results signal that SNS providers cannot rely on the “proven” means in ensuring user participation when crossing geographic boundaries. When financial means are limited, SNS providers should direct their investments into enhancing platform enjoyment and granting users with more control and, paradoxically, lobbying for more legalistic safeguards of user privacy

The Role of National Culture Differences in User Adoption of Social Netowrking

Social networking sites are extremely popular around the world with millions of users logging in daily to reconnect with their friends or find new ones. Using Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture and diffusion of innovation as theoretical basis this paper investigates whether users of social networking websites perceive and adopt online social networking differently across different cultures, specifically focusing on Morocco and the United States. Most studies of social networking websites have focused on the users in the United States. This research proposes a unique cross cultural comparison of social networking and its diffusion in different countries

ONLINE DISCLOSURE AND PRIVACY CONCERNS: A STUDY OF MOROCCAN AND AMERICAN FACEBOOK USERS

In using online social networks to connect and interact with people has become extremely popular all around the world. Thelargest Social Networking Site (SNS), Facebook, offers its services in over 70 languages and increasingly relies oninternational users to grow its membership. Aiming to understand the role of culture in SNS participation, this study adopts a‘privacy calculus’ perspective to examine the differences in participation patterns between American and MoroccanFacebook users. Survey results show that Moroccans users disclose less on Facebook than US users, yet perceive moredamage should their privacy on Facebook be violated. American users, on the other hand, have lower privacy concerns, trustfellow SNS members and legal system more, and disclose more in their profile. From a practical standpoint, the resultsindicate that SNS providers cannot rely on the same methods to encourage user participation and disclosure in differentcountries

INVESTIGATION OF THE NETWORK CONSTRUCTION BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

By enabling connections between individuals, Social Networking Sites, such as Facebook, promise to create significant individual as well as social value. Encouraging connections between users is also crucial for service providers who increasingly rely on social advertising and viral marketing campaigns as important sources of their revenue. Consequently, understanding user’s network construction behavior becomes critical. However, previous studies offer only few scattered insights into this research question. In order to fill this gap, we employ Grounded Theory methodology to derive a comprehensive model of network construction behavior on social networking sites. In the following step we assess two Structural Equation Models to gain refined insights into the motivation to send and accept friendship requests – two network expansion strategies. Based on our findings, we offer recommendations for social network providers

Self-disclosure and privacy calculus on social networking sites: the role of culture

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become extremely popular around the world. They rely on user-generated content to offer engaging experience to its members. Cultural differences may influence the motivation of users to create and share content on SNS. This study adopts the privacy calculus perspective to examine the role of culture in individual self-disclosure decisions. The authors use structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis to investigate this dynamics. The findings reveal the importance of cultural dimensions of individualism and uncertainty avoidance in the cognitive processes of SNS users

It’s All About Networking! Empirical Investigation of Social Capital Formation on Social Network Sites

As Social Network Sites (SNS) permeate our daily routines, the question whether participation results in value for SNS users becomes particularly acute. This study adopts a \u27participation-source-outcome\u27 perspective to explore how distinct uses of SNS generate various types of social capital benefits. Building on existing research, extensive qualitative findings and an empirical study with 253 Facebook users, we uncover the process of social capital formation on SNS. We find that even though active communication is an important prerequisite, it is the diversified network structure and the increased social connectedness that are responsible for the attainment of the four benefits of social capital on SNS: emotional support, networking value, horizon broadening and offline participation. Moreover, we propose and validate scales to measure social capital benefits in the novel context of SNS

Effectiveness Of Justice-Based Measures In Managing Trust And Privacy Concerns On Social Networking Sites: An Intercultural Perspective

The unprecedented success of social networking sites (SNSs) has been recently overshadowed by concerns about privacy risks. As SNS users grow weary of privacy breaches and thus develop distrust, they may restrict or even terminate their platform activities. In the long run, these developments endanger SNS platforms’ financial viability and undermine their ability to create individual and social value. By applying a justice perspective, this study aims to understand the means at the disposal of SNS providers to leverage the privacy concerns and trusting beliefs of their users—two important determinants of user participation on SNSs. Considering that SNSs have a global appeal, empirical tests assess the effectiveness of justice measures for three culturally distinct countries: Germany, Russia and Morocco. The results indicate that these measures are particularly suited to address trusting beliefs of SNS audience. Specifically, in all examined countries, procedural justice and the awareness dimension of informational justice improve perceptions of trust in the SNS provider. Privacy concerns, however, are not as easy to manage, because the impact of justice-based measures on privacy concerns is not universal. Beyond theoretical value, this research offers valuable practical insights into the use of justice-based measures to promote trust and mitigate privacy concerns in a cross-cultural setting