Blockchain focuses on using digital systems to execute and record online transactions that can only be perceived or considered as the building blocks developed from digital algorithms and secured through cryptography. This technology system is one of the key strategic technology trends used in various organizations or public sectors to record transactions. The problem at hand is the gender gap within the blockchain industry, where African American women are underrepresented and face various challenges in their pursuit of opportunities and advancement. Despite the increasing interest in blockchain technology, the participation of women in the industry remains significantly lower compared to their male counterparts.
This gender disparity not only limits the diversity of talent and ideas within the industry but also hinders the industry's overall growth, innovation, and potential for positive social impact. Existing studies on gender gaps in technology fields, while valuable, often provide a limited understanding of the specific dynamics and challenges within the blockchain industry. There is a need for focused research that examines the gender gap in blockchain systems and investigates the unique factors that contribute to women's underrepresentation.
This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the gender gap in blockchain systems, focusing on African American women's perspectives and their involvement in blockchain technology. By addressing this research gap, we can gain insights into the barriers African American women face in the industry and identify strategies to foster a more inclusive and equitable blockchain ecosystem.
The general research question is: What are the potential factors that lead to the gender gap in blockchain systems among African American women in the US who are influencers in the blockchain space?
The sub-research questions are: How does race influence gender inequality in blockchain technology change among African American women in the US? How do trust and transparency influence the leadership position of African American women in the blockchain system? What are the key strategies or success factors to promote future gendered leadership in blockchain systems?
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1. Background Information
- 1.1.1. The Blockchain Systems
- 1.1.2. Leadership in Blockchain
- 1.2. Problem Statement
- 1.3. Purpose of the Study
- 1.4. Research Aims
- 1.5. Research Objectives
- 1.6. Research Question
- 1.7. Significance of the Study
- 1.1. Background Information
- 2. Chapter 2: Literature Review
- 2.1. Introduction
- 2.2. Digital Systems and Leadership Roles
- 2.3. The Blockchain Systems
- 2.3.1. Blockchain Systems and Technology in Financial Sector
- 2.3.2. Blockchain Technology and Online Transactions
- 2.4. Resistance to Blockchain Adoption and its Impact on Future Employment
- 2.4.1. People's Perceptions of the Implementation and Usage of Blockchain Technology
- 2.4.2. Leaders' or Managers' Resistance to Change
- 2.4.3. Lack of Support and Competencies
- 2.4.4. Security Concerns
- 2.5. Gender Gap in Blockchain Systems
- 2.6. Implementation of Blockchain Technology and Women’s Influential Behaviors
- 2.7. Blockchain Adoption and Future Women Leadership and Employment
- 2.8. Gendered Leadership
- 2.9. Trust And Transparency in Blockchain Systems
- Chapter 3: Methodology
- 3.1. Research Method and Design
- 3.2. Population And Sampling
- 3.3. Data Collection
- 3.3.1. Data Collection Instrument
- 3.3.2. Data Collection Procedures
- 3.4. Data Analysis
- 3.4.1. Data Analysis Procedure
- 3.5. Ethical Considerations
- 3.6 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations
- 3.6.1. Assumptions
- 3.6.2 Limitations
- 3.6.3. Delimitations
- Chapter 4: Findings
- 4.1. Introduction
- 4.1.1. Research Question 1
- 4.1.2. Research Question Two
- 4.1.3. Research Question Three
- Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, Conclusion & Recommendations
- 5.1. Discussion
- 5.1.1. Research Question 1
- 5.1.2. Research Question Two
- 5.1.3. Research Question Three
- 5.2. Implications of the Findings
- 5.3. Conclusions
- 5.4. Recommendations for Practice
- 5.1. Discussion
- References
- Appendices
- Appendix A: Categories for theme development for research question one
- Appendix B: Theme Development for Research Question Two
- Appendix C: Theme Development for Research Question Three
Objectives & Key Themes
This study aims to investigate the gender gap within the blockchain industry, specifically focusing on the experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by African American women. The primary objective is to identify the potential factors that contribute to this gender disparity among African American women who are influencers in the blockchain space, with a view to fostering a more inclusive and equitable blockchain ecosystem.
- Examining experiences and perceptions of African American women in blockchain technology (development, entrepreneurship, leadership, academia).
- Identifying barriers, challenges, and biases hindering their participation and advancement.
- Exploring opportunities and strategies to promote gender diversity and inclusivity within the blockchain ecosystem.
- Analyzing the impact of gender diversity on innovation, decision-making, and overall industry development.
- Investigating the influence of race, trust, and transparency on the leadership positions of African American women in blockchain.
- Determining key strategies and success factors to promote future gendered leadership for African American women in blockchain systems.
Excerpt from the Book
2.5. Gender Gap in Blockchain Systems
The blockchain system is an emerging technology that has been adopted in some organizations to help record essential information in computer systems. With the increasing use of blockchain systems, women and girls are empowered to take part in leadership roles; however, gender problems still exist. Frizzo- Barker (2020) explained that gender problems exist in the blockchain, with very few women recruited in organizations. The authors discussed that employees recruited in organizations with blockchain systems are very few, with a limited number of such populations taking up leadership roles. Additionally, Frizzo- Barker (2020) discussed that blockchain has gender problems in which decentralized technology, including Bitcoin has male- dominated sphere, which is associated with stereotypes. In regard to this, Primack (2018) presented gender problems with blockchain systems in which three out of 88 leaders or speakers in the North American Bitcoin Conference are women. Despite the onset of advocacy groups and social networks, including Crypto Chicks, gendered inequalities in blockchain systems remain the key issue with fewer women taking leadership roles (Primack, 2018).
