Role of Equality and Diversity in Minimising Gender Pay Gap at ASDA

This research project investigates the role of equality and diversity practices in minimizing gender pay gap issues within ASDA. The study employs a quantitative research methodology, utilizing a deductive approach and positivism philosophy, with data collected through questionnaires. A comprehensive literature review explores the concept of gender pay gaps, how ASDA can implement equality and diversity practices, and the nexus between these practices and pay gap reduction. The project analyzes data using MS Excel to generate graphs and provides conclusions and recommendations. The research aims to understand the effectiveness of equality and diversity practices in addressing gender pay disparities within the company. The project also includes reflections on alternative research methodologies for future work. The study's findings and recommendations are presented, offering valuable insights into how ASDA can foster a more equitable and inclusive workplace.

Research Project
(Role of equality and diversity practices toward minimising the
gender pay gap issues)
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Executive Summary
Main purpose of doing this research project is to identify the role of equality and diversity
practices toward minimising the gender pay gap issues at workplace of ASDA. In order to attain
this purpose, different activities were completed by researcher. Literature review was done by
using number of secondary sources such as articles, books, journals etc. These sources were
helped researcher in collecting of secondary data easily. Research methodology is another
activity that was done by using quantitative research, deductive approach, positivism philosophy,
questionnaire etc. All these are useful methods because these supported researcher in collecting
of primary information from the respondents. Data analysis has been completed by using MS-
Excel for preparing graphs. Conclusion and recommendations is important part because it helped
researcher in making of entire information about the project in briefly. Reflection and alternative
research methodology mainly focused on an individual experience and selection of alternative
methodology for future work.
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Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Overview of Research..................................................................................................................4
Background of Research..............................................................................................................4
Rationale of Research..................................................................................................................4
Research Aim...............................................................................................................................5
Sub-questions of research............................................................................................................5
Literature review..............................................................................................................................6
What is the concept of gender pay within an organisation?........................................................6
How can ASDA implement equality and diversity practices within the organisation?..............6
What is the nexus between managing equality & diversity and reduction in gender pay issues
in ASDA?.....................................................................................................................................7
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................9
Data analysis/ findings and interpretations....................................................................................15
Research Outcomes........................................................................................................................26
Covered In PPT..........................................................................................................................26
Reflection & recommendation for alternative research methodology-..........................................26
Conclusion and Recommendation.................................................................................................27
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................28
Appendix........................................................................................................................................30
Research Proposal Form............................................................................................................30
Research Ethics approval form..................................................................................................35
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INTRODUCTION
Overview of Research
For every company it is essential to conduct equality and diversity practices so that they
can conduct their work in effective manner at the workplace as well as it will also leads to
accomplishment of allotted work properly. Equality and diversity practices are considered as set
of activities which are conducted by a company so that each and every employee feel important
as well as equal at their workplace (Al-Shaer and Harakeh, 2020). This will also help
management in minimising situation which lead to conflict in a company as well as it also help
in developing and maintaining positive working employees because every employee will get
equal opportunities. Implementation of equality and diversity practices also help in avoiding
situation of discrimination on any basis such as age, gender, colour, position, culture, believe and
many more factors as well as it will also minimise gender pay gap at workplace.
Background of Research
The aim of conducting this research is to understand role of equality and diversity
practices for minimising gender gap issues at the ASDA. It is a British supermarket retail
company which is founded by Peter and Fred Asquith and Sir Noel Stockdale in year 1949. Its
head office is located at the Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. Respective retail
company is nested its business operations and functions in approx 631 locations (Portney, 2020).
By conducting this research project manager able to determine effectiveness as well as role of
equality and diversity practices which help them in minimising gender pay gap at the respective
retail store. Through which ASDA management able to develop as well as maintain effective and
positive working environment which also help in motivating and encouraging employees.
Rationale of Research
The respective research is determining effectiveness and role of equality and diversity
practices in order to minimise issues related to gender pay gap. It is one of the main as well as
common issues in every company which impact on employee productivity as well as
performance. In addition to this by conducting respective research project manager able to advice
ASDA how they can adopt equality and diversity practices so that they can minimise issues
related to gender pay gap (Turesky and Warner, 2020). This is so because through it able to
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conduct their business operations and functions in effective manner as well as it also increase
employees motivation level which leads to quality performance.
Research Aim
“To ascertain the role of equality and diversity practices toward minimising the gender
pay gap issues” - A study on ASDA.
