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1 – 10 of over 6000Richard S. Allen, Margaret Takeda and Charles S. White
This study aims to examine the cross‐cultural differences in equity sensitivity between the USA and Japan.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the cross‐cultural differences in equity sensitivity between the USA and Japan.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 390 Americans and 202 Japanese were surveyed to determine their equity sensitivities and how each group would likely respond to under‐payment scenarios.
Findings
The findings support the notion that the Japanese are in fact more entitled in their equity orientation than Americans. Furthermore, the Japanese were also significantly more likely to respond with overt actions to reduce their feelings of inequity.
Research limitations/implications
Foremost among these limitations is the fact that the situation presented to the subjects was hypothetical rather than real. Since it would be considered unethical to manipulate subjects in real work settings a first person scenario approach was utilized consistent with other equity theory literature. While the scenario was easily identifiable by the student subjects, it is unknown if the findings from this research would apply to adults working in real world organizations.
Practical implications
The results may have important implications for international human resource strategies and practices. Equity sensitivity may affect perceived value of rewards (compensation), promotion (selection), and motivation (performance management) all of which are critical issues in the effective management of human resources. This study illustrates that cross‐cultural differences exist in regard to equity sensitivity and these differences may affect the efficacy of human resource strategies in global organizations.
Originality/value
This paper offers a significant contribution to the literature on equity sensitivity by testing the theory in a cross‐cultural setting.
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This paper explores the National Study on Women in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores the National Study on Women in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Design/methodology/approach
It includes a collectively written diary, archives, focus groups, and interviews with a diverse group of women leaders from across the country. The women are diverse in terms of their self-identified race, class, age, sexual orientation, position on college campuses, and additional identities.
Findings
The author’s feminist approach to the review of these materials highlights notions of pay inequity, intersectionality of identities, and the power of women’s groups in educational settings.
Originality/value
The author’s research identifies areas critical to intentional change in educational policy and programs that have the potential to increase access and equity for women in higher education.
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Pradeepa Dahanayake, Diana Rajendran, Christopher Selvarajah and Glenda Ballantyne
The purpose of this paper is to argue that diversity management (DM) interventions, underpinned by principles of justice and fairness, create a powerful force that drives…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to argue that diversity management (DM) interventions, underpinned by principles of justice and fairness, create a powerful force that drives sustainable outcomes. Further, the authors argue that justice and fairness should be embedded at the core of DM.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative case study methodology was used to ascertain how four organizations approached critical issues regarding diversity. Justice and fairness principles were used as a framework to evaluate each organization’s DM interventions. Different approaches adopted by the case study organizations were compared using a cross-case analysis.
Findings
Justice and fairness principles provide a useful framework to evaluate DM interventions. The findings show that justice and fairness principles have an effect across the continuum of DM, including identifying dimensions of diversity, executing DM programs and realizing outcomes of DM.
Research limitations/implications
The current study is limited to four case studies using qualitative methods.
Practical implications
The findings demonstrate the importance of integrating justice and fairness benchmarks when implementing DM programs.
Originality/value
The findings shed light on the link between DM and justice and fairness, an area lacking empirical studies. It also presents a new area for empirical enquiry—the application of social justice principles in evaluating organizational interventions in DM.
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Samantha A. Conroy, Nina Gupta, Jason D. Shaw and Tae-Youn Park
In this paper, we review the literature on pay variation (e.g., pay dispersion, pay compression, pay range) in organizations. Pay variation research has increased markedly in the…
Abstract
In this paper, we review the literature on pay variation (e.g., pay dispersion, pay compression, pay range) in organizations. Pay variation research has increased markedly in the past two decades and much progress has been made in terms of understanding its consequences for individual, team, and organizational outcomes. Our review of this research exposes several levels-related assumptions that have limited theoretical and empirical progress. We isolate the issues that deserve attention, develop an illustrative multilevel model, and offer a number of testable propositions to guide future research on pay structures.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution, implementation and effectiveness of the Pay Equity Act in Ontario, Canada. Given that this Act is considered by many as the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution, implementation and effectiveness of the Pay Equity Act in Ontario, Canada. Given that this Act is considered by many as the world's most progressive equal pay for work of equal value legislation, there are important implications for policy globally.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a review of relevant documents and the literature, the paper examines the need for the Pay Equity Act in Ontario, its origins, and with two decades of experience, analyze its effectiveness. A case study is also used to assess related procedures and effects of the law.
Findings
In spite of its limitations and the wide pay gap that still exists between men and women, many female workers have benefited from Ontario's progressive Pay Equity Act. In targeting the discriminatory aspect of women's work evaluations, the Act has resulted in pay increases for thousands of women, especially in the public sector.
Practical implications
There are many practical and social implications for jurisdictions across the globe, as they try to grapple with gender pay equities. Policy makers can learn from the successes and challenges experienced in Ontario. Pay equity legislation will unlikely achieve any significant progress in reducing the wage gap if it relies on workers to complain about the inequity in their pay. A proactive pay equity law, such as that in Ontario, will force employers to make more focused efforts to deal with gender pay discrimination. Ontario's bold “experiment” with pay equity holds valuable lessons for jurisdictions globally.
Originality/value
While there has been some research on the Ontario Pay Equity Act, there is a paucity of scholarly work that examines the details of the pay system that the Act has spawned. There is also little work in assessing the effectiveness of the legislation.
