Perceptions of Male Employees Towards Female Employees in the Workplace: A Research Proposal

Running head: PROPOSAL
Perceptions Held by Male Employees toward Female Employees: How the Workplace Adopts
Stereotypical Male Leadership Roles
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Component 1: Literature review evidence.......................................................................................3
1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................3
1.2 Difference between male and female employees at work.....................................................3
1.3 French and Raven’s taxonomy of social power.....................................................................4
1.4 Social role theory of gender differences and similarities......................................................6
1.5 Gender and leadership...........................................................................................................7
1.6 Implication of social role theory on leadership.....................................................................9
1.7 Stereotypic gender roles......................................................................................................10
1.8 Literature review gap...........................................................................................................11
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................12
Component 2: Research Design Proposal......................................................................................13
2.0 Research title.......................................................................................................................13
2.1 Research questions...............................................................................................................13
2.2 Research objectives.............................................................................................................13
2.3 Background of the research proposal..................................................................................14
2.4 Research methodology.........................................................................................................14
2.4.1 Research philosophy.....................................................................................................14
2.4.2 Research approach........................................................................................................16

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2.4.3 Research design............................................................................................................17
2.4.4 Research strategy..........................................................................................................18
2.4.5 Sampling technique and size........................................................................................20
2.4.6 Data collection process.................................................................................................21
2.5 Data analysis........................................................................................................................22
2.6 Ethics, Validity and reliability.............................................................................................22
2.7 Gantt chart...........................................................................................................................24

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Component 1: Literature review evidence
1.0 Introduction
The literature review chapter is the developed with the aim of providing in-depth details and
understanding of the topic selected for the study. In this section, both the variables are identified
that provides an opportunity to conduct extensive research separately. Critical analysis is a
significant feature in this chapter that allows supporting and arguing the mentioned statements.
For this study, the perceptions held by the male employees towards the female employees at
workplace are studied that is influenced due to the persisting stereotypical male leadership roles
that is adopted and highly favored at the workplace.
1.2 Difference between male and female employees at work
The difference between the male and the female employees are in existence at workplace
for years. The society has an extremely conservative and secular mindset about the roles and
responsibilities of a women and bridging the gap is very difficult. For years, women have been
picturised in the role of a home-maker, bear children and taking care of them and doing
household chores. As mentioned by Kay, Matuszek and Munson (2015), due to societal change
and greater exposure, increased number of female employees are seen at the workplace. Women
are receiving education and are allowed the work instead of remaining confined in the home
only. However, as argued Goldin (2014), instead of the changes, things are still difficult and
different for women or female employees at workplace. Majority of the corporate offices are
male-centric and the organizational policies are developed emphasizing on them more. The
women are still not given equal rights and opportunities at workplace in spite of being equally or
more qualified than their counterparts.

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Gender differences are highly prevalent at workplace. As mentioned by Caliskan, Bryson
and Narayanan (2017), increased pay difference is noticed between the male and the female
employees at workplace. This gender biasness makes it difficult for the women to mark their
place in the corporate world. For example, in spite of being more qualified and skillful than some
men at workplace, women are still paid much less. However, as argued by Koch, D’mello and
Sackett (2015), corporate organizations are changing and ensuring that the gap between the male
and the female employees are mitigated. It can be said that the distinctive approach of men and
women towards work is the primary reason of the existing gender gap at workplace. For
example, it has been seen that men prefers considering the hierarchical approach whereas women
tends to focus on relationships more in their work. As a result, women get more emotionally
involved that is said to divert them from achieving the organizational goals and objectives.
An estimated 49% of the global labor force are women whereas men comprises of 75%
thereby, highlighting the increased gender gap at workplace. As mentioned by Benson (2014),
women find a harder time in looking for a job than men, as they are considered to be less
efficient in the corporate world compared to men. However, a woman possesses the right to
freedom to work by dignity, safety, choice and fairness and is an intrinsic human welfare. Thus,
guaranteeing women to have an equal right to employment as men is important. Bridging the
gender gap at workplace is beneficial from an economic perspective, as this allows boosting the
global economy. Reports suggest that 70% women prefer to work in paid jobs along with taking
care of families (Munsch 2016).
1.3 French and Raven’s taxonomy of social power
Both French and Raven address five sources of power that provides an opportunity for an
individual to influence others. This theory explains power as the method used by the leaders for

