Inhalt: "Engineering has been one of the most difficult fields for 'women to enter and in
which to succeed. Although the percentage of female engineers has Increased, women
are still seriously underrepresented in the workforce. This study examined the effect
offender on career commitment, success, satisfaction, and involvement in engineering,
and the effect of personality and work environment on these variables. Alumni from
an engineering school in the northeastern United States were surveyed. The questionnaire
was analyzed using statistical and descriptive methods to determine relationships
among these variables. Women's commitment scores were lower than men's when controlled
for other variables, including satisfaction and involvement. Men had longer tenure
as engineers than women, even when controlled for year of graduation, professional
engineering status, and number of children. Women did not leave engineering in different
proportions than men, but they did earn significantly less despite controlling for
year of graduation and number of hours worked weekly. Some gender differences in workplace
experience were also found, including having colleagues act protectively, being mistaken
for secretaries, and seeing men progress faster in their careers than equally qualified
women." (author's abstract)|