Equality and Diversity at Workplace: Starbucks Case Study Report

This report investigates the crucial role of equality and diversity in the workplace, focusing on the impact of gender pay gaps on employee performance within the context of Starbucks. The study examines the concept of gender pay gaps, highlighting their detrimental effects on employee motivation and productivity. It explores the benefits of implementing equality, such as enhanced employee morale, improved talent retention, and the fostering of a positive work environment. The research employs a survey strategy to gather data, analyzing the relationship between gender pay gaps and employee performance, and offering insights into how equitable practices can drive business success. The report also includes a project plan with a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart, along with ethical considerations, and a reflection on the findings.

Equality and diversity

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH.................................................................................................1
RATIONALE OF RESEARCH.......................................................................................................2
AIM..................................................................................................................................................2
OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................................2
RESEARCH QUESTIONS.............................................................................................................2
Research Philosophy...................................................................................................................2
Research Approach.....................................................................................................................3
Research Strategies.....................................................................................................................3
Research Choice..........................................................................................................................3

Time horizon...............................................................................................................................4
Data collection methods..............................................................................................................4
Sampling methods.......................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
PROJECT PLAN.............................................................................................................................6
Work Breakdown Structure.........................................................................................................6
Gantt Chart..................................................................................................................................6
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS........................................................................................................6
ETHICS..........................................................................................................................................15
Validity......................................................................................................................................15
Reliability..................................................................................................................................16
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17
.......................................................................................................................................................18

