Examining Gender Bias in Studies of Innovation

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Examining Gender Bias in Studies of Innovation

• By
• Nicola Crowden
• Innocom Conference
• October 18 - 21, 2003

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Linkages

• Centre for Policy Research on Science and
  Technology - CPROST
• Innovation Systems Research Network - ISRN
• - has never considered the impact of gender in
  responses to interview guides.
• - current analysis on technological innovation is
  assumed to be gender neutral.
• Womens Advisory Group on Innovation Studies -
  WAGIS

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WAGISs Working Hypothesis

• Would men and women answer the questions in the
  ISRN questionnaire differently? Is there an
  Inherent Bias?
• - Not a simple answer.
• - systemic and cultural challenges effect women's
  participation rate in technological innovation.
  (glass ceiling, existing corporate culture)
• - If under represent women's perspectives - could
  effect how we understand innovation.

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WAGISs Working Hypothesis Cont...

• Do Innovation-type surveys serve to exclude
  certain forms of innovative practices by using a
  limited target population?
• Yes.
• - exclude services (biotech consulting), cultural
  composition of workplace

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Research Methods

• Focus groups two groups of seven women working
  in executive or Sr. management positions within
  relevant industrial sectors who have decision
  making roles within their firm.
• Interviews eight women from the private sector
  who did not respond to the request to participate
  in focus groups
• Rational to discredit claims of self-selection
  sampling bias.

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Themes

• A) OSLO Manuals definition of innovation
  reflects a success bias, ignores the role of
  support services, and it does not measure
  cultural and social elements involved in the
  innovation process.
• - FG participants stated provides a narrow view
  of innovation, doesnt include trial and error,
  failed innovations, and methodologies used in
  their creation.
• - also ignores, service sector (OSLO Manual .
  4.2.3 - relates to manufacturing)

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Themes Cont...

• B) Surveys measuring innovation need to examine
  the culture surrounding innovation and how firms
  nurture the innovation process. This includes
  assessing human and cultural capital
• - lacks questions regarding human resources (how
  companies, retain employees, employee
  demographics and policies effecting employee
  demographics)
• - Oslo Manual S. 3.3 suggests mapping these
  dynamics but doesnt suggest how.
• - need to measure organization culture - to
  promote knowledge creation and transfer

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Themes Cont.

• C) Interdisciplinary tactics and teamwork promote
  innovation.
• - majority if FG and Interview participants
  perceived social processes to be fundamental to
  the innovation process - implying teamwork for
  successful knowledge creation.

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Recommendations

• 1) Sampling Methods Innovation studies are
  gender-blind in terms of recruitment.
  Researchers should determine what type of
  innovator to interview in order to include
  womens perspectives.
• The type of innovation one participates in
  depends on their position in the firm - which is
  inevitably influenced by gender. Researcher must
  include those involved in the processes of
  innovation rather than only the CEO.
• Perhaps a cross section of middle management
  would be more effective.

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Recommendations Cont...

• 2) Sampling Methods Responder Demographics
• Demographic data of interview participants is not
  currently collected. This would assist in the
  analysis of future socioeconomic research on
  professional life cycles ..
• 3) Sampling Methods Supporting Services
• Social factors influence the large number of
  women employed in the service sector. The
  service sector is an integral part of
  innovation-based economies and it is therefore
  essential to include them.

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Recommendations Cont...

• 4) Scope of Questions Innovative Culture
• Need to focus more on cultures influencing
  innovative processes.
• Assessing human resources and social processes
  affecting knowledge development is needed.
• 5) Scope of Questions Pro-Innovation Bias
• An increased emphasis on studying the reasons
  some innovations succeed while others fail, in
  short the trial and error and frequent failures
  associated with innovation, may influence
  structure and promotion of innovative work
  environments.