Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
SpringerLink
Log in

Women’s Work in Modern Services: A Case of ICT Services

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Women and Labour Market Dynamics

Abstract

ICT has emerged as an important sector in the wake of increasing openness of the economies and ensued technological development. Its contribution in terms of output, employment and export earnings have been significant. It has also helped enhancing productivity, competitiveness, growth and human welfare resulting from the use of technology in different spheres of the economy and society. It has had direct implications to the labour market situation both for men and women. ICT is not gender neutral as women do not enjoy equal rights compared to men in social and economic spheres and also in other domains. It has provided greater and better opportunities in various economic sectors. However, the employment outcomes have not been experienced equally to both men and women owing to labour market bias and complex socio cultural practices rooted in the society. Also, the prejudice is also noted on account of hiring practices and low level of social security and which made working situation most vulnerable. The primary survey also supported the broad findings of changing labour market situations and constraints faced and lack of mobility, particularly for rural women, to participate in ICT workforce in India.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    NCR referred cities adjoining Delhi i.e. Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad etc.

  2. 2.

    Formal sector include all the workers belonging to public & corporate sector; enterprise employing ten or more workers; self-employed with higher secondary & above education. However, it excludes workers in the manufacturing enterprise (10–19) without electricity.

  3. 3.

    Social Security schemes in India include provident fund, pension, health care service, maternity benefits, and gratuity (Sarkar and Mehta 2009).

  4. 4.

    Part of this section has been taken from an article ‘A decent work framework: women in ICT sector in India, published in Information Development, Sage UK, December, 17, 2015 (Balwant Singh Mehta as Author).

References

  • Abraham V (2007) Employee attrition in Indian software industry: patterns and proximate factor. Lab Devel 12/13(2): 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Basat R, Rani U (2004) Labour market deepening in India’s IT: An exploratory analysis, Econ Polit Weekl 39(50): 5317–5326

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook J (2001) Flexible employment: implications for a gendered political economy of citizenship. In: Cook J, Roberts J, Waylen G (eds) Towards a gendered political economy. Macmillan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Copper J, Weaver K (2003) Gender and computers: understanding the digital divide. LEA, Mahwah, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortright J (2001) New growth theory: technology and learning. Reviews of economic development literature and practice, no 4. Impresa, Inc., Portland, OR

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel FS (2002) Transaction innovation and the role of the firm. In Baye MR (ed) The economics of the internet and e-commerce, advances in applied microeconomics: vol 11. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., Bingley, West Yorkshire, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Field Survey (2012) Nature and quality of employment in ICT sector in India: a case of NCR Delhi, study conducted by Institute for Human Development, Delhi in 2011–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaerlan K (2004) IT in India: social revolution or approaching implosion. Women in Action 1: 14–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghai D (2003) Decent work: concept and indicators. Int Lab Rev 142(2): 179–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gothoskar S (2000) Tele-working and gender. Econ Polit Weekl 35(28): 2293–2298

    Google Scholar 

  • Hafkin N, Huyer S (eds) (2006) Cinderella or cyberella? Empowering women in the knowledge society. Kumarian Press, Bloomeld, CT

    Google Scholar 

  • Heng TM, Thangavelu SM (2006) Singapore information sector: a study using input-output table. SCAPE working paper series

    Google Scholar 

  • IER (2014) India labour employment report, Academic Foundation and Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • ILO (1999) Report of the director-general: decent work. In: International labour conference, 87th Session, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ILO (2002) Decent work and the informal economy. report IV. International Labour Conference Ninetieth Session, International Labour Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabeer N (2000) The power to choose: Bangladeshi women and labour market decisions in London and Dhaka, London: Verso p 464

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelkar G (2013) At the threshold of economic empowerment: women, work and gender regimes in asia, International Labour Organization, ILO DWT for South Asia and ILO Country Office for India—New Delhi: ILO, 2013, working paper series: 2227–4391

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelkar G, Nathan D (2002) Gender relations and technological change in Asia. Curr Sociol 50(3): 427–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta BS (2015) Labour market conditions in information and communication technology sector in India, Shivalik Prakashan, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta BS, Singh B (2017) Labour market conditions in information and communication technology sector in India, Shivalik Prakashan, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Mani S (2012) The mobile communications services industry in India: has it led to India becoming a manufacturing hub for telecommunication equipment?, Pacific Affairs, 85(3): 511–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitter S (2000) Tele-working and tele-trade in India: combining diverse perspectives and visions. Econ Polit Weekl 35(26): 2241–2252

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitter S (2004a) Globalization, ICTs and economic empowerment: a feminist critique. Gend Technol Dev 8(1): 4–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitter S (2004b) Globalization, ICTs and economic empowerment: a feminist critique. Gend Technol Devel 8(1): 4–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitter S, Sen A (2000) Can Calcutta become another Bangalore. Econ Polit Weekl 35(26): 2263–2268

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (DEIT, 2018) Annual Report, 2017–18. https://meity.gov.in/content/annual-report. Accessed 20 April 2018

  • Mokyr J (2005) Long-term economic growth and the history of technology. Departments of Economics and History, Northwestern University, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • NASSCOM (2009) Gender inclusivity in India: building empowered organisation. NASSCOM, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • NASSCOM (2011) Gender inclusivity and diversity in the Indian IT-BPO industry. http://blog.nasscom.in/nasscomnewsline/wpontent/uploads/In_Focus_nov.pdf. Accessed 31 Oct 2018

  • National Classification of Occupations (2004) Ministry of Labour, Government of India. https://labour.gov.in/sites/default/files/Preface.pdf. Accessed 10 December 2018

