Gender Discrimination is defined as the belief of superiority that one sex feels towards another. However, gender discrimination exists in many forms today ranging from the blatantly obvious to the subtle forms.  Gender discrimination exists not only in the United States but it is more prevalent in other parts of the world especially Asia. Asian countries are more patriarchal and conservative in comparison with western countries.

Patriarchal Society
–Patriarchal societies are societies where the power and control is placed on males
-Because the power and control are placed on the males, males are viewed as more important
-Many societies especially Korea, India, and China place higher value on the male child compared to the female child, and many females undergo abortions when they find out that they have a female
-There are many conservative views about how males carry on the “family name.” 
-Many males are expected to be the “bread-winners” of the family
-There are many social situations where men are allowed to act or be a certain way whereas women are not expected to or allowed to act the same way or else they would not be considered respectable women.
-Many Asian countries are patriarchal especially Korea.

Patriarchy in Asian Countries in the Workplace
-In many Asian countries women are expected to fulfill the “womanly “duties of the workplace such as working with or taking care of children, cooking, secretarial duties, etc.
-Even in many corporate environments many women are expected to get the coffee, or clean the table, etc.
-Most women devote their entire life to finding the “right” husband, and starting a family.

Having experienced life both in the US and Korea, I have to say that the mind-set is very different. Compared to many American women, Korean women are less independent. They still have the mind-set of finding the right husband, and starting a family. Even in many workplaces, many of the men expect the girls to buy the food, serve the drinks or coffee, clean up, and expect them to complete their tasks.

We have all experienced the feelings of frustration when we can not communicate fully or to our full potential in the workplace. Most people think that communication is natural because they have done it all of their lives. For the most part, that is true, however, that is not the full case all of the time. There are barriers that exist that can hinder communication. There are six different types of barriers that will be covered in this article. They are: physical, perceptual, emotional, cultural, language, and gender barriers.

Physical Barriers

• Physical barriers are areas in the workplace that separate or enclose the workers.
• Areas where strangers are not allowed, closed doors, barriers, etc for people of different status, or large areas where one unit is totally separated from another unit.
• Proximity is the most important aspect to communication. As long as one has their personal space, closeness allows people to get familar with one another.
• It is imtimidating to go across a distance to communicate with another person which is why proximity is also important once again.

Perceptual Barriers

• Everyone has different viewpoints, and perceptions. Therefore, that is why it is necessary to communicate.
• If everyone had the same perception, there would be no need to communicate.
• For example, someone from poverty stricken inner city would have a different viewpoint/perception from someone from the suburbs.
• It is important for people to compromise and try to put themselves in another person’s “shoes” in order for communication to be complete.

Emotional Barriers

• Emotional Barriers are said to be the most important reason for communication to be misunderstood, and gone awry.
• The root of emotional barriers that block open/free communication is fear, mistrust, and suspicion.
• Many people feel vulnerable, and people are taught to be cautious of what they say to others.
• People who have a deep fear of what others might think of us cause us to be careful of what we say to others and in return that may stunt our ability to form meaningful relationships with other people.
• Many people especially people who are insecure, fear what others think about them which makes them emotional refrain from communication.
• Instead of being fearful one should slowly try to open up more, and try to think more positively. “What is the worst that can happen? That person might not like me…who cares?”

Cultural Barriers

• In order to be accepted into a group, you must abide or conform to the behaviors that the group approves of.
• If you do not abide by the behavior patterns that the group approves of then it is harder for you to be accepted into the group.
• This is definitely understandable as there are so many examples of miscommunication between two different culture groups.
• There are many instances where one group thinks that another group is being disrespectful however, it is not that. The other group does not know that their actions are considered inappropriate because it is perfectly natural to them.
• In order to move past cultural barriers, one most learn the culture, or behavioral patterns of the other group in order to be accepted.

Language Barriers

• Everyone speaks in a different language, slang, jargon, etc. Just because two people are from the same country does not mean that they talk the same way
• Each area has their own slang, or way of speaking.
• Learning to speak in that person’s native tone/language is very important, and respectful to the other people especially because that means that you are on the same page with the other person.
• Miscommunication can especially be dangerous between two sides because it could be misinterpreted and turn into a conflict.
• Fights/wars are generally a result of miscommunication.

