Unequal Career Outcome and Gender Wage Gap in IT-BPM Sector in India

Purpose and goal

The project aims at examining the determinants of promotion and the existence of gender differences in the Indian context. While focusing on the IT-ITES sector, it particularly analyse the extent to which IT sector differs in offering opportunities for career growth to women. Adopting organizational theoretical perspective, it seeks to understand the extent to which organizational factors over human capital explain gender gap in career inequality.

Expected results and effects

The study focused on examining the determinants of promotion. Findings suggest that big firms and private sector offer promotion opportunities. Women are more likely to be promoted if they work as managers and professional in IT and finance sector. Having 10-20% females in the firm also increases promotion probability for women than men. The study however does not suggest declining importance of all human capital factors. Except education, work experience and skills continue to be highly significant determinants of promotion for men and women.

Planned approach and implementation

The project employed large scale cross sectional Wage-indicator web survey data for the year 2006-2014 to examine the determinants of promotion probability of men and women in the Indian context. The project was implemented at the Centre for Gender Research, Uppsala University with additional support from Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies, Netherlands which expertise in Wage-indicator web survey data. The survey data was analysed using probit regression technique.