PSY 575 Topic 4 Discussion Question 2
How do gender politics within organizations affect power? In what ways might gender politics and difference in power influence how organizations function? Explain.
How do gender politics within organizations affect power?
Power is divided by gender. One of the most consistent patterns in the allocation of power is that of men and women. Women’s lack of power, for example, has a global impact on political decision-making.
The family is a power and political arena. In affecting development outcomes, power dynamics in families and households interact with those in the ‘public’ domain. Increased female work and access to resources in Sri Lanka disrupted power arrangements between men and women in households, resulting in family conflict. Surprisingly, this resulted in a return of societal control over women, which reached new heights when some NGOs employing female local workers received bomb threats.
We are more likely to favor gender equality if we think politically. Gender inequalities are linked to power interactions at all levels of society, according to a power perspective. As a result, gender inequities are deeply political, and we must treat them as such if we are to assist alleviate them. To do so, we must, among other things, have a better understanding of the local context, concentrate on a broader range of strong individuals, and, most crucially, examine the gendered power relations within donor nation organizations.
Institutions are shaped by gender, and how they affect power distribution is influenced by gender. Most political and economic institutions, which have traditionally been dominated by men, are suited to the experiences of (elite) men. They glorify’masculine’ behavior and rely on men’s dominance over women. As a result, these institutions have a tendency to “lock in” two sorts of power: men’s authority over women and the power of the most “masculine” males over everyone. Take, for example, political parties. They are important gatekeepers for women’s political engagement, although they are typically inaccessible to women due to their male-dominated cultures. Female politicians in Burundi and Kosovo, for example, have complained that major party decisions were made in bars, which are generally inaccessible to women.
Power relations exist between men and women. Being a ‘woman’ sometimes entails being weak (quiet, obedient, accommodating). A’real man,’ on the other hand, is strong (outspoken, in command, able to enforce his will), especially when it comes to women. The power disparities that these gender norms are predicated on tend to be perpetuated. For example, many men and women believe it is not “natural” for women to speak up in public, which is a significant obstacle to women’s decision-making. ‘Power equals masculinity’ also explains why powerful people frequently display gendered domination.
PSY 575 Topic 4 Discussion Question 2
In what ways might gender politics and difference in power influence how organizations function?
We define the link between organizational decision makers’ levels of sexism and their likelihood of making gender-biased HR-related decisions and/or behaving in a sexist manner when enacting HR policies in the section “The Effect of Hostile and Benevolent Sexism on How Organizational Decision Makers’ Conduct HR Practices” (e.g., engaging in gender harassment).
We may predict higher levels of sexism where there is more institutional discrimination, which leads to gender prejudice in HR procedures.
We believe that one of the most fundamental ways institutional gender disparity in leadership exists is when women are under-represented in leadership positions compared to men—especially when women are well-represented at lower levels within an organization.
Because the gender of organizational leaders influences the degree of gender discrimination, gender supporting policies, and a gender diversity supportive climate within an organization, underrepresentation of women in leadership can be readily sustained.
Because culture limits people’s views of what is possible: their action plans, organizational culture can lead to gender inequities (Swidler, 1986). To put it another way, when people face a difficulty at work, the corporate culture—who we are, how we act, and what is right—will only provide a limited range of behavioral answers. Women may have lower hopes and expectations for promotion in organizational environments typified by more gender inequality, and they may be less likely to believe that they can challenge their outcomes if they are discriminated against (Kanter, 1977; Cassirer and, 2000). Furthermore, organizational decision-makers in cultures marked by gender inequality should hold stronger descriptive and proscriptive gender stereotypes: they should believe that women are less capable of leading.
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PSY 575 Topic 4 Discussion Question 2