Equality and Diversity in Reducing Gender Discrimination: ASDA Case

This case study examines the importance of equality and diversity in reducing gender discrimination within ASDA's workplace. It begins by defining gender discrimination as a business problem, highlighting its impact on productivity and profitability. The study then investigates the role of equality and diversity initiatives in mitigating gender-based discrimination, focusing on talent pool expansion, increased productivity, customer reach, and innovation. Strategies for promoting equality, such as equal pay, rewards, motivation, and training programs, are explored. The research employs a deductive approach, utilizing a literature review to support its hypothesis. Ultimately, the study concludes that ASDA's management should prioritize equality and diversity to provide equal opportunities, improve productivity, and foster a more inclusive workplace.

Unit 11 Research Project
part 2
(To identify the importance of equality and diversity
in reducing gender discrimination within the
workplace of organization. A case study on ASDA)
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Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Chapter One: Introduction...............................................................................................................1
Chapter Two: Literature Review.....................................................................................................3
Chapter Three: Methodology...........................................................................................................7
Chapter Four: Findings (Data Analysis and Presentation)..............................................................9
Frequency distribution table........................................................................................................9
Chapter Five: Discussion (Data Interpretation).............................................................................11
Data interpretation.....................................................................................................................11
Discussion......................................................................................................................................17
Chapter Six: Conclusion, Recommendations and Implications for Further Research..................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................24
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................24
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INTRODUCTION
In business organization employees are defined as true assets who contribute effectively
towards functions of business and deliver their best to achieve assigned goals. Talent
management is the process of identifying vacancy, recognising people and recruiting skilled
people who get ready to work and accepting challenges. This is important for each organization
to understand what people wants and how they could be satisfied so that kind of services are
provided to employees that supports to develop organizational productivity. To managing
organizational working and retaining people strategies are used by management which can help
to bring changes and satisfying people at the workplace (Aguinis, and Solarino, 2019).
Equality and diversity refers to practice used by management for the purpose of providing
equal opportunity to people and protecting them from discrimination. This practice can help to
reduce employee turnover and supports to increase business productivity by providing equal
opportunity to all staff. The management of each organization plays important role as it conducts
organizational analysis and needs of employees that can help to provide the employee benefits
for satisfying people (Singh, and Babbar, 2021). The report is based on ASDA, is British
supermarket chain, selling different types of products at retail prices. This organization was
founded in 1949, by Peter and Fred Asquith. The management of organization follow equality
and diversity that supports to reduce employee turnover and increase performance. The report
involves Aims & objectives, Literature review, research methodology, finding and data analysis.
Chapter One: Introduction
Research Aims: To identify the importance of equality and diversity in reducing gender
discrimination within the workplace of organization. A case study on ASDA.
Objectives:
 To understand the basic concept of gender discrimination as a business problem.
 To identify the role of equality and diversity in reduction of gender based discrimination
in ASDA.
 To determine the strategies and importance for promoting equality within a workplace of
ASDA.
Research questions:
 What is the basic concept of gender discrimination as a business problem?
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 What is the role of equality and diversity in reduction of gender based discrimination in
ASDA?
 What are the strategies and importance for promoting equality within a workplace of
ASDA?
Significance of research
Talent management is important aspect for business organization as it influences number
of people and motivate them to work continuously at the workplace. The reason of choosing
topic is to understand the importance of equality and diversity practices that can help to
providing equal opportunities to people and develop organizational performance. This project
will help to increase insights and understanding about employee discrimination and make efforts
to reduce it. It has seen that if male and female treated equally then it will be opportunity for
organization to grow business and accomplish business goals. Thus, report will help to
understand importance of equality and diversity at workplace that used to satisfy people and
getting work done effectively (Asadullina, and et. al., 2020).
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Chapter Two: Literature Review
Literature review is the overview of published work in relation to specific topic that can help
to develop the understanding and managing all functions. A literature review is a search and
evaluation of available literature which is being developed by conducting research (Ayorinde,
and et. al., 2020). The current research is about important of equality and diversity that used to
reduce gender discrimination arises at the workplace. The Literature review is explained below:
To understand the basic concept of gender discrimination as a business problem.
As per view point of Tanaka, and Nagano (2021), Gender discrimination refers to unequal
treatment between employees on the basis of gender. This is the major issue running in business
organization and affected their productivity and profitability. Gender difference in education is
kind of sex discrimination affecting both men and women during working that has created the
challenge for people to work continuously. It has seen that employee whether male or female
having skills to understand organizational goals and give their contribution to manage each
activity. There are issues related to gender inequalities that arises at the workplace and created
problems in running their business. This directly affects industry as increasing employee
turnover, conflicts between employees, and low production as well as profitability of company.
