Gender Pay Gaps within the top four UK Accounting Firms in the last 10 years

Running head: GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING
FIRMS
Gender Pay Gaps within the top four UK Accounting Firms in the last 10 years
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1GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Abstract:
Gender biases are considered the inclination towards one gender, why discriminating the
other one. The gender biasness is mainly considered to be unequal and unbalanced towards
one sex enjoying most of the opportunities and rights than the other one. This study intended
to evaluate the gap, which persists in the economy of UK among men and women working in
the top four accounting firms. The paper reviewed the changes in pay gap, which might have
taken place over the past ten years within the same industry. Developing countries have
serious problem regarding gender biasness, as women are not encouraged to be at higher
position than men are. It is gathered from the paper that the performance based jobs make
less payment to women. Therefore, it can be concluded in this context that the gender pay
inequality exists among women and is interrelated with the fact that they are not provided
with the opportunities to progress in their job. Based on the findings it is recommended that
for encouraging women into the industry, accounting firms should take some measures.
Image of accounting profession that supports women in their careers could be enhanced by
taking promotion initiatives such as practice of flexible working hours and making it gender
neutral.

2GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Acknowledgements:
It is my privilege to share my gratitude to people those helped me accomplish the dissertation
and has supported me directly or indirectly to complete the research work. I express my deep
sense of gratitude to my teacher along with my faculty guide for their sincere guidance along
with inspiration they provided me in completing this project. I also tank my friends and other
people related with the project those have more or less contributed in the completion of the
research work. I will always be indebted to them. The research has indeed supported me in
exploring increased know knowledgeable avenues associated with my topic and I am sure
that will help me in future.

3GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................8
1.1 Introduction:.....................................................................................................................8
1.2 Research aim:...................................................................................................................9
1.3 Research objectives:.........................................................................................................9
1.4 Research questions:..........................................................................................................9
1.5 Rationale of the research:...............................................................................................10
1.6 Overview of subsequent chapters:.................................................................................10
1.7 Summary:.......................................................................................................................11
Chapter 2: Literature Review...................................................................................................12
2.1 Introduction:...................................................................................................................12
2.2 Gender Bias faced by women:.......................................................................................12
2.2.1 Gender Bias by demographics:...................................................................................13
2.2.2 Glass ceiling effect:.....................................................................................................14
2.2.3 Discrimination faced by men:.....................................................................................15
2.3. Gender Bias in developed and developing countries:...................................................16
2.3.1 Developing countries:.................................................................................................16
2.3.2 Developed countries:...................................................................................................17
2.4 Argument for gender diversity:......................................................................................18
2.5 Theoretical Framework:.................................................................................................19
Figure 2.1: Theoretical Framework..................................................................................19

4GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
2.6 Summary:.......................................................................................................................20
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...........................................................................................21
3.0 Introduction:...................................................................................................................21
3.1 Gender pay gaps within the top four UK accounting firms...........................................21
Figure 3.1: Overview of research methodology...............................................................22
3.2 Research Paradigm.........................................................................................................22
3.3 Research Approach........................................................................................................22
3.4 Data Collection and Analysis.........................................................................................23
3.5 Sample Size and Method................................................................................................24
3.6 Research Strategy...........................................................................................................25
3.7 Pilot Study......................................................................................................................25
3.8 Limitations.....................................................................................................................25
3.10 Ethical Consideration...................................................................................................25
3.10 Summary......................................................................................................................26
Chapter 4: Findings, Analysis and Discussion.........................................................................27
4.1 Introduction:...................................................................................................................27
4.2 Quantitative analysis:.....................................................................................................27
Figure 4.1: Age group of the respondents........................................................................28
Figure 4.2: Gender of the respondents.............................................................................29
Figure 4.3: Treatment of women in workforce................................................................30
Figure 4.5: Likelihood of pay gap in gender dominant sectors........................................33

5GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Figure 4.6: Effect of pay gap on future employment.......................................................34
Figure 4.7: Contributing factor of gender pay gap...........................................................35
Figure 4.8: Intervention of the UK government in solving gender pay gap....................36
4.3 Qualitative analysis:.......................................................................................................37
4.4 Summary:.......................................................................................................................40
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations........................................................................42
5.1 Introduction:...................................................................................................................42
5.2 Overall conclusion:........................................................................................................42
The current study has highlighted the gender pay inequality within the top accounting
firms of United Kingdom. Discussion takes into account different factors that are
responsible for creation of gap between the pay of men and women..................................42
5.3 Recommendations:.........................................................................................................43
5.4 Limitations and future scope of research:......................................................................45
References and Bibliographies:................................................................................................46
Appendix:.................................................................................................................................51

6GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Table of Figures
Figure 2.1: Theoretical Framework..........................................................................................18
Figure 3.1: Overview of research methodology.......................................................................21
Figure 4.1: Age group of the respondents................................................................................27
Figure 4.2: Gender of the respondents.....................................................................................28
Figure 4.3: Treatment of women in workforce........................................................................29
Figure 4.5: Likelihood of pay gap in gender dominant sectors................................................32
Figure 4.6: Effect of pay gap on future employment...............................................................33
Figure 4.7: Contributing factor of gender pay gap...................................................................34
Figure 4.8: Intervention of the UK government in solving gender pay gap............................35

7GENDER PAY GAPS WITHIN THE TOP FOUR UK ACCOUNTING FIRMS
Table of Tables
Table 4.1: Age group of the respondents.................................................................................26
Table 4.2: Gender of the respondents......................................................................................27
Table 4.3: Treatment of women in workforce.........................................................................29
Table 4.4: Limitation of gender pay gap to women.................................................................30
Table 4.5: Likelihood of pay gap in gender dominant sectors.................................................31
Table 4.6: Effect of pay gap on future employment................................................................32
Table 4.7: Contributing factor of gender pay gap....................................................................34
Table 4.8: Intervention of the UK government in solving gender pay gap..............................35