Examining Gender Bias in Studies of Innovation

							Examining Gender Bias in Studies of
           Innovation

                By:
          Nicola Crowden

                      Innocom Conference
                     October 18 - 21, 2003
                          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
              WAGIS’s 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.
               WAGIS’s 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
                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.
                            Themes

A) OSLO Manual’s 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,
    doesn’t include trial and error, failed innovations, and
    methodologies used in their creation.
- also ignores, service sector (OSLO Manual . 4.2.3 - relates to
    manufacturing)
                     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 doesn’t
   suggest how.
- need to measure organization culture - to promote knowledge
   creation and transfer
                                            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.
                   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
   women’s 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.
              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.
               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.