Minority Women in the Corporate World

A minority group is referred to as a group of people who hold the least positions of social power, and they are collectively discriminated against by virtue of a shared physical or cultural trait. A minority group is characterized by unequal treatment, a distinguishing physical characteristic like gender or skin color, automatic classification into the group and high rates of insubordination. In a world where most societies are patriarchal in nature, women are considered a minority group since they hold less social, economic and political power compared to their male counterparts. Culturally, women are perceived as the weaker, secondary or in politically correct terms the fairer sex, and most leadership positions from the family to the national levels are held by men giving them a minority status. Stereotypes are societal or cultural conditioned beliefs about a particular group of people. Stereotypes associated with women include being too emotional, irrationality in decision making, weak wiliness and they are seen as the fairer or weaker sex. The apportioning of the minority status to women limits their capabilities and their level of success particularly in the world of business and the corporate world. The paper will explore the impact of the cultural stereotypes associated with minority women in the workplace and their effect on professional advancement with the African American women as the center of focus.

Racial stereotypes are commonplace in the American corporate culture with the minority women being on the receiving end (Annis & Nesbitt, 2017). They can be divided into individual stereotypes like the judgment of black women based on their gender or group stereotypes like judging them based on their racial background (Davidson & Burke, 2016). Stereotypes are formed out of people’s need to be cognitively efficient, the desire to understand and make predictions about other people and the need to feel superior to the minority groups (Karamessini, 2014). A study by Harvard University reveals that stereotypes distort how people perceive information and judge others making their responses to individuals and situations biased (Jackson, 2015). Stereotypes make the ascribed characteristics seem present even when they are not there, make people blind to the contrary perception and lead to homogenization of a particular group of individuals (Karsten, 2016). They blind people to the individualistic characteristics of members of a group and disregard its diversity and uniqueness in every member of the stereotyped group.

Culture mainly impacts people's way of life even at the corporate level (Meyer, 2015). People use stereotypes to explain things and people, to justify their actions, and to differentiate certain groups of people (Eden, 2017). Stereotypes are formed from correspondence bias whereby people ascribe characteristics to others based on their personalities while disregarding other factors that influence how people behave. For instance, people can automatically think that the dominant group possesses positive traits and the opposite for minority groups (Karamessini, 2014). Stereotypes are also formed from illusory correlation whereby people make inaccurate connections between events that are not related based on their frequency of happening concurrently (Newman, 2017). Stereotypes are also formed from societal conditioning whereby people who grow hearing certain stereotypes adopt them making them part of their belief system (Davidson & Burke, 2016). Stereotypes are also believed to stem from intergroup socialization whereby they are the aftermath of certain expectations about how a given group behaves.

At the workplace, African Americans are victims of stereotypes which affect how they are perceived and treated by their superiors and colleagues which in turn negatively affect their job performance and slow their advancement (Karsten, 2016). Although women's numbers in the labor force have increased by over 30% since the 70s, their inclusion in the managerial level has been sluggish with women having to work twice as men and sometimes being paid less for the same job (Trevino & Nelson, 2017). A 2016 research shows that women make up 47% of the total labor force but only 16.3% of the chief executive officer positions with more than a quarter of organizations not having a woman in managerial position (Nedelko & Brzozowski, 2017). A total 29 percent of those holding top administrative positions were women with men accounting for the rest percentage. The board compositions of most organizations were male dominated too with women making up less than 25% of the board membership (Newman, 2017). Research data further shows that women are three times less likely to be selected for managerial positions compared to their male counterparts with similar qualifications (Trevino & Nelson, 2017). 56.8% of all females above sixteen were working with the males of the same age who are working standing at 69.2% (Newman, 2017). The age gap between the males and females is still existent with women earning 77% of the males’ income (Annis & Nesbitt, 2017). The different earnings are for the same job by different sexes. 

These statistics show that women hold a minority position in the labor force and among the women minority lies another minority group of the African American women (Meyer, 2015). Statistics show that the African Americans in senior managerial positions make up for only 1.2% of the total women in management compared to a 21.0% of white women (Annis & Nesbitt, 2017). The African American women make up one in every seven working women and statistics show that they have less favorable professional outcomes compared to their white and non-Hispanic counterparts (Nedelko & Brzozowski, 2017). The wage gap between the black and white women is still existent, and their chances of working in top management positions are limited compared to women from other races (Usunier, Herk & Lee, 2017). The statistics show that there is a disparity in the number of black women in leadership at the managerial level compared to the white women as well as in the income levels (Karamessini, 2014). A third of Black families with children headed by a single working mother was poor due to the wage gap in the job market and the inability of most black women to get hired for top positions and other well-paying jobs (Usunier et.al., 2017). The statistics further show that the average black women earn an average annual median wage of $33,533 while their white and non-Hispanic counterparts earned $42, 822 on average (Newman, 2017).

