Participation of women in the R&D workforce

Research and Development (R&D) Centers are organizations that respond to technological changes with high-cost projects and have a direct impact on human life by producing new technologies. The R&D field of work stands out as an area where women are not sufficiently represented. The aim of this thesis is to question how women employees exist in R&D units as a male-dominated profession and how they find a place for themselves in the context of human capital and cultural capital. The study aims to analyze the gender inequalities experienced by women in R&D and innovation fields based on human and cultural capital approaches and to reveal how women express themselves and achieve success in a male-dominated field. In order to achieve this aim, a mixed research method was used, in which quantitative and qualitative research techniques were applied together. Data were obtained from 400 participants working in R&D and Technocity Centers and 20 participants were interviewed. With the field research carried out in some selected R&D and Technocity Centers in Turkey, answers to the research questions were sought in line with the experiences of women working in this field. According to the results of the study, women have higher cultural capital and men have higher human capital. However, it has been revealed that women face discrimination, restrictions and difficulties stemming from both human capital and cultural capital in work areas that require qualification and experience, such as R&D and Technocity Centers. Although women's participation and visibility in work areas identified with men, such as R&D, Engineering and Technocity, has increased, it is possible to say that gender-based prejudices are reproduced in these areas. This thesis study has underlined the importance of gender equality in the R&D work area and shown that women's performance in this field and their contributions to productivity should not be ignored.