An Analysis of How Women Are Dishonorably Discriminated in Leadership

Discrimination against women in business leadership roles is ethically wrong. Women should receive fair treatment and fair wages. Women are just a capable of performing the tasks asked of them but do not receive the same treatment in the workplace. Currently, women receive lower pay than men and receive unfair treatment. Women receive the same education as men as the same universities and therefore are extremely competent in their jobs. Women are just as competent as men, tend to be more honest, but keep their silence about the unfair treatment due to fear of losing their jobs. Women should not receive this kind of treatment.

The statistics that face women in business today are staggering. Women are treated unfairly based on the sole fact that they are female and are not viewed by their accomplishments. In an article written by Harvard Business Review (2013), a study by McKinsey clearly showed “the number and the percentage of women fall off dramatically in the higher ranks of organizations” (p. 88). Females are outnumbered by males in the workplace and the number of women that climb up the ladder to high powered positions is very low. Another shocking statistic showed that in the business of sales, a business thought to be mainly merit-based, saleswomen in spite of everything only make “62.5% of what their male colleagues earn” (Harvard Business Review, 2013, p. 89) and this is because women are specifically given accounts that will earn them less money than accounts given to men. This is outright discrimination in disguise. The way women are treated is unfair because women are not being given a fair chance at doing well and making their way up the ranks. Women tend to “receive more positive comments (excellent! stellar! terrific!) than the men, but only 6% of the women (as opposed to 15% of the men) were mentioned as potential partner material” (Harvard Business Review, 2013, p. 89). Women are being recognized for the work they are doing and the business people above and around them see the accomplishments they are achieving. However, women are still not being given high positions in business due to their gender. The business world is extremely difficult for women due to the comments they receive and the harassment. Women tend to leave the work force and “90% [say they] left not to care for their families but because of workplace problems, chiefly frustration and long hours” (Harvard Business Review, 2013, p. 87). Most women are seen as leaving the business world because of the harsh words and unfair treatment. It is clear that women are treated unfairly based on the statistics, but the question that still stands is: why should women be given more responsibility and equal pay in the first place? Women are just as competent as men and they are more honest. Women do not speak up for fear of losing their jobs and this has to change.

Women are equally as competent as men, if not more competent. Women receive the same training that men receive, going to business school. If the training is equal in a collegiate level, there is a disconnect as to why the hierarchy of positions are not equal for women. In the same McKinsey study, an “analysis revealed that at every management level, the women were rated higher than the men— and the higher the level, the wider the gap. At the same time, the data showed, the higher the level, the higher the proportion of men” (Harvard Business Review, 2013, p. 89). There is a huge disconnect for the exceptional work done by the women and the high business positions that they occupy. Across the board there is discrimination, no matter your education level.

Chapter 6 of Bumper Sticker Ethics, The Greatest Happiness discuss the pursuit of happiness. Wilkens (2011) blatantly states that “many people are uncomfortable with ethical egoism because it advocates the selfish pursuit of happiness” (p. 97). Women increasing their ranks in business looks to others like a self pursuit of happiness. However, “equal regard for the interests of all is the basis of democracy” (Wilkens, 2011, p. 99) and a regard for the happiness of women should be just as important as the happiness of men, no matter how uncomfortable it may be at first. Wilkens (2011) also states that “whenever the majority will receive greater happiness, you have an obligation to honor its decisions even if it is not to your advantage” (p. 99). A large part of the population will receive greater happiness if there is more equality in large companies. Leading roles in business should be extended to all genders and the first priority should be the qualifications the person holds, and not the gender of the person.

Women tend to be more honest and are less likely to compromise their integrity in the business world. In an online article from CNN, “a study done by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School suggests that women are less willing to sacrifice ethical values for money and social status, and that women associate business with immorality more strongly” (Ko, 2013). Some women will even avoid the job all together in order to avoid compromising their integrity. This is proof that women are an inherent asset to a company and should not be overlooked in a high powered business position. Further, McCabe, Ingram, and Dato-on (2006) found that “men perceive bribery as more ethical than do women” and this “supports previous studies which argue men are more likely to engage in bribery behaviors than women” (p. 8). Serious studies show that bribery is present and the ethics of bribery are unacceptable. Bribery is a serious problem. McCabe et al. (2006) also included “The Business for Social Responsibility Organization (2003) reports that corruption and bribery are among the most important business ethics issues faced by companies today and that bribery causes serious economic, political and environmental damage” (p. 9). There are statistics backing up the fact that women are less likely to be involved in behaviors that include bribery, yet they are still not chosen for high powered positions. The statistics and the present situation women face are not lining up in a logical way.

When women begin to fight for their right to be equal to men in business, this creates more of a problem for the woman and ultimately leads to total silence from the women. The Supreme Court says that “the burden of enforcement still falls on individuals who may never have an opportunity to discover their co- workers’ pay” (Lovell, 2009, p. 45). It is unfair to expect the woman to be responsible for asking her coworkers their pay. Women should not be silenced by the men around them and should be given the same opportