Edited by Dr. Brandy A. Brown and Romi C. Wittman / As U.S.-based companies continue to struggle to fill science, engineering and technology (SET) positions with domestic talent, a large portion of the available workforce (women) continues to be underrepresented. This project discusses the strategic advantages of encouraging female workforce participation in SET roles within global technology companies. Three publicly traded companies - Netflix, Facebook and Red Hat, Inc. - are compared utilizing self-reported diversity numbers to see the varying levels of women in those workplaces. The diversity policies and benefits programs of these three companies are discussed as well as available corporate statements regarding workforce diversity policies. Finally, utilizing information from programs proven to increase women’s participation and retention within SET roles, suggestions are provided, namely sponsorship of women in the workplace.

The diploma thesis Women in CIA: From Typists to Trailblazers? analyzes the role of women in the CIA. The development of female workforce within the CIA is tracked in connection to key reforms of the American intelligence community and demands of liberal feminism. The thesis mainly deals with the change of the role of women in the US society and studies areas of intelligence work where gender discrimination against women took place. Although in the past years the number of women on different positions in the CIA proportionally increased, the Agency top management faces a relative scarcity of women. This lower representation of women in the CIA's leadership can diminish effective accomplishment of the CIA's mission. Key Agency's report served for analysis of the transformation of the status of women in the CIA and also for indentifying concrete problems leading to scarcity of women in the CIA's leadership. The author also proposed some incentives for enhancing female representation in the Agency top management.

With an increasing proportion of older people in the Australian population and increasing health and longevity, paid work after the age of 65 years may become an option or a necessity in the future. The focus of this research is on Australian women of the baby boom generation, their working futures, and the work-retirement decision. This is explored both from the viewpoint of women and from a social policy perspective. The research draws on Considine�s model of public policy, futures studies, and Beck�s concept of risk society. The research comprises three studies. Using focus group research, Study 1 explored the views of Australian women of the baby boom generation on work after the age of 65 years. Study 2 aimed to explore current thinking on the research topic in Australia and overseas. Computer-mediated communication involving an Internet website and four scenarios for the year 2020 were used for this study. Study 3 consists of the analysis of quantitative data from the Healthy Retirement Project, focusing on attitudes towards retirement, retirement plans, and the preferred and expected age of retirement. The importance of choice and a work � life balance emerged throughout the research. Women in high-status occupations were found to be more likely to be open to the option of continuing paid work beyond age 65 than women in low-status jobs. However, the women were equally likely to embrace future volunteering. The research findings suggest that policies for an ageing female workforce should be based on the values of inclusiveness, fairness, self-determination, and social justice, and address issues of workplace flexibility, equality in the workplace, recognition for unpaid community and caring work, opportunities for life-long learning, complexity and inequities of the superannuation system, and planning for retirement. Further, providing a guaranteed minimum income for all Australians should be explored as a viable alternative to the current social security system.

With an increasing proportion of older people in the Australian population and increasing health and longevity, paid work after the age of 65 years may become an option or a necessity in the future. The focus of this research is on Australian women of the baby boom generation, their working futures, and the work-retirement decision. This is explored both from the viewpoint of women and from a social policy perspective. The research draws on Considine�s model of public policy, futures studies, and Beck�s concept of risk society. The research comprises three studies. Using focus group research, Study 1 explored the views of Australian women of the baby boom generation on work after the age of 65 years. Study 2 aimed to explore current thinking on the research topic in Australia and overseas. Computer-mediated communication involving an Internet website and four scenarios for the year 2020 were used for this study. Study 3 consists of the analysis of quantitative data from the Healthy Retirement Project, focusing on attitudes towards retirement, retirement plans, and the preferred and expected age of retirement. The importance of choice and a work � life balance emerged throughout the research. Women in high-status occupations were found to be more likely to be open to the option of continuing paid work beyond age 65 than women in low-status jobs. However, the women were equally likely to embrace future volunteering. The research findings suggest that policies for an ageing female workforce should be based on the values of inclusiveness, fairness, self-determination, and social justice, and address issues of workplace flexibility, equality in the workplace, recognition for unpaid community and caring work, opportunities for life-long learning, complexity and inequities of the superannuation system, and planning for retirement. Further, providing a guaranteed minimum income for all Australians should be explored as a viable alternative to the current social security system.