Elisabeth Kelan - Performing Gender at Work

Ismail Amla, Partner and Human Capital & Diversity Lead, Accenture

Elisabeth Kelan brings a fresh perspective to an age-old issue, which is impacting all businesses today. How in a world of changing demographics, employee expectations and business need do we leverage the potential of the full workforce so that diversity of gender provides distinctiveness and competitive advantage? Kelan provides some insight supported by robust empirical evidence. A great tool for professionals looking at developing a Human Capital Strategy that will stand the tests of the coming decade.

Silvia Gherardi, Professor for Sociology of Organizations, University of Trento

This passionate book takes a look at the rapidly changing relationship between gender and technology. It is a must read for those who want to learn more about what it means to perform gender and to be performed by gender at work.

Sylvia Ann Hewlett, President, Center for Work Life Policy

A strongly motivated, compelling piece of research. Elisabeth Kelan challenges us to think about the ways in which the evolving economy shapes new gender inequities. Her eye popping investigation into how gender progress lags as technology expands is a must read.

Susan Vinnicombe, OBE, Professor and Director of the International Centre for Women Leaders, Cranfield University

This book challenges the gendered nature of ICT work and is based on studies of two companies in Switzerland. Scholars of gender will welcome Elisabeth Kelans insightful reflections. The author should be congratulated on producing such a well written and engaging book.

Judy Wajcman, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics

Technology, the economy and gender relations are at a critical juncture of transformation. This book provides a major and original contribution to grasping the mechanisms involved by treating gender as a performance. It is a compelling read for anyone interested in the gender relations of the digital economy.

Elisabeth Kelan

Lecturer in Work and Organisations
Department of Management, Kings College London

Elisabeth Kelan 2009

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First published 2009 by
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ISBN-13: 9780230577817 hardback
ISBN-10: 0230577814 hardback

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Printed and bound in Great Britain by
CPI Antony Rowe, Chippenham and Eastbourne

To my grandfathers, Dr. med. Fahri Keeciolu and
Herbert Wehrmann, who maintained a keen interest in
new technologies throughout their lives

Many people have helped me to research this book. First of all, I thank Rosalind Gill for her continuing guidance and support over the past years and for encouraging me to think through the topics explored in this book. Judy Wajcman sparked my interest in gender and technology, and without her I would not have written a book on this topic. Margaret Wetherell and Flis Henwood provided valuable feedback on my work for which I am grateful. I thank Andrea Maihofer, Julia Nentwich, Therese Steffen, the participants in the Graduierten Kollegien Gender Studies in Switzerland, the research students and staff of the Gender Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science and various seminar and conference participants for the inspiring conversations on my research. I thank Barbara Schultes-Glatz for helping me with the interview transcription and Hazel Johnstone and Ralph Kinnear for their help with editing the manuscript. Thanks also to Virginia Thorp from Palgrave, who was fantastic in guiding me through publishing my first book.

I wrote the book while working as a senior research fellow in the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business at the London Business School. I am very grateful to have been part of this wonderful team. I learnt so much about doing and communicating research from Lynda Gratton, Lamia Walker, Enid Silverstone, Katharine Buckley, Ellen Miller, Rachel Dunkley Jones, Alice Mah and David Lane. Thanks to all of you for your professional support and friendship.

This research would not have been possible without the financial support of the following institutions: the Graduierten Kolleg Knowledge Society and Gender Relations at the University of Zurich, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Gender Caucus of the UN World Summit on the Information Society, the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust, a Metcalfe studentship and an LSE research studentship.

Parts of this book have previously been published in academic journals and edited books. I am indebted to Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, Sage and the Idea Group for allowing me to re-use work published in their journals and books. This work includes:

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2007), I Dont Know Why: Accounting for the Scarcity of Women in ICT Work, Womens Studies International Forum, 30:6, 499511.

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2007), Tools and Toys: Communicating Gendered Positions towards Technology, Information, Communication & Society, 10:3, 357382.

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2008), Emotions in a Rational Profession: The Gendering of Skills in ICT Work, Gender, Work & Organization, 15:1, 4971.

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2008), Gender, Risk and Employment Insecurity: The Masculine Breadwinner Subtext, Human Relations, 61:9, 11711202.

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2008), Self-Entrepreneurial Careers: Current Management Practices in Swiss ICT Work, in Dariusz Jemielniak and Jerzy Kociatkiewicz (eds.), Management Practices in High Tech Environments (pp. 283297) (Hershey, PA: Idea Group).

Kelan, Elisabeth K. (2009), Gender Fatigue: The Ideological Dilemma of Gender Neutrality and Discrimination in Organisations, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences