Women and the Internet

Abstract

As the pervasiveness of the Internet spreads rapidly, Peter Drucker’s prediction about the coming of the new organization, labeled as the “knowledge society” [7] or the “virtual corporation” [9] is now a reality. In an information-based economy, any radical shift in our approach toward information and knowledge influences more than an elite group of individuals or firms—it has a far-reaching effect on national and global economies. The Internet is viewed by many as a paradigm shift forcing individuals, firms, businesses, and even societies to rapidly adapt to a newfound virtual world in which agility and responsiveness are the hallmarks of success [5]. At a 1999 meeting of Congress’s Joint Economic Committee Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates told committee members: “We will absolutely see productivity increases coming out of the use of technology for many years to come.” At same meeting, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told the panel that “something special has happened to the American economy in recent years because of computerization.” That “something special” was the increased productivity generated by the Internet and information technology [10]. Bureau of Labor Statistics data at least superficially support this linkage showing the share of employees using a computer at work rising from 25% in 1984 to 52% in 1997. Computer usage, in this context, refers to the use of computers to perform any work-related function, such as word processing, information retrieval, data analysis, and other related tasks. In addition to enhancing productivity, revolutionary technologies such as the Internet revive hopes of removing barriers to economic prosperity, increasing workplace productivity, and improving quality of life. The much-proclaimed anonymity of the Internet user leads to the hypothesis that the Internet may help close racial and gender-based wage gaps. The significant increase in women using the Web since its early origins [8] suggests a relationship between the Internet, gender, and the wage structure, but little or no research has been done in this area. Could the Internet lead to a full realization of the legal concept of equal pay for equal work?