Table AI. DTAPP Programme evaluation,...

Table AI.

DTAPP Programme evaluation, gendered implications and response strategies^a

Stage	DTAPP characteristics, challenges and issues^a	Gendered implications	Response strategies
Stage 1: Awareness	Awareness raising conducted by NRC Canada focussed on existing networks of clients and organisations: ‘This contributed to fairly targeted awareness-raising activities.’ Once DTAPP industrial technical advisors (ITAs) were hired, they selected specific industry associations to communicate beyond NRC clients. DTAPP technical assistants also worked with colleges to coordinate outreach	Given NRC focus on Engineering/STEM networks and clients are less likely to be women business owners. Programme outreach/awareness may systematically preclude women given that women business owners are less likely to be engaged in mainstream (‘old boy’) industry networks. Narrowly targeted outreach and the failure to proactively seek out women’s enterprise networks affords advantage to men-centric associations and hence, men business owners	Mandate sex disaggregated reporting. Conduct gender-based audits, introducing gender-inclusive assessment criteria within programme design. Establish quotas for women founders, at all stages of ICT programming. Identify/promote women role models who utilise ICT within ICT communications. Leverage women’s associations/women founders to increase outreach and awareness about IT of programme and programme impacts
Stage 2:Eligibility	Delivery agencies follow prescriptive eligibility criteria (e.g., incorporated firms, fewer than 500 employees, interest in increasing their productivity): ‘A few ITAs [Industrial Technology Advisor] and internal stakeholders noted that the Eligibility stage could benefit from additional “sifting” of projects to identify programmes with the highest potential for improved productivity.’ Determination of eligibility was undertaken through trainer’ (ITAs) interviews with a project lead from the SME or senior management representative	Cherry-picking ‘high productivity clients’ disadvantages women in multiple ways. Gender stereotyping of founders’ intentions, skills, and competencies infers women are less likely to be viewed as high productivity candidates. Criteria of incorporation fail to acknowledge women-owned firms are smaller, less likely to incorporate and fit ‘high growth’ profile. Gender biases in interview processes and data collection were not considered. Lack of gender-inclusive training of ITAs could be associated with unconscious gender biases of clients (e.g., interviewers not aware of systemic gender influences in ICT confidence, awareness, technical acumen, utilization)	Expand eligibility criteria to non-incorporated firms, given size profile of women-founded firms. Mandate gender-sensitivity training for ITAs. Creative welcoming, inclusive learning environments. Monitor programme culture
Stage 3: Analysis	The stage entails analysis of ‘firm readiness’ using diagnostics and collecting/recording firm information (for example, stage of existing adoption process, financial and productivity assessment). Some ITAs estimated ‘value added per employee.’ ‘The expedited process reportedly took place for two reasons: pressure on ITAs to support eligible projects rather than optimal ones; and the fact that some SMEs had already completed their own analysis and had decided on a preferred technology adoption programme.’	Statistics Canada has reported on gender differences in revenue per employee, after accounting for firm and owner level differences (Rosa and Sylla, 2016). Women-owned firms could be viewed as less productive or ‘ready.’ Conversely, these firms may benefit most from financial and technical support. Productivity criteria fail to reflect social and non-pecuniary outcomes that are particularly valued by women. Given comparatively limited information about ICTs, self-assessment by women founders may negatively impact intervention outcomes	Acknowledge/address gender biases in ‘firm readiness’ and productivity criteria. Hire experts on gender analysis to advise on ICT analysis processes and to identify/lever lessons learned over the course of programme evolution. Include technologies appropriate to women-dominated sectors (for example, creative, healthcare, professional services)
Stage 4: Execution	DTAPP* and firm work to identify barriers to ICT adoption and response strategies. Tasks and milestones are identified. Advice/referrals to other services and experts are given. ‘Advice […] was often operational and technical, however, at times was financial in nature (for example, advice on financial systems, referrals financial support, etc.).’ Locating objective consultants was a challenge	Focus on technical and operational support fails to address influences such as limited confidence, risk propensity, network density and quality, technical competencies, etc. Given limited ICT knowledge, women founders are particularly vulnerable to vendor exploitation	Provision of online programs to address time constraints. Central repository of knowledge, ranking of industrial technology advisors (ITAs), summary of best in class technologies with women role models and referrals. Include gender-based barriers to ICT adoption within curricula
Stage 5: Outcomes	Record outcomes and lessons learned by all parties, record productivity, post-engagement for up to three years after end of program	Ongoing engagement that has precluded women at program outset reinforces masculine privilege	Examine socio-economic impacts of ICT program support, not merely job creation and ‘productivity.’ Criteria should include soft outcomes such as psychosocial factors (e.g. confidence) as well as tacit (e.g. operational, technical) knowledge

