PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Yes! Here is why.
A recent Delloite study shows that women’s choices impact up to 85 per cent of purchasing decisions. Today, more women than men are downloading music and movies, more women do the majority of game-playing across certain platforms, and have higher purchase intentions than men when it comes to some electronics.
Whilst armed with all this information, men still outnumber women three to one in the tech sector despite countless studies emphasising women’s immense value and role as a driving force for innovation in technology and their value in the boardroom.
Research shows that diversity is good for problem-solving and ideas generation, and women’s creativity can result in a different, more dynamic approach. The strength of EQ in women ensures there is a subtle impact that is unquantifiable when it comes to strategies of engaging with a brands audience. It’s one of the reasons why I started Zaboura and why we were considered disruptive in our approach at the time.
Across all industries, companies with the most women on their boards of directors notably and consistently outperform those with no female representation. Sarah Shields, executive director and general manager of Dell UK and 2014 winner of PCR’s Woman of the Year award, when interviewed, said: “Women have an incredible amount to offer… the way we think, the way we communicate, it’s about how we approach business and get more people to enjoy this amazing industry.”
I have the pleasure of sponsoring this year’s PCR Woman of the Year Awards. Although I face the dilemma of highlighting one gender’s skills above the other, I still think its noteworthy to celebrate women in technology, simply because we still have to bring up the numbers.
PCR’s Woman of the Year Awards celebrates women’s powerful contribution to the tech industry and aims to inspire and attract more women to tech-related jobs. I’m looking forward to meeting and seeing this year’s nominees and being part of the movement towards recruiting and stabilising the gender in equality in this industry.
Martha Lane Fox believes “[we still need to] put women at the heart of the technology sector” and encourage the industry to start recognising their potential and perspectives, in part because we are still wildly underrepresented in the STEM community.
Organisations should be making every effort to mirror their markets in a bid to gain a deeper understanding of the views and needs of the ‘single largest economic workforce’ in the world.
As Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg put it: “we need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”
I hope you get involved and nominate the stars in your organisation. Don’t let them go unnoticed.
IT Channel Expert’s sister publication, PCR, is hosting its annual Woman of the Year Awards on October 1st, 2015. For any enquiries, contact PCR and IT Channel Expert publisher Andrew Wooden.