Topic: “Equality and diversity at workplace.”
INTRODUCTION
Equality is consider as an important aspect for company that used for implementing fair
and effective practices in which every employees should be treated at workplace. In this regards,
mostly business organisation face issues related with gender pay gap in which they treat male
and female workers in unequal way. This will negatively impact on their performance level and
at the same time also demotivate them towards the set objectives at workplace. In this regards,
equality is important for company in attaining higher success because employees are always be
motivated at workplace (Abu-Qulah and Shahneaz, 2014). This can be effective for business
organization in enhancing productivity level of employees. Along with this, it is also beneficial
in reducing the chances of arising issues among workers and at the same time make also develop
positive relation. With the help of this, company can improve their performance level. In
addition of this, promoting equality at workplace is important for manager so that they can easily
attract and retain talented people within the organization and at also deliver best services to its
customers. It may aid in making overall performance of company and its workers more
productive and successful as well. Current research is based on Starbucks, is a famous American
coffee company operate their business in over the world with the aim of generating larger
profitability. Company always focus on implementing as well as developing equality and also
ensure that both male and female workers should be equally treated so that they can easily attain
success and make organisation image more competitive.
BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH
In business organisation, equality is play a crucial role in motivating workers because
every employees is responsible for getting equal opportunity to perform their activities. By this,
workforce can maintain positive working environment and also share healthy relation with each
other. In context of this, gender pay gap is the major issue that faced by employees at workplace.
In this company focus on male employees and provide them high pay as compare to female
workforce. This will put negative impact on female employees who perform at workplace. In this
regards, equality refers to promoting equal opportunity and chances for all that support them in
increasing their productivity and at the same time, by diversity, it is crucial for manager to giving
each people the chances to attain their potential without any kind of discrimination at workplace
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(Alderden and Skogan, 2014). In this, Starbucks is a multinational company that operate their
business in different countries with the hope of attaining higher success. For attaining the same,
company also includes equality practices within their working environment so that employees
can easily perform their task to attain set goals and objectives. With the help of this, company
may improve their image by managing better coordination among all the workers. This is
possible by quality and diversity at workplace through which entire workers get opportunity to
do their best and attain set targets.
RATIONALE OF RESEARCH
The rationale behind conducting this research is to determine the influence of gender pay
gap on employees perfomance at workplace (Badran and Khalifa, 2016). As it include wider
scope of company and its workers as well because by this, employees get equal opportunity to
show their performance. With the help of this, researcher can easily evaluate that how both
activities are support business organisation in attaining growth at market place.
AIM
“To determine the influence of gender pay gap on employee performance within the
organization.” A study on Starbucks.
OBJECTIVES
 To understand the concept of gender pay gap.
 To determine the benefits of implementing equality within the business organization.
 To examine the relation among gender pay gap and workers performance at workplace.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 What is gender pay gap?
 What are benefits of implementing equality within the business organization?
 What is relation among gender pay gap and workers performance at workplace?
Research Philosophy
It explains an assumption as to how the researcher can collect, interpret and use accurate
information about the subject or theory. Positivism and interpretivism are two different research
philosophies (Alderden and G. Skogan, 2014). Along with this, interpretivism philosophy is also
applied by researcher in conducting research in-depth manner. It assists researcher in taking
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rights judgement within the research. Apart from this, investigator will by applied inductive
research approach that is effective for undertaking qualitative study to attain valid and reliable
results.
Research Approach
It is related to approach that an investigator takes, that can be segmented as inductive and
deductive. The deductive research approach develops hypothesis on pre- existing theory and
develop research approach for testing (Abu-Qulah and Shahneaz, 2014). It is concerned with
examining that observed phenomena fit with the expectations. On the other hand, inductive
research approach is to be characterized as move from particular to general. Under this approach,
observations are starting point for an investigator and the patterns looked in data.
Inductive research approach has been used in this project because it is based on the
qualitative research method and provide proper explanation regarding specific subject area
effectively.
Research Strategies
This layer of the research onion is related to know that how an investigator intends to be
carried out work and which data collection method will be used. Under this, case study, survey,
experiment, action research are the different strategies. In this present investigation, survey
strategy is used because it helps in give the information in detailed manner with the better
understanding about concepts (DeHart-Davis, Davis and Mohr, 2014). It is economical and finest
research strategy. The survey include sampling representative population proportion. In context
to this, survey strategy is used to be observe contributing the variables between various data.
This permits collection of data that will used to answer research related questions.
Research Choice
This layer of research onion help in know about combine the qualitative and quantitative
methodology to use the one methodology. Research methods are helpful in directing an
investigator to perform all research activities in a right direction. Qualitative and quantitative are
two different kinds of research methods. In this, qualitative method has been used because it
gives theoretical information (George and et. al., 2016).
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Time horizon
It explains necessary time for completion of project work in an effective manner.
Longitudinal and cross sectional are two different kinds of time horizon. In context to this, cross-
sectional time horizon is established already where data should be gathered. It is used when
research is related with study of specific phenomenon at particular time period. On the other
hand, longitudinal time horizon for the data collection is related to collection of the data over
