Quota for Woman at Workplace

This essay discusses the need and significance of including women quota in corporate bodies. It explores arguments for and against the use of quotas.

Running head: QUOTA FOR WOMAN AT WORKPLACE
Quota for Woman at Workplace
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Introduction:
Gender Quota:
In the recent times, it is observed that a number of organizations are introducing the
Gender Quotas in the workplace to ensure and practice equality in the workplace. The Gender
Representation on Corporate boards of directors refers to the ratio of Men and women
occupying positions at the board. In a recent study on the Gender Diversity, by the Fortune
studies, it is seen that the women, across the globe holds only about 21% positions in the
Board Seats of the corporate organizations (Meier & Lombardo, 2013). Therefore, it is
observed that there is a call for gender quota in the organization that will ensure the practice
of equality in the corporate bodies. California, has taken an approach to deal with the issue
and to increase the participation or inclusion of women in the board of directors. The
approach says that, by the end of 2021, every company must have at least two female
representation in the board of directors, along with the five members, the approach also states
that the companies which will be seen fail to comply with this practice will be faced with
significant fines (Lombardo & Meier, 2016). However, although the country has included the
approach, but it is yet to imply it. Such an approach is essentially needed to get included in
the system of all the corporate bodies of the countries across the globe.
Therefore, in the following essay, the need ad significance of inclusion of Women
quota in the corporate bodies will be reviewed and further arguments will be forwarded both
against the use of quotas and for the use of quotas.
Discussion:
The present scenario in the corporate sectors, have failed to support the women to
achieve their goals. A recent study by Fortune shows that the companies with more female
representation in the boardroom have outperformed those, in a lower quartile. The study has

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also projected that the women are better at investments than men. Therefore, to further the
analysis, in order to understand the arguments regarding the significance of quotas of women,
it is important to understand the concept and importance of gender quota and the types of
quota that are available for women.
Rationality to Employ Gender quota in the Workplace:
Essentially, the motto of implying gender quota in the workplace is, to proportion the
gender representation and gender diversity at the work place, and also to ensure the practice
of Equality Treatment in the workplace. Equality Treatment refers to providing equal
opportunities and expecting equal outcomes on the part of both male and female employees
of an organization and decrease the rate of direct or indirect discrimination at the workplace.
The equal opportunity refers to providing every employees the similar opportunities and
provisions, and the equal outcome refers to having an equal share in the outcome, which can
be either, in the profit or in the position (Prugi & True, 2014). According to The Conventions
of all Forms of Discrimination against Women states that providing equal opportunity or
keeping the provision for equal opportunities at the workplace, enables the organizations to
exercise human rights and fundamental freedom of human being, in the workplace, which
further serves as a sustainable approach practiced in the workplace (Iannotta, Gatti & Huse,
2016).
Effects of Practice of Gender Equality:
Many studies have been conducted to view the effects of gender diversity and equality
treatment in the organizations, and according to Post and Byron (2015), there is a difference
in the values and cognitive understanding of women, which influence the decision making
process at the workplace, which influences the performance of the firm, thus enabling the
firm to gain the stated achievements. Further according to Kakabadse, Griffiths & Quinones
(2016), headship owned by a female figure, or presence of female figure in the board of

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directors, will enable the firms to gain newer values, perception and notions and it will also
enable the organizations to gain more contacts and resources and networks through the same.
This opinion has been further got strengthened by a study on 127 Malaysian companies, that
showed that appointing women in the higher positions had enabled the company to gain a
positive position in the stock market. The study conducted by Post and Byron, also ensured
that there is positive correlation between the female figures holding higher positions in the
organizations, with monitoring and strategizing and gaining returns. Another study on the
Spanish small and medium sized enterprises, showed that with female figures, included in the
boards of directors, have positively influenced the performance of the organizations. It has
also shown that the representation of women in the board rooms, also reduces the chances of
workplace conflicts and corporate governance issues. Another study by Smith, Main and
O’Reily (2014), has projected that there is no significant relationship between the
representations of female figures in the organizations, with the performance of the firm, as
measured by the return on equity, shareholder return and return on assets.
All these studies have raised the question of practicing women quota into the
organization. While many researchers are of the opinion that there must be a system of quota
to increase female representation within the organization and to practice gender equality
within the same, there are many researchers, who are of the opinion that such a system is not
important or significant for the business conducts. However, many researchers are of the
opinion that certain quota policies or quota systems, devalue the position of women further,
as their achievements are associated with the quota policies practised within the organization.
Therefore, this entails the further debate on whether or not the organizations or the
corporate bodies must practice the inclusion of women quota into the organizational
practices.

