The Impact of Organisational and Technological Change on Women's Employment in the Civil Service

Abstract

The article examines the impact of organisational and technological changes on women's employment in the civil service during the last two decades. It highlights three main trends. 1) The dominant negative trend is towards the rationalisation, intensification and casualisation of junior administrative and clerical employment in which women predominate. 2) The establishment of agencies at arms length from the rest of the civil service is also encouraging greater variability in equal opportunities policies and blunting their operation. 3) On a more positive note, women's employment experiences are becoming more diverse as more women rise up the occupational hierarchy into middle management, and opportunities for such promotion increase.