The Existence Of Gender Discrimination - 2843 Words

The existence of gender discrimination in workplaces is not under dispute (Acker, 2006). In virtually all societies across the world, women are known to be in a lower position in labour market than men. Women are overrepresented in positions at the bottom echelons of organisations; they have less status, prestige, power and authority on the job. Besides, women are segregated into roles and jobs that offer poorer rewards and have fewer opportunities for progression to positions of power (Walby, 1988). Women receive less pay and rewards than men, even if they work in similar jobs with similar levels of responsibility and requiring a similar level of ability (Cockburn, 1992). Although it has been argued that the poorer labour market position†¦show more content†¦Neo-classical economists explain discrimination in labour market in two ways: through the notions of the ‘taste’ for discrimination and through statistical discrimination (Sawyer, 1989They argue that emplo yers exhibit prejudices against certain groups based on their personal belief system. In the case of women, it is suggested that employers discriminate based on the belief that women are not as capable as men in certain roles. An excellent example of this is provided in a litigation case that was brought against the financial services and auditing company Pricewaterhouse Coopers (Case, 2014). Ann Hopkins took her employer to court when she was passed over for promotion in favour of a male colleague in spite of the fact that objective records showed that her performance on the job was far superior to that man’s. The court found that Pricewaterhouse Coopers had discriminated against Hopkins simply because she was a woman, and they did not believe that she would be capable in the new role. Neo classical economists, however, state that this form of discrimination is logical for employers (Sawyer, 1989). This is due to the presence of uncertainty and asymmetric information, as well as the fact that employers are rational in their decision-making. Although information is available in CVs, application forms, and other selection mechanisms, employers are still unable to be certain that any new employees will fully meet the criteria for