An Analysis of Gender Inequality in Business Communication Practices

This report delves into the pervasive issue of gender inequality in the workplace, specifically focusing on the role of communication. It examines various facets of this inequality, drawing on multiple research articles that explore topics such as unequal pay, underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, and discriminatory practices. The report highlights the historical roots of gender inequality and its global impact, referencing studies from the US, Sweden, and other countries. It analyzes the influence of organizational practices, societal norms, and economic factors on gender disparities. Furthermore, the report discusses potential solutions, including the importance of equal opportunities, fair compensation, and inclusive communication strategies. The analysis underscores the need for systemic changes and proactive measures to foster gender equality in the business environment, supported by evidence from diverse perspectives and studies.

Running Head: COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS 0
INEQUALITY AT WORKPLACE

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS 1
Janssens, M., & Zanoni, P. (2014). Alternative diversity management: Organizational
practices fostering ethnic equality at work. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 30(3),
317-331.
Janseens and Zanoni define how the Equal Pay Act of 1975 is never continuing in the
organisation because of gender discrimination in the workplace. While women are at the peak
position in relation with the progression of their career, though it is identified they do not get
treated or paid in the same way like their male peers even if they have a step out in the same
role. Considering leadership position, women are less likely to be linked in comparison with
men. However, Janseens and Zanoni identified some points that management needs to
reinforce in their organisation. These are victimization, equal pay, discrimination based on
sex, harassment and at last, includes success celebration to analyse the respective work. I
consider this source as one of the most significant articles to the findings as it clearly states
out the answer to the problem of practice relating to the problem and its solution.
Avent-Holt, D., & Tomaskovic-Devey, D. (2012). Relational inequality: Gender earnings
inequality in US and Japanese manufacturing plants in the early 1980s. Social
Forces, 91(1), 157-180.
Avent-Holt & Tomaskovic-Devey (2012) explain the issue effectively about the key problem
and its solution. They also provide various specific examples such as men outnumber women
at a rate of 73% vs. 27% in all areas of engagement and especially in the domain of
engineering and science. The author also said US is ranked at number 19 in relation with
gender inequality as per the 2010 report of World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap.
Hence, with this explanation, it can be said that how weakening to identify the issue of U.S.
gender inequality is the best procedure to ensure that we will certainly not resolve the issue.
Furthermore, there are various reasons why one should care about gender equality as it
includes various benefits such as doubling the talented pool of leaders and high economic
competitiveness. All this information is significant for this report as it demonstrates specific
example of what organisations are failing to identify.

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS 2
Evertsson, M., England, P., Mooi-Reci, I., Hermsen, J., De Bruijn, J., & Cotter, D.
(2009). Is gender inequality greater at lower or higher educational levels? Common
patterns in the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States. Social Politics, 16(2), 210-
241.
This article explores how gender inequality is prevailing among the workforce and persisting
all around the globe and not just in the U.S. One of the most significant practice that this
thesis speaks about is the huge wage gap considering women and working in the same roles
and possessing the same degree. Evertsson et al, 2009 called it as Unfair. However, In U.S.
equal pay has improved so far. In addition, ignoring this issue may lead to several potential
losses and unhealthy competition among co-workers in the organisation. In addition, it was
also found that women in United States are still being dismissed for being pregnant and
receiving demoted after they arrive from maternity holidays. On the other hand, Sweden is
also listed as high on the gender equality lists and it was found in there that with mothers,
85% of fathers also apply for paternal leave of absence. This article is relevant to describe
how serious inequality is in the workforce of an organisation.
Jayachandran, S. (2015). The roots of gender inequality in developing
countries. economics, 7(1), 63-88.
One may get into the thinking that how did gender inequality gets started exactly. It was
explicitly defined by Jayachandran as he prepared a report on exploring various facts
regarding the early roots of gender inequality. Once it was said that ‘a women cannot do the
job of a man and similaryl a man cannot do the job of a woman”. For instance, there was
prohibition on women to work into the fields as they are “too weak” to carry and pick fruit
and in the same way it was not taught to men that how to wash dishes, sow, prepare dinner, or
any sort of these simple similar tasks as it was called as a “girl job”. The relevance of this
report lies in its attributes exploring various evidences and instances of initial gender
discrimination and inequality, which is connected to my query of description: “What was the
influence behind gender inequality at the workplace?”

