Inequality In Gender Inequality

Meritocracy and Structure in Gender Inequality

Literature Review

Gender inequality is commonly understood to be the unequal distribution of economic resources between men and women. It is a nearly universal problem that women suffer from lower access to resources than men. Recent studies show that women’s position relative to men has improved around the world (Hausmann, Tyson and Zahidi 2007), and America is no exception. In fact, American values which drive globalization and economic growth may play a role in the worldwide dissemination of ideals of equality between the genders (Dorius 2010). So why does a country that values economic growth and gender equality have such a persistent wage gap?

Two basic concepts exist for explaining this

For example, lower-class workers tend to hold more structural beliefs, as do primary breadwinners/single mothers. Married women and those with higher-level jobs in their field have a greater tendency to point to meritocratic beliefs, such as the lack of individual motivation. These attitudes are crucial in formulating the actions that women take to change their situations. These beliefs also drive the decisions made by governments and regulating organizations when addressing gender inequality in law, and by corporate leaders in formulating business

Modern researchers agree, citing the glass ceiling as an issue of greater importance than ever before. In the words of Mandel, “….women everywhere have enjoyed considerable success in penetrating the managerial and professional classes. Our findings indicate that the more pressing problem now is…women’s exclusion from the most desirable positions available in the classes in which they are located” (2009). Women comprise nearly half of the labor force, but a mere six percent of executives at major companies are female (Matsa 2011), so clearly there is still a problem for professional women who want to reach the upper levels of their