Women’s Participations inthe Digital Economy
Perspectives in China
Dr. Celine Shen, Ge Jianqiao
e-Business Center, Guanghua School ofManagement
Peking University, China
September, 2006

Agenda1.

Introduction and Current Situation

2.

ICT Occupation for Women

3.

Women Enterprises and e-Biz in APEC

4.

Inspirational and Promotional Programs

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Introduction
 ICT market in China is huge. Female consumer’s

growth rate is faster than male’s in recent years.
 Great opportunities as well as challenges for women'soccupation in ICT
 Gender inequality does not take first priority toeconomic issues in China
 Women in China are undergoing a period oftransformation
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Current Situation
 Internet Usage: women higher growth rate thanmen (11% vs. 8% in year 2006)
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%

Men
Women

Growth Ratio/half ayear•8% (Men)•11% (Women)(2004.1-2006.7)

1997.
19 10
98.0
19 7
99.
19 01
99.
20 07
00.0
20 100.
20 07
01.020 101.
20 07
02.0
20 102.
20 0703.
20 01
03.0
20 704.
20 01
04.0
20 705
.
20 01
05
.
20 07
06
.0
20 106.0
7Percentage

Chinese Internet Users: by GenderTime
 Source: CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), 9 years (one time inhalf a year) continued research on Chinese Internet Status
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42Current Situation (continued)
 Characteristics of Chinese women internet users

Young: 86% 15-25 years old
Concentrated in developed regions,e.g Beijing, Shanghai,Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang…
Typically 87% hold In service jobs with monthly income
1500RMB5

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Current Situation (continued)
Different preferences on Internet and e-commerce from men
women are more interested in medical health, entertainment news, lifeservices, and networking
 Men are more interested in news, computer hardware and entertainmentPreferences on Internet: Female vs. the Whole
Pe rce ntage

Health

65%

5%
3%

15%
11%

Job
5%

CultureFemale User
The Whole User

22%
20%

12%18%
66%

28%

Entertainment
12%

News

76%

45%
53%
45%

 Source: Alibaba Network Lab 2004
e-Business Center PKU
2007-1-30

78%
63

Current Gaps
Information and Communication TechnologyFocusResearch
Category

Occupation
And Career

Education

Application

GenderImproving but Major
differences between
boys and girls

Higher growth rate forwomen (CNNIC)

GeographicMajor differences
Differences exists for
between city and rural rural vs metropolitan,tier 1 vs tier 2 cities
area

Tier 1 cities female
professionals getshigher salary

Younger generation
gets better education

Younger generation
more involved in ICT

Age

2007-1-30

Younger generation
more involved in ICT

Major gaps
existinge-Business Center PKU

7Agenda1.

Introduction and Current Situation

2.

ICT Occupation for Women

3.

Women Enterprises and e-Biz in APEC

4.

Inspirational and Promotional Programs

2007-1-30

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84

Higher Salary, Longer Work Hrs


Averagely 5-15% higher than otherprofessions

Average Hours Worker
more than
12hs
5%Foreign companies and JV 20%60% higher than averages plus
much better benefits and career
trainings
No significant difference in salarywith men in similar position

less than8hs
31%8-12hs64%68.52% ICT women work more than
8 hours a day

4.63% work more than 12 hrs a day:7-11 or six-midnight Source: www.ccidnet.com, Report:Survey

2007-1-30of Chinese women in IT, 2004

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Challenges for Women in ICTFamily and Personal time

Sacrifice more family andpersonal time: less than 2hrs for
IT vs 5 hrs with other fields
Only 16.86% women regard
family, children and personal life
as their first choice of life

6in Other fieldin IT

5Hours



43210



Foreign or JV companies evenmore sacrifice, single women inIT 4-6 times vs. other fields
Career Summit: 40-year-old
10 years ahead of men in ICTand women of other fields

Percentage of Women in Each Department
73%

80%

Percentage



60%

60%

40%

30%
12%

20%

16%0%Finance

HRResearch Production MarketingDepartment

 Source: Guanghua Management School,Peking University 2004;
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Trapezium: Framework

 Source: e-Business Center, Peking University 2005
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11Agenda
1.

Introduction and Current Situation

2.

ICT Occupation for Women

3.

Women Enterprises and e-Biz in APEC

4.

Inspirational and Promotional Programs

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126Comparative Study
Women Owned Enterprises and e-BusinessIn Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Led by APWINC (Asia Pacific Women’s Information NetworkCenter)
Within 16 Focal Point Countries/Regions
Research in China Focal Point was conducted by eBusinessCenter of Peking University

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Women-Owned SMEszz

Women-owned SMEsz

SMEs using Internet

W-SMEs usingInternet

China

20%

87%n/aJapan

6%n/an/a



Korea

36%

68%

2%



Indonesia

38%

56%

13%

Vietnam

24%

2%

<1%



HongKong

15%58%n/aCh Taipei

34%

80%n/a Source: Director of APWINC: Lorna Wright’s presentation on January,2006 Workshop in China,
Guanghua School of Management, PKU
2007-1-30

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What Matters for Innovation & Leadershipin Women eBusinesses?
zSurvey for China’s eCommerce White Paper, 2004-2005
Sponsored by Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of Chinaz

Sampling by off-line methodzValid responses:
612 enterprises : 502 men-led(82%), 110 women-led(18%)

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General Situation of WomenBusiness

20% in the total amount of Biz in China
Mainly established in recent 10 years

Distribution ratio of women/men-led business categorized by registered time
60%
51.1%

