Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities
Women are under-represented in academic staff in universities worldwide. Our work builds on other studies of ‘demographic inertia'. We find that time will not bridge the gender representation gap in academia, and echo others in saying bold actions are required to reach parity. Our work then use...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220785 |
| _version_ | 1797840311892836352 |
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| author | Alex James Ann Brower |
| author_facet | Alex James Ann Brower |
| author_sort | Alex James |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Women are under-represented in academic staff in universities worldwide. Our work builds on other studies of ‘demographic inertia'. We find that time will not bridge the gender representation gap in academia, and echo others in saying bold actions are required to reach parity. Our work then uses New Zealand's unique system of scoring individual research performance to test empirically which levers universities should pull, and in which combinations. We combine individual research performance scores with 20 years of data from one university to parametrize a rank-structured mathematical model using Leslie matrices. Our model compares three key levers of change at universities' disposal—hiring, promotion and attrition. We apply the model to a bifurcated population of university staff—those with high research activity, and those who are moderately active—based on their national research quality score. We then test levers in various combinations that management could pull to improve gender representation. We find that the solutions are different for the high versus moderate research performers. For individuals with high research activity, universities should concentrate on equitable hiring practices. For those with more moderate research activity, more equitable promotion practices hold the key. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:12:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7953729eae64b8da2d6c7aa995e7695 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:12:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7953729eae64b8da2d6c7aa995e76952023-04-24T09:15:18ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032022-09-019910.1098/rsos.220785Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universitiesAlex James0Ann Brower1School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa, New ZealandSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Aotearoa, New ZealandWomen are under-represented in academic staff in universities worldwide. Our work builds on other studies of ‘demographic inertia'. We find that time will not bridge the gender representation gap in academia, and echo others in saying bold actions are required to reach parity. Our work then uses New Zealand's unique system of scoring individual research performance to test empirically which levers universities should pull, and in which combinations. We combine individual research performance scores with 20 years of data from one university to parametrize a rank-structured mathematical model using Leslie matrices. Our model compares three key levers of change at universities' disposal—hiring, promotion and attrition. We apply the model to a bifurcated population of university staff—those with high research activity, and those who are moderately active—based on their national research quality score. We then test levers in various combinations that management could pull to improve gender representation. We find that the solutions are different for the high versus moderate research performers. For individuals with high research activity, universities should concentrate on equitable hiring practices. For those with more moderate research activity, more equitable promotion practices hold the key.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220785gender equityLeslie matrixmanagement practices |
| spellingShingle | Alex James Ann Brower Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities Royal Society Open Science gender equity Leslie matrix management practices |
| title | Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| title_full | Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| title_fullStr | Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| title_short | Levers of change: using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| title_sort | levers of change using mathematical models to compare gender equity interventions in universities |
| topic | gender equity Leslie matrix management practices |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220785 |
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