Women continue to face gender inequality and barriers to career advancement in the workplace. Research has shown that industries tend to model the policies and practices of other similar organizations, resulting in increased homogeneity and barriers for women seeking leadership roles. Women experience obstacles such as the glass ceiling effect where an invisible barrier prevents advancement, as well as higher rates of sexual harassment compared to men. While having more women in leadership roles within an organization can help create opportunities for other women, simply having women on corporate boards does not guarantee greater equity or reduce the gender wage gap. Further research is needed to better understand and address the ongoing issue of gender inequality faced by women in the workforce.

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Ryan Newman
Sociology Research Methods
Research Proposal
Gender Inequality: Women in the Workplace
Introduction and research question:
People in the workforce start at a young, yet mature age (18+ years old), and continue
working throughout their lives. Some individuals become successful businessmen and women
through extended education such as a college degree and/or having a chance of luck in a
chosen profession where it does not require a college education. In certain occupations,
however, inequality takes place in various ways and a person may hit what is known as a “glass
ceiling” (Sandberg, Sheryl, 2013).
“Previous research has shown that the industry in which organizations
are embedded affects gender in equality. Because organizations seek
legitimacy within their institutional field/industry, they tend to model the
policies, practices, and even diversity of other similar organizations,
resulting in increased homogeneity within industries (Sheryl Skaggs,
2012).”
When this effect takes place, the individual will be stuck at their current level in the company,
have no options when it comes to moving up and this usually happens indirectly. This brings up
the question, how does gender inequality affect women in the workforce?

2. 2
Literature review:
There are certain jobs to this day that still remain highly gender segregated. To name a
few: nursing, teaching, and social work (Williams, 2013). Some people, in general, experience
difficulties working in their occupations, but they handle the problems that occur and move on
from them to continue to grow and become more successful. On the other hand others do not
get that opportunity, specifically women. Women experience a term that is known as a “glass
ceiling”1 this is when a barrier is put in front of them, which prevents them from ascending in
their profession (Williams, 2013).
Another frequent obstacle for women in the workplace is sexual harassment2 (Brimrose,
2004). In a service survey performed by the EOC (Equal Opportunity Commission), evidence
showed that 96% of respondents who were complaining about sexual harassment were women
(Brimrose, 2004). The first successful case where sexual harassment was argued to be a form of
sexual discrimination took place in the UK in 1986 under the Employment Protection Act
(Brimrose, 2004).
There are many factors affecting women’s leadership over past decades and they have
faced many challenges in pursuit of those roles (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012). One argument suggests
that having more women throughout an organization increases advancement opportunities and
is more likely to have a positive effect on career ascension, therefore creating vacant jobs in an
1 Glass ceiling:refers to an invisiblebarrier thatprevents someone from achievingfurther success.Itis most often
used in the context of someone's age, gender, or ethnicity keeping them from advancingto a certain pointin a
business or when he or she cannotor will notbe promoted to a higher level of position/power. Glass ceilings are
most often observed in the workplaceand areusually a barrier to achievingpower and success equal to that of a
more dominant population (Alston,2015).
2 Sexual harassment:Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex affecting the dignity of
women and men at work, which would includeverbal and non-verbal conduct. (Brimrose,2004)

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internal labor market (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012). On the contrary, some organizations tend to hire
people that resemble themselves and place them in same level positions socially and
demographically. There are studies that raise doubt in women’s abilities for effective
improvement and outcomes for other females within their organization. There is founding
evidence shown that with women being in leadership there is no reduction in the gender wage
gap (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012).
Description and intent of the data collection process:
There are different ways of illustrating inequality in a professional environment. From
one side the spectrum, sexual harassment in the workplace happens more frequently than is
reported in some circumstances. There was a study done in the United Kingdom where
secondary data are the fundamental source when compiling information for this study of sexual
harassment. Quantitative and qualitative data was also used by the author to better
understand why specifically there was such a drastic rise in sexual harassment cases and the
situations in which they occurred (Brimrose, 2004).
While taking a study on sexual harassment, another study was done in the oil and gas
industry. Thirty experienced women and three male supervisors were interviewed to get a
better perspective on the challenges in a male dominated workplace. Diversity programs were
discussed that provided indicators of the ineffectiveness of representing women in
management (Christine Williams, 2014). The data that was collected for board members and
executives, for representing business firms was brought together by secondary data. Corporate
websites and SEC (socioeconomics) provided the information to illustrate the influence of

4. 4
female leadership positions (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012). The purpose of the study is to anticipate
female managerial representation (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012).
The study I would conduct is similar to the article regarding the oil and gas industry in
the sense that regardless of leadership skills and experience, men are more likely to be placed
in an executive position than women. Of the women that do get hired on as an executive, they
are almost always given less pay and have a smaller income than a male in that same position.
Key concepts and variables:
Although having a diverse board membership within a workplace, women being granted
this position does not guarantee greater equity among the organization. It does, however, give
credit to that organization for having diverse board members and creates more advancement
opportunities for women (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012). Having greater numbers within an organization
with diverse board members can provide leverage for women’s representation within linked
establishments (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012). Historically speaking, organizations represented by men
are less likely to provide women with the same managerial opportunities because they are
resistant to forms of change (Sheryl Skaggs, 2012).
“When diversity is a key component of the organizational environment, it is also likely
that women in leadership roles will help attract female job candidates who perceive
opportunities to be greater than when top positions are dominated by men (Sheryl
Skaggs, 2012).”

