Case Study:

Gender Gap: Business Women face formidable barriers when they venture overseas

Source: B. Marsh

Historically, whole industries have been dominated by male corporate leaders, while women

have been restricted by norms to stay at home, take care of the house and the family. However,

this has slowly changed, enterprise leaders are increasingly calling for inclusiveness and

diversity in the workplace. Women's roles in top management and company leadership have

changed through time. Women have risen to prominence as CEOs and entrepreneurs, particularly

in advertising, economics, and entrepreneurship. The number of female CEOs is on the climb,

from IBM to General Motors. Women are in command of around 8% of Fortune 500

organizations (Buchholz, 2021). This may still appear to be a low figure, but it represents a

significant leap when compared to 1973, when there was just one woman CEO. Women are

increasingly founding and leading businesses. It's apparent that women are constantly

overcoming social barriers (How Women Are Rising in Business, 2021).

Back to the main issue, women facing hardships in the workplace has been the norm for decades.

It is not uncommon for women to face discrimination, compared to men in the workplace. Many

factors contribute to the low presence of business women in the workplace, including: (a) a lack

of education and/or training possibilities, which puts them at a disadvantage in the society and

economy. It is certainly relevant for women living in rural areas, where business opportunities to

contribute in the national economy are constrained; (b) societal norms restrict chances for
women's entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas where women are more encumbered by

traditional gender roles such as childcare and housework; (c) there could be legitimate,

traditional, customs, cultural, or spiritual barriers to women's entrepreneurship, and (d) Access to

formal credit and financial institutions is limited (Rajat Agrawal, 2017). Similarly, the

prevalence of socioeconomic gender discrimination reduces women's power over their

professional and personal life. Women might lack the fundamental structure to enable work

activities such as taking a long time to build trust from the male colleagues, receiving help or

guidance from male colleagues etc due to gender disparities in living standards. Also, Business

women are more likely to lack some competencies or abilities needed to cope with challenging

circumstances at this interface due to educational inequalities, and gender differences in health

may limit women of the physical endurance required to effectively manage work and personal

obligations.

Especially when it comes to the wage gap in Malaysia, male employees generally make more

money than female employees. According to The Star News in 2018, employees of men and

women making 7 thousand ringgit and 5 thousand ringgits respectively have a 20% wage gap.

This indicates that the pay discrimination issue is very obvious, both parties are doing the exact

amount of work, but male employees get higher pay than female employees. Despite the fact

that policy strategies exist to avoid gender discrimination, it still occurs. Discrimination is

statistically demonstrated to exist due to income differences between men and women. Sexual

discrimination can result in: Discrepancies in women's and men's incomes for equivalent work.

Because many women are just as qualified as males, if not more so, gaps in qualifications are no

longer a valid reason for why women get paid less for equivalent work. Women face the tough

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challenges such as sexual discrimination that affect their ability for financial compensation, as

well as the opportunity growth.With dramatic changes in women's educational qualifications, it

is increasingly that clear sex discrimination is a significant contributor to the pay gap-now more

than ever before. Research suggests that, were it not for sex discrimination, women would be

earning just as much as or more than men(Zolkepli, 2019).

Women are seen to not last in the workplace for long, and this fact is supported by the patriarchal

standards. According to Forbes (2019), on average, men are more likely to stay in their

respective company when compared to women, and more often than not, women are more likely

to leave their respective company due to discrimination and lack of respect from coworkers as

well as superiors. On average, we’re looking at attrition rates of 31% vs 24% and it only goes

higher as you move up the corporate ladder (Elting, 2019). Companies see this as a woman's

weakness and decide to hire men as they statistically tend to have longer careers, but instead they

should see this from the perspective of a woman not being appreciated at work and not being

promoted when they deserve to, therefore they resign from their position.

Women are objectified and shown minimal respect when dealing with clients and they are seen

merely as their gender and are taken advantage of. Companies tend to hire women who

physically appeal to the general public as it is seen as an advantage (Why Employers Favor Men,

2017). Sexual objectification in the workplace is not an unknown occurrence. Men treating

women as objects are heavily influenced by gender inequality and stereotyping. Stereotypical

gender norms assign individuals a set of attitudes and responsibilities depending on their gender,

which influences how men perceive women, resulting in an imbalanced power hierarchy.

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Businesses are expected to be depersonalized. Introducing objectification, on the other hand, is a

way to personalize it and deprive women of control. It is both unacceptable and disrespectful to

judge her physical attractiveness, to give in to stereotypical opinions, and to suggest that a

woman's development is feasible because she is attractive. It makes women's technical

experience and aptitude irrelevant.

Existing theories on business culture have been developed by men, for men and about men.