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS 3
Cornwall, A., & Rivas, A. M. (2015). From ‘gender equality and ‘women’s
empowerment’to global justice: reclaiming a transformative agenda for gender and
development. Third World Quarterly, 36(2), 396-415.
This article says on gender inequality and it starts by offering a moral context on how females
did not have all rights from a longer time like now. For instance, being state secretary, voting
or a leader in politics. However, Cornwall & Rivas states round the huge growth females
have achieved, they also states in what way dissimilarity in the organisation floor continues,
and considering all sorts of fields, how females are doing their best and make their stand
against men. The author also considered the question of quality while including various facts
that how determination was influenced to resolve this issue. It was found that it is the women
itself who gets inspired by one another and explores what other women have to attain to
provide these gender-based differences higher expectations. The notion of women helping
other women benefits, while representing just how influential force females can be when they
support one another.
Chant, S., & Sweetman, C. (2012). Fixing women or fixing the world?‘Smart
economics’, efficiency approaches, and gender equality in development. Gender &
Development, 20(3), 517-529.
Chant & Sweetman (2012) states that there is need to coach both boys and girls to drive in
future with a great career, better demand and equal pay. They also added some ways in
encouraging gender equality at various stages of jobs which includes rethinking job interview
questions like “what your expectations about your salary?” and it was found that women
particularly ask for less than men, on the other hand, candidates should be able to place
themselves in a particular range of salary that is presented to everybody, also consider gender
fairness a part of education and training so as all could learn how to be active while greeting
women, develops work-life stability to be a part of broader organisation principles and in last
do not limit the capacity. This article connected with the main question i.e. “What are the
some of the ways need to consider while resolving gender inequality in the workplace?” as it
elucidates some of very significant aspects that answer the question perfectly.

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Ruth Eikhof, D. (2012). A double-edged sword: twenty-first-century workplace trends
and gender equality. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 27(1), 7-22.
Ruth Eikhof (2012) is effective in elaborating what is required to be done or has already been
applied to some organisations and any workforce around the globe so as to attain 100%
equality in every aspect within the organisation floor. In addition, the author also explores
about various tips on what is required to be done to comprehend equality but gives us ideas of
what gender equality is associated with including various advantages not only to the
organisation but also for their staff. The relevance of this article provides an important reason
to influence individuals on why they should fight and support gender fairness in the
organisation. This is helpful for both men and women and not for only men as some might
think. In future, to work on these practices will help both organisation and the economy as it
also persists against the backdrop of economic growth, increasingly needed to empower
women.
Ruth Eikhof, D. (2012). A double-edged sword: twenty-first-century workplace trends
and gender equality. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 27(1), 7-22.
This editorial states about women in the work field that supposed to be for a man. We have
come a long way with gender inequality, however, the issue is still present. In addition, this
article also states the rights of women particularly and how it is getting worse over the years,
not better. From political perspectives, women only make up 1/5 of Congress. The gender
spans gender inequality all over the world and does not only focus on developed nations, it
identifies that gender inequality may also to be a leading cause of poverty in less developed
nations.
Gender inequality is not only an issue of a country, but it is also a global issue. However, the
causes and degree of gender inequality differ throughout the globe. Hence, it was a good
general article about gender inequality and what is it, and how it can be solved.

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Huffman, M. L. (2013). Organizations, managers, and wage inequality. Sex Roles, 68(3-
4), 216-222.
This article states how women pay in the workforce is not equal to that of men. The
relationship between laws, organisations, markets emphasizing wage disparities between
women and men. It also states two perceptions and sides of policymakers and social
scientists. On the one hand, they contend that women equality is improved while decrease in
poverty and on the other side they aim to create the conditions for the economic growth
without essentially proposing policies aimed specifically at women.
The author also does not accept the legitimacy of female subordination to men and
emphasizes that there should be equal opportunities and education need to be provided to
both boys and girls. From future perspective, this will help women to show their progress in
the community in spites of several issues in the society. All this shows how gender inequality
is connected with society and the organisation.
Dorius, S. F., & Firebaugh, G. (2010). Trends in global gender inequality. Social
Forces, 88(5), 1941-1968.
This article provides various insight on global inequality by pointing out three levels. The
levels are based on the basic principle that for genders to be equal, it is important for the
society to include equal numbers of gender. Hence, if there are 5, 00,000 women then there
must be 5, 00,000 men in the society or the workplace. On the other hand, this article also
explores the approach of insinuating gender inequality may be harmonising itself out and
becoming non–extant. The author also has used several statistics to take a deeper dive into
gender inequality and systematically examine directed extents in an effort to attain correct
information.
The author also strategically stated that there may be not any real issue of gender inequality
while evaluating the available information and also there is a consent that elaborates that
there is a high number of men in the workplace as compared to women.