Gender Inequality Impact: ASDA's Performance and Discrimination

This research project investigates gender discrimination within ASDA, a British retailer, examining its impact on employee productivity and overall company performance. The study begins with an introduction defining key terms like equality and diversity, followed by a literature review exploring existing research on gender inequality and its consequences. The methodology section outlines the qualitative research approach, inductive approach, and interpretivism philosophy used to collect and analyze data from ASDA managers through questionnaires. The data analysis reveals that employees are aware of gender discrimination, and while ASDA is attempting to address it, negative impacts on productivity persist. The research identifies challenges such as cultural differences and traditional mindsets and recommends measures for improvement. The project concludes with a reflection on the research process and a list of references.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................6
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.............................................................................7
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMEDNAITON............................................................................15
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Background
Equality is referred to as promoting of equal and same opportunities for all the employees
present in the company irrespective of their age, gender, education and all other differentiating
points. Diversity is defined as the fact that the company hires employees from different cultures
and this increase the ability of company as people of different cultures comes together to work
(Heilman and Caleo, 2018). The current report is based over ASDA which is a British retailer
and supermarket chain founded in 19494 and headquartered in Leeds UK. The current issue in
managing equality and diversity is the gender discrimination which is defined as the
differentiation which is done on basis of gender. The current research will be directed for
analyzing the gender discrimination taking place in ASDA and what can be the challenges faced
at time of reducing the gender discrimination.
Aims and objectives
“To investigate the impact of high gender inequality on performance of the employees with
respect to managing workplace discrimination. A study on ASDA.”
Objectives
 To understand the concept of inequality of basis of gender.
 To evaluate the impact of high gender discrimination at the workplace on the productivity
and profitability with reference to ASDA.
 To analyze the challenges being faced by ASDA in managing workplace discrimination
in order to manage equality and diversity.
 To recommend some measure for improvement in gender discrimination for the
increment in the productivity and profitability of the company.
Research question
1. What is the concept of discrimination on basis of gender?

2. What is the impact of high gender discrimination over productivity of company?
3. What are the challenges being faced by company in managing gender discrimination?
4. What are some corrective actions recommended to the company for improvement in
equality and diversity?
Rationale
For the research to be done on gender discrimination is because of the fact that this is a
latest problem which is faced by many of the companies. Hence, this was the major reason
behind the use of gender discrimination as a research topic. Also, this research will assist the
companies in finding strategies for the removal of the discrimination. Also, the other reason for
this topic was the personal interest of researcher in the topic of gender discrimination.
Literature review
In the words of Cavalcanti and Tavares (2016) gender discrimination is defined as the
difference created among the employees on the basis of the gender that is males being preferred
over the females when it comes to growth and development. The impact of gender discrimination
is negative over the working of the company. This is mainly due to the reason that this
discrimination demotivates the employees within the company and this result in the decrease in
the efficiency of the employees. Also, Heilman and Caleo (2018) articulated that the major
challenge faced by the company in managing the equality and diversity is the thinking of the
people that women cannot work in the corporate world. This is not at all correct that the females
are less competent and knowledgeable as compared to the males.
Research methodology
Methods of research Description
Research type Qualitative research
Research approach Inductive approach

Research philosophy Interpretivism philosophy
Data collection Mix of primary and secondary sources
Sampling 20 manager of ASDA
Data analysis Thematic analysis
LITERATURE REVIEW
As per the views of Parker and Funk (2017) the inequality has a major issue and problem
over the working of th company. This is majorly pertaining to the fact that the inequality is
referred to as treating all the employees within the workplace. This inequality can be based on
many different factors but the major difference is caused on basis of gender only. Hence, gender
discrimination is defined as the differentiation among the employees on the basis of the gender
that is male and female. Also, the gender inequality and discrimination is very growing and
spreading over many companies as most of the people think that the gender discrimination is not
wrong as people has feeling that the females has low knowledge of the market and thy cannot
handle the working of the corporate world.
In against of this Dubbelt, Rispens and Demerouti (2016) argues that the impact of high
gender discrimination in the company is very negative over the productivity of employees. This
is majorly because of the reason that if the employees within the company will not be treated in
equitable manner then the productivity of employees will automatically decrease. Another major
impact of gender discrimination is the decrease in goodwill. This is majorly because of the
reason that if the employees will not be treated in good and effective manner then the market
value and position of the company will also decrease. In addition to this another major impact of
the gender discrimination is that this increases the conflict among the employees. This is majorly
because of the reason that when some of the employees are given privileges and other are not

then this result in conflicts among the employees and this ultimately result in the decrease in
productivity of employees.
As per the thinking of Hardies, Lennox and Li (2018) the major challenge in the
management of equality and diversity is the mentality and thinking of the people working in the
company. This is majorly because of the reason that most of the people think that females are
less competent as compared to the men. Hence, because of this conservative thinking of the
people the employees the equality cannot be managed in effective manner. Another major
challenge is the cultural difference among the people working in a company. This may also pose
a problem for the company in managing the equality and diversity in the workplace.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Type of research- for the present study the researcher has used the qualitative research because
of the reason that this research type will help the researcher in deeply learning about the concepts
of gender discrimination and its impact over productivity of employees (Verniers and Vala,
2018). Thus, for this deep understanding of the concept of gender inequality and discrimination
qualitative research has been used.
Approach of research- for carrying on with the present research the use of inductive approach is
made as this is an approach which assists the researcher in focusing on the existing theory and
developing the aims and objectives for the study. Thus, because of this reason researcher has
made use of inductive approach of research.
Philosophy of research- in the completion of this project use of interpretivism philosophy was
used. This was selected by the researcher as this combines the human interest within the research
and this is also more suitable with the qualitative research.
Collection of data- this is the most important stage in the whole research as the research cannot
be completed without the data (Wiek and Lang, 2016). Hence, for this mix of primary and
secondary data was used as this help the researcher in getting more relevant and reliable data
which will make the research more good and effective.

