Eighteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

This paper provides a case study analysis of gendered content featured in a sample of posters present in a technology startup work environment. More specifically, this study has two major purposes: to establish the nomological network in which a causal relationship between posters in the workplace and the experience of female employees in that space might exist and to provide an initial case study of a sample of posters as a first step towards future, more positivist, research. The case study is situated in a theoretical framework that combines the philosophies of feminist and organizational studies. The case study sample is six posters collected from a technology startup company. These posters were examined for a number of gendered features including language use, colour, character depiction, and roles and dress of characters. The analysis showed that the content of the posters was significantly dominated by masculine linguistic trends and male representations. The case study analysis illustrates a method by which workplace posters can be scrutinized for implicit gender bias. In addition, although it is a single example, the case study suggests that masculine language and images might contribute to the exclusion of women in a technology startup work environment. The primary suggestion to be garnered from this case study analysis is to include diverse consultation in the process of of poster design for a work environment.