Women’s Networking in Engineering: The Power Dynamics of Internal and External Networks

The male-dominated nature of the engineering profession has long created challenges for women. Women engineers often find themselves struggling to navigate a field that is structured around masculine norms and values. To counter these challenges, formal women’s networks, both internal (organization-based) and external (industry-based), have emerged as essential platforms for female engineers. These networks provide not only career advancement opportunities but also social, psychological, and emotional support. However, understanding the dynamics of these networks and how they relate to power requires an in-depth analysis of the roles they play in both individual empowerment and collective action.

In article Women’s formal networking: The relationship between networking activities and power by Vanda Papafilippou, Susan Durbin, and Hazel Conley, the study draws on interviews with 48 women engineers in the UK to explore how formal women’s networks contribute to individual empowerment and collective resistance against the gender inequalities that persist in the engineering profession. We expand on the study’s findings and integrate other scholarly perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of how networking shapes the professional lives of women engineers.

Women represent only a small fraction of the engineering workforce in the UK – around 14.5% as of 2021 (Women’s Engineering Society). This underrepresentation is rooted in the historical and cultural portrayal of engineering as a masculine field characterized by toughness, rationality, and technical competence, traits traditionally associated with men. Despite the increasing entry of women into the profession, they continue to encounter gender-based stereotypes and biases, such as assumptions about their technical incompetence.

In the face of these challenges, women engineers adopt various coping strategies: they conform to the male norms, negotiate their roles, or defy traditional expectations altogether. However, these individual efforts are often insufficient to overcome systemic issues like sexual harassment, pay discrimination, and lack of career progression opportunities. Many women leave the profession, finding it difficult to break into influential networks that provide access to resources and power.

This context highlights the significance of formal women’s networks, which serve as platforms for support and resistance against the exclusionary practices of male-dominated spaces. However, as discussed in the Papafilippou et al. article, the impact of these networks is shaped by how power dynamics are navigated within them. Drawing from feminist theories of power, particularly those of Allen, the study identifies three forms of power that women can harness through networking: power-over, power-to, and power-with. Understanding these power dynamics is essential to appreciate how formal women’s networks operate within engineering.

Networking has long been acknowledged as a key strategy for career advancement. For men, informal networks often provide access to resources, mentors, and career opportunities. However, women are frequently excluded from these influential circles. In response, formal women’s networks have been created within companies and industries to facilitate networking among women engineers. These networks serve various functions: they offer social and emotional support, foster career development, and create opportunities for collective action against gender inequality.

Power-over refers to the ability to constrain the actions of others, often through domination and control. In the context of formal women’s networks, male-dominated organizational cultures often exercise power-over women by maintaining exclusionary practices. For instance, women engineers are frequently sidelined from informal networks that play a pivotal role in promotions and career progression. Internal women’s networks, which exist within these organizations, aim to resist these constraints by offering a “safe space” for women to share experiences and support one another.

Power-to reflects an individual’s capacity to achieve a particular goal. For women engineers, formal networks provide power-to by offering career guidance, mentorship, and support in navigating the challenges of their profession. These networks are not merely about advancing careers; they also help women build self-confidence and resilience. As the study shows, women participating in internal networks often seek professional and emotional support from their peers, helping them develop strategies to overcome barriers within their organizations.

Power-with is a collective form of power that emerges when individuals work together to achieve a common goal. External women’s networks, in particular, offer opportunities for collective action aimed at transforming the profession and challenging gender inequality. These networks bring together women from different organizations, enabling them to address broader industry-wide issues. By working together, women engineers can push for changes in policies and practices that affect the profession as a whole.

Internal women’s networks are established within companies to foster the inclusion and advancement of women. These networks provide a platform for women to connect with colleagues, share experiences, and access resources that may otherwise be unavailable to them in a male-dominated environment. The Papafilippou et al. (2022) study found that these networks are particularly valuable for building supportive relationships and creating a sense of belonging among women engineers.

Networking for Friendship and Support: Women often use internal networks to build close, reciprocal relationships with female colleagues, offering each other emotional support in a professional environment that may be hostile or indifferent to their concerns. In many cases, these networks function as “safe spaces” where women can confide in one another without fear of judgment or ridicule from male colleagues. This emotional support is critical in helping women navigate the challenges of working in a male-dominated profession, where their skills and abilities may be constantly questioned.

Networking for Career Support: Despite the common perception that homophilous (same-gender) networks lack instrumental value, internal women’s networks have been shown to provide important career support. These networks offer opportunities for mentorship, knowledge exchange, and career advice, helping women navigate organizational hierarchies and understand the criteria for promotion. Senior women in particular play a crucial role in mentoring junior colleagues, passing on knowledge about how to succeed in the organization.

Networking for Resistance: While internal networks are essential for providing support, they also play a role in resisting gender inequality. Many women in the study saw their participation in these networks as a way to challenge the status quo and push for organizational change. However, the success of these efforts often depends on the support of senior management. In many cases, women found their attempts to bring about change blocked or ignored by those in power, highlighting the limitations of internal networks in challenging deeply entrenched gender inequalities.

External women’s networks operate across industries, providing a broader platform for women to connect and support one another outside the confines of their individual organizations. These networks serve a different purpose from internal ones, focusing more on professional identity, career development, and collective action.

Networking for Identity and Belonging: Many women in the Papafilippou et al. (2022) study found external networks to be a source of validation and belonging, particularly when they felt isolated in their own organizations. External networks provide women with a community of peers who share similar experiences and challenges, helping them to maintain a sense of professional identity. This is particularly important for women who may feel marginalized or unsupported in their own companies.

Networking for Career Progression: External networks offer valuable opportunities for career development, providing access to role models, mentors, and industry-wide resources. Women who participate in these networks often gain visibility in the broader profession, helping them to build their reputations and expand their career opportunities. Unlike internal networks, which are often limited by organizational hierarchies, external networks allow women to take control of their professional development and pursue career progression on their own terms.

Networking for Professional Change: Perhaps the most transformative aspect of external women’s networks is their potential to foster collective action for change. These networks provide women with a platform to challenge the male-dominated culture of the engineering profession and advocate for policies that promote equality and inclusion. By working together, women in external networks can push for changes that benefit not only themselves but the profession as a whole. This collective empowerment is a key example of power-with, as women come together to challenge the status quo and create a more inclusive industry.

The Papafilippou et al. study provides important insights into how women’s networks function as spaces for both individual empowerment and collective resistance. By framing women’s networking practices through the lens of feminist power, the study highlights the ways in which formal women’s networks help women engineers navigate the challenges of a male-dominated profession.

Internal networks offer women the power-to resist exclusion and marginalization within their organizations, providing them with the support and resources they need to succeed. However, these networks are often limited in their ability to bring about structural change, as they are constrained by the organizational cultures in which they operate. External networks, on the other hand, offer women the power-with to challenge the broader structures of male domination in the profession. By connecting women across organizations, external networks provide a platform for collective action and professional change.

Despite the progress made through formal women’s networks, the engineering profession remains deeply gendered. Women’s networks, both internal and external, continue to play a crucial role in supporting women engineers and fostering their professional development. However, for these networks to achieve their full transformative potential, they must be recognized and supported by senior leadership and industry bodies. Only by acknowledging the value of women’s networks can organizations and industries begin to address the structural inequalities that persist in the engineering profession.