Könade strukturer i IT-branschen : En kvalitativ studie av kvinnors erfarenheter i projektteam

Sammanfattning

This study explores how work culture in project teams within the IT industry shapes women’s visibility and opportunities to take space in the organization, and how this relates to their perceived career development. Even though the gender imbalance in the IT industry is well established, there is still limited knowledge of how these structures take shape in everyday work practices and interactions. The study is qualitative and is based on eight semi-structured interviews with women working in the IT industry. The material has been analyzed using thematic analysis and interpreted through the theoretical framework Gendered Organizations Theory (Acker, 1990). The results show that visibility in project teams is not only about being active in discussions or getting your voice heard, but also about how ideas and contributions are received and interpreted. Several women describe that they need to prove their competence to a greater extent, that their ideas are more often questioned, and that they adapt how they behave and express themselves in meetings. The findings also indicate that informal structures and the division of labor influence who gets space and recognition in the organization. The study shows that gendered power structures are embedded in everyday work practices and shape how work is organized. This, in turn, affects women’s opportunities for influence and career development in IT project teams.