The future of tech is female : how to achieve gender diversity
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"An accessible guide for increasing female presence and leadership in tech companies. Tech giants like Apple and Google are among the fastest growing companies in the world, leading innovations in design and development. Owning most of the world's consumer electronics and digital software market, the cutting-edge tech industry extends far beyond Silicon Valley. The industry continues to see rapid growth and employs millions, in the US it the epicenter of the American economy. So why is that only 5% of senior executives in the tech industry are female? Underrepresentation of women on boards of directors, in the C-suite, and as senior managers remains pervasive at these giants. As tech companies are plagued with high-profile claims of harassment and discrimination, and salary discrepancies for comparable work, what exactly is preventing women from reaching management roles, and, more importantly, what can be done to fix it? The Future of Tech is Female considers the paradoxes involved in women's ascension to leadership roles, and suggests industry-wide solutions to combat gender inequality. Drawing on 15 years of speaking, conferencing, writing, and publishing, Douglas M. Branson traces the history of women in information technology in order to identify solutions for the current issues facing women in the industry today. Branson explores a variety of solutions such as mandatory quota laws for female employment, pledge programs, and expansion of the H1-B VISA program, and grapples with the challenges facing women in IT from a range of perspectives. Branson unpacks the plethora of reasons women should hold leadership roles, both in and out of this industry, and concludes with a call to reform attitudes toward women in one particular IT branch, the video and computer gaming field, a gateway to many STEM futures. An invaluable resource for anyone invested in gender equality in the boardroom, The Future of Tech is Female lays out the first steps toward a more diverse future for women in tech leadership. This book provides a sobering look at gender gap while painting an encouraging picture on how the world's fastest growing industry can work towards breaking the glass ceiling."--Publisher.