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Psychologically speaking, sexual harassment is something of a perception. When trying
to measure identity and how it pertains to individuals filing for sexual harassment, there is a
great possibility of acquiring low rates of identification. This is due to the lack of women
understanding and being aware of sexual harassment and what falls under this qualification.
One individual may view something completely different than another and therefore not
consider it a problem where the other would. A few other factors that play into identity are
personality, work, and attitude (Brimrose, 2004).
Analytic strategy:
This study was comprised of journal articles and one book written by Sheryl Sandberg
titled, Lean in. By obtaining the knowledge, I have perceived that gender inequality against
women in the workplace is an ongoing social problem. For this paper, I decided to use
secondary data due to the fact that the studies are more prevalent and are held in a high
controversial state. Qualitative and quantitative data are founded within the articles I used in
my research, but to get a better grasp of the topic, the secondary data that was collected could
lay a foundation for future studies.
My own personal study is designed using primary and quantitative data. I would be
recruiting 25 men and 25 women with the same education, experience, age and skills for this
research. The subject will be applying for a marketing executive position at ten different
Fortune 500 companies with the ultimate goal being to obtain that position. This study will not
only discuss gender inequality against women in the workplace, but also the gender pay gap
and wage discrimination. The primary data would be constructed doing a stratified sample,

6. 6
within these fortune 500 companies, while researching on my own without the review of
secondary data. The quantitative data are used in finding the ratio of the men being hired on as
an executive versus the women being hired as an executive as well as how many women
received call backs for second interviews from the companies versus the men’s call backs. There
are two main variables that will be utilized when conducting this research. One being the
independent variable, “X”, which are the 25 men and 25 women participating. The second
variable being the dependent variable, “Y”, the Fortune 500 companies in which these men and
women will apply. This study could be produced further to incorporate the percentage of
women hired on with equal pay to her male counterpart versus women hired on at the same
level as a man and receiving less income. This would go into more detail regarding the gender
pay gap and wage discrimination.
Ethics statement:
It’s important to treat people fairly and allowing gender inequality to take effect in the
workplace is not treating people in just ways. By studying this concept you can implement
changes for future studies and practices in the workplace; to fight for the oppressed. Gender
inequality is not emulating the respect that hard working people so rightly deserve. Through
understanding the principles of this topic, solutions can be discussed and carried out in an
alternate business plan.

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Statement of limitations:
The scope of this study is including but not limited to males and/or females, the United
States of America or by specific race, but the entire working class as a whole. Gender inequality
takes place all around the globe, to both men and women and to each and every ethnicity. This
topic of discussion creates great amounts of tension and controversy within organizations but it
is well worth exploring and gaining a better understanding of.

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References:
Alston,C.D. (2015). GlassCeiling Theory in Sociology:Definition & Barriers. RetrievedJune 25,2015,
fromStudy.com:http://study.com/academy/lesson/glass-ceiling-theory-in-sociology-definition-
barriers-quiz.html
Brimrose,J.(2004, February).Sexual harassmentinthe workplace:anethical dilemmaforcareer
guidance practice? British Journalof Guidance and Counselling,32(1),109-121.
Christine L.Williams,C.M. (2012). GenderedOrganizationsInThe New Economy. Genderand Society,
26(4), 549-573.
Christine Williams,K.K.(2014). Corporate DiversityProgramsandGenderInequalityinthe Oil andGas
Industry. Workand Occupations,41(4),440-476. Retrievedfromwox.sagepub.com
Dalton,D. R. (2010). Womenand corporate boards of directors:The promise of increased,and
substantive,participationinthe postSarbanes-Oxleyera. ScienceDirect, 257-268. Retrieved
fromwww.sciencedirect.com
Ferreira,R.B. (2009). Womeninhe boardroomand theirimpacton governance andperformance.
Journalof FinancialEconomics,291-309. Retrievedfromwww.elsevier.com/locate/jfec
Sandberg,Sheryl.(2013). Lean In. NewYork,New York:AlfredA.Knopf.
Sheryl Skaggs,K.S. (2012). Shakingthingsupor businessasusual?The influence of femalecorporate
executivesandboardof directorsonwomen'smanagerial representation. SocialScience
Research,936-948. Retrievedfromwww.elsevier.com/locate/ssresearch
Williams,C.L.(2013). The Glass Escalator,Revisited:GenderInequalityinNeoliberalTimes,SWS
FeministLecturer. Genderand Society,609-629.