Stage	DTAPP characteristics, challenges and issues^a	Gendered implications	Response strategies
Stage 1: Awareness	Awareness raising conducted by NRC Canada focussed on existing networks of clients and organisations: ‘This contributed to fairly targeted awareness-raising activities.’ Once DTAPP industrial technical advisors (ITAs) were hired, they selected specific industry associations to communicate beyond NRC clients. DTAPP technical assistants also worked with colleges to coordinate outreach	Given NRC focus on Engineering/STEM networks and clients are less likely to be women business owners. Programme outreach/awareness may systematically preclude women given that women business owners are less likely to be engaged in mainstream (‘old boy’) industry networks. Narrowly targeted outreach and the failure to proactively seek out women’s enterprise networks affords advantage to men-centric associations and hence, men business owners	Mandate sex disaggregated reporting. Conduct gender-based audits, introducing gender-inclusive assessment criteria within programme design. Establish quotas for women founders, at all stages of ICT programming. Identify/promote women role models who utilise ICT within ICT communications. Leverage women’s associations/women founders to increase outreach and awareness about IT of programme and programme impacts
Stage 2:Eligibility	Delivery agencies follow prescriptive eligibility criteria (e.g., incorporated firms, fewer than 500 employees, interest in increasing their productivity): ‘A few ITAs [Industrial Technology Advisor] and internal stakeholders noted that the Eligibility stage could benefit from additional “sifting” of projects to identify programmes with the highest potential for improved productivity.’ Determination of eligibility was undertaken through trainer’ (ITAs) interviews with a project lead from the SME or senior management representative	Cherry-picking ‘high productivity clients’ disadvantages women in multiple ways. Gender stereotyping of founders’ intentions, skills, and competencies infers women are less likely to be viewed as high productivity candidates. Criteria of incorporation fail to acknowledge women-owned firms are smaller, less likely to incorporate and fit ‘high growth’ profile. Gender biases in interview processes and data collection were not considered. Lack of gender-inclusive training of ITAs could be associated with unconscious gender biases of clients (e.g., interviewers not aware of systemic gender influences in ICT confidence, awareness, technical acumen, utilization)	Expand eligibility criteria to non-incorporated firms, given size profile of women-founded firms. Mandate gender-sensitivity training for ITAs. Creative welcoming, inclusive learning environments. Monitor programme culture
Stage 3: Analysis	The stage entails analysis of ‘firm readiness’ using diagnostics and collecting/recording firm information (for example, stage of existing adoption process, financial and productivity assessment). Some ITAs estimated ‘value added per employee.’ ‘The expedited process reportedly took place for two reasons: pressure on ITAs to support eligible projects rather than optimal ones; and the fact that some SMEs had already completed their own analysis and had decided on a preferred technology adoption programme.’	Statistics Canada has reported on gender differences in revenue per employee, after accounting for firm and owner level differences (Rosa and Sylla, 2016). Women-owned firms could be viewed as less productive or ‘ready.’ Conversely, these firms may benefit most from financial and technical support. Productivity criteria fail to reflect social and non-pecuniary outcomes that are particularly valued by women. Given comparatively limited information about ICTs, self-assessment by women founders may negatively impact intervention outcomes	Acknowledge/address gender biases in ‘firm readiness’ and productivity criteria. Hire experts on gender analysis to advise on ICT analysis processes and to identify/lever lessons learned over the course of programme evolution. Include technologies appropriate to women-dominated sectors (for example, creative, healthcare, professional services)
Stage 4: Execution	DTAPP* and firm work to identify barriers to ICT adoption and response strategies. Tasks and milestones are identified. Advice/referrals to other services and experts are given. ‘Advice […] was often operational and technical, however, at times was financial in nature (for example, advice on financial systems, referrals financial support, etc.).’ Locating objective consultants was a challenge	Focus on technical and operational support fails to address influences such as limited confidence, risk propensity, network density and quality, technical competencies, etc. Given limited ICT knowledge, women founders are particularly vulnerable to vendor exploitation	Provision of online programs to address time constraints. Central repository of knowledge, ranking of industrial technology advisors (ITAs), summary of best in class technologies with women role models and referrals. Include gender-based barriers to ICT adoption within curricula
Stage 5: Outcomes	Record outcomes and lessons learned by all parties, record productivity, post-engagement for up to three years after end of program	Ongoing engagement that has precluded women at program outset reinforces masculine privilege	Examine socio-economic impacts of ICT program support, not merely job creation and ‘productivity.’ Criteria should include soft outcomes such as psychosocial factors (e.g. confidence) as well as tacit (e.g. operational, technical) knowledge

Notes:

Adopted from the Evaluation of the Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP) Final Report (Goss Gilroy Inc., 2013, pp. 32-33). ITA: industrial technology advisors; NRC: National Research Council of Canada; SME: small- and medium-sized businesses; STEM: science, technology, engineering, mathematics

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