Gender Barriers

• The speech pattern of a man and woman are different. 
• It is estmated that women talk with about 22,000 to 25,000 words a day whereas men talk betwen 7,000 to 10,000 words a day.
• It is natural because girls tend to talk more than boys.
• The wirings of a man and woman’s brain differ in the speech department.
• A man talks in a more logical, rational way whereas women talk more freely mixing logic and emotion.
• This is relevant because men and women mistinterpret what each other mean.
• Therefore, it is important for men and women to try to understand each other.

I think everyone has experienced at least four out of the six barriers, and they will experience more as they age and live life. All of these barriers are natural yet  many people do not think twice about these barriers. If one thought more deeply about these barriers before they acted, or spoke, many communication barriers could be avoided.

 

 

 

                 Imagine that you are an employer of a company. You need to hire employees to work for your firm. What would be the ideal? You cannot deny that you want to avoid the elderly or the newly graduated/very young. Letting one’s age determine whether or not they receive the job is a form of discrimination. Age discrimination is very prevalent in the workforce, and the young are discriminated against along with the elders. Age discrimination is something that I want to be on the lookout for in the future along with the present. In other countries, for example, Korea, age discrimination is seen obvious, blatant, and a part of life. However, it is more subtle in America.

What is AGE DISCRIMINATION?

·        Age discrimination is placing a person’s age as the main reason as to why a person does not receive a job, promotion or any other job benefit.

·        Younger workers/older workers both suffer from age discrimination alike.

·        60% of workers have experienced some form of age discrimination.

·        People think that because of the baby boomers generation rapidly approaching retirement; many firms are looking for reasons to keep the older people on the job.

What is ADEA?

·        In 1967, the US government passed the ADEA or the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

·        The point of the act was to encourage employment of people who are older judging their ability, and experience rather than their age alone.

·        Employees who are of 40 years and older are not allowed to be fired, demoted or offered reduced pay or benefit just because of their age.

·        Older and younger workers are not allowed to be discriminated and must receive equal benefits.

Of course the ADEA does not cover all businesses in America especially because there are businesses that are illegal, paid under-the-books, and other small businesses that do not abide by the laws of the US. However, the majority of businesses do abide by these rules. Learning about ADEA has made me feel better about employment, and especially for my parents, and relatives. Age discrimination should not be tolerated and other countries should follow the example of America. Just because people are not in their prime do not mean that they should be underappreciated. They were once in their prime, and they worked hard therefore, they should be compensated for their hard work, not punished for their age. Vice versa, younger workers have the potential to contribute to the firm in the future, therefore, people should not discriminate as well.  

 

 

Whenever I am shopping in New York City, I pass by many luxury department stores that sell many high-end brands and cosmetics. The department stores are filled with employees that sell their products. For the most part, these employees are clothed in the high-fashion brands and are usually however, not always of Caucasion descent. To me, the answer seemed very obvious, because luxury department stores, and other high-end retail stores cater to the “high-earners” or the top 5% earners in society, they cater to a certain population. The majority of the top earners are of Caucasion descent therefore, they market to appeal  to the Caucasion population. This got me wondering about how age/gender/and race affects the marketability of a product.

GENDER
How does the gender of the person marketing or selling the product affect the image of the product?

 

• Women are usually protrayed in the full body stance whereas males are usually shown only in profile
• Proves that women are seen more as sexual objects rather than men
• There are better response from people if they can relate to the seller/marketer, eg. women for perfume, men for sports equipment.
  

AGE

• Various discrimination against the elderly and the young
• The elderly have trouble finding a stable job position even though they have experience
• The young do not recieve respect or attention due to their lack of experience
• Marketers market products according to age. For example, obviously a teenager would not be marketing a “tickle-me-elmo” doll because that would not the appropriate age group.

 

RACE

• Once again, people buy products that they protray people similar to themselves would buy.
• For a while, many Mcdonald’s advertisements were advertised by African Americans.
• Minorities relate to other minorities, the majority relate to other majorities.

