Age And Gender Differences On Work Performance

In the present business scenario, the environment has expanded across the globe. Today, diversity is the key for the large organizations to expand in different geographies. It is interesting to find out that organizations develop along four stages of development known as the life cycle. Aramovich (2013) argued that the elements of differences could be observed at all the stages of organizational development. These differences are based on various parameters like age, sex, race, religion, etc. The most significant characteristic of an organization during the life cycle is growth.  As an organization develops it is important to interpret the needs of an organization and appropriately respond with management and internal control systems that will carry the organization through to the next stage of development (Daft, 2015).  A very important characteristic that will place constraints on the way an organization operates is competition (Doug, Fullerton, and Robbins, 1994).  Therefore, it is important for an organization that wishes to develop to adapt accordingly to its environment. The equality for employees and fair treatment is the key for organizations to mange its internal and external environment. However, organizations find it difficult to overcome the age and gender differences. For instance, a firm that operates in a highly competitive environment will perceive problems and devise solutions differently than an organization that operated in an environment of little to no competition. 

It is very interesting that a corporation as successful as Facebook is currently in its formalization stage.  Moreover, Apple, GE, Toyota, Caterpillar, and Southwest Airlines find themselves in the elaboration stage (Daft, 2015).  Lastly, eBay and Amazon find themselves in the late stage of formalization (Daft, 2015). However, all these big organizations have the evidence of for age and gender differences instead of the fact that they are in differences stages of lifecycle. For example, Facebook has all the young employees in its development centers in developing countries like India.

 It is important that the organizations should gradually move from one stage to another without disturbing the workplace balance. Daft (2015) poses some very good examples of when an organization would know when development is necessary. Daft (2015) names the checks as crises. These are the crises that could aggravate or increase the workplace differences with respect to age and gender within the organization. The first crisis of whether one has moved from stage one to stage two is whether there is need for leadership versus full control from the founder. The second is whether there is need for delegation with control.  In other words, is top-level management still able to innovate, control, and run the corporation all at the same time or is it necessary to incorporate middle management.  The third crisis is whether there is too much red tape.  The problem at this crisis is that corporation may have lost sight of their processes, goals, and mission.  Corporations at this stage need to revisit a streamlining of their operations.  This is when organizations have grown too quick to fast and have tried to get involved in too many products or areas of business such as Google. The fourth crisis is a need for revitalization or restructuring. All these crises are ways of knowing whether organizations have moved from one cycle to the next without compromising on workplace balance.

The chaotic system and the uncertain external environment could be a driver of differences in the workplace. Schneider, and Somers, (2006) contend that chaos is vital to the process of adaption and evolution of organizations.  Moreover, Schneider, and Somers, (2006) suggest that not all systems have the capacity to evolve.  Furthermore, Schneider, and Somers, (2006) suggest patterns emerge over time and random patterns bring non-random behavior, which in chaos systems are predictable. Buta, and Burci (2014) suggest strategies decade over time and it becomes necessary to build and operate a chaotic system to survive in turbulent and changing environments built on sequential building of scenarios of vulnerabilities and opportunities of an organization.

Businesses that interact with their environment by using resources and allowing influences from both inside and outside the organization operate with an open system structure and can create a system where the difference in terms of gender and age could be avoided (Griffin, 2016).  There are many organizations such as governments and universities that utilize an open business structure to create an equitable working environment. The problems that arise in an open system structure is that there several dependencies involved in completing tasks (Dorzilme, 2013).

Despite the issues that arise in an open systems structure, businesses utilize it at least partially because it promotes effective problem solving due to the constant critique and response environment.  Communications are more open out of necessity, and with enough feedback organizational goals can be met more directly and precisely.  Realistically, I think most organizations would have a difficult time operating without some portion of it being open.  While there are some proprietary areas that would remain closed, marketable products and services would rely on the customer feedback for success.

