Communicative Practices of Women Information Technology Leaders: An Ethnomethodological Study of Podcast Narratives

Abstract

The study explored the communicative practices of women information technology (IT) leaders, how their views of the industry shape these practices, and what these practices achieve in their leadership roles. The study was grounded in the Sociocultural Tradition of Communication, as proposed by Craig (1999), where communication is viewed as the (re)production of “shared sociocultural patterns.” Using ethnomethodology as a qualitative research method, the study explored the communicative practices of women leaders through narratives present in podcast conversations from four (4) podcast episodes featuring different women IT leaders. These podcasts were transcribed and then subjected to an ethnomethodological analysis.

The findings identified five key views of these women IT leaders: (1) the industry is continuously changing, evolving, and disruptive; (2) the industry requires flexibility, adaptability, and agility; (3) success is defined by resilience and problem-solving; (4) the industry is diverse and highly collaborative; and (5) customer-centricity and satisfaction are important in the industry.

Similarly, the study described five communicative practices among these women IT leaders, particularly: (1) women leaders practice continuous learning and self-improvement; (2) women leaders practice adaptability and situational leadership; (3) women leaders practice open and transparent communication; (4) women leaders practice empathy and understanding; and (5) women leaders practice data-driven, tech-enhanced, and customer-focused communication.

Finally, the study also identified four accomplishments and leadership outcomes of the women IT leaders’ communicative practices, which includes: (1) keeping the company stable and sustainable; (2) keeping the company competitive and relevant; (3) improving team collaboration and engagement; and (4) enabling and promoting adaptability and innovation.

Keywords: women leadership; information technology; communicative practices; ethnomethodology; podcast narratives