This is most important for organization to analysis the skills of all employees and given them
opportunity to operate a business effectively.
As per view point of Biccard (2019), Gender discrimination is becoming major issue in
organization by not treating all employees at the workplace and growing opportunity is given to
male only. The women feel gender discrimination and it does not participate in any
organizational activities. In relation to ASDA, gender discrimination arising between employees
such as male and female that directly impacts over organization such lower management, lower
productivity, and employee turnover. This has created the challenge in changing environment as
all staff not getting fair or equal treatment while working and managing all functions. The
sustainable organization development depends on ending discrimination towards women and
providing equal access to education and opportunities for employment. The management is
having major role as it shares goal with employees and allocate the work between staff by
analysing their skills and area of expertise that supports to develop the organizational
performance. If employer is behaving differently with male and female staff, then functions of
business industry affected negatively (Gutiérrez, and Castaño, 2021).
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To identify the role of equality and diversity in reduction of gender based discrimination in
ASDA.
As per opinion of Oyvin (2021), Equality is termed to providing equal opportunity to all
employees who is working collectively and protecting them from being discriminated. This is
important for each organization to understand what is happening in changing environment and
how each employee will be satisfied. Equality is wider topic, needs to consider while running a
business by providing equal opportunity to people and managing organizational functions. On
the other side, diversity means understanding that each individual is unique, and able to
recognising individually differences. This is important for organization to understand role of
equality and diversity in reducing gender based discrimination that is defined below:
Getting widen talent pool: The people have different skills, talent and attributes that
contribute to organization’s success. Elimination or reducing female representation or
involvement not only decrease ASDA’s talent pool, but also it reduces the needed collaboration
between differently skilled male and female to achieve organizational growth.
Increase productivity: Have diverse pool of talents, could be opportunity for organization
to increase productivity by indulging in organizational activities and functions. This is important
for ASDA to have skill and talented people who get ready to accept changes and perform their
all activities clearly (Bisdas, and et. al., 2019).
Equality and diversity playing role to reach more customers: The workforce reflect their
customers and clients by match up with demographic level that can help to develop
organizational performance. In relation to ASDA, women staff understand the needs of
customers in regard of specific products that supports to make work easier by attaining targets
(Brownell, ed., 2019).
Providing equal opportunity to all employees – Equality and diversity is important
aspects that uses by organization for the purpose of upgrading females and managing
organizational activities. If employees are treated fairly then it will be opportunity to grow
business by using their skills and ability to work. In relation to ASDA, management should be
follow equality and diversity practice where all staff have equal rights to participate in
organizational working and give their contribution to accomplish goals by using their skills and
talent that can help to develop organizational productivity.
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Diversity in the workplace promotes innovation – Diversity and equality is having major
role as it influences number of people by giving equal rights that can help to promote innovation
and management at the workplace. In relation to ASDA, equality and diversity is being used by
management by treating all people equally that can help to promote innovation at the workplace
and develop organizational performance.
To determine the strategies and importance for promoting equality within a workplace of
ASDA.
As per opinion of Grobman, and Ramsey, (2020) Equality is all about ensuring that
everyone has equal opportunity, at home, workplace, and in society where it contributes to
develop the organizational performance. For business industry it is important to promote equality
as it bring innovation and new talent for the purpose of increasing organizational productivity.
The human resource management is having major role who identify the vacant position and
recruit employee’s male or female by analysing their skills and talent that supports to develop
organizational productivity. It has been seen that UK women earned 17.3% less than men did in
the same year. Inequality is becoming business issue that rises while working and affected the
productivity. In relation to ASDA, management requires to follow equality and diversity strategy
for promoting equality that are defined below:
Equal pay – This relates to equality given to employees who is working at workplace by
giving contribution in each work and activity. This is most important for organization to
understand the importance of employees at workplace and provide them equal pay which can
help to make feel them good and ready to work continuously. In relation to ASDA, Equal pay
strategy is used by management where all employee’s male and female gets equal pay for their
working and managing the work effectively. This can help to develop organizational
performance and productivity at the workplace.
Equal rewards and recognition – This strategy is related to recognise and reward to
employees who works at workplace by using their knowledge and skills. According to this
strategy, there should not be any kind of discrimination while giving rewards for their
performance by analysing working performance of male and female staff. In relation to ASDA,
management should use this strategy by analysing performance and providing equality that can
help to make feel good (Chatterjee, Gupta, and Upadhyay, 2018).
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Motivation – This strategy is related to motivation where it became most important that
their staff could be motivated that can help to make staff motivated and supports retain
employees. In relation to ASDA, human resource management sharing goals with all employees
and allocating work between staff that promote equality by reducing gender discrimination. This
can help to improve the business performance as well as productivity.