Research objectives
 To develop understanding regarding the concept of gender pay gap within an
organisation.
 To determine several ways that can be used by ASDA for incorporating equality and
diversity practices at workplace.
 To ascertain the relation between managing equality & diversity and reduction in gender
pay gap issues within ASDA
Research question
 What are the roles of equality and diversity practices toward minimising the gender pay
gap issues in the workplace of ASDA?
Sub-questions of research
 What is the concept of gender pay within an organisation?
 How can ASDA implement equality and diversity practices within the organisation?
 What is the nexus between managing equality & diversity and reduction in gender pay
issues in ASDA?
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Literature review
Literature review is an important part of study because it helps researcher in
identification of research gap in previous investigation. In this study, research gap is the impact
of equality and diversity practices in reduction of gender pay gap issue. It is main gap because in
previous study there is information about the effectiveness of equality and diversity practices but
there is lack of data about its impact in reducing the gender pay gap problem in the workplace. In
order to overcome this gap, research questions will be used (Kennedy and et.al., 2017). For this
literature review support researcher by providing secondary information through books, journals
etc. for research questions. These research questions will be explained as below:
What is the concept of gender pay within an organisation?
According to the Fortin, Bell and Böhm, (2017), gender pay gaps introduces top the
differences in pay for groups of female and male employees, usually based on the mean or
median pay that male and female receive. The causes of gender pay gaps within an organisation
are more complex. Pay gaps can create accidentally, come out slowly, and build up over time.
These plan aim to support analyse pay and employment information in sufficient detail to obtain
an improved understanding of the main reasons for any type of pay differences between male
and female workers in an organisation. There are different factors that contribute gender pay
gaps in the organisation. these are male employee progressing more quickly than female, more
male in higher-paid occupations and more female in lower-paid occupations, male employee (on
average) receiving advanced discretionary pay, starting pay or performance ratings etc.
Therefore gender pay gap is a broad concept that has negative impact over business performance
and growth of company.
How can ASDA implement equality and diversity practices within the organisation?
According to the Monoghan (2020), there are different ways by which ASDA can easily
implement equality and diversity practices in the workplace. Some effective ways has been
described as below:
Be inclusive: It is an effective and essential way of implementing equality and diversity at
workplace. For this ASDA must communication information about the business to their diverse
workforce equally. As it help them in reduction of high employee turnover and accomplishment
of long term goals and objectives easily.
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Development of equality policies at workplace: This is another essential way by which
ASDA can easily implement diversity and equality at workplace. For this, equality act 2010 is
best option for ASDA to develop and protect their employees in any kind of discrimination. This
result in retention of employees at workplace for longer time period (Grimson and Grimson,
2019).
What is the nexus between managing equality & diversity and reduction in gender pay issues in
ASDA?
According to the Petty (2016), management of equality and diversity at workplace is
essential for ASDA because with the help of this they can easily eliminate the issue of gender
pay gap. For this company will require providing equality and diversity training to their all
employees. This will help ASDA in attracting and retention of highly-skilled employees,
developing more positive working relationship, greater productivity within team, increased
performance etc. All these are main benefits that will be essential for company in reduction of
gender pay gap in the workplace. Along with this, with the help of Equality act 2010 company
can easily reduce gender pay gap issues. This act has different characteristics such as race,
gender, age, disability etc. All these are considering as a type of dissemination. Therefore,
equality and diversity is more effective at workplace in reduction and elimination of gender pay
gap problem in the workplace of company.
Accordion to the Scott (2019), The gender pay hole reporting guidelines require
organizations with around 250 or more personnel to put up the difference among the mean and
median hourly charges of pay for male and girl complete-time employees, the difference among
males and females’ mean bonus pay and median bonus pay, the proportions of male and lady
employees who were offered bonus pay, and the proportions of male and female full-time
personnel in the decrease, lower middle, upper middle and upper quartile pay bands. Asda’s
median gender pay hole for fixed hourly pay is around 7.6 percent for 2018; this displays at
around 1.3 percent discount from the around 8.9 percent median gender pay gap it mentioned for
2017. Its mean gender pay hole for bonuses paid for the duration of the reporting period is
around 44.5 percent an eight percent development to last yr’s parent of around 52.5 percent the
median gender pay hole for bonus bills is thirteen. Around 7 percent as compared to around 21.5
percent in year 2017. Over the contemporary reporting duration, around 91.2 percent of lady
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personnel and 88.7 percent of male employees obtained bonus bills. In 2017, 88.3 percent of
women obtained an advantage, in comparison to 85.3 percent of men.