The African American women dominate the sales and office jobs with 22.7% working in the service industry jobs which require little academic qualifications (Nedelko & Brzozowski, 2017). They only account for 35% of the management jobs while their white and non-Hispanic counterparts account for over 48% of women in the same professions (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz, 2015). With such high disparities, education would be thought to be one of the accounting factors, but although the white and non-Hispanic women are better educated than the black women, the difference is not nearly as large as the income disparities and job placement differences (Newman, 2017). 6.8% of white and non-Hispanic women don't have a high schools diploma compared to a 2.7% of the black women. 27% of white women have a high school diploma compared to a 22% of African American women (Usunier et.al., 2017). 35% black females have a college degree, and 30% whites hold the same and 30% blacks have a bachelor's degree or higher while their white counterparts with the same qualifications stand at 45.3% (Eden, 2017). The statistics show that more African American hold a college degree compared to their white counterparts which put the wide income gap and job titles into question (Karsten, 2016). Stereotypes have been named as one of the major contributors to the marginalization and discrimination of the black women in the workplace leading to their minority status.

The stereotyping of African American women in the workplace has a negative effect on them individually and on their job performance and limits their opportunities for career advancement (Karamessini, 2014). Motivation is one of the factors linked to high productivity levels, better job performance and high job satisfaction levels. Negative stereotypes lead to the formulation of negative attitudes towards people which in turn leads to bad treatment towards them (Newman, 2017). Stereotypes associated with women in the workplace vary from social, economic and psychological aspects (Wood, Davidson & Fielden, 2012). Women are stereotyped as bad parents when they appear to be putting more effort in their jobs as mothers since societal conditioning makes people think that the primary role of women is giving birth and raising children (Annis & Nesbitt, 2017). The result of this stereotype is career women being seen as selfish people which is inaccurate since the number of single mothers is on the rise and they need to fend for their kids.

Another stereotype associated with working women is that mothers are unable to give their jobs the attention it requires since they are expected to be the primary caregivers to their children (Jackson, 2015). The effect is the delegation of fewer work duties to expectant women and mothers since they are seen like they will do the jobs at a slower pace than the men (Simonton, 2016). The reality is that women are nowadays can afford to work and be mothers by employing nannies and expressing milk for their kids meaning that their working hours before the baby are not affected (Karsten, 2016). The lesser responsibilities they are given, the lesser the chances to showcase their leadership and management potential meaning that the gap in management will continue because of the stereotypes. Women are also stereotyped as emotional and irrational beings which make them bad bosses (Davidson & Burke, 2016). The stereotype negatively affects the leadership capacity of women which is why when the man and the woman with similar qualifications vie for the same leadership or managerial position, the chances of the man being picked are high (Usunier et.al., 2017). The fact is women are more emotional naturally, but that does not automatically mean that they will make all decisions irrationally guided by emotions when in leadership positions (Meyer, 2015). These stereotypes account for the slow rising of women in the corporate ladder and if not checked the number of women in leadership positions in the business world will continue lagging behind despite their improving academic qualifications and leadership capabilities.

Furthermore, women are stereotyped as soft-spoken, and when they speak up their minds in the similar manner as men they are seen as bossy and domineering (Belasen, 2017). Research shows that a man's opinion is twice as much likely to be picked compared to a man's in the organizational decision-making process (West, 2016). Despite the advancement of society and the gender equality efforts being furthered, a man’s opinion continues to be seen as superior to that of a woman (Eden, 2017). They are also stereotyped as being good at some jobs and not others which determine the delegation of assignments at work. Women are more likely to be assigned to desk duties and other tasks that involve soft skills while men are assigned the complex and more hands-on tasks (Usunier et.al., 2017). The stereotype leads to curtailing of special skills in women in fields like engineering, information technology, and math related jobs. Women are increasingly venturing into previously male-dominated fields but the fact that they are seen as less capable than men in these fields, they are paid less for the same job (Davidson & Burke, 2016). That explains the huge wage gap between men and a woman which is unfair since women have to work twice as much to be considered half as good as the men in these male-dominated professions.

Apart from these stereotypes apportioned to all women, there are specific stereotypes associated with black women in the workplace (Meyer, 2015). African American women are stereotyped as rebels who speak anything on their mind. Contrary to this stereotype, professional black women are articulate, courteous and conduct themselves professionally in all their business interactions (Simonton, 2016). This cultural stereotype negatively affects the advancement of black women to managerial levels since as managers they are the face of the company (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz, 2015). If this stereotype is used to judge all black women, the result is passing up of experienced communicators and good leaders for fear that they will misrepresent the organization (West, 2016). Black women are also stereotyped as sexually irresponsible and are more likely to have children out of wedlock compared to white and non-Hispanic women (Williams, 2017). The stereotype implies that hiring a black woman will mean more maternity leaves and days off when they need to take care of their kids (Simonton, 2016). In this age of contraceptives and reproductive health education, the contrary is true, but since society has conditioned people to view black women that way, their judgment when evaluating their employability is clouded.

