Investigating the Impact of Gender Divide on Leadership at Sainsbury's

This research proposal investigates the impact of gender divide on leadership within Sainsbury's, a UK-based retail chain. The study aims to understand the concept of gender divide, identify its impact on business efficiency, evaluate associated challenges, and recommend solutions. The proposal outlines the research questions, rationale, and a literature review covering the concept of gender divide, its impacts on productivity and profitability, and the challenges in maintaining gender equality. The methodology includes a qualitative research approach using interpretivism, with data collected from 20 Sainsbury's managers. The proposal also features a Gantt chart and work breakdown structure to outline the project timeline and tasks, along with a comprehensive list of references. The research intends to contribute to the understanding of gender dynamics in leadership and offer practical recommendations for improving gender equality within the organization.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................4
GANTT CHART AND WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE..................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Background
Equality is defined as the ability of the company to treat all its employees equal and to
provide the equal opportunities to all the employees so that they can grow and develop within the
company (Alozie and Akpan‐Obong, 2017). On the flip side the diversity refers to the fact that in
an organization the employees come from diverse countries and are of different cultural
background. It is very necessary for the company to maintain both equality and diversity within
the company to have a successful working of the business operation. The present research is
based in the company Sainsbury. It is a retail chain of supermarkets in UK which was founded
by John James Sainsbury in the year 1869 and is headquartered in Holborn London. The present
research will aim at finding the impact of gender divide on leadership on the productivity and
profitability of the company as a whole.
Aims and objectives
Aim
“To investigate the impact of gender divide in the leadership over the productivity of the
company. A study on Sainsbury.”
Objectives
 To understand the concept of gender divide in leadership.
 To identify the impact of gender divide within leadership on the overall efficiency and
productivity of the business.
 To evaluate the challenges attached with the maintenance of gender divide in leadership.
 To recommend some of the measures with which these challenges can be overcome.
Research questions
1. What is the meaning of gender divide in leadership?
2. What is the major impact of the gender divide on the productivity and profitability of the
company?
3. What are some of the challenges faced by the company in maintaining the gender divide?
4. What are some measures of overcoming the challenges?
Rationale

The main reason behind choosing gender divide in leadership is that it is the current topic going
on in the business environment. Also, the other reason is the personal interest of the researcher as
they want to increase their knowledge in field of gender inequality at time of leadership.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theme 1: Concept of gender divides in leadership
From the point of view of O'Brien, (2015) gender divide in leadership is defined as the
difference made on the basis of gender at time of giving the leadership power. This is a latest
issue because of the reason that in the present modernised world the major emphasis is given on
the women empowerment. And because of this reason many of the companies are given the
major leadership powers in the hands of the women. But in words of Elliott and Stead, (2018) in
some companies there is gender inequality on basis of the gender that is much preference is
given to males.
Theme 2: Major impacts of gender divide in leadership over productivity and profitability
In the views of Holden and Tilahun, (2018) there is a major impact on the productivity of
the company because of the reason that if the leadership is not good then the working of the
company will not be efficient. In contrast to this van Acker, Wynen and Op de Beeck, (2018)
articulates that if the leadership is given without any biasness then the productivity of the
company will be enhanced and this will ultimately improve the profitability of the company.
Theme 3: Challenges faced in maintaining the gender divides.
According to the thinking of Lim and Wang, (2015) there comes many different types of
challenges at the time of giving leadership to the employees within the company. The major
challenge is the gender inequality within the company. Many people think that the women are
not a better leader as they are less capable as compared to the males. But in contrast to this Kane,
Jacobs and Feldman, (2019) states that ego clashes is the major challenge. This is due to the fact
that if the two people are working at the same level then it may affect the other person who has
not become the leader. This will impact their working as they will think that both are working at
same level and one has become leader and other is at same position.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research type- There are of two types of research that is quantitative and other is qualitative
research (Mackey and Gass, 2015). The type of research that will be used in current research is

the qualitative research. This is due to the reason that this helps the researcher in understanding
the concept in much clear and deep manner.
Research approach- this refers to as the steps and process involved in the working of the
research. The two types of approaches are like inductive and deductive. The present approach
that will be used is inductive because it works better with the qualitative research.
Research philosophies- this is defined as the assumptions and beliefs on which the whole
research is based. The two research philosophies are interpretivism and positivism. For
conducting the present research the philosophy which will be used if interpretivism as it helps in
developing aim and objectives and achieving them.
Data collection- there are two different ways of data collection that is primary and the
secondary source. The research here will use a combination of both the sources as it helps in
getting better data.
Sampling- it refers to as using the research on some samples from the whole population.
The sample for the present research will be 20 managers of the company.
Data analysis- the collection of data is not enough it is very essential for the researcher to
analyse the data (Kumar, 2019). For carrying on the current research the researcher will make
use of the thematic data analysis.
GANTT CHART AND WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE
Gantt chart
Element Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5
Selection of
topic
Forming of aim
and objective
Analysing the
literature for the
research
Identifying the
research
methods

Collection of
data
Analysis of data
Data
interpretation
Drawing
conclusion
Making
recommendation
Final
submission
Work break down

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alozie, N.O. and Akpan‐Obong, P., 2017. The digital gender divide: Confronting obstacles to
women's development in Africa. Development Policy Review. 35(2). pp.137-160.
Elliott, C. and Stead, V., 2018. Constructing women’s leadership representation in the UK press
during a time of financial crisis: Gender capitals and dialectical tensions. Organization
Studies. 39(1). pp.19-45.
Holden, S.T. and Tilahun, M., 2018. Gender Digital Divide and Youth Business Group
Leadership.
Kane, M.J., Jacobs, L.R. and Feldman, J., 2019. The Victorious US Women's Soccer Team and
the Fading Gender Divide.
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Lim, L. and Wang, Y.K., 2015, August. Closing the gender divide in tech: Challenges and
achievements in Vogue. In International Conference of Design, User Experience, and
Usability (pp. 224-231). Springer, Cham.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
O'Brien, D.Z., 2015. Rising to the top: Gender, political performance, and party leadership in
parliamentary democracies. American Journal of Political Science. 59(4). pp.1022-1039.
van Acker, W., Wynen, J. and Op de Beeck, S., 2018. Illuminating the gender divide in public
sector innovation: Evidence from the Australian public service. Public Personnel
Management. 47(2). pp.175-194.