I definitely 100% agree with this article. About 90% of the magazines that I read are Asian magazines, I buy a lot of clothes that are Asian-made, and I buy products that are made in Asia. It is inevitable that people turn to products that are catered to them, and are marketed to them because it fits them best. It is unorthodox for people to step out of their box and try something new. Also, many products that are “supposed to be” used by women are always advertised by women, and vice versa. It is very unlikely to see a man advertise mops, and cleaning supplies.

      Reading articles about how the American workforce was rapidly aging, and how businesses are unprepared for the fast-approaching retirement of many American workers has helped me to apply it personally. My parents will probably be at the age to retire in the near future, and I can not help but to worry about how it will affect them. It also has made me really wonder about the situation in America, and has made me want to research and explore it more.

 

 

 

Statistics on Older Workers

l  Approximately 13% of the US labor/workforce is 55 years of age or older

l  This figure will most-likely increase to about 17 percent by 2010.

l  It is estimated by the year 2050; about 19% of workers will be 55 and older.

 

Many workers that are middle-aged, and approaching retirements have certain needs and wants.

WANTS & NEEDS.

l  First of all, many mid-life workers want to continue to work even after they retire.

l   They want viable options to work later on in life as well. No one wants to feel like they are useless now that they are retired.

l  Many people work later on in life because there is a financial need to do so.

l  Lastly, understandably, most people want to do useful and productive work to feel like they are doing something with their lives.

 

Lastly, let us discuss what this means for the younger workers. The baby boomer period ends after the year of 1964. What does this mean for the younger workers?

l  Fewer workers with more jobs to be filled in.

l  Shortage of qualified workers

l  Shortages will affect the dominant and growing sector of the economy most.

l  Shortage of workers could be harmful on economic growth.

  

 After researching this topic, I began to feel better about going into the workforce because it seems to imply that I will be able to get a job however, I also worry for my parents because they are of Asian descent, and their English is that not strong therefore, with the time of retirement approaching, I wonder if they could continue to work.  Click here to hear more about my opinions on this topic.

               I knew a woman who worked full-time as a manager at a successful restaurant in mid-town NYC. She loved her job, not only did she love the bustling business of the city, she loved interacting with all different kinds of customers that came to the restaurant. She eventually met a man, and got married. As soon as she became pregnant though, everyone insisted she take some time off. At first, the boss did give her maternity leave, however, after some time, she made the decision to not go back to work, and the restuarant found a replacement. The woman eventually quit and decided to settle down, however, I feel that she was pressured from the people around her, and the people at the restaurant. This case made me think about Maternity/Parental Leave.
                  In an ideal world, women and men are treated the same no matter what. Whatever men get, women deserve to get the same thing and vice versa. However, we can not ignore the fact that there are biological differences between men and women. No matter how much we argue that it is fair/unfair, women and men must be treated differently. Maternity or Parental Leave is very important in the life of a woman especially, and it has an effect on men as well because it effects them indirectly.

MATERNITY/PARENTAL LEAVE

• Defined as an “employee benefit” where one is given paid/unpaid time off of work to care for their child.
• Paternity/Adoption leave is also provided.
• Most western countries have these benefits for their employees if they have worked for their employer for a certain amount of time.

MATERNITY/PARENTAL LEAVE: US vs. Other Countries

• Paid parental leave is unusual in the US however, some companies do offer parents up to almost six weeks of parental leave.
• In most cases, companies give the employee a combination of short-term disability (STD), sick leaves, vacation, and personal days for the person to spend on their family.
• Sweden has all working parents privileged to approximately 18 motnhs paid per child.
• Sweden also encourages paternal involvement with the child, a minimum of 3 months out of the 18 months is required that the minority or father is left to spend time with the child.
• The African continent has an average of 14 weeks for parental leave.
• Asian countries have an average of 14 weeks as well.
• Only the US and Australia seem to have under-developed maternity leaves.

