IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine - Fall 2017 - 71

have documented the benefits asso"Additional studies have found that higher levels
ciated with diverse work teams, with
of racial and gender diversity are associated with
some of these studies being specific
to start-ups (Figure 4). For example,
increased sales revenue, more customers, greater
a 2011 analysis by Dow Jones and
market share, and greater relative profits."
VentureSource of more than 20,000
venture-backed companies showed
that successful start-ups have twice
as many women in senior positions
kinds of technical roles women and
Catherine and Lucy: It's critical
as unsuccessful companies. Similar
members of other underrepresented
that companies address diversity durstudies show that women-led comgroups hold, in addition to looking
ing the early phases of establishing
panies launch, on average, with less
at overall representation numbers.
their culture. Organizational cultures
capital but produce higher revenues
Underrepresented groups are freemerge either by design or default,
and are more likely to survive the
quently channeled into execution
and, when by default, the culture is
transition to an established comor project management roles that
likely to reflect the status quo. Acting
pany [10]. In addition, in a study of
support those who are creating new
with intention from the beginning is far
all investments made between 2000
technology. While technical support
easier and more likely to be successful
and 2010 by U.S.-based VC firms (in
roles are critical, there is a need for
than undoing damage down the road.
U.S.-based companies), VC firms that
diversity in all aspects of the techniCompanies should treat inclusivinvested in women-led businesses
cal invention process.
ity the way they would any other busisaw an improvement in their VC firm's
ness issue. Too often, diversity efforts
performance [11].
Q: The IC field is dominated by
are under-resourced and undervalued.
Additional studies have found
men, so how do start-ups, large
Instead, top leadership support and
that higher levels of racial and gencompanies, or venture firms inaccountability need to be established,
der diversity are associated with
crease the participation of women
with a commitment to allocating suffiincreased sales revenue, more cusor minorities, and what can they
cient resources to the implementation of
tomers, greater market share, and
expect when they do?
research-based practices, goal setting,
greater relative profits
and measuring progress. It's
[12]. Simila rly, another
also important to establish a
st udy found that work
shared language and underteams with equal numstanding among key corporate
bers of women and men
stakeholders as to the critiwere m o r e innova tive
cal business imperatives that
a n d pr o duc t ive t h a n
depend on diversity and incluteams of any other comsion and how subtle biases and
position [ 1 3 ] . Finally,
institutional barriers impede
research about work teams
progress. But just raising awarefound that the intelligence
ness about bias is not enough-
level of individual team
this understanding needs to be
members was not a preoperationalized into everyday
dictor of the collective
practice and leadership norms
intelligence of the team
in systemic ways, including
[14]. However, the collec1) helping managers lead
tive intelli g e n c e of a
produc tive team meetteam was associated with
ings where everyone can
having a higher number
contribute
of women on the team.
2) examining subtle biases in
In light of this and
task assignment, perfora d d i t i o n a l r ese a r ch ,
mance evaluation processstart-ups would do well
es, and criteria for identifyto capitalize on the bening "high-potential" talent
efits diversity can bring
3) examining flexible work polito technical invention
cies, as the informal stigmas
[15]. To reap these benor penalties that make these
FIGURE 5: A graphic detailing the benefits of diversity on compaefits, it's important to
policies difficult to use, even
nies' bottom lines. (Source: https://www.ncwit.org/resources/wompay attention to what
en-it-facts-infographic-2015-update, © NCWIT, used with permission.)
when technically allowed.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine - Fall 2017