The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering, and Technology
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| Audience/Grade: | College Freshman-Professional Development |
| Discipline(s): |
All Science and Engineering Computing Diversity Engineering Diversity |
| Special Topic(s): |
Associate Editor's Choice |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Article/Document |
| Media Type: |
Audio |
| Author(s): |
Buck Luce Eytan Sosnovich Organization:Harvard Business Publishing Karen Sumberg Laura Sherbin Lisa Servon Sylvia Hewlett |
| Description: | Book abstract: "Forty-one percent of highly qualified scientists, engineers, and technologists on the lower rungs of corporate career ladders are female. But more than half (52%) drop out. Why? To better understand the scope and shape of female talent, the Athena Factor research project studied the career trajectories of women with SET credentials in the private sector. It found 5 powerful "antigens" in corporate cultures. Women in SET are marginalized by hostile macho cultures. Being the sole woman on a team or at a site can create isolation. Many women report mysterious career paths: fully 40% feel stalled. Systems of risk and reward in SET cultures can disadvantage women, who tend to be risk averse. Finally, SET jobs include extreme work pressures: they are unusually time intensive. Moreover, female attrition rates spike 10 years into a career. Women experience a perfect storm in their mid- to late thirties: They hit serious career hurdles precisely when family pressures intensify. Companies that step in with targeted support before this "fight or flight moment" may be able to lower the female attrition rate significantly. This study features 13 company initiatives that address this female brain drain. Some, for example, are designed to break down female isolation; others create on-ramps for women who want to return to work. These initiatives are likely to be "game changers": They will allow many more women to stay on track in SET careers.: |
| Rating: |
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| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | gender equity Career advancement Careers & career planning Families & family life Managerial behavior Women executives Women in business Working conditions |
| Referenced By: |
An exodus from the sciences The Freedom to Say "No" |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(h) Understand global, economic, environmental, and societal context (j) Integrate knowledge of contemporary issues |
| Use of Resource: |
Report on highly publicized study. Women are making rational decisions to avoid toxic working conditions. Those with more choices are more likely to leave. |
| Difficulty: |
Difficult |
| Interactivity Level: |
Very low |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | June 2008 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Not free |
| Download URL: | http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_ |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
NEEDS
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