Leadership and Management's Role in Gender Equality at Apple

This research project investigates the role of leadership and management in promoting gender equality in the workplace, focusing on Apple Inc. The project begins with an introduction, an overview of the topic, the company background, research questions, and aims and objectives. It delves into a literature review examining how gender equality improves organizational performance and the significance of gender equality in management and leadership. The study explores effective ways leadership and management can promote gender equality, followed by a detailed methodology section outlining the research approach, philosophy, and methods. Data analysis and interpretations are covered, leading to research outcomes, conclusions, and recommendations. The report also includes a reflection on alternative research methodologies and comprehensive references and an appendix. The project emphasizes the importance of gender equality for organizational success, employee motivation, and overall performance.

Research Project
(Role of leadership and management in promoting of gender
equality at workplace)

Executive Summary
Main purpose of this research project is to identifying the role of leadership and
management in promoting of gender equality at workplace. In order to attain this purpose,
different chapters were completed successfully. These chapter are introduction, review of
literature, research methodology etc. These chapters supported researcher in attainment of
research aim and objectives.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Overview of the topic.............................................................................................................4
Background of the company...................................................................................................4
Research questions.................................................................................................................5
Research aim and objectives..................................................................................................5
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................6
How gender equality helps in improvement of organisational performance?........................6
What are the significance of gender equality in management and leadership?......................7
What are the effective ways that will be used by leadership and management for promoting
gender equality in the workplace of Apple Inc.?....................................................................8
Methodology and Data Collection...................................................................................................9
Data analysis and interpretations...................................................................................................11
Research Outcomes........................................................................................................................21
Covered in PPT.....................................................................................................................21
Conclusion and Recommendations................................................................................................21
Reflection & Recommendation of alternative research methodology...........................................22
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................24
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................25

Introduction
Overview of the topic
Leadership is the point of guidance to others for completion of work in most appropriate
manner. On the other hand, management includes the similar aspect of guidance with wide
nature of functioning regarding performance of work on stipulated period of time. Both these
aspects have huge level importance in life and an organisation. The concept of leadership helps
in development of effective teams within an organisation while concept of management aid in
completion of overall work on time (Alhejji and et. al., 2018). The various number of benefits
associated with the effective level implementation of these concepts within an organisation
includes good team buildings, completion of tasks on time, ascertainment of overall objectives,
improvement in productivity and enhancement of profitability. This analysis depicts that
important for an organisation to have these concepts within an organisation for the purpose of
getting success. The another point that will build within an organisation with the aid of this is
positive working environment and surroundings. In overall manner, this will help to accomplish
objectives along with competitive edge in market. Application of same within Apple will must
help to align employee interest within organisational activities along with building positive
image among stakeholders.
Background of the company
Apple is the large multinational organisation that has business operations at worldwide
level. This organisation has its headquarter in Cupertino, California. The products and service in
which this organisation deal includes consumer electronics, computer software and online
services. The successive nature of business operations helps this organisation to be distinct from
others in market along with holding the position of largest mark player at worldwide level. In
actual, this company was founded in the year 1976. The total number of retail stores have by an
organisation at worldwide level are around 510. The number of employees who are serving to
this organisation on global level are around 137000. There are many subsidiaries of Apple too.
These are known as Apple Energy LLC, Apple Sales International, Apple Services, Apple
worldwide video, Anobit and Beddit. The overall description of an organisation depicts that it
has effective number of resources and capabilities that enables them to be world most successful
organisation.

Research questions
 How gender equality helps in improvement of organisational performance?
 What are the significance of gender equality in management and leadership?
 What are the effective ways that will be used by leadership and management for
promoting gender equality in the workplace of Apple Inc.?
Research aim and objectives
Research aim:
Main aim of the current investigation is “To identify the role of leadership and
management in promoting of gender equality at workplace”. A study on Apple Aberdeen, Union
Square 27/28 Ground Level Mall, Union Square Aberdeen, AB11 5PN.
Research Objectives
 To identify the importance of gender equality within an organisation.
 To determine the role of gender equality in leadership and management.
 To explore ways that will be used by leadership and management for promoting gender
equality in the workplace of Apple Inc.