  • National Sample Survey (2011–12) Report No. 554: Employment and Unemployment Situation in India, 2011–12: NSS 68th round (New Delhi, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ng C (2001) Teleworking: blessings for Malaysian women in the information age? Teleworking in Malaysia. C. Ng. Penang, UNDP Malaysia Southbound Penang, pp 111–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Panteli A, Stack J, Atkinson M (1997) Women in the UK software industry: how much do we know. In: Lander R, Adam A (eds) Women in computing intellect books, Exeter, pp 94–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramesh BP (2004) Cybercoolies in BPO: insecurities and vulnerabilities of the non-standard work. Econ Polit Weekl 39(5): 492–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar S, Mehta BS (2010) Labour market patterns and trends in India’s ICT sector. In: Posthuma A, Nanthan D (eds) Labour in global production networks in India. Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen S (2001) Gender and class: women in Indian industry, 1920–1990. V.V. Giri National Labour Institute Publication, Noida, UP, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Standing G (1989) Global feminization through flexible labour. World Devel 17(7): 1077–1095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanworth C (1998) Tele-working and the information age. New Technol Work Employ 13(1): 51–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney M (1995) Negotiating a software career: informal work practices and the lads in a software installation. In: Grint K, Gill R (eds) The gender-technology relation: contemporary theory and research. Taylor and Francis, London, pp 192–209

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Unni J (2008) Women workers in the new economy, The Indian Journal of Labour Economics 51(4): 657–674

    Google Scholar 

  • Upadhya C (2006) Gender in the information society: emerging issue. In: Anita G, Singh PJ, Mundkur A, Swamy M (eds) Gender issues in the Indian software outsourcing industry, pp 74–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijayabaskar M (2008) Constructing work and identity in the indian outsourced ITES sector”, in Ashwani Saith, M. Vijayabaskar and V. Gayathri (eds.) ICTs and Indian social change: diffusion, poverty, governance, Sage Publications, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijayabaskar M, Gayathri V (2003) ICT and Indian development: processes, prognoses, policies, Economic and Political Weekly 38(24): 2360–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijayabaskar M, Rothboeck S, Gayathri V (2001) Labour In the new economy: case of the Indian software industry. Ind J Lab Econ 44(1): 39–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Wajcman J (2003) Technofeminism. Polity Press, Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Wajcman J (2004) Techno Feminism, Cambridge: Polity Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Walby S (2000) The restructuring of the gendered political economy: transformations in women’s employment. In: Cook J, Roberts J, Waylen G (eds) Towards a gendered political economy. Macmillan, London, pp 165–188

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wambui M. (2002) Meet the champions: DG interview on ICTs and gender in Africa, development gateway. http://topics.developmentgateway.org/icts. Accessed 15 Mar 2018

  • Wright R (1997) Women in computing: a cross-national analysis. In: Lander R, Adam A (eds) Women in computing, intellect books. Exeter, pp 72–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright R, Jacobs JA (1994) Male flight from computer work: a new look at occupational resegregation and ghettoization. Am Sociol Rev 59: 511–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, India

    Balwant Singh Mehta & Ishwar Chandra Awasthi

Authors
  1. Balwant Singh Mehta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ishwar Chandra Awasthi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Balwant Singh Mehta .

Appendices

Annexure 4.1

4.1.1 ICT Definition Based on New Classification ISIC Rev.4 [OECD]

  1. (1)

    ICT Manufacturing

    • 2610 Manufacture of electronic components

    • 2620 Manufacture of computers and peripheral equipment

    • 2630 Manufacture of communication equipment

    • 2640 Manufacture of consumer electronics

      2680 Manufacture of magnetic and optical media

  2. (2)

    ICT Trade

    • 4651 Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment and software

    • 4652 Wholesale of electronic and telecommunications equipment and parts

  3. (3)

    ICT Services

    • 5820 Software publishing

    • 61: Telecommunications

    • 6110 Wired telecommunications activities

    • 6120 Wireless telecommunications activities

    • 6130 Satellite telecommunications activities

    • 6190 Other telecommunications activities

    • 62: Computer programming, consultancy and related activities

    • 6201 Computer programming activities

    • 6202 Computer consultancy and computer facilities management activities

    • 6209 Other information technology and computer service activities

    • 631 Data processing, hosting and related activities; web portals

    • 6311 Data processing, hosting and related activities

    • 6312 Web portals

    • 951 Repair of computers and communication equipment

    • 9511 Repair of computers and peripheral equipment

    • 9512 Repair of communication equipment.

Annexure 4.2

See Table 4.12.

Table 4.12 Profile of worker by age group, marital status, income and social group
Full size table

Annexure 4.3

4.3.1 Definitions of IT and ITES

Information Technology (IT): IT services and software products include project-oriented services, IT outsourcing, support and training; and R&D services and software products. Software products in turn includes product development, design and development of embedded systems and sales of packaged/proprietary software.

Information Technology-Enabled Services (ITE): ITES sector include customer care (database, marketing, customer analytics, telesales/telemarketing, inbound call centres, web sales and marketing, sales and marketing administration); Finance (billing services, accounting transactions, tax consulting and compliance, risk management, financial reporting, and financial analysis); Human Resources (HR) (benefits administration, education and training, recruiting, and staffing, payroll services, hiring administration, record management); Payment services (tax processing, claim processing, asset management, document management, transcription and translation); content development (engineering design, animation, network consultancy and management biotech research); Medical Transcription and Knowledge Processing and Outsourcing.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mehta, B.S., Awasthi, I.C. (2019). Women’s Work in Modern Services: A Case of ICT Services. In: Women and Labour Market Dynamics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9057-9_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9057-9_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-9056-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-9057-9

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation