A roadmap to active gender work

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A roadmap to active gender work

• Halmstad
• April 2008
• Marita SvenssonFiber Optic Valley

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Fiber Optic ValleyVINNOVA - Vinnväxtvinnare 2004

• In 2004 Fiber Optic Valley was chosen as one of
  eight Innovation systems in Sweden by VINNOVA,
  Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation
  Systems
• Financial support of more than 6 million Euros
  over a ten year period.
• Europes Fiber Optic Center 2015

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The Fiber Optic Valley Region

• Situated in the middle of Sweden, 2,5 h drive
  north of Stockholm.Stretching from Sundsvall in
  the North to Gävle in the South with Hudiksvall
  in the center.
• Two academic institutions and base of operation
  for research institute Acreo FiberLab, Ericsson
  Network Technologies, and other multinational
  companies.

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To create a new knowledge industry around Fiber
Optics

• Fiber Optic Valley is an arena for the
  development and test of broadband techniques and
  e-services. These efforts are focused on three
  thematic areas
• Fiber to the User (FTTX)
• E-services
• Fiber Optics Industrial Applications (FIA)

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Fiber Optic Valley -The Gender Network

• Analysis of gender equality in the region
• Gender perspective plays an important strategic
  rolein Fiber Optic Valleys action plan
• The goal is to achieve genderconscious
  organisations
• 2005 VINNOVA - call

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The Gender Network

• Actionoriented gender research.
• Gender Researcher together with middle managers
  from 11 different organisations
• Change leaders in their organisations
• Doing gender

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The Gender Network

• Lack of knowledge about gender within the
  organisations
• Broad support and commitment from the upper
  management is necessary
• Whats in it for me?At both individual and
  organisational level

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Effects at the organisational level

• Attractive employer- strengthes brand and image
  on the employment market
• Personnel strategic factor- recruiting an
  attractive workforce
• Sustainable growth-long-term profitability

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Effects at the individual level

• Grow as a manager/leader/person
• Obtain valuable knowledge and tools for working
  with change
• Get all the benefits of a network-support-coachi
  ng-insight into other organisations

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The Gender Network - managementThree chairs -
three people

• Project manager-facilitator, co-ordinatorMarita
  Svensson
• Gender researcher-scientific research
  leader,interactive researchSusanne Andersson
• Process leader-guides and promotes the change
  and development processEva Amundsdotter

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The Gender Network -methodAction Learning and
Gender Coaching

• Regular meetings
• Action LearningLearn by trial and discover what
  we do through actions
• How gender is done - in daily life
• Observations and Gender Coaching in the workplaces

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Gender theory model - four organisational
processes

• Joan Acker
• 1. Segregation patterns
• 2. Interaction
• 3. Symbols and preconceptions
• 4. Attitudes

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Gender Network - three phases
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Innovative Leadership management program as a
support structure

• Need for knowledge at the upper management
  levelas insight increase
• Tailor-made management program as a support
  structure
• 80 managers at athree-day course
• Link equality to business development

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A roadmap to active gender work

• Interim rapport
• An application to VINNOVA to deepen and develop
  our theories and methods
• You have to have stamina!!

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The Innovation SystemLinking RD resources with
business/technology clusters in a Triple Helix
context. Involving more than 50 stakeholders.
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