Sampling- this is the process through which some of the people or participant are selected who
are asked questions in order to reach to some conclusions (Bresler and Stake, 2017). For the
current study the researcher has asked to around 20 employees of the company. The researcher
has asked questions to these samples and then conclusion was drawn.
Analysis of data- this is also an important stage in the whole research process. This is majorly
because of the reason that of the data will not be analyzed on proper manner then no effective
solutions will be made. For this the researcher has used the thematic analysis as this is more
presentable method as it involves use of charts and tables which make the data more presentable
and attractive (Kumar, 2019).
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
1. Are you familiar with the concept of discrimination taking place on basis of gender?
 Highly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Highly disagreed
2. According to you is your company taking any measure in reducing the gender inequality
and discrimination?
 Yes
 No
3. What is the major impact of the high gender discrimination over productivity of

employees?
 Positive
 Negative
 No impact
4. From the following what is the major impact of high gender discrimination on the
company and its productivity?
 Reduction in market share
 Low employee motivation
 Decrease in productivity of employees
 All of the above
5. From the following which is the main issue being faced by the company in promoting
equality and diversity?
 Low salary to women
 Myth that female has low market knowledge
 Egoistic nature of males
 All of the above
6. What are the major challenges is being faced by company in reducing the gender
discrimination at the workplace in order to manage the equality and diversity?
 Cultural difference
 Mentality of people
 Conservative feelings
 Acceptability to the fact that women can work in corporate level
7. Recommend some of the measure to the company to manage these challenges and
improve the productivity of employees?
Theme 1: Highly agreed that the employees are familiar with the concept of discrimination on
basis of gender.
Particular Respondent % of
Respondent
Highly agree 15 75
Agree 2 10

Neutral 0 0
Disagree 1 5
Highly
disagreed
2 10
Total 20 100
Highly
agree Agree Neutral Disagree Highly
disagreed
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% of Respondent
% of Respondent
Interpretation: with the help of the above information it is clear that the employees within the
company are familiar with the concept of equality and diversity and gender discrimination. This
is agreed by the 70 % of the participant that they agree with the fact that company employees
know that what gender discrimination is. But some of the participant reacts to this question in
negative manner and does not agree to this fact.
Theme 2: Yes, company is taking measures in reducing the gender discrimination within the
workplace.
Particular Respondent % of
Respondent
Yes 16 80
No 4 20
Total 20 100

Yes
No
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
80
20
% of Respondent
% of Respondent
Interpretation: with the analysis and evaluation of the above data it is clear that the company is
trying to take measures in order to remove the high gender discrimination taking place at the
workplace. Hence, this is agreed by the 80 % of the participant states that because the company
is trying to manage the high gender discrimination so that they can manage the equality and
diversity within the workplace. However, this is agreed by the rest of the respondent hat
company is making any measure in the betterment or removal of the gender discrimination
present in the workplace.
Theme 3: Negative impact is there of high gender discrimination over the company and its
productivity.
Particular Respondent % of
Respondent
Positive 2 10
Negative 16 80
No impact 2 10
Total 20 100

Positive Negative No impact
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
10
80
10
% of Respondent
% of Respondent
Interpretation: from the above analysis and evaluation the above data reveals that the majority of
the participant that is 80 % agrees that the major pact of high gender discrimination is negative
over the working and productivity of company. This is majorly because of the reason that if the
employee will not be happy and satisfied with the working of the company then they will not
work up to their maximum efficiency. However, rest of the participant neither does nor agrees to
this act as they have no say over this fact.
Theme 4: All of the above is the major impact of high discrimination within the workplace over
the working.
Particular Respondent % of
Respondent
Reduction in market share 1 5
Low employee motivation 2 10
Decrease in productivity of
employees
1 5
All of the above 16 80
Total 20 100

5 10 5
80
% of Respondent
Reduction in market share
Low employee motivation
Decrease in productivity of
employees
All of the above
Interpretation: from the above analysis of the information and facts and figures is clear that the
gender discrimination has a very negative impact over the working of the company. Maximum of
the respondent that is 80 % agrees that all of the above is the major impact of high gender
discrimination over the company and its productivity. This is because of the reason that all of the
above includes the impact like reducing the market share, low employee motivation and decrease
in the productivity of employees. However, rest of the participants agrees to this on the
individual basis that is some agree to lower in employee motivation or reduction in market share.
Theme 5: Myth that female has low market knowledge is the main issue being faced by the
company at time of managing equality and diversity.
Particular Respondent % of
Respondent
Low salary to women 2 10
Myth that female has low market
knowledge
12 60
Egoistic nature of males 4 20
All of the above 2 10
Total 20 100