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Research methodology
Research methodology is a process that has been followed within an investigation for
collecting and analysing of information or data from different methods and techniques. This part
of the research project is important because without this, investigator cannot gather reliable
information. This section has different number of methods and techniques that will be useful for
researcher to use and collect data about the gender pay gap (Chambers and et. al , 2017). Some
essential methods and approaches will be described as below:
Research Philosophy: It is a useful part of research methodology because it helps in
collection and analisation of any type of information. For doing current study on gender pay gap,
positivism philosophy will be applied because it assists in collecting as well as analysing of
quantitative data without consuming additional time. Interpretivisim philosophy is not followed
for performing current investigation because it takes maximum time period and need data in
form of qualitative (Butkus and et. al., 2018).
Research approaches: This is essential part of the study that has two types of approaches
which named is inductive and deductive. Both are essential approaches but within a study
deductive approach is more appropriate because it facilitates researcher in finding, analysis,
presenting and interpreting of quantitative information about the effectiveness of equality and
diversity practices in reduction of gender pay gap. Inductive approach not suitable within current
project because it is based on qualitative gathered information (Ozturk and Tatli, 2016).
Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative method: Qualitative and quantitative are two
form of research that has their own importance in collecting and analysing of information.
Qualitative study requires data in form of theoretical, whereas quantitative researcher requires
numerical information. Within a research project, quantitative study has been used effectively
because it support by providing numerical data in lesser time period. There are some methods of
qualitative and quantitative research such as interview, questionnaire, observation, focus group
etc. All these are effective but for gathering data regarding the gender pay gap, questionnaire has
been prepared. This method will support researcher by giving quantitative information (Kang
and Kaplan, 2019).
Primary and secondary sources of data collection: Primary and secondary are two sources
of data collection that has been used within a study. In case of primary source, questionnaire will
be applied as it facilitate in gathering of quantitative and valid data. Along with this, secondary is
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another source of data collection that has been done by using different number of sources such as
books, articles, magazines, publication research etc. All these are valuable sources that have been
used for literature review in collecting secondary and detailed information regarding the impact
of diversity and equality practices in reducing of gender pay gap issue at workplace. Therefore,
both types of data collection sources are used for collecting primary and secondary information
about the current study (Ali and Konrad, 2017).
Sampling methods: Sampling is the process or technique of selecting respondents from
entire population. There are two methods of selecting respondents which named are probability
and non-probability. These are considering effective methods of selecting sample size but within
an investigation probability sampling method has been applied. This method support researcher
to select large number of sample size on random basis and without taking extra time. Non-
probability is not appropriate within a study because it requires additional time as well as not
support researcher in selection of larger number of sample (Harris and Estevez, 2017).
Data analysis: In order to analysing quantitative data, MS excel has been used by researcher
for making graph of each question. Main reason behind using this technique as it will help
researcher to present data effectively and attractively that resulted in completion of full study
successfully.
Access and cost: In order to primary and secondary research, there is requirement of
appropriate amount of capital for using different sources such as books, communication
challengers. Around £200 cost will be required by researcher for completing this study
successfully. Along with this, access is another part and for this research, researcher has access
to gather information from the respondents.
Time horizon: This is a useful and valuable part of research methodology that has two
approaches of time horizon which are cross-sectional and longitudinal. These are main
approaches but within a study, cross-sectional approach is more suitable because it is based on
real situation and also need minimum time in completion of entire project effectively. In this
approach, researcher will be used Gantt chart which is an effective instrument of time
management. In this chart different activities are displayed against time period. Main purpose of
using Gantt chart within a study is it support researcher to find-out time period of each activities
apart from their starting and ending data. Gantt chart of current investigation will be described as
below:
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Research Techniques: There are various techniques that will be used for collecting of
information. These techniques are questionnaire, interview, modelling, observation, focus group
and so on. These are important but for collecting data about the benefits of equality and diversity
practices in elimination of gender pay gap problem, questionnaire is used. This technique helps
researcher in collection of primary and quantitative information within minimum time period
(Healy and Ahamed 2019). There are some questions according to the research aim and
objectives which will be shown under questionnaire. These are:
Questionnaire
Q1) Do you have knowledge about equality and diversity practices in context of an organisation?
a) Yes
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