Stereotypes have therefore contributed to the minority status of black women in the workplace (Eden, 2017). The disadvantages of the stereotyping culture in the corporate world to both the individuals and the organization cannot be overestimated. At a personal level, stereotypes lead to de-motivation of employees since they feel that regardless of how hard they work their efforts will never be appreciated (Healey & Stepnick, 2017). De-motivation leads to low productivity, poor customer service which translates to low customer retention and also leads to low job performance (Scutt, 2016). Stereotypes also result in the formation of negative attitudes towards specific groups of people and to their unfair treatment in the workplace (Wood et.al., 2012). This, in turn, leads to low self-confidence and esteem levels which interrelationships between the workers thereby undermining teamwork efforts (West, 2016). The stereotype threat as theorized by Claude Steele and Joshua Aronson is an effect of stereotyping which undermine intellectual capabilities in workers (Ferraro & Briody, 2017). The adverse effects on the individuals subjected to the stereotyping process reflect negatively on their job performance leading to low job satisfaction and decreased profitability to the organization. It also denies deserving people the opportunity to advance professionally like in the case of the African American women (Williams, 2017). They get passed on during promotions and are denied employment which stereotypes project as a bad for their personalities based on their race.

The disadvantages of stereotyping to the organization go beyond the decreased profitability levels (Jackson, 2015). The de-motivation and low job satisfaction lead to increased turnover rates which are damaging to the corporate image and increase expenses on severance packages. An organization's success rides on its public image, and high brand equity equals to customer attraction and retention (Belasen, 2017). In cases where the victims of stereotypical discrimination sue the organization, it not only affects their image but also costs them in legal fees and compensation for the victims (Eden, 2017). The stereotyping also denies the organization the opportunity to have an all rounded workforce since it inhibits the innovation and invention efforts which are critical to the advancement of organizational goals (Scutt, 2016). When intelligence and creativity levels of the employees are suppressed, the organization loses on the potential productivity that could have resulted from the employees’ contributions (Reeves, 2017). Stereotypes are therefore disadvantageous to both the organization and the employees.

However, as much as stereotypes are disadvantageous they have a few advantages. Positive stereotypes which portray a particular group of people can work for their good (Scott, Cayleff, Donadey & Lara 2017). Although the gender stereotypes are oppressive to women, they work favorably for men in the work process. So to the men, that’s an added advantage for their advancement up the career ladder although it is at the expense of their female colleagues (Williams, 2017). Stereotypes also come in handy when the management needs to make urgent decisions with little information and time. Since stereotypes are formed to ease the processing of information, they can help in drawing conclusions over short periods although the level of inaccuracy since the decision is based on generalizations is high (Scutt, 2016). Therefore stereotypes are to a large extent disadvantageous in the organizational context and should be avoided at all costs.

Critics of the role that stereotypes play in the minority status of women in the corporate world claim that some stereotypes have a grain of truth to them (Ferraro & Briody, 2017). For instance, the emotional nature of women and how they are at times affected by feelings of compassion when dealing with people is a female related trait (Scott et.al., 2017). They claim that the trait can act as a liability in the making of organizational decisions and their emotional disposition could cloud their judgment. However, the counter criticism of the probability of a stereotype being true is presented (Reeves, 2017). The fact that women are emotional does not mean that they will compromise their professional integrity to satisfy their emotional appeal (Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz, 2015). Women are educated in the ethics and professional practices of their jobs, and they should be trusted enough to adhere to these standards in the same measure as their male counterparts are (Healey & Stepnick, 2017). Dismissing a woman from a management position on a generalization is prejudicial, discriminatory and against the professional expectation of impartiality and fairness for everyone.

Critics of the negative nature of stereotypes also argue that most stereotypes are based on statistical analysis whereby a number of the members of a group frequently exhibit certain characteristics which are then attributed to the whole group (Eden, 2017). The comparative aspect of the general attribution in stereotypes is arguably a justification for application of stereotypes in predicting a person’s behavior (Annis & Nesbitt, 2017). The prevalence of teenage pregnancy and having children out of wedlock among African American women is higher statistically compared to the white and non-Hispanic females (Ferraro & Briody, 2017). Using this hypothesis, it can be argued that black women are sexually immoral based on the stereotype. However, the statistics fail to unearth the factors that lead to these situations (Davidson & Burke, 2016). For instance, the high rates of premarital pregnancy could be because of little access to reproductive health services like family planning methods to black girls compared to their white and non-Hispanic counterparts (Reeves, 2017). The fact that the white women do not give birth in high numbers like the black girls is therefore not a reflection of their abstinence but the effectiveness of family planning when accessible to women of reproductive age (Healey & Stepnick, 2017). As such, statistics should not be taken at face value and hurriedly converted into stereotypes without considering the underlying factors (Belasen, 2017). The aggressive African women who gave rise to the stereotype could have been uneducated and uncultured, and their behavior should therefore not be used as a basis for judging the cultured and educated professional women.

In sum, the prevalence of stereotyping of women has evidently led to their consideration as a minority group at the workplace. It has led to the steep wage gap, bias when considering promotions, women being passed up for some jobs traditionally male dominated and to de-motivation of employees leading to low job satisfaction levels. These factors, in turn, reflect poorly on the brand equity, resulting in high turnover rates, increase organizational expenditures and discourage invention and innovation. In the existent patriarchal culture, it is therefore imperative for business managers to be keen when making organizational decisions to avoid bias caused by stereotypes about women.

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