WiCipedia: Setback to Success & the 'Dad Perspective'
This week in our WiCipedia roundup: Philly Tech Week appeals to minority youth; men bring the "dad perspective"; the women of WWDC; and more.
— Eryn Leavens, Special Features & Copy Editor, Light Reading

kq4ym
6/22/2017 | 12:11:50 PM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
It's probably going to be slower going that we desire to get to equality in the workplace as well as socially, but at least some are studying th issue as noted where knowlege is sought to know "where the gender gap stems from to who is responsible for creating change." Probably not going to get 100% consensus on the issue but it get foks thinking and hopefully acting.
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Mitch Wagner
6/13/2017 | 1:17:05 PM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
As a general rule, outside of tech companies, only financial services companies have the wherewithal and need to pursue the latest tech for internal use. GE is the exception to the rule. It's becoming a tech company. Arguably it always has been -- manufacturing equipment and jet engines are tech too!
Duh!
6/12/2017 | 10:13:14 PM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
This reminds me of a panel discussion I sat in on, a long time ago.The speaker was CTO of one of the RBOCs, and the topic was one of those border wars between RBOCs and the datacom industry. He puffed out his chest and said that "we think of ourselves as a high-tech company". My reaction: "When I think of high tech companies, I think of HP (at the time). I think of Intel. When I think of [his company] I think of guys in hardhats chasing the rats out of manholes." Fortunately, I didn't have an opportunity to publically share that observation.
Phil_Britt
6/12/2017 | 7:56:31 PM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
Mitch and Sarah are both correct. Ignoring the influence and potential of tech is dangerous for any enterprise. But unless the organization is large enough to have many technicians available at a moment's notice, it's better on concentrating on the business -- such as hospitality -- and leave tech to the people and companies that do it full time.
Mitch Wagner
6/12/2017 | 11:51:03 AM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
Alison: "I covered enterprises for years and executive after executive in companies and industries that were very different all said the same thing: 'We're not a hotel/travel/entertainment/banking... company. We're a tech company.'"I winced when I heard enterprises say that. Actually, you ARE a hotel/travel/entertaintment/banking company. It's just that tech has become vital to delivering on the mission. To lose sight of that is to lose sight of the customer and invite the competition to steal your business.
Ironically, nowadays, it's the opposite. Enterprises are going to the cloud as they realize they are NOT tech companies so they need to let someone else handle it.
Sarah Thomas
6/9/2017 | 12:30:29 PM
Re: Every Business is a Tech Business
Great point, Alison! And, while it's important to give girls exposure to STEM, we certainly don't need to be forcing them into it. :) Letting them see the value of tech and not fear it or think it doesn't matter, doesn't suite them, etc. within the context of their interests is equally as important.
alison diana
6/9/2017 | 12:07:38 PM
Every Business is a Tech Business
I covered enterprises for years and executive after executive in companies and industries that were very different all said the same thing: "We're not a hotel/travel/entertainment/banking... company. We're a tech company." With that in mind, I think it's terrific that the Philly organization is encouraging girls to bring a tech focus to the youngsters' interest in fashion or hair-styling or beauty. Sure, we definitely need more women in traditionally male-dominated careers. But educating girls to consider tech's role in ALL industries is vital to their companies' successes. Love that they're approaching this topic the way it is, not the way we perhaps would like it to be.
Sarah Thomas
6/9/2017 | 10:48:42 AM
shameless plug
Thanks for including the Bloomberg break down, and also the story on what men can do to help support and advance women. That is what we will be discussing at our next WiC event in London on Nov 1. It will be a luncheon on the topic of "Male Allies & Why they Matter." Find out more and register to join us (free!) here: https://tmt.knect365.com/oss-in-the-era-of-sdn-nfv/?_ga=2.29423295.1813070284.1496757897-1894015772.1484846918
Mitch Wagner
6/9/2017 | 9:52:42 AM
WWDC
At WWDC, there were also a couple of women presenting at the keynote, up from zero a short time ago.