This chapter considers the position of women working in computer games through the voices of over 500 women from the international research. The chapter highlights the problems and opportunities of game work, especially pertinent in attracting and retaining women within the industry. It discusses women’s personal experiences of working in the game industry and career factors related to women’s experiences working in the computer games industry, including career motivation, person-environment fit, and job satisfaction. The chapter also identifies career factors in the computer game industry, such as career barriers and the drivers that help enhance the careers of women in this and other male-dominated industries.
TopCareer Motivation Of Women In The Computer Games Industry
People experience the same work conditions in different ways and can react quite differently to situations based on personal characteristics and attributes. Career motivation is a psychological process enacted from both within the individual, as well as external to the individual. There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation, due to personal reasons, such as an interest in and enjoyment of an activity. Whereas, extrinsic motivation refers to the individual being motivated by external or instrumental reasons, such as rewards. Thomas, Jansen, and Tymon (1997) suggest that the positive experiences of intrinsic motivation enables individuals to become involved, committed and energised by their work. According to the authors, intrinsic motivation consists of four components: feelings of meaningfulness, choice, competence and progress. Combined, these four components make up a set of intrinsic rewards deemed necessary to produce and sustain empowerment (Thomas, Jansen, & Tymon, 1997). Intrinsic motivation has been viewed important in career self-management (Quigley & Tymon, 2006). The cognitive evaluation theory put forward by Deci and Ryan (1985) suggest that self-determination and competence are the hallmark of intrinsic motivation. Early theorists of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation tended to view them as opposing constructs. In that, individual intrinsic motivation will decrease to the extent extrinsic motivation increases (Lepper & Greene, 1978). However, there are some theorists who suggest that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation coexist (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Amabile et al., 1994). For instance, Amabile et al. (1994) developed the work preference inventory in order to assess individual differences in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of adults and students. They suggested that the main elements of intrinsic motivation are self-determination, competence, task involvement, curiosity, enjoyment, and interest. The main elements of extrinsic motivation are concerns with competition, evaluation, recognition, money or other tangible incentives and constraints by others. We think that both motivations can be strong, salient and stable to the individual and not just due to the social context.