Paper Example on Fight for Equality

Introduction

The fight for equality among the two genders has always been an endless war where at every time, there has been a party that feels oppressed against by the other. Initially, the gender war at the employment places was about equal employment opportunities. Women wanted to be treated equally as their male counterparts and be given a fair representation at the workplace. That was somehow achieved, and today it is possible to find women in professions that got considered masculine before (John, 2007). After the equal employment opportunities, the next hurdle that came along was the current predicament on trying to address the gender pay gap difference that has seen one gender get discriminated upon on the payroll. Equality should be upheld in all aspects of our day to day living and always understand that no gender is superior to the other (Keister, 2002).

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Application of Research Methodology

Social research could get applied in data gathering, and information acquisition regarding the ongoing problem at the workplace where the information gathered could be used to comprehensively assess the question that has occurred in the work setting. The informational gathering process could either be conducted directly where an interviewer gets to interact with an interviewee or by use of other secondary data collection methods such as questionnaires, telephone conversations among different suitable approaches. In the information collection process, it is necessary to identify the type of information required. Based on the study at hand, the data gathering questions will be inclined towards salary payments concerning the work is done and consequently comparing this between different genders.

To gather reliable data direct interviews with our respondents are the most suitable information-gathering tools. Most people don't feel comfortable discussing what they earn with others (Martin, 1992). They might, therefore, be reluctant to give the necessary information on other channels such as telephone conversations as they don't know what this information will be used on. However, through direct contact with the respondent, there will be the establishment of a rapport that could help gain the interviewee's trust thus thereby a more positive response.

In the interview, it should be made clear to the respondent that the information acquired is aimed for research purpose only given that some interviewees may be hesitant in fear of the information they give being used against them. The questions asked should also not be aimed at direct figures in earnings, all that is required is similar data ranges that could be used to identify the severity of the gender pay gap crisis.

Through the interviews, we can collect a wide range of data depending on the responsiveness of our clients. We can obtain actual earnings in figures that will help us in making direct comparisons in the pay gap. We can also get information regarding the number of working hours between either gender and the amount they receive given the possibility of the situation that wages may not be directly proportional to the work done.

Potential Challenges in Collecting Reliable Data

Various problems may arise in the data collection process the most likely one being non-responsive clients or lack of enough respondents. This is because most people are not oriented to talking about how much they make especially not with total strangers. This is evident even in the places of work where some administrations have made it clear to workers that they shouldn't discuss their earnings with fellow workmates. This, therefore, poses a significant challenge to the data gathering activity. However, this challenge can be handled by ensuring that the respondents are adequately informed of the reason of the information gathering process and how this data is going to be used (Rossel, & Collins, n.d.). By so doing, the interviewees might feel safe and be aware that there is n way whatsoever the information they give is going to be used against them. Still, in the attempts to make the data gathering activity a success, direct, sensitive questions should get avoided. For instance, instead of directly asking a respondent how much they make, one could go by asking, whether they think what they produce is justifiably fair concerning the amount of work they do - this way a more detailed response is expected unlike in the initial scenario.

Another challenge that may be encountered is the determination of the accuracy and authenticity of the data collected. Given that some individuals may be inclined to give false figures in an attempt to satisfy a certain social outlook, it is likely that the data collected will have some discrepancies here and there. If some interviewees feel that they make too little to discuss, for instance, they may decide to give false figures, and since there is no way to ascertain the correctness of the information provided, the data may corrupt the final findings. However, this challenge can be addressed by carrying out an averaging activity whereby individuals within a particular field of employment are put within a certain pay range bracket, and their response is analysed within this range.

Accounting For Personal Biases and Preconceived Notions

Every individual has their ideas or presumption regarding a particular case scenario, and in some cases these preconceived notions are wrong. In our case, for instance, I am more inclined towards the idea that at this time and age, the pay gap between the genders is relatively narrow, i.e. fair pay has taken over.

Going into the research activity with this notion may, therefore, affect the research process as some of the findings or decisions that I make subconsciously may be inclined towards favouring may preconceived ideology of fair pay in the workplace. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain a neutral ground in the research work and be open for any findings that one may eventually get after the data analysis process (Dawson, 2014). By being open to any outcomes that the study activity may present, it will be possible to address the issue of personal biases and bring them under control.

References

Dawson, T. (2014). Collective Bargaining and the Gender Pay Gap in the Printing Industry. Gender, Work & Organization, 21(5), 381-394. doi: 10.1111/gwao.12043

John, W. (2007). Functionalism/Structural Functionalism. Megawords: 200 Terms You Need to Know, 3(1), 140-140. doi:10.4135/9781446221532.n102

Keister, L. (2002). Corporate labour policies and practices during China's transition: An exploration of implications for social stratification. Research In Social Stratification And Mobility, 19, 171-187. doi: 10.1016/s0276-5624(02)80041-5

Martin, P. Y. (1992). Gender, Interaction, and Inequality in Organizations. Gender, Interaction, and Inequality, 208-231. doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-2199-7_9

Rossel, J., & Collins, R. (n.d.). Conflict Theory and Interaction Rituals: The Microfoundations of Conflict Theory. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research, 509-531. doi:10.1007/0-387-36274-6_24