A new paradigm for considering gender in information systems development research

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to sketch a new paradigm for understanding the role of gender in information systems development (ISD) research, attending to organizational and social concerns of the context of IS development as well as the consequences of its development within organizations. Employing theoretical concepts and observations advanced within social studies of technology (SST) for comprehending the innovation process, a conceptual framework for studying ISD as innovation is constructed. This is delivered by combining insights derived from studies of gender and organizations concerning the social division of labor; gender and technology, concerning the masculinity of technology culture; and gender and computing, concerning the differences and inequalities of development and use. It is hoped that once fully developed the new paradigm will begin to provide explanations for organizational phenomena (such as user rejection); deepen our understanding of the innovation process; improve ISD practice through increased awareness of social issues; suggest further potential topics for ISD researchers; and furnish a framework for effecting this work. © 2001 by Springer Science+Business Media New York.