States that the participation of men and women in the German academic and scientific system is unequally distributed. Shows that the higher the status at the university, the lower…
Abstract
States that the participation of men and women in the German academic and scientific system is unequally distributed. Shows that the higher the status at the university, the lower the female proportion and that women also choose different subjects to men. Asks why more men choose science and engineering and what social cognitive characteristics do women show who opt for a “male” subject. Presents the theoretical background to the above before providing some insights using surveys carried out in Germany.
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Birgit Blättel‐Mink, Caroline Kramer and Anina Mischau
Investigates how women reconcile the two concepts of family and career. Considers the relative importance of each and questions whether these can truly be reconciled to the…
Abstract
Investigates how women reconcile the two concepts of family and career. Considers the relative importance of each and questions whether these can truly be reconciled to the individual’s satisfaction. Looks at the attitudes and reasonings held by differing age ranges of women and compares their changing needs.
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Olivia DaDalt, Arielle Burstein, Birgit Kramer, Lisa A. D'Ambrosio and Joseph F. Coughlin
The purpose of this paper is to identify strategies that caregivers of people with dementia use for financial and estate planning and what advice they would give to others in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify strategies that caregivers of people with dementia use for financial and estate planning and what advice they would give to others in their position.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered via in-depth in-person interviews with 34 caregivers of individuals with dementia. Participants were asked questions about: how they financed care; the resources and people they used to help manage care and finances; and advice they would give to other caregivers.
Findings
Caregivers wished that they had done more in-depth planning regarding dementia care and financial arrangements. Participants also wished they had saved more money for care expenses or a “nest-egg.” Participants had mixed feelings about the usefulness and trustworthiness of financial advisors, but those who had elder care lawyers recommended them highly.
Research limitations/implications
It would be beneficial to reproduce this study with a larger, gender-balanced sample with a wider variety of socio-economic backgrounds.
Social implications
The advice and insight provided in this paper are useful both to dementia caregivers, who can learn from the experiences of those interviewed, and to industry professionals such as financial advisors and elder care lawyers, who may recognize from these interviews the areas in which caregivers need assistance and the services they can provide to help them navigate this disease.
Originality/value
This paper provides insights from actual caregivers about their experiences dealing with the financial aspect of dementia, an aspect of the disease that is not widely discussed.
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The purpose of this paper is to present an interview with Barbara Schwarze, Coordinator of MINT.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an interview with Barbara Schwarze, Coordinator of MINT.
Design/methodology/approach
Presents an overview of MINT: the German national initiative for women in SET.
Findings
The building of a strong national network is crucial but it is also important to establish connections to comparable initiatives in other countries.
Originality/value
The paper offers insights into MINT as an innovative process.
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Abstract
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This conference review aims to address major issues regarding the position of women in science and technology as well as key technical topics in the debate of globalisation with a…
Abstract
Purpose
This conference review aims to address major issues regarding the position of women in science and technology as well as key technical topics in the debate of globalisation with a specific focus on chances and new opportunities for women in a changing world.
Design/methodology/approach
The article is based on a report on the 14th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists that was hosted by the Conceil National des Ingénieurs et des Scientifiques de France (CNISF). Organised by an international committee, the conference was held at the Polytech University in Lille, France, 15‐18 July 2008.
Research limitations/implications
The exchanges generated by such an international gathering of (mostly) women experts and scholars from diverse scientific fields were a rich source of learning and inspiration. In view of the fact that the lectures not only addressed the current situation but focused also on the development of an international vision and new opportunities for women in a globalised world, the conference will influence science policies and measures for equal opportunities.
Originality/value
The conference brought together over 500 participants from 60 countries.
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Andrea Wolffram, Wibke Derboven and Gabriele Winker
Scholarship on women in engineering education mainly focuses on the question of how to attract more women to this subject. The topic concerning women in engineering education is…
Abstract
Purpose
Scholarship on women in engineering education mainly focuses on the question of how to attract more women to this subject. The topic concerning women in engineering education is here guided by the question of why women leave engineering studies. The paper aims to examine the main conflicts women encounter in engineering education and to derive implications for interventions suited for strengthening institutional bonding forces.
Design/methodology/approach
The question is approached through case analyses of 40 interviews with women and men (as the control group) who have left their studies. In addition, repertory grids were carried out with all interviewees and analysed. On the basis of these analyses, five types of dropout could be defined. Two case studies with women are presented in detail in this article. These cases are especially representative of two types of dropout that are characterised by high quotas of women.
Findings
The central conflicts of women in engineering education are often either suffering from poor grades or that women being afflicted by a subjective feeling of not gaining a deep understanding of technical phenomena. These two conflicts represent the two pillars of identity formation in engineering education that are necessary to bind students to their studies: passing the exams with good grades and feeling self‐efficacious in the handling of technology.
Originality/value
Up‐to‐date subject‐specific studies on dropout in engineering education – especially with a focus on women – are marginal in Europe, and particularly so in Germany.
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The purpose of this paper is to present some outcomes of the PROMETEA research project funded by the European Union under FP6 from 2005 to 2007 (see www.prometea.info). PROMETEA…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present some outcomes of the PROMETEA research project funded by the European Union under FP6 from 2005 to 2007 (see www.prometea.info). PROMETEA is a strongly multidisciplinary and collaborative project involving 17 research teams from 13 different countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper combines existing knowledge with new in‐depth pilot studies on women academics in engineering and technology, linked to qualitative research work on the experiences of both women and men working in this field, using cross‐comparison as a research strategy.
Findings
The paper identifies different issues for further investigations on women researchers in engineering and technology.
Originality/value
The paper focuses on comparative perspectives between countries, disciplines or research topics, age groups, academic and industrial research career paths, etc. The similarity and diversity of academic settings are discussed with an emphasis on the impact of the changing environment of research, the balance between research, teaching and administrative workload with its influence on career choices and patterns, the interactions between industry and academia, work‐life balance, the proportion of women academics in the field, gender awareness, and so on.
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Anna Zalevski and Laura Swiszczowski
There are few female‐led enterprises in the male‐dominated occupations of science, engineering and technology (SET) and very little research is devoted to this area. The purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
There are few female‐led enterprises in the male‐dominated occupations of science, engineering and technology (SET) and very little research is devoted to this area. The purpose of this paper is to report on a study that investigated differences and similarities in career aspirations, attitudes to enterprise, and experiences/opinions regarding setting up a business, among PhD students in SET disciplines.
Design/methodology/approach
A confidential online survey was distributed via e‐mail to all doctorate students in SET departments in the Yorkshire and Humber region, with an 8.6 per cent return rate.
Findings
The results show that all respondents had a preference for work in academia, but men were also more likely to indicate a preference for work in industry and women for work in the public sector. Gender differences were further pronounced in students' attitudes to and knowledge of enterprise. Women provided more potential advantages of owning a business than men; however, they also reported having less business training and/or experience, being less aware of entrepreneurial possibilities, and being less likely to believe that their business ideas could have commercial potential or to discuss enterprise with their supervisor. The results indicate a lack of information and lack of encouragement by academic staff for female students' potential progression from PhD study into enterprise.
Originality/value
This paper provides an insight into the aspirations of SET doctorate students from a gender perspective. The results of this study should help academic staff and higher education practitioners to improve their strategies for promoting entrepreneurial possibilities to female students.