Information technology analysts and managers in the Silicon Valley: A study of male-female wage patterns (California)

This research focuses on the demographic and institutional factors that affect labor market outcomes of males and females within the information technology sector. The study area is the Silicon Valley. Using IPUMS 2000 data, the research focuses on male and female IT analysts and managers. A comparison of male-female wage patterns has been, in part, due to the lack of progress by women in making inroads into higher management positions within this area and in the important role that women can play in furthering IT innovation. Analysts and mangers are chosen as the study groups because these upper IT positions are the occupational segments where women's representation is limited. Explanatory variables include demographic, work-related, and institutional factors. The results for the analysts and managers show that the effects of the explanatory factors vary fox males and females. For example, the number of children has a negative effect on wages for female analysts. The industry sector makes a difference for males and females as well. Male IT analysts earn more in manufacturing compared to other sectors; female IT analysts are better off in terms of wages in retail, wholesale, and producer services. Commuting time has a negative effect on women analyst's wages but longer commuting time has a positive effect on men's wages. The explanatory power of the variables is the strongest for female managers, which implies that human capital factors, institutional affiliation/choice, and other work related factors have to be taken into consideration for women's advancement in IT.