Decision and policy makers have been almost entirely guided based on the analyses of the

experiences and activities of business man. As a result, business women are often judged by

criteria that ignore extraneous factors which are extremely crucial for them, for example,

gender-based labour market discrimination and domestic responsibilities (Gleeson,2019).

Females are unable to contribute to economic activity as completely and actively as they would

want due to a variety of social and cultural (unfavorable attitudes regarding women in the

workplace), physical(not strong enough compared to men), industrial(technical or systematic

work are more difficult for women), role (women were meant to play other roles), and behavioral

limitations (low self-esteem).

Business women have been required to adapt themselves to the values, standards and structures

which have been built up and dominated by males and which are perceived to be the norm.

Businesswomen have been obliged to conform to the ideals, norms, and systems that have been

established and governed by men and are widely accepted as the norm. As a result, it is difficult

to determine specific features that may represent female contributions.

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In this case study, we will be discussing the issue of gender gap barriers that businesswomen

face when they venture overseas.

Q1. Must women take any extra steps to be successful in their foreign business efforts?

In our opinion, women must take extra steps to be successful in their foreign business efforts.

The case studies revealed that business women have to contend with socio-cultural, structural,

economic, legal and personal barriers compared to men when they contemplate businesses. Even

when job features, family and domestic duties, and individual credentials are similar, women feel

that their jobs demand more effort than men's. When a man and a woman have the same

profession, home responsibilities, and education and abilities, the woman is more likely to

believe she needs to work harder. In five different surveys conducted to various groups of men

and women in Britain and the United States over the course of five years, a gender difference in

assessments of the statement "My job demands that I work very hard" was maintained. Women

were much more likely to agree or strongly agree (Reliableplant, n.d.). Many researchers looked

at the survey results to see if women had more difficult work, but this was not the case. Despite

the fact that the professions were nearly comparable, women were considerably more likely to

think they had to work extremely hard to be at the same level as men in any kind of business.

Gender is still an issue especially in business where women would more likely face

discrimination attitude by others, questioning women’s roles and existence.

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 International analysts agree that, at best, female entrepreneurs must work harder than men to

succeed in foreign markets. Establishing relationships, building confidence, and making entries

takes them far longer than their male colleagues. From the perspective of the employee, there has

not been a greater demand for working abroad, specifically among millennial women. A

shocking gap was discovered in a PwC study of 9,000 women from more than 70 countries:

While the majority of female millennials (71%) choose to work abroad during their careers.

However, only 20% of women are currently working in foreign business. Just 12% of CEOs saw

weak retention of female talent as a main business problem in the next three years, according to

PwC's Annual Global CEO Survey from 2011, and even less (11%) had plans to fix it (Dishman,

2016). From the statistics, we can see that most of the company CEOs didn’t think that female

talent flowing out of their country is a problem, women's potential has not been dug out and not

appreciated by men. This is why women need to work harder to adapt and compete with men in

the current patriarchy environment.

The lack of female representation in many sectors, according to Ann Cairns, global co-chair of

the 30% Club, "limits their opinions and contribution to society," and the low percentage of

women in charge of newsrooms is "surprising" (Nilsson, 2020). Many people find that becoming

a successful businesswoman requires an adequate education in the respective field. One may

have a million-dollar business plan but at the same time, have no idea on how to execute or to

bring it to life. Therefore, one major step that is required for a woman to succeed in foriegn

business efforts is to get a quality education. A proper university course is essential for a

potential businesswoman to equip herself with all the necessary skills needed to tackle the real

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world, which includes foreign business efforts. By learning about the ins and outs of business

and negotiation, one will be able to properly transform an idea into a successful company.

One factor which holds women back from performing at their peak is the gender war. In this day

and age, gender equality is one of the most heated discussions worldwide, especially in the

workplace. Statistics show that men predominate in the economic sphere, finding it challenging

for women to stand out. Regardless, a successful businesswoman is unconcerned by the numbers

on the scale. Many businesswomen, especially the ones in foreign markets succeed because they

believe that they have the skill and determination to execute their plans, and they couldn't care

less about trying to prove their significance to their male counterparts. Setting aside the “gender

war” is what allows them to achieve successful outcomes in their foreign business ventures, thus,

one should not be distracted or influenced by gender stigmas.

One other step successful businesswomen take to climb up the corporate ladder is by reading and

learning about other successful businesswomen. Many industry experts claim that they were able

to find inspiration and motivation from other people who have proven successful in foreign

business efforts. Many of which were women. In this day and age, there are dozens of

biographies and success stories which are easily accessible, including leaders such as Michelle

Obama, Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey and the list goes on. Women looking to venture into

foriegn business efforts can easily read up and learn about the strategies, tactics as well as

struggles that these women faced in their journeys to success (WomenOnBusiness,2019).

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Experts claim that gender gaps and stereotypes in the workplace are a huge reason that many

companies are leaving billions of dollars in profits on the table, not to mention the effect on the

future workforce. A study conducted by the University of California, Davis had recently claimed

that massive Californian companies with a portion of women on the top of the corporate ladder

had performed significantly better than the companies with exclusively men on top (Burns,

2017).

2. What overall strategy can women use to be successful in international negotiation?

Emily T. Amanatullah and Micheal W. Morris engaged in a study within negotiation strategies

for women which reveals the fear of backlash, a self-protective strategy and the gender

differences in international negotiation (Harvard, 2019). Prior to bargaining, the women largely

reported being concerned that they would be reprimanded if they were viewed as being too

“bossy” or “challenging.” Females who negotiated under their own account started with

considerably lower initial offers than males or even those who bartered representing a friend,

fearing repercussions. Alternatively, women's inclination to ask for much less than males in some

situations may be a self-protective measure centered around the high possibility of being

punished for acting opposed to firmly embedded gender standards.

An ongoing strategy that women can use to easily navigate these awkward situations and

command respect from their male counterparts is to first off connect to others, stay vigilant and

use objective measures. Women can attempt to connect assertive requests to the requirements of

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others, such as the company's, to narrow the gender imbalance and prevent pushback when

bargaining according to their own interest. Individuals must rethink their perceptions of strong

female negotiators as uncharismatic and unduly demanding. Women should refer to appropriate

and logical norms while making demands. Furthermore, firms should make an effort to

counteract the detrimental influence of gender stereotypes by implementing wage standards

based on objective performance measures, instead of gender expressions.

In a report written by the director of marketing in the program of negotiation at Harvard Law

School, Gail Odeneal, Erica’s experience with negotiation gave her the confidence to clearly lay

out how she was being under-compensated for her work. She also emphasised how important her

position was to the corporation and the contentment of her clients. Furthermore, she utilised

objective criteria such as billings to strengthen her case for a reasonable wage. Her supervisor

agreed and promised to escalate the problem. Later that week, they gathered with the head of

human resources to deliberate about the gender disparities in the workplace. She was able to

draft out several alternatives, including establishing wage standards. At the end of the day, she

secured a well-deserved promotion, and her corporation took a significant step toward resolving

gender prejudice.

According to Gail Odeneal, the two practical approaches that have been proven effective are the

tried-and-true strategy, which is when the negotiator utilizes inclusive language such as ‘we’ and

‘us’ and emphasizes that a colleague advised she submit a salary proposal, implying that she is

established in favorable corporate connections (Harvard, 2019). The influence of the female

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negotiator can emphasise her proclivity to compromise, seeing it as a crucial ability she

contributes to the organization. In these cases, the female negotiators demonstrate authentic

interest for their organizations and their connections with coworkers, promoting collaboration.

Whereas masculine negotiators might be lacking due to their intensity and uncaring attitude to

partnerships, women would struggle on both fronts — business and relationships — since

emphasizing on their own requirements prompts others to perceive her being demanding and

hostile. One strategy for overcoming this obstacle is to reframe a negotiation as if you were

bargaining on behalf of a group or other individuals. A female, for instance, who tries to

negotiate for more resources to improve the quality or efficiency of a department that has been

strained by downsizing and low confidence will be perceived as collaborative, not

confrontational. Women who use a "relational" or "I-we" strategy, in which they show

compassion for the other person's point of view, can reduce the social cost of negotiating (How

Women Can Get What They Want in a Negotiation, 2018).Whether you’re a male or a female,

you have undoubtedly seen gender disparities in the workplace and pondered over how to

eliminate them. There are a couple tips which contain vital tools to facilitate female negotiators

in advancing their careers in international affairs.

First off, women's bargaining abilities should be highlighted. Women might become capable of

developing conviction and combat detrimental preconceptions if they regard negotiating ability

as something that can be acquired through practice instead of a fixed personality attribute.

Secondly, women negotiators should emphasize communal skills by avoiding criticism while

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arguing for themselves by emphasising that they will negotiate just as hard for an organisation.

Furthermore, opening the doors to a broader career path is highly beneficial for female

negotiators. Employers should deliberately link female negotiators with elevated associates to

assist them explore previously unavailable career prospects. Lastly, female negotiators should

increase their objectivity as managers can implement wage standards based on objective

performance standards to reduce gender bias in their company. Women should be aware of

discrimination of gender inequality in their industrities. Women should be mindful of professions

that pay women less than men and have a history of double standards in which female

negotiators are commended for advocating on behalf of their company but not for themselves.

