Why mentorship matters
25-01-2022
MJgraphics / Shutterstock.com
A plethora of studies have indicated that diversity drives innovation and economic performance, so why are the STEM fields, where innovation is the life-blood, so behind on gender diversity? WIPR investigates the reasons behind the failure to attract and retain women, and what needs to be done.
Many readers will remember Clippy, Microsoft Office’s now-defunct paperclip assistant. If Microsoft had listened to the women in its focus group, the paperclip mascot may never have appeared on computer screens.
In the documentary “Code: Debugging the Gender Gap”, Roz Ho, a senior vice president at Ericsson and a former Microsoft executive at Microsoft, claims that feedback from female users on Clippy and other Office assistants was “kind of negative”.
"Women are still finding their feet in Nigeria. After a long day in the lab, you come home and have to fulfil all your domestic duties, including childcare, without complaint." - Amina Ahmed El-Imam, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
You need a subscription to continue reading this content.
Start a subscription today to access the LSIPR website.
To access the full archive, digital magazines and special reports you will need to take out a paid subscription.
If you have already subscribed please login.
If you have any technical issues please email tech support.
For access to the complete website, archive, and to receive print publications, choose '12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION'. For a free, two-week trial with full access, select ‘TWO WEEK FREE TRIAL’.
STEM, gender diversity, innovation, Microsoft, Ericsson, startups, WISE, graduates, UNESCO, Nobel Prize, stereotypes, equality, barrier, female role models
