Discuss about the Gender Equality in Business Complex.
Gender equality in a workplace has always been a major problem for the business organizations. This concept is not only complex but also difficult to implement for several reasons. In order to understand the concept of gender equality, the chapter focuses on the theories and concepts of gender segregation in business organization and the associated ideologies of gender equality (Hacker 2017). With the help of these theories and concepts it will be discussed how employed workers, men and women are treated, in a workplace. The chapter includes an examination of Marxist and radical feminist theory (Agenor and Canuto 2015). Then a critical analysis on dual system theory is also described in this study. Following this, the post-structuralist theory is also mentioned here.
Gender equality in a workplace can be accomplished when all the employees are able to access and enjoy the similar rewards, possessions and opportunities regardless of gender. According to Van der Vleuten (2016), the main purpose of gender equality is to accomplish largely equal outcomes for women and men, not essentially outcomes that are precisely the same for all. In a workplace where there is gender equality, employers will provide equivalent pay for work of equivalent value (Williamson and Baird 2014). It is expected that in an equal workplace, there will not be any barrier for the women and they will be able to participate equally in every operations like men (Sobering et al. 2014). In today’s competitive business scenario, it is highly important to implement gender equality in a workplace. If there is gender equality in a workplace then productivity and economic growth of the organization will be enhanced. Besides, it will also help the business companies to attract talent and retain its current employees.
Marxist theory focuses to analyze the impact of capitalist system on the isolation of the workforce. This theory argues that women encompass a “reserve army of labor.” According to Pateman and Grosz (2013), women are expected to enter into a paid job when there is a shortage of male labors. However it is also true that they are asked to leave formal employment when they are no longer required. The theory of Marxist questions the traditional notion of developing surplus value by signifying how gender inequalities are subjugated by capitalists to accomplish their bigger economic benefit. This theory also states that the conflict between workforce and capita is the main reason behind inequality in business organizations. However, Sturgeon (2016) criticized this theory and stated that class conflict is the only reason behind gender isolation where Marxist theory putting more emphasis on strategies of employers. He said that Marxist theory is trying to exhibit that employers are continuously using the strategies of using cheap labor and strategies to discourage worker resistance which is the primary reason behind gender discrimination. It is the only reason radical feminism has strictly criticized this theory.
Radical feminists deeply believe that men are benefitted from their workplaces as a prevailing amount of task is completed by women in their families. People who believe in this theory also believe that this gender division of labor is the root of patriarchal social relations that provides men with social advantages in terms of employment. They also argue that patriarchy enforces the lower status of women both communally and economically. However, Meyers (2014) challenged this concept to describe the contemporary disadvantaged position of women in the labor force. As mentioned by Moghadam (2015), stated that the biological verdict of this concept in its conventional form must be criticized that implies that only males exercise patriarchy. Similarly other scholars also criticized this concept as it only refers to an explicit historical form of domestic relationship where gender discrimination in workplaces is much more complex (Meyers 2014). On the other hand, this concept also cannot explain other aspects of oppression and discrimination such as race, ethnicity and religion.
Number of scholars has argued that Marxist theory and Radica feminist theory are not enough to explain the status of women in workplaces. Thus, it was proposed to connect these two theories in order to develop a progressive socialist feminist theory of capitalist patriarchy (Coleman 2015). This new theory which is Dual system theory describes the dual role of capitalist system and patriarchy in producing and supporting gender inequality in workplaces. According to Thompson (2016), Marxist theory ignores the roles of patriarchy in excluding women from employment on social and historical justification. On the other hand, radical theory fails to describe the role of capitalist system in exploiting gender inequalities that are present in the workplace.
This theory was developed based on a number of studies that were carried out on gender discrimination at work. This theory states that gender discrimination has an archaic focus on the dualistic variance between males and females (Hamilton 2014). It also says that gender subjectivity is the best way to conceptualize the multifaceted nature of gender inequality in workplaces. This concept of gender subjectivity is described as the skewed experience of being a man or a woman (Little 2016). This post-structuralist theory criticizes the structural analysis of gender inequality. Followers of this theory states that structural analysis tends to ignore the number of dissimilar experiences of women and men in the workplace. The believers of this theory tried to emphasize the altering gender roles of a small number of flourishing women within employment contexts. However, while doing this, they absolutely ignored the fact that most of the women remain inhibited to lower levels employment class when compared to their male counterparts. According to Coleman (2015), this concept has some challenges as it entirely ignores the preservation and imitation of inequality and unfairness at workplace experienced by most female workers.
After reviewing the available literature including theories and concepts related to gender inequality in workplace, it is seen that there is no in depth analysis in it. It is already mentioned that gender equality in workplace is a complex problem and it has a number of views and reasons. Therefore, to understand the current situation related to the topic, it is important to hear from female employees who are working in various business industries. In one line, empirical research is significant to understand the concept and situation of the problem gender equality. None of these literatures had any empirical research in it. Besides, none of these theories are able to provide any solution to the problem.
Conclusion
In the end, it can be conclude that gender inequality is present in the society and in the workplace from a long time. Several theories are models are there to describe the problem and to describe the root of the problem. However, all of those theories are immensely criticized and therefore, it can be said that none of those theories are authentic. As a result, no proper solution there to deal with the problems related to gender inequality. Therefore, it is important to conduct an empirical research to find out exact problems related to gender equality. Once the major problems are found, it would be easy to develop proper solutions.
References
Agenor, P.R. and Canuto, O., 2015. Gender equality and economic growth in Brazil: a long-run analysis. Journal of Macroeconomics, 43, pp.155-172.
Coleman, G., 2015. Gender, power and post-structuralism in corporate citizenship. Globalization and Corporate Citizenship: The Alternative Gaze: A Collection of Seminal Essays, p.224.
Hacker, S., 2017. Pleasure, power and technology: Some tales of gender, engineering, and the cooperative workplace (Vol. 5). Routledge.
Hamilton, E., 2014. Entrepreneurial narrative identity and gender: a double epistemological shift. Journal of Small Business Management, 52(4), pp.703-712.
Little, J., 2016. Gender and Entrepreneurship. Routledge International Handbook of Rural Studies, p.357.
Meyers, D.T., 2014. Feminist social thought: A reader. Routledge.
Moghadam, V., 2015. Gender and globalization: female labor and women’s mobilization. journal of world-systems research, 5(2), pp.366-389.
Pateman, C. and Grosz, E., 2013. Feminist challenges: Social and political theory. Routledge.
Sobering, K., Thomas, J. and Williams, C.L., 2014. Gender In/equality in Worker?owned Businesses. Sociology Compass, 8(11), pp.1242-1255.
Sturgeon, N., 2016. Ecofeminist natures: Race, gender, feminist theory and political action. Routledge.
Thompson, N., 2016. Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Van der Vleuten, A., 2016. The price of gender equality: Member states and governance in the European Union. Routledge.
Williamson, S. and Baird, M., 2014. Gender equality bargaining: Developing theory and practice. Journal of Industrial Relations, 56(2), pp.155-169.
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