According to Bastedo (2004), at its most basic level, the work place differences exist due to the existence of various internal and external factors. Authors argued that the external environment in which an organization operates would naturally have an influence on that organization and workplace environment. For Bastedo (2004), the environment consists of outside organizations that exert economic, political or social influence.  Robbins & Judge (2013) offered a similar definition when he stated that the environment consists of everything that exists outside an organization and that has the potential to affect it.  Both Bastedo (2004) and Robbins & Judge (2013) noted that an organization’s environment provides the inputs (financial resources, raw materials, labor, information, etc.) that the organization needs to survive and Robbins & Judge (2013) is unequivocal when he states that organizations are open systems that obtain resources from the environment and return them to the environment as products and services (p. 35).

With the above discussion it can be said that to improve the organization performance, organization needs to change their governance system to open system where the difference in terms of age and gender could be minimized. However, the organization that is using the mechanistic structure will find very difficult to reach there. They prefer using the internal data analysis. According to Mansor, and Tayib, (2013). “Performance management systematically uses measurement and data analysis, as well as other tools, to facilitate learning and improvement and strengthen a focus on outcomes” (pp 3). 

Authors argued that organizations could have various strategies and policies around work place diversity and equality for employees. However, it is important that the policies around work place diversity should provide some tangible benefits for employees. There are cases when these strategies are just floated on the surface of the organizations. It is possible that the society and external stakeholders get a perception that the organization is a diverse organization and in reality the organization has severe challenges around workplace differences. It is important that the organizations must understand the sentiments of its internal and external stakeholders to create a health environment with true diverse culture. Boutelle (2004) speaks of stakeholders and how they are people or organizations that are influenced by, or influence an organization. Since any organization dependent on retail sales or service is dependent on customers, it can be argued that stakeholders promote the tendency of an open system. The viewpoints, stances and actions taken by management set the tone for the organization and workplace diversity. Subordinates take their cues from their leaders and managers. Outside entities also react in response to the actions of the organization’s management.  If management has a lackadaisical attitude, if they are ornery or even too yielding, outside influences will take advantage or react to these attitudes. If management desires to accomplish the visions and goals of the organization then their actions must demonstrate that.  A company that has a “age and gender philosophy” philosophy will eventually fail, as the employees of the organization will eventually take on the same attitude as their leaders or in some cases, they may just leave to go work for an organization where their personal visions and goals can also be met. Therefore, it is critical that the leaders must focus to create a diverse culture where the employees can truly practice the diversity. The diversity can truly be practiced if it is implemented as a top down approach within the organization.  

Bastedo, M. N. (2004, April 28). Open systems theory. Retrieved from https://www-personal.umich.edu/~bastedo/papers/bastedo.opensystems.pdf

Boutelle, J. (2004). Understanding stakeholders for design success. Retrieved from: https://boxesandarrows.com/understanding-organizational-stakeholders-for-design-success/

Buta, S., & Burciu, A. (2014). The impact of the business environment on the shaping of an organization chart. USV Annals of Economics & Public Administration, 14(1), 128-137.

Chrobot-Mason, D., & Aramovich, N. P. (2013). The psychological benefits of creating an affirming climate for workplace diversity. Group & Organization Management, 38(6), 659-689

Daft, R. L. (2015). Organization theory and design (12th ed.) Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning

Dorzilme, L. (2013). Problems that could arise when using Open Systems Theory and the ways to address them.  Retrieved from https://modernmanagementconsultant-com.webnode.com/news/problems-that-could-arise-when-using-open-systems-theory-and-the-ways-to-address-them/

Griffin, D. (2016). Open system organizational structure. Chronical:  Small Business.  Retrieved fromhttps://smallbusiness.chron.com/open-system-organizational-structure-432.html

Mansor, M., & Tayib, M. (2013). Integrated and open systems model: An innovative approach to tax administration performance management. Innovation Journal, 18(3), 1-29

Robbins, S; Judge, T; (2013). Organisational Behaviour (7th ). Frenchs Forest, NSW, Aust: Pearson.

Schneider, M., & Somers, M. (2006). Organizations as complex adaptive systems: Implications of complexity theory for leadership research.The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 351-365.