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As women's understanding of work‐place discrimination evolved, their attention shifted from the problem of equal pay for equal work to the issue of comparable pay. This shift was…
Abstract
As women's understanding of work‐place discrimination evolved, their attention shifted from the problem of equal pay for equal work to the issue of comparable pay. This shift was premised on the realisation that even though the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was correcting pay inequities in substantially equivalent jobs held by both men and women, most female‐dominated jobs had no equivalent male comparisons and thus, were outside the scope of the Equal Pay Act. Mahoney (1983) defines Comparable Worth as “comparable pay for jobs of comparable worth.” (p.14). At the core of this definition is the contention that differences in pay that are disproportionate to differences in the worth of jobs amount to wage discrimination.
David R Goodwin and Ross G Bloore
This paper examines the impact of perceived inequity on knowledge transfer within an accounting environment. It hypothesizes that when perceived inequity exists, knowledge…
Abstract
This paper examines the impact of perceived inequity on knowledge transfer within an accounting environment. It hypothesizes that when perceived inequity exists, knowledge transfer, in the form of budgetary communication, is likely to be impeded. Lowered budgetary communication then has negative consequences including higher levels of role ambiguity and lower job satisfaction and performance. Other behavioral responses to perceived inequity include Type A behavior. These issues are examined using survey data collected in Malaysia. Analysis using Partial Least Squares (PLS) supports the study hypotheses. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for management and identifies a number of ideas for future research.
Roopkiran Kohout and Parbudyal Singh
The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of marginalized women in achieving equal pay for work of equal value. The research focuses on Ontario, Canada, as this is a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of marginalized women in achieving equal pay for work of equal value. The research focuses on Ontario, Canada, as this is a leading jurisdiction globally in implementing legislation on pay equity. It provides an opportunity to understand the lived experiences of women whom scholars have identified as particularly vulnerable in workplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative research study. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with women defined as marginalized. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Three themes resulted from the analysis: early employment experiences, cultural challenges at work and inequities in pay. The authors found that not only do structural and organizational barriers limit the ability of marginalized women to achieve parity in the workplace but there also is a hidden social element that requires further investigation.
Originality/value
The gender pay gap is wider for marginalized women, even after three decades since pay equity legislation was implemented in Ontario. There is a dearth of research on why this is the case. This study adds to the literature by focusing on a broader set of factors, in addition to legislation, that must be considered when focusing on solutions to the gender pay gap.
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The facts speak for themselves — women earn 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. Women earn the most in professions where men pre‐dominate—operations research, law…
Abstract
The facts speak for themselves — women earn 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. Women earn the most in professions where men pre‐dominate—operations research, law, engineering, medicine—but even in these professions, they earn less than their male colleagues. Women predominate in the lower‐paid occupations — clerical, retail sales, health services. And yet, in these lower‐paid occupations, women still earn less than men.
Peter Rex Massingham and Leona Tam
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between human capital (HC) and value creation and employee reward. HC is an important component of intellectual capital…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between human capital (HC) and value creation and employee reward. HC is an important component of intellectual capital (IC). There is growing interest in how IC can be used to create organizational value. This paper addresses the need for critical analysis of IC practices in action. Based on data gathered from three annual surveys at Australia’s second largest public sector organization, the paper introduces psychological contract (PC) as new HC factors, and develops a method to measure HC in terms of value creation (work activity) and employee reward (pay). The findings have practical implications for managers in using the paper’s HC measurement to achieve strategic alignment (SA) of the workforce.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was based on data gathered from three annual surveys (2009-2011) of staff at Australia’s second largest public sector organization. A total of 248 questionnaires were completed. Three independent variables conceptualized HC: first, employee capability (HC1); second, employee satisfaction (HC2); and third, employee commitment (HC3). Two dependent variables were tested: work activity and pay. The data collected in this study was analyzed through the use of bivariate correlation and linear regression using SPSS software.
Findings
The paper’s major finding is that HC1 (employee capability) and HC2 (employee satisfaction), had a direct positive relationship with the importance of work activity. The paper’s second finding was that only HC1 has a direct positive relationship with the pay. However, HC3 (employee commitment) had a direct negative relationship with the importance of work activity. Further, HC2 and HC3 had no relationship with pay. The research project organization (RPO) achieved SA with employees’ capability and motivation; as well as employee capability and pay. However, inequities emerge in terms of employee commitment and value creation (work activity) and in the PC factors and pay.
Research limitations/implications
While the research findings are limited by them being based on a single RPO, this is offset to some degree by the longitudinal nature of the study and the size of the RPO. It also presents opportunities for further research, particularly in terms of further testing of the new conceptualization of HC in other organizations and industry settings, and investigation of the failed hypotheses: PC and pay; and employee commitment and work activity.
Practical implications
While strong PC employees are being asked to do important work, they are not always being paid at the rate of colleagues doing similar work. This will create perceptions of distributive justice, which will make those with strong PC unhappy, thereby decreasing their PC, disrupting the SA of the value creation, and lead to employee turnover. Managers can address this problem by using the HC method outlined in this paper to introduce methods such as merit increases and variable pay. While this is problematic for public sector organizations often constrained by having to fit salary awards, innovative organizations are increasingly considering more flexible pay systems.
Originality/value
The paper introduces a new conceptualization of HC, and two proxies for organizational performance: pay and work activity. The paper addresses calls for IC in practice research to make the field more relevant for practitioners. The HC model introduced will allow managers to act on IC measurement by linking HC value with adequate pay, increasing motivation, commitment, and productivity, leading to increased innovation and reduced employee turnover.
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