An equitable culture needs to be created in which individuals of all genders can reach their full

potential in an equal opportunity.

Whilst the British and Europeans adopt a sequential, one-issue-at-a-time strategy, the French

favor a more comprehensive perspective and may go over subjects multiple times that other

negotiators may have thought were already decided. Although the latter technique may seem

complex or disorganized to some, the multi-issue or package approach to negotiation helps

women to be perceived as less competitive or aggressive. When there is only one objective, the

negotiation is more likely to be perceived as adversarial: win or lose. When several concerns are

discussed, however, women can be more collaborative.

In the workplace, more and more women are starting to fight for equal rights. Unlike the past

few decades, working-class women nowadays are advocating for equal opportunities and

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compensation in their respective places of work. Despite these individuals that boldly push the

traditional gender stereotypes and boundaries in the workplace, there are still a vast majority of

women that are bashful to negotiate for equal workplace rights. When negotiation contexts are

clear and concise, few gender differences are revealed in the event of a negotiation, according to

recent studies. A clear instance of this is how you would not expect a man to be more likely to

take on a negotiation with a customer than a woman would, the chances are 50/50 for male or

female.

3. Based on the information in this case, and any other information you have, do you

believe women in business should not try to compete in the global environment?

We do not think that women in business should not attempt to compete on a global scale. Instead,

we agree with the assertion that women should strive to compete in the global marketplace.

Women's roles in our society have shifted dramatically in recent decades. Gender prejudices that

were widespread in society decades ago are progressively dismantling. Business women have

become an important part of the global mission for long-term social and economic development

in today's diverse environment. Women-owned enterprises are rapidly developing in nearly every

country's economy as a result of increased industry, urbanization, social regulations, and the

expansion of higher education and awareness.

Women are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the business world, and they are

doing so not merely to make a living, but also to quench their inner desire for innovation and to

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showcase their strengths. Educated women are making a significant contribution to societal

reform, and more women will be entering into previously male-dominated fields in the future.

Today's women are pursuing an increasing number of professional and technical degrees in order

to meet market demands, and they are thriving as designers, interior decorators, exporters,

publishers, and garment manufacturers, as well as seeking new economic opportunities.

According to researchers, There is a connection between business women and excellent

organizational performance. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics'

gender diversity study, women in the C-suite lead to better organisational performance. In

addition, the study claims that diversity promotes organization performance and effectiveness.

The research doesn't say that women produce greater CEOs than males, but it does say that

having equal and impartial presence throughout a business helps it run more smoothly (Elaine

Pofeldt, 2017).

Thus, women’s strength must be viewed in the context of diversity. Women have a distinct

aptitude for establishing and maintaining long-term partnerships. They outperform their male

counterparts in terms of communication, planning, and collaboration. There is potential to raise

the proportion of business women. Business women have a tremendous amount of potential that

has yet to be explored. Businesses will benefit from a wider range of perspectives if there are

more women in the workforce. Business men with male thinking ideas aren't the only ones who

can tackle market disparities. Women are now bringing their own ideas to market disparities, and

their innovations may differ from those of men.

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Business women associations are important sources of information regarding women in business

culture, and they're becoming more widely recognized as a significant resource for business

women’s development and enhancement. There has been an increasing number of platforms for

business women to interact, learn from, and support one another. Women policymakers are also

boosting association connections and supporting coordination and collaborations among regional

and global networks, hence promoting women's endeavors. For example, top 1 Influential

Women German Political Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for gender equality, rolls back

advances to women rights during the 25th anniversary of the 1995 women's conference in

Beijing (Deutsche Welle, 2019). There are also peer-to-peer platforms to assist business women

in recognizing their own potential. They gain faith in their capability and skill by having

extensive discussions, comments, and insights from each other.

Business women have demonstrated to be a major driving force in today's business world. They

are capable of balancing the demands of parenting and entrepreneurship. By embracing who

they are, women can overcome the usual gender inequity stereotype in business culture. The next

generation will be influenced by women in business. They led through example when it comes to

encouraging young ladies, affecting their views and aspirations. Young women's undiscovered

potential can be found, taught, and utilized in a variety of industries to boost production

efficiency and the nation's overall performance. They will continue to establish strong businesses

that strengthen our economy and have long-term social consequences as a result of the assistance

and recognition they receive.

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Women have gone a long way in terms of equality in business and other professions to increase

their roles. Industry leaders must endeavor to promote gender diversity and inclusion on a

progressing premise not just to foster this transformation and to boost organizational

performance. This includes mentoring highly qualified women executive candidates and helping

them develop career strategies that will excel their careers.

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