A reduced number of women in blockchain leadership roles is also supported by recent research by Custer (2018) that showed that among employees in leadership roles for blockchain, women account for only 7%, with males dominating. The author indicated that regarding gender equality, the blockchain industry has a limited number of women, which is attributed to a lack of balance in the number of men and women employees. Based on the number of women on the executive levels and advisory boards, Custer (2018) indicated that women occupy only 14.7% of all the blockchain startup members, and only 8% take leadership roles on advisory boards. Similarly, Griffith (2018) showed gendered and racial inequalities in the blockchain industry, where women take the least leadership roles in advocacy groups. Griffith showed that at local levels, many women have expertise in various levels of the network, but their chance of leading is minimal. This gender gap or gender inequality in blockchain systems restricts women’s identities and experiences despite having the required education in blockchain technology.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter introduces the gender gap within blockchain systems, highlighting the underrepresentation of women, particularly African American women. It outlines the problem statement, purpose, research aims, objectives, and specific research questions that guide the study to address this disparity.
Chapter 2: Literature Review: This section provides a comprehensive review of existing literature on blockchain technology, digital leadership, resistance to blockchain adoption, and the gender gap in technology. It identifies key themes such as the impact of blockchain on women's influential behaviors and the need for diversity to prevent perpetuating existing gender disparities.
Chapter 3: Methodology: This chapter details the qualitative research approach used, employing a descriptive qualitative design to explore the perceptions of African American women regarding gender gaps in blockchain. It describes the population, purposive sampling strategy, data collection through semi-structured interviews, and thematic data analysis procedures, along with ethical considerations, assumptions, limitations, and delimitations.
Chapter 4: Findings: This chapter presents the empirical findings from the qualitative data analysis, structured around the research questions. It reveals themes such as intersectionality, challenges in education and access, cultural representation, historical context, the lack of female role models, and the impact of trust and transparency on African American women's leadership opportunities in blockchain.
Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, Conclusion & Recommendations: This concluding chapter discusses the study's findings in relation to the existing literature, emphasizing intersectionality as a key factor in gender inequality. It outlines the significant implications for the blockchain industry, presents overall conclusions, and provides actionable recommendations for fostering gender equality, diversity, and inclusive leadership for African American women in blockchain.
Keywords
Gender gap, blockchain technology, women in tech, African American women, leadership, diversity, inclusion, cryptocurrency, decentralization, intersectionality, digital systems, trust, transparency, mentorship, education, stereotypes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work generally about?
This master's thesis investigates the gender gap in blockchain systems, specifically focusing on the perspectives and experiences of African American women regarding their involvement and leadership in blockchain technology.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include the gender gap in blockchain, the unique challenges faced by African American women in this field, the role of leadership, barriers to participation and advancement, and strategies to promote diversity and inclusion.
What is the primary goal or research question?
The primary goal is to investigate the gender gap in blockchain systems from African American women's perspectives. The general research question is: "What are the potential factors that lead to the gender gap in blockchain systems among African American women in the US who are influencers in the blockchain space?"
What scientific method is used?
A qualitative research method with a descriptive qualitative research design is employed. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers a literature review on blockchain systems, leadership, and the gender gap, followed by a detailed methodology section. It then presents the findings related to race and gender influence, trust and transparency, and strategies for promoting gendered leadership, concluding with a discussion of implications and recommendations.
What keywords characterize the work?
Keywords characterizing the work include: Gender gap, blockchain technology, women in tech, African American women, leadership, diversity, inclusion, cryptocurrency, decentralization, intersectionality, digital systems, trust, transparency, mentorship, education, stereotypes.
Why is the focus specifically on African American women in this study?
The study specifically focuses on African American women because they are often underrepresented and underexplored in technology-related research, facing unique intersectional challenges due to the combination of racial and gender biases within the male-dominated blockchain industry.
What is "intersectionality" in the context of this study?
In this study, "intersectionality" describes how various social identities, such as race and gender, intersect to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege, leading to severe socio-economic disadvantages for African American women in blockchain technology.
How does lack of trust and transparency affect women's leadership in blockchain?
The lack of trust in African American women's capabilities and expertise, often due to racial and gender biases, undermines their ability to secure leadership positions. They face persistent scrutiny and are often sidelined or overlooked despite their qualifications, hindering their career advancement.
What strategies are recommended to promote gendered leadership for African American women in blockchain?
Key strategies include establishing mentorship programs, creating networking platforms, investing in accessible educational and training programs focused on blockchain skills, implementing inclusive policies, offering DEI workshops, and fostering collaboration between companies, educational institutions, and diversity-focused organizations.
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- Amanda Van Annan (Autor:in), 2024, Gender Gap in Blockchain Systems, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1606224
