Sexual harassment as discrimination in the workplace.A case of John Lewis and Partners.

Research
Dissertation

Table of Contents
Title:.................................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................1
Background of the Research...................................................................................................1
Rationale of the study.............................................................................................................1
Research Aim.........................................................................................................................2
Research Objectives...............................................................................................................2
Research Questions................................................................................................................2
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................2
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...................................................................................................4
Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Interpretation....................................................................................8
Chapter 5: Results and Findings....................................................................................................22
Covered in Ppt......................................................................................................................22
Chapter 6: Reflection & recommendation for alternative research methodology.........................42
Chapter 7: Conclusion....................................................................................................................43
References......................................................................................................................................44
Appendix........................................................................................................................................45

Title:
“Sexual harassment as discrimination in the workplace.A case of John Lewis and Partners.”
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background of the Research
The existing study initiates to determine the sexual harassment of employees as a form of
discrimination at John Lewis and Partners. Therefore, in today’s modern business environment
people are very much conscious about their career and job as women are also become more
career oriented and very much focused towards developing their job role via enhancing their
performance (Hegewisch, Deitch and Murphy, 2011). Thus, sexual harassment and
discrimination are recognised to be the major issue which are faced by the businesses and affects
the overall functionality and operations of the business. In this present investigation work, John
Lewis and Partners are the chosen organisation for this present analysis as the whole study is
based on conducting investigation over this association, thus John Lewis & Partners is a highly
effective brand of high-end department stores which are mainly operating through great Britain.
The concessions are also situated in the Republic of Ireland and Australia. The company was
founded in the year of 1864 by the efforts of John Lewis and the headquarter of the firm is in
London, England, United Kingdom. The company is having around 38100 employees in which
male and females are involved and they are putting their significant efforts in the growth and
success of the business (Elias, 2013). The key motive of the business is to providing equality to
their employees and reduce the issue of discrimination and harassment at workplace as this
create value in developing the overall operations of the firm at market place.
Rationale of the study
The project into consideration is based on investigating the sexual harassment of
employees as a form of discrimination at John Lewis and Partners, therefore, this recognised to
be a wide area of academic writing and provides a clear direction to explore their idea and
knowledge base in regards to the significance of maintaining the issue of harassment and
discrimination at workplace (Stainback, Ratliff and Roscigno, 2011). The major reason for
conducting this analysis is that, sexual harassment and discrimination are two major issue which
has direct impact over the operations and progression of the business. Thus, this study provides a
wider knowledge area which provides detailed analysis in relation to the issue of harassment and
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how this can be resolved at workplace. In addition to this, the another key reason for executing
this analysis is the personal interest of the researcher as the investigator wants to explore the area
of discrimination and sexual harassment to find growth and development in their own personal
and professional area (Kaushik, Sharma and Kaushik, 2014).
Research Aim
The main aim of this research project is to investigate the sexual harassment of employees
as a form of discrimination at John Lewis and Partners.
Research Objectives
Research Questions
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Literature review is defined to be the most imperative area of an investigation as it is
effective in developing theoretical framework which provides descriptive understanding in
relation to the area of sexual harassment and discrimination and its impact over the operations
and progression of the business. This section of research is mainly based on gathering
information from the secondary sources as this is effective in guiding the researcher in a right
manner to resolve the issue in effective manner.
The concept of visible and invisible workplace discrimination.
As per the views expressed by Shraddha Bahracharya, 2018, workplace discrimination
mainly defined to a situation where a worker or job applicant is treated unfavourably because of
personal attributes like wise race, gender, sexual orientation, skin colour and so on, therefore,
employee and job applicants many also face discrimination because of their genetic data or their
relationship to another person. Discrimination is mainly off two types direct and indirect
discrimination which are also known as visible and non visible discrimination. Carol A. Adams
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 To study the concept of visible and invisible workplace discrimination.
 To examine the challenges faced by employees due to sexual harassment.
 To analyse and recommend the impact of sexual harassment on the performance of
employees.
 What are the behaviours that might constitute sexual harassment?
 When is sexual harassment not employers responsibility?
 What are the most typical discrimination violations?