Acts/Laws

• The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978-Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects women from losing their jobs because of pregnancy or the time that they take off because of pregnancy.
• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 benefits those who take off after the birth or adoption of a child. It also allows people to take time off  to take care of a sick relative or because they themselves are sick. Employees are allowed to have 12 weeks off after giving birth. However, it does guarantee that you will be paid.
• Also these Acts only apply to big corporation. Employees who work for smaller firms or companies are not protected.

 

Now that I am inching towards graduation, I began to ponder about all that was to follow graduation. I’m sure many newly college graduates are curious about post-graduation issues such as job hunting, salaries, etc. I was recently researching and came upon interesting yet discouraging information about the fate of college graduates. There has been evidence among critics where many college graduates end up stuck in low-paying service jobs not associated with people who have achieved a college education.

Change in the Occupational Field

l  There have been many changes in the kind of jobs that college graduates get after they graduate from college.

l  The amount of graduates stating that their job did not meet their requirements of using college-level skills have increased from about 24 percent in 1976 to 44 percent in 1991.

l  Many of the jobs/occupational areas that the college graduates have rendered into are those in the retail business; administrative support/service, precision production, craft, repair, operator, laborer.

Recent college graduates saying job does not require college degree (percent)

 

 

Reasoning

l  There has been evidence showing that the excessive supply of college graduates is the cause to why many graduates have been forced into non-college level jobs.

l  Sales seems to be the greatest increase in jobs being held by college graduates.

l  Evidence showed that college graduates are replacing high school graduates in .

Salary of Average Collegec Graduate

l  The average salary for college graduates have been calculated at approximately $46,000. However, there are variations from companies, locations, industries, experiences, and benefits.

 

Average Salary of Jobs with Related Titles

In USD as of Oct 15, 2008			25k 50k 75k
information technology specialist	$65,000
budget analyst	$55,000
human resources specialist	$56,000
contract specialist	$55,000
secretary	$33,000
accountant	$47,000
usar unit administrator	$35,000
management analyst	$58,000
it specialist	$66,000
program analyst	$64,000

 

Opinion

 

Reading this kind of information has worried because I do not want to end up in a dead-end job getting paid minimum wage when I know that I am capable of doing more. However, in my opinion even though you may end up at a job that does not pay much in the beginning, at least you gather experience, and you can move up.

 

With graduation from college just around the corner, thoughts of employment, and the business world have been swirling around my head. Not only have I been pondering about newly graduates salaries, or the types of jobs that I should apply for, but also about the inequalities that plague, women, the elderly, minorities, disabled, etc. In our modern society, people would think that discrimination would cease to exist, on the contrary, discrimination seems to plague our society just the same. The glass ceiling is a very interesting term, that seems very relevant to this topic.

Define the Glass Ceiling…..
-Refers to when a qualified person within the hierarchy of a corporation/organization can not achieve upward mobility because of some form of discrimination most likely sexual or racial.
–The “ceiling” is in reference to the limitations or blocking of upward mobility or advancement in the workplace.
-The “glass” refers to the fact that blocking is transparent, and not directly noticeable or clear-cut.
-The glass ceiling does not refer to formal barriers to advancement such as education or lack of experience.
Results of the glass ceiling
Different pay for comparable work
Sexual, ethnic, racial, religious discrimination or harassment in the workplace
Lack of family-friendly workplace policies especially for women.

History
– Gay Bryant first coined the term in an artice of Adweek in1984. Since the, the term has become a permanent fixture of American vocabulary with a follow-up article in the Wall Street Journal that was published on March 24, 1986.
-The Department of Labor officially defined the term in 1991 as “artificial barriers based on attudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their oganization into management-level positions.”

Controversy over Existence
The glass ceiling is most commonly refered to the injustice women feel in the workplace. Many women insist that the glass ceiling does exist, and it places obstactles that make it more difficult for women to succeed in the male-dominated business world. However, others argue that women choose to focus more of their time and energy on their family life as opposed to their career.

What do you think?
Does the glass ceiling really exist? Of course it does, there are so many cases of discrimination where women, minorities, disabled, etc are prevented from not only achieving upward mobility but even getting employed. This also leads us to the topic of Asians, and how Asians are employed however, they are always blocked from reaching a status of the “shot caller.” Instead they are always given “middle-men” or managerial positions.