Percentage in Men-led business %Percentage in Women-led business%

50%

40.5%
40%
30%

24.9%

20%

16.5%

20.7%

19.0%

13.4%
8.1%

10%
3.4%

2.5%

0%
Before 1978 1978-1990

1991-1995

1996-2000

After 2000

 Source: China Women Enterprises’ Development Report, 2003

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General Background ofWomen Enterprisers in China: Age Mostly <45 years oldFemale Entrepreneurs' Age
>556%
45-55
21%

<3540%

35-44
33%

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General Background of
Women Enterprisers in China: Education
 50% has received university or higher education
Female Entrepreneurs' Education
Master and above
5%University Degree43%2007-1-30

Secondary School
11%

College41%

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189What Matters for Innovation & Leadership in
Women eBusiness?
Knowledge-Based Background matters for innovation & leadership in

Women eBusiness
Survey Data re-analyzing, categorized by Education

z

High Education: Bachelor Degree, Master Degree and HigherzLow Education: Primary school, secondary school, college education

Focusing on Impacts of Education on:

zeBusiness Usagez

eBusiness Performancez

eBusiness Professionals Training
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Education drives Women eBusiness Usage
Scales: 0-5, higher means better usage
Comparing with Men-led Business score (2.34), High Education group in
Women-led Business doing better on eBusiness Usage
Average Score of Women eBusiness Usage, categorized by Education
3

2. 6

High Education
Low Education

Women BusinessTotal Average

2

1. 91
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2010Education drives Women eBusiness Usage on Every
Aspects
Average Score of Women eBusiness Usage, Categorized by Education
In Use1High Education
Low Education

0. 64 0. 62

0. 62
0. 53

0. 54

0. 52

0. 35

0. 31
0. 20
0. 15

Not Use 0

OnlineMarketing

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OnlineBuying

Email withCustomers

E-licence

OnlinePayment

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Agenda1.

Introduction and Current Situation

2.

ICT Occupation for Women

3.

Women Enterprises and e-Biz in APEC

4.

Inspirational and Promotional Programs

2007-1-30

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Spring Blossom Project
1989-now

By China Children and Teenagers’ FundEducation
Especially for country-girl
Receive the donation from the whole society
Until 2004, has collected 600 million RMB
In 15 years, more than 1.5 million country-girls get helped
and some of them get the chance to receive higher education

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23Thousands Villages ProjectFrom 2002 to Now
 By a very successful software company ofTaiwan-based
 Bring very basic ICT skills to villages in thewestern rural China, e.g. HuangYangchuan
 Aim: in 5-10 years, set up 100 network offices inthe western rural China, 1000 primary schools,
train 10,000 local software workers which could
be long-distance engaged via Internet
 Promote the local ICT education, application andcreate the local PC software factory Improve the local economics
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Special Benefits for Women The encouragement from the whole society, forwomen to attempt new jobs especially ICT
In many provinces, e.g TianJin, Jiangsu
By local governments
Occupation training and tax benefits
Set up Women-talent database
Priority of credit support
Extend loan hypothecate approaches
Set up encourage fund……

25

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How to Improve ICT with Women
Information and Communication Technology
Enterprise Development

In CHINA

Education

Application

Program in Guanghua
SocialSchool of Management PKU
Environment

Raise awareness ofcurrent situations

Current
BackgroundBreak through glassceilings: career lengthis 14 years
Involvement formallyor informally: bytraining, forum andnetworking

Programs
to Improve2007-1-30

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What’s Next in China
 More voice, legally or socially and networking between

Sino-western or Asia Pacific organizations
 Training and awareness program
 Sponsor plans and e-learning or e-education for ruralareas Appeal to All in Audience

2007-1-30

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27Reference


E-Business Center PKU, China’s eCommerce White Book 2004-2005, Project Ministry ofCommerce, PRC, Jan, 2006
E-Business Center PKU, Chinese Enterprise e-Commerce White Book, Project Ministry ofCommerce, PRC, Aug., 2003
E-Business Center PKU, ZhongGuancun Science Park Development Report 2002-2003, Project
support by Administration of Zhongguancun Science Park, Aug., 2003
E-Business Center PKU, Research Paper: The Net Readiness of Chinese Large Enterprise, Dec.,
2003
E-Business Center PKU, Research Paper: Online trust and e-commerce: eBay and Eachnet.Mar.,2004
CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), Development Report of Chinese Internet
Network.1997-2005;
CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), Report of Internet Network Hotspot in
China.2003;
Lin, G., Internet and Women: Survey based on OICQ, Society (In Chinese), Nov., 2003
www.ccidnet.com, Report: Survey of Chinese women in IT, 2004
Alibaba Network Lab report, 2004
National Bureau of Statistics of China, Report: 2nd Survey on Women’s Social Status May, 2001
Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Research Paper of Shanghai Women Engineers
www. Cbe21.com, China Basic Education Network.
www.xinhuanet.com
www.women.com.cn

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Thank you

Welcome to Contact us:
eBusiness Center, Peking University
Address:#1015, YanYuan Resource Plaza, No.151 North Street,Zhong Guan Cun, Beijing, 100080
P.R.China

Telephone:

86-10-5887-6398

Email:

celine@ebcBeida.com(Dr. Celine Shen)

gejq@ebcBeida.com(Jianqiao Ge)

Website:2007-1-30

http://www.ebc.pku.edu.cn

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