and George Harte, 2020, direct discrimination mainly defines to the unfair treatment of workers
or job applicants that are encompasses over specific individual characteristics. Visible
discrimination versus an individual or people together with a particular property like wise, sex,
sexual orientation, ethnic background and so on (McDonald, 2012). Thus, it is often around
thought as developing if an representative deals with a person or persons in a diverse manner as
compared with dealing with person or persons without individual. In addition to this, indirect
discrimination may not be as visible as direct discrimination but it is unlawful all the same.
Therefore, a company policy and provision which applied to everyone equally may put people
with certain individual characteristics at a demerit. Thus, visible and non-visible discrimination
are recognised to be the major issue which are needs to be resolved by the businesses in respect
to developing their operations and progression of the business (Charlesworth and et. al., 2012).
The challenges faced by employees due to sexual harassment.
According to the views expressed by Manishi Pathak, 2016, sexual harassment is defined
to be the most intimidating most violating form of violence since long in regions like UK, USA
and different countries have not taken note of how degrading experience of sexual harassment
can be for women and employers but have adapted legislative aspects to combat sexual
harassment. Therefore, this is the major recognition of a business or its management thus, sexual
harassment is a major issue which is mainly faced by the women employees at workplace, thus
due to sexual harassment, employees are facing assorted issues like d-motivation, discrimination,
unemployment, equality differences, pay gap issue and so on (McLaughlin, Uggen and
Blackstone, 2012). This sexual harassment also decreases the moral of employees to work with
more collaboration and coordination. Due to the issue of sexual harassment employees are also
facing health issues as they are feeling depressed and physically embarrassed and not able to put
their efforts in the growth of business. Therefore, these are the key issues which are mainly faced
by the employees at workplace. John Lewis & Partners are well established brand which are
significantly concern over providing equal opportunity to their employees and resolving the issue
of harassment at workplace in respect to attaining higher growth and success.
The impact of sexual harassment on the performance of employees.
As per the views expressed by Elyse Shaw, Ariane Hegewisch and Cynthia Hess, 2018,
Harassment is defined to be a major issue which mainly has direct impact over the operations
and progression level of employees thus, sexual harassment is a major issue which is mainly
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originated through discrimination at workplace, therefore, in the context of business it is
important for the management to manage discrimination at workplace and trying to resolve
issues like harassment, non equal pay and so on in respect to assisting the overall business
operations in appropriate manner (McDonald and Charlesworth, 2013). Sexual harassment is a
major issue which affects an individual life, career, personal and professional zone, thus this has
direct negative impact over the operations and progression of the business as the employees who
are facing the issue of discrimination are not able to contribute their potential efforts in the
growth and success of the business.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
This is the major considered area of an investigation as in this suitable selection of
applications are required to provide appropriate direction to the researcher to carry out the
investigation in right manner to reaching at the key results (Kaltiala-Heino, Fröjd and Marttunen,
2016). This chapter is mainly encompasses over multiple applications and some essentials are
associated as below:
Type of Research: An investigation is recognised to be either qualitative or quantitative in
nature, thus the selection is the primary obligation of the researcher to make an appropriate
choice with the respect of evaluating the data accumulated for an analysis (Franks, 2011). In the
present research work, quantitative research has been applied by the researcher as it is effective
in executing detailed analysis over the area of investigating the sexual harassment of employees
as a form of discrimination at John Lewis and Partners, therefore, quantitative research is
effective in rendering systematic analysis with the collaboration of actual data. Therefore,
quantitative research is imperative in gathering valuable information that are incorporates over
the actual facts and figures via the views analysis of people.
Research Approach: This section is mainly of two types i.e. deductive and inductive research
approach, therefore, in this present investigation work inductive method is mostly used for by the
researcher as it is well suitable for qualitative research and also allow to the researcher to
develop a new theory than to adopt one which is already existing as is deductive, on the study
area of analysing the sexual harassment of employees as a form of discrimination at John Lewis
and Partners. Thus inductive approach is well suitable approach for this specific analysis.
However, in this existing work deductive approach has been applied to evaluate valuable data as
it is effective in providing assistance via the help of developing theories and hypothesis that are
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encompasses over a specific area of investigation and this sources is also determined to be
equitant because it is effective for executing quantitative research.
Research Philosophy: This recognised to be the most important area of research
methodology as it is imperative in assisting an investigation in a right manner to drawn valid and
reliable results. This section is mainly encompasses over positivism and Interpretivism
philosophy, thus in this present research work, positivism philosophy has been applied by the
researcher as for this research it is supportive to interpret the beliefs of the personnel about their
action and others own in relation to the chosen study area (Holland and Cortina, 2016).
Therefore, this approach is effective in providing detailed information via the help of gathering
data from the opinion analysis of individual who are having significant base towards the area of
investigating the sexual harassment of employees as a form of discrimination at John Lewis and
Partners.
Data Collection Tools: Data and information has plays an important role in carrying out the
whole investigation in the suitable way to addressing the issue in appropriate manner, Therefore,
this section is mainly relay upon primary and secondary source of data collection, thus primary
sources like survey, questionnaire, focus group, interview are significant to gather first hand
information that are only effective for a specific work. On the other hand, secondary sources like
books, journals, published and non published articles are effective in developing detailed
analysis. Therefore, in this present research project, both primary and secondary tools are applied
by the researcher as primary research is being applied via the help of developing survey with the
analysis of questionnaire which covers the aim and objectives of the research. On the other side,
secondary sources are effective in developing literature review which helps in developing an
individual’s understanding in relation to a specific investigation area (Cheung, Baum and Hsueh,
2018).
Data Sampling: This area of investigation is mainly forces over probabilistic and non
probabilistic data sampling. Thus, sampling is mainly replicates from the original population. In
this present investigation work based on determining the sexual harassment of employees as a
form of discrimination at John Lewis and Partners, researcher has been apply non probability
sampling method because is much cheaper and easy to access.It is perfect for this type of
research,when the scope is not proving or testing a hypothesis about a large number of people
but is to grow the understanding of a small population number.The size of the sampling it is 30
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