Perception of the Gender Gap in the Business Area: a Collaborative Online International Learning Approach

Achieving gender equality is a concern that transcends borders and affects the entire world. Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is proposed to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. This highlights the need to have gender equality as a fundamental right of people. Furthermore, it must be considered that there is still little participation of women in management or senior management positions, and gaps persist in the remuneration received. In the information technology curricular activity that aims to develop basic computer skills, we worked under the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology with participants from Chile and the United States who study careers associated with business, such as accounting, administration, and marketing, among others. This collaborative work considers the collection of information through an online questionnaire that allows identifying the perception of the gender gap in the area associated with business with undergraduate students from both countries. The students analyzed the survey results in teams composed of members from both countries. In addition to the findings of the students' analysis, we complement the analysis by finding that perceptions between gender, country, and specialization have significant differences. In qualitative aspects, we find that the aspects that explain the gender gap in favor of men are pregnancy, machismo in business settings, women having fewer positions of power and leadership, and women having fewer positions. In future work, we intend to expand the study to include other countries and cultures.