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Debate on the Use of Gender Quota:
The European Union has emphasised upon the fact that there is a need for gender
equality in the aspects of social, political and economic decision making processes ain the
country. Considering this thought, the government of the Belgium has included quota policies
in both the political and corporate sector to increase the participation and representation of
women in the higher positions. In France as well, the ministers have insisted upon the
inclusion of women quotas for the corporate bodies, as they are of the opinion that such a
practice will help the promotion of women on their own. They believe, it is only the legal
policies that can help in changing the opposition of women in the society. Further, researches
have shown that there is an increasing debate on the Gender Quotas.
Arguments for the Quota:
Researches have shown that the society is of the opinion that a reinforcing the norm
of gender quota can help the organizations to mobilise the practice of gender equality in order
break down the unequal practices that have been made to the women of the society.
Therefore, inclusion of such a quota policy will make women to rise onto the positions, thus,
creating some role models for the next generation, and inspire them further. It will further
enable the society to eliminate the gender disparity that is much present in the present society.
It is also believed by the researchers that such a practice will include a radical change into the
system. The conceptions and values and perspectives of women are quite different than the
men, and such differences of opinion can enable the organizations to venture out and opt for
newer avenues (Freidenvall & Hallonsteen, 2013). The organizations can face new challenges
and can face the older ones with a new approach or outlook that can contribute positively in
the revenue generation policies of the organizations. However, the most important aspect of
such a conduct is that, such a practice will enable the women to voice for their own
grievances and it will provide opportunities to the competent women in the organizations, to

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gain their rightful position in the same (Trejesen, Aguilera & Lorenz, 2015). It will also
enable the organizations to recognised the competent female employees and channelize that
in the correct way to gain profit. Also, it will enable the organizations to practice the
fundamental rights within the organizational structure.
Arguments against Quota:
Along with the positive views, researches have shown that there are many negative
views in the same which are posed in against to this view. Those, who are against the practice
of women quota in the organization, are of the opinion, that men are, historically proven,
more competent than the women in the leadership position. Researches have shown that the
leadership positions are made for the men only and the women should not be given the
opportunity to reach to such a position (Meier, 2013). Again, many researches have shown
that the people of the organizations believe that, men and women are assigned to perform
certain roles, even within the organizational structure, and the leadership role are especially
assigned to the male counterpart of the organizations, and that women must be assigned with
more soft role, that will not need much exercises of decision power (Sheridan, Ross- Smith &
Lord, 2014). The researches have also shown that the organizational members believe that
women are indecisive and emotional in orientation, which can prove to be non-profitable for
the organizations. It is also believed, as found in the researches, that people believe such an
approach in sexist in orientation and therefore, should not be practised (Seierstad, 2016).
Conclusion:
The gender quota is in rigorous practice in the political sectors in most of the
countries. However, practice of this policy in the political sector and in the corporate bodies
are two completely different concepts, and there is an increasing need of such a practice in
the organizational sector sin order to practice the gender diversity in the rightful way, which

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in turn not only will enable the companies to gain more profit, include radical changes, but
also will enable the companies to include a sustainable approach within the organization.

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References:
Freidenvall, L., & Hallonsten, H. (2013). Why not corporate gender quotas in
Sweden?. Representation, 49(4), 467-485.
Gregory‐Smith, I., Main, B. G., & O'Reilly III, C. A. (2014). Appointments, pay and
performance in UK boardrooms by gender. The Economic Journal, 124(574), F109-
F128.
Iannotta, M., Gatti, M., & Huse, M. (2016). Institutional complementarities and gender
diversity on boards: A configurational approach. Corporate Governance: An
International Review, 24(4), 406-427.
Lombardo, E., & Meier, P. (2016). The symbolic representation of gender: A discursive
approach. Routledge.
Meier, P. (2013). Quotas, quotas everywhere: From party regulations to gender quotas for
corporate management boards. Another case of contagion. Representation, 49(4),
453-466.
Meier, P., & Lombardo, E. (2013). Gender quotas, gender mainstreaming and gender
relations in politics. Political Science, 65(1), 46-62.
Post, C., & Byron, K. (2015). Women on boards and firm financial performance: A meta-
analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 58(5), 1546-1571.
Prügl, E., & True, J. (2014). Equality means business? Governing gender through
transnational public-private partnerships. Review of International Political
Economy, 21(6), 1137-1169.

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Quinones, C., Griffiths, M. D., & Kakabadse, N. K. (2016). Compulsive Internet use and
workaholism: An exploratory two-wave longitudinal study. Computers in Human
Behavior, 60, 492-499.
Seierstad, C. (2016). Beyond the business case: The need for both utility and justice
rationales for increasing the share of women on boards. Corporate Governance: An
International Review, 24(4), 390-405.
Sheridan, A., Ross-Smith, A., & Lord, L. (2014). Institutional influences on women's
representation on corporate boards: An Australian case study. Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion: An International Journal, 33(2), 140-159.
Terjesen, S., Aguilera, R. V., & Lorenz, R. (2015). Legislating a woman’s seat on the board:
Institutional factors driving gender quotas for boards of directors. Journal of Business
Ethics, 128(2), 233-251.