Electronic Commerce and the Gender Imbalance

[Abrahams, Rachel]

The following paper is now on the CIRCIT Website:
http://teloz.latrobe.edu.au/circit/
Alternatively, bound copies can be purchased by contacting Pam Seeney
(pseeney@circit.vut.edu.au or Ph: 03 9248 1177)
____________________________________________
Electronic Commerce and the Gender Imbalance 
(CIRCIT Working Paper 1998/3) 
by Supriya Singh
____________________________________________
There is a mismatch between the predominantly male usage of the Internet
at home in Australia and the expectation that money will be jointly
managed and controlled in marriage.  If the gender imbalance persists,
there are three  possible scenarios for Internet commerce: 
*	There will be a change towards male dominance in the management
and control of money in the home; or
*	The Internet via the PC will not be an important channel for
household purchases; or
*	The design and delivery of the Internet and electronic money
will change to fit the requirements of women.
In this paper the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data are
analysed to go behind possible reasons for the gender balance.