Literature Review
How gender equality helps in improvement of organisational performance?
According to the Gupta and et. al., (2019), Equality is the wider concept that includes
about similarity among all personnel on the basis of all different grounds such as age, gender,
disability etc. It is important for all organisation to maintain equality within an organisation. This
will not only help to develop the good image but improves their internal and external workings.
Internal working is improved because it motivates the employees to work hard within an
organisation because they will get similar in return. On the other hand, external working is
improved because clients build faith over the organisational workings that they will never do
wrong with them. Here, gender equality is the term that depicts the aspect of equality among
personnel on the basis of their gender. It means that no difference will be maintained in between
male and female on the basis of points like working policies, rewards, promotions and payments.
This point has hue level contribution in the development of an organisation. The different
number of benefits associated with this aspect includes positive working environment, higher
employee engagement, higher level motivation and effective team building. In overall manner,
all these must help an organisation to improve their performance and accomplish desired targets.
Internally, gender equality boosts the morale of employees that their performance is considered
for the promotion and reward instead some other criterion. This improves their engagement and
involvement in task activities along with supportive behaviour that ultimately aid in completion
of tasks by all employees on stipulated period of time.
As per the view presented by Coe, Wiley and Bekker, (2019), The motivation on ground
level aid in development of effective teams along with family environment that ensures
completion of work with quality. The another benefit that can be attained from the effective
application of this aspect is optimum utilisation of resources and reduction in the amount of
errors. The one more benefit which is associated with the point of equality and gender equality is
less rate of labour turnover. This automatically serves to an organisation in positive manner
where they can retain the talented employees for longer period of time and build the team which
able to perform all tasks in kind of situation. The benefit of this point will be ascertained in the
form of competitive edge and unique image that effective in nature to attract the existing and
potential number of clients and customers.

What are the significance of gender equality in management and leadership?
According to the Dashper (2020), there are large number of benefits which are associated
with concept of equality and gender equality to an organisation. The one important aspect or
determinant that can drive benefits from the application or presence of gender equality within an
organisation is leaders and managers in the perspective of leadership and management. Gender
equality builds the positive environment along with trustable behaviour of employees towards
organisational activities and polices. This will make the work easier for leader and manager
because they will able to influence employees easily in more effective manner. The basic reason
behind the easy influence is trust of employees over organisational practices and their
personnel’s that never perform the activity which will harm their interest. So, the concept of
equality and gender equality will must help the leaders and managers to perform their actions
effectively. Leaders have the major role related to motivation and guidance of employees. This
can be done effectively when employee has belief over the working of leader. This will be
developed in the situation when organisation has good practices and leader performs good.
As per the opinion of González-Navarro and et. al., (2018), the organisational practices
reflects the leader decision making ability of building strategies and policies. Ultimately, this
will aid in creation of belief and trust among employees upon leader. This makes the leader work
easy because employees will effectively be going to listen and follow the instructions. This help
the leader to guide and improve the set skill of employees for further development of effective
teams. Manager has the main role related to management of daily workings. Here, support of
employees is must for the completion of daily allotted work. This is possible in the situation
when employees are happy with organisational practices and working environment and this will
be achieved through the fulfilment of their needs and wants. So, equality is the major concern of
all employees within an organisation and its fulfilment in all respect help to gain their trust and
support. So, presence of gender equality must help in improving motivation level of employees
along with trust so they can support the managers of an organisation to complete the allotted
work on set deadlines. So, it is clear from the above defined facts that contribution of gender
equality is immense in the development of leadership and management perspective within an
organisation.

What are the effective ways that will be used by leadership and management for promoting
gender equality in the workplace of Apple Inc.?
According to the Alemu, Van Kempen and Ruben, (2018), equality and gender equality
are such aspects which are necessary to be promoted at workplace. Effective implementation and
regular promotion is the only way regarding their successful setup within an organization. It is
the duty of managers and leaders that they promote equality within an organization. Here, they
must have needed to focus over promotion of all different aspects associated with the point of
equality. The one under this is about gender equality. This will help them to build the positive
working environment along with belief that all employees at workplace are treated equality and
get the opportunities on the basis of their work. The different ways that can be adopted by the
leader for the promotion of equality and gender equality within an organization are of different
types. The detailed level description of these all is provided below;
Promotion: leaders and managers have to focus over promotion of employees at higher
levels on their performance basis. This help in delivering the message among the all personnel at
workplace that organization is concerned about the performance and output instead of gender as
factor for promoting (Hoert, Herd and Hambrick, 2018).
Rewards: This is the technique of rewarding for the performance of god work. It is must
for the leaders and managers to provide rewards to their subordinates so they will work hard.
Also, they needed to follow the criterion of performance for rewarding. This exercise will also
help in deliverance the message at ground level that organization is concerned about the working
and results for rewarding of their employees instead of any factor that create biases.