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influencing the subordinates irrespective of the gender. According to Westaby, Pfaff and
Redding (2014), an individual with power is said to be a leader that has expertise in specific area
that can be used for influencing other people because other people are dependent on the power.
Thus, the power of the expert is not limited to the rank and title of the male and female
employees and approves the decisions and suggestions of the leaders having significant
knowledge and expertise in a field that is more than others. The current workplace is male
dominated and considers that the male employees are more powerful socially that makes them
capable of influencing and convincing others. However, as argued by Sindic and Condor (2014),
in order to be an influential leader, it is necessary that others trusts the influencer and believing
that the leader have fair knowledge about the knowledge that is being shared. The social norm
that men are more powerful when it comes to working outside has resulted in the setback for the
female employees and is a influence of male stereotypical roles at workplace.
According to the theory of taxonomy of social power, legitimate power is also a result of
distinctive perception male employees hold towards the female employees. According to Akers
(2017), the perception is a result of the power the individual holds in terms of the organizational
title and the organizational authority. For example, the Chief Executive Officer has more power
than the clerk in an organization. Thus, the CEO has more power to influence and make a stand
compared to the clerk. However, argued by Buss (2014), the legitimate power has different base
and cultural values that affect the process of influence. For example, if the Chief Executive
Officer of an organization is male, the leadership roles and the influence is supposedly male
centric. Understanding the female perspective under such circumstance is hardly noticed, as the
male representative sitting in an authorized position in the organization fails to consider the
counterpart. Among the other cultural values, gender, intelligence and age are characteristics that

6PROPOSAL
affect the perception held by the male employees about the female employees. Accepting the
social structure also influences the perceptions held by the male employees about the female
employees but in this case the question arises whether the person accepts or rejects the social
culture of male are more efficient in the corporate world compared to women.
1.4 Social role theory of gender differences and similarities
This theory aim towards explaining gender as a social construct and the existing female
and male stereotypes tend to explain how gender works through socialization followed by
answering what has led to the existing gender stereotypes. Thus, the social theory of sex
differences and similarities makes an effort to understand the root from where male and female
stereotypical images have originated. The origin is tracked by exploring the interaction between
the social roles and gender roles. For example, some of the social roles are limited to one gender
only, such as the female chief executive officers are less compared to the male chief executive
officers. The persisting gap between the male and the female individuals and increased
influenced of male dominated society for prolonged period has resulted in male stereotypical
leadership roles at workplace. This social theory was developed 1980 for understanding the
existing difference between the male and the female employees (Chemers 2014).
According to Abrams and Killen (2014), stereotypes are defined as the inappropriate
portrayal of groups in terms of power and authority. The theory takes into consideration the
social psychology that humans have the tendency to confirm to the expectations and behave
accordingly. Thus, when the society expects something different in terms of the behavior of men
and women, the existing beliefs highlights the actual differences in the social behavior through
the process of socialization. However, as criticized by Winlow and Hall (2015), the expectations
expressed through the gender-appropriate behavior highlights that men and women have

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distinctive social roles and status in the society. In spite of the societal and technological
advancements, the society is still unable to forget the age old picture and social role for the
women. It is still hard to believe for the society that the women are not efficient enough to suit
themselves in the corporate world and are capable to performing better than the male
counterparts. The theory focuses on the historical sexual division of gender and labor hierarchy
as the principle reason of why the two genders have different social levels, status and roles to
fulfill (Haslam et al. 2014). It can be said that observing male performing male typical roles such
as providers and the females performing female specific roles such as home makers for
prolonged period has resulted in the distinctive beliefs about sexes in the society. Therefore, it
can be inferred that the evaluating the impact of social structural factors can explain the reasons
wy gender differs and stereotypical thought exists.
1.5 Gender and leadership
Increased competition has been noticed in the business environment that has resulted in
the necessity of gaining competitive advantage for surviving the tough and fierce market. As a
result, it is important for the business organizations to capitalize on the strengths of all the
members within the organization for remaining highly competitive. According to Ho et al.
(2015), the leaders of the business organizations must ensure that the strengths of all the
employees are used equally for organizational benefit. It has been seen that the business
organizations headed by a female leader has manifested better organizational values. As opined
by Paustian-Underdahl, Walker and Woehr (2014), having representatives from both the genders
of the business at the top management of the business organizations helps in ensuring a balanced
ratio thereby, improving the value of the organization.