Proving training and development programs – To promote equality and diversity among
staff it is important for organization to provide training and development programme to their
staff as it helps to accept the challenges at workplace. In relation to ASDA, management should
focus over training and development programme as it can help to improve the skills and abilities
of employees by providing them new challenges. This will help to manage the business activities
and functions effectively by reducing gender discrimination (Coe, and et. al., 2021).
Conclusion
The literature review concluded that management of ASDA should be focused on
equality and diversity at workplace that can help to provide equal opportunities to female staff
and contribute in each working. The productivity and profitability could be improve by
motivating employees and reducing gender discrimination.
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Chapter Three: Methodology
3.1 Research Approach – This means investigation approach that explains plan and process
of conducting research and managing data effectively. This involves deductive and inductive
research approach, used for different purpose. The inductive approach starts with observation
that researcher use to creating new theory. And, deductive approach is related to specific
hypothesis development bases on literature review. In relation to current research about equality
and diversity, deductive approach is used by researcher that can help to know how females
would be motivated and contributes to functions (Daniel, 2019).
3.2 Research Strategy – This refers to selection of best strategy on the basis of study
that can help to provide right direction and proper management of service. If strategy of research
methodology is appropriate, then it will be opportunity to collect information and complete the
project timely. There are assorted strategies like survey, questionnaire, interview, case study,
focus group and so on. In relation to current research questionnaire as strategy is being used by
researcher that can help to collect information and manage all activities effectively (Devarapalli,
2017).
3.3 Research Methodology /Philosophy – This refers to beliefs and structure about a
way in which data in relation to specific topic is gathered. The research used philosophy to know
about topic and develop understanding effectively. This involves positivism, Interpretivism,
realisms and pragmatism. Positivism philosophy assume that knowledge is independent of the
subject being studied. Interpretivism is used to assuming that individual observe their own
perception and realism is based on relevancy of data and information. In relation to current
research about equality and diversity to reduce gender discrimination, positivism philosophy is
being used by researcher that can help to collect information and developing business activities
(Eisend, and Kuss, 2019).
3.4 Research Tools / techniques – This can be defined as vehicle that widely facilitating
research and related activities by selecting best tool. Qualitative and quantitative are two type of
technique that used by researcher to develop understanding about particular topic and manage
functions. In relation to equality and diversity project, quantitative tool has been used by
researcher that will help to collect theoretical and statistical information (Das, 2018).
3.5 Sampling – Data sampling mainly defined as the statistical evaluation tool which is
implemented to select and evaluate data. The sampling mainly in-consist over probabilistic and
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non-probabilistic data sampling. In the case of present investigation, random sampling from the
probabilistic tool has been implementing by the researcher as it helps to randomly picking people
and resolving the issue of biasness (Cardoso and et. al., 2021). Sample size for this analysis is 30
who is responding properly.
3.6 Data Collection Method: This can be explained as effective methodology used by
researcher conduct a survey and managing all functions. The method of data collection is
primary and secondary that used for different purpose. The primary method involves internet,
questionnaire, and survey that can help to complete research. The secondary method involves
books, journals and articles. In relation to current research, primary and secondary collection
method is used by researcher that can help to complete research timely (Datta, and Sahu, 2017).
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Chapter Four: Findings (Data Analysis and Presentation)
Frequency distribution table
Q.1. Are you aware about the concept of equality and diversity? Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q.2. According to your perception do equality and diversity practices assist
in minimising gender discrimination at workplace?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
Q.3. What is the importance of equality and diversity practices in workplace
of ASDA?
Frequency
a) Promotion of work culture 6
b) Better productivity and efficiency 5
c) Decrease in gender discrimination 9
d) Valuing talent beyond stereotype 6
e) Builds relations with customers and other stakeholders 4
Q.4. According to you what is gender discrimination? Frequency
a) Unequal treatment on basis of gender 6
b) Gender based violence 5
c) Sexual harassment 7
d) Unequal disbursement of opportunities based on gender 8
e) Child labour 4
Q.5. What is the implication of gender discrimination within workplace of
ASDA?
Frequency
a) High employee turnover 10
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b) Damaged employee morale 5
c) Health concerns in employees 6
d) Decreased market image 9
Q.6. What are the strategies that can be used by ASDA to deal with gender
discrimination at workplace?
Frequency
a) Educate the workforce on gender bias 10
b) Review of recruitment practices 5
c) Adoption of equality and diversity practices 6
d) Establishment of monitoring programs 9
Q.7. According to your experience, should ASDA invest in managing gender
discrimination practices to develop society and business?
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
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