extended period and used where necessary factor for an investigation is evaluation over a period
of time (Jammaers, Zanoni and Hardonk, 2016).
Data collection methods
Data collection is related to collecting information on variable of the interest and state
relevant answers of questions. In this, researcher use both primary and secondary method of data
collecting that support researcher in gathering relevant and valid information about the topic. In
primary data collection method, sources to collect the information are questionnaire, observation,
and many others (Kulkarni and Gopakumar, 2014). On the other hand, in collecting the
secondary information, data and information has been collected with the help of books, internet,
articles, magazines etc. With the help of primary method, questionnaire will be prepared and by
secondary methods literature review is carried out through which information is collected in
detailed manner.
Sampling methods
It means process of choosing part of population. In this, researcher select a sample size
from population through which it can gather data concerned with particular subject area. 30
respondents has been selected by using the random sampling method (Kundu and Mor, 2017).
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of gender pay gap
According to Lynn, (2018), Gender pay gap is consider as a major issue hat arise at
workplace due to unequal treatment among male and female workers. Mainly, it is related to the
average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are working at same posit
and workplace as well. As women are generally refers to be paid less than men. In this regards,
Equality is one of the important concept for every business organization to developing their
positive performance. In a firm, employing people of all genders and race is effective that make
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entire activities of company more stronger. For attaining success, it is important for company to
implement equality at workplace where in every workers should be treated equally and also has
appropriate diversification (Henry and et. al., 2014). This can be effective for business to
motivate their workers and create positive relation with each other. It will directly contribute in
improving employees performance at workplace. By developing as well as creating equal
workplace company can includes wide range of ideas from their employees that allow
organisation in attaining competitive edge at market place. If firm follow equality than they can
easily satisfy their customers and also make appropriate decision making that put positive impact
on attaining growth at market place.
Benefits of implementing equality within the business organization
According to DeHart-Davis, Davis and Mohr, (2014), equity within the working
environment is consider as an important activity as it support business in improving the overall
performance in positive way which further contribute toward its growth at market. The main
purpose for this is the diversify workforce getting fairness advantage attempt to put more
advantage to enhance their skills and knowledge that directly contribute in improving overall
performance of the employees at workplace. With the assistance of this, company can
accomplished their competitive edge. Thus, firm is responsible for implementing both equality
and diversity practices so that every workers should treated fairly and get better opportunity to
improve their effectiveness. In addition of this, the main benefit of this is it develop new skills
promoting huge ideas, create innovation, team building and many more. All these are beneficial
for workers to get motivated towards their allotted job activities. This will also beneficial in
inviting talent and at the same time also retain them for longer period of time so that company
can sustain in market for longer period of time.
Relation between gender pay gap and employees performance at workplace
According to George and et. al., (2016), employee performance is one of the important
activity for business organisation because it put positive impact on its overall success. This is the
reason that company implement equality and diversity at workplace so that workers get
motivated and also engage with business activities. This can be helpful in enhancing productivity
level of the company and also make workers loyal towards the company and its goals as well.
This is the reason that equality at workplace and employee morale are interrelate and having
relation. If workers are treated equality than they motivated towards their goals. Whereas, if
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manager focus on developing a healthy working environment then employees put their best
efforts to attain their targets. In this regards, appropriate diversification is effective for company
in giving workers motivation by creating healthy culture. This will contribute in making
employees able to accept all the changes and also take participate within the decision making
through which employees improve their capabilities at working area and at the same time also
handle their customers in effective manner. Furthermore, equality support in drawing in inviting
pool of ability and talent which ensure the improvement of workforce that comprises of high
skilled workforce which have the capacity to manage the difficulties at workplace in effective
manner (Hewins-Maroney and Williams, 2013).
PROJECT PLAN
Work Breakdown Structure
WBS is characterized as method by which an investigator will able to divide the complex
and time taking tasks into the small components so they will easy to perform effectively within a
given period of time. This will break down the entire mission into the manageable tasks along
with this (Kulik, 2014). It aids in breaking down the entire plan and assigning it to all to team
rememberer in order to attain them within given period of time.
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Illustration 1: Work Breakdown Structure

Gantt Chart
It is explained as graphical representation of various kinds of projects and known as
whole project's visual presentation. This simply breaks down the various tasks that are normally
set for limited time period. This diagram contains a horizontal and vertical axis that usually
shows various task dependencies in the particular project. Through this, Starbucks will keep
updated regarding whole project and complete the project within time frame (Kulkarni and
Gopakumar, 2014).
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FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Q1) Are you aware about the equality and diversity concept?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) Does equality and diversity develops negative impact on organisational growth?
a) Yes
b) No
Q3) In what manner, equality and diversity impact at workplace?
a) Positive
b) Negative
Q4) Does executing equality and diversity help Starbucks company in attaining
productivity level of company?
a) Yes
b) No
Q5) What are the different factors which discriminate the people?
a) Age
b) Colour
c) Religion
Q6) As per your opinion, what are main advantages gained through Starbucks company
through executing equality and diversity at workplace?
a) Positive working environment
b) High growth rate
c) Accomplishment of objectives
Q7) Which strategy Starbucks can adopt to execute the equality and diversity within
organisation?
a) Top to down approach
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