Methodology and Data Collection
This is an important and significant part of research project because it helps investigator
in collecting of accurate amount of data successfully. There are some essential types of research
methodologies that will be explained as below:
Research approach: Inductive and deductive are known as two approaches of research
that helps in analyzing of information about the topic. According to the current investigation,
deductive approach will be applied because it facilitates in analyzing of quantitative data within
minimum time period (Kelan and Wratil, 2018).
Research philosophy: Positive and interpretivisim are called two types of research
philosophies. According to the present study, positivism research philosophy is important as it
assist investigator in collecting and analyzing of quantitative type of data in less period of time.
Interpretivisim philosophy is not valuable in this study because it requires qualitative data that
take maximum time and resources (Kim and et. al., 2019).
Qualitative and quantitative method: These are considered two types of research choice
that are effective in conducting of any type of investigation easily. In this research, quantitative
research is more valuable because it provides numerical information in minimum time period.
Qualitative method is not valuable for this study because it consumes more time and not provides
data in numerical way (Mroz, Yoerger and Allen, 2018).
Primary and secondary sources: These are two essential sources of data collection that
are used within an investigation. Questionnaire will be applied for gathering of primary
information because it facilitates in gaining of valid and reliable data easily and within less time
period. For gathering secondary data, there are different sources such as books, articles,
magazines etc. These sources are used for literature review that results in attainment of research
aim and objectives successfully.
Sampling methods: Probability and non-probability are two types of sampling but for
selecting sample according to the present study, probability sampling will be applied for
selecting 30 employees of Apple Inc. Main reason behind using probability sampling is not takes
more time and provides quantitative outputs.
Research instruments: There are various instruments of data collection including
interview, focus group, observation, questionnaire etc. All these are effective but according to

the current investigation, questionnaire is more effective. This will help in gathering of valid and
numerical data in less period of time (Nie, Lämsä and Pučėtaitė, 2018).
Cost, access and ethical issues: Cost is important factor for doing current investigation.
150 pounds will be needed. Access is also important for researcher to get permission from the
Apple for collecting quantitative data to their employees. There are some ethical principles such
as informed consent, autonomy, confidentiality etc. Therefore, all these are important for
researcher in completing of full project ethically and in given time period (Potvin and et. al.,
2018).
Ethical considerations: There are different ethical considerations that must be following
within a current project for completing full project in ethical manner. These considerations are
discussing intellectual property frankly, be conscious of multiple roles, follow informed-
consent rules, respect confidentiality and privacy and tap into ethics resources.
Cost of the reproach project: There are different activities for completing this research
project in effective manner. Along with this, there will be requirement of appropriate amount of
cost that will be shown as below in tabular form.
Total forecasted budget
Particular 2017-18($)
Implementing technology cost 17000
Promotional expense 7000
Advertisement expense 5500
Catalogues 1800
Training charges 7500
Total cost 38800

Data analysis and interpretations
From analysing quantitative information, frequency distribution analysis will be applied.
It is an analytical technique that support investigator in analysing of quantitative information
easily and effectively (Powell, 2018). Frequency distribution table of current investigation will
be shown as below:
Frequency distribution table
Q1) Do you have knowledge about the gender equality in context of an
organisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q2) What are the significance of gender equality in the workplace of
Apple Inc.?
Frequency
a) Improved productivity 10
b) Increased growth and innovation 10
c) Improved customer targeting 10
Q3) According to you, what are the major roles of leadership and
management in promoting of gender equality in the workplace of Apple
Inc.
Frequency
a) Considering leadership roles for male and female employees 12
b) Providing equal pay 8
c) Developing an open minded atmosphere 10
Q4) What are the major challenges of gender inequality that may be faced
by manager and leader of Apple Inc.?
Frequency
a) Decreased productivity and performance 10
b) High employee turnover 12
c) Reduced business growth and success 8

Q5) What are the significant ways that must be used for managing gender
equality within the workplace of Apple Inc.?
Frequency
a) Providing equal training to the mane and women employees 13
c) Providing equal pay 7
c) Providing option of flexible working hour to the women employees 10
Q6) Is managing of gender equality facilitate Apple Inc. in reducing of
high employee turnover rate?
Frequency
a) Yes 26
b) No 4
Q7) What are the significance of gender equality in management and
leadership?
Frequency
a) Improved performance of leader and manager 9
b) Increased relationship with employees 10
c) Helps in retaining of women employees 11
Q8) Does leadership and management are important in promoting gender
equality within the workplace of Apple Inc.
Frequency
a) Agree 26
b) Disagree 4
Q9) Does gender equality help business in attaining of competitive
advantages?
Frequency
a) Strongly Agree 12
b) Agree 15
c) Strongly Disagree 2
d) Disagree 1
Question 1: Knowledge about the gender equality in context of an organisation