Women in technical/scientific professions: results of two national surveys

A survey to study women in technical and scientific fields was conducted in 1993. The study examined the environment in which women work, the relationship between women´s personal lives and their work, and women´s interpersonal communication styles. Results of the study supported some of the previous research findings related to glass ceilings and career paths. However, results related to sexual harassment and benefits prompted new questions, and results related to communication styles conflicted with the findings of much previous research. To further investigate these conflicting results, a follow-up survey was conducted in 1993. Results of this survey supported the 1993 findings. Results appear to indicate that the workplace and the women in it are changing. The workplace is becoming more family-oriented, and women are practicing strategies for working effectively in traditionally male-dominated organizations. In technical/scientific fields, men and women have adopted androgynous language patterns, and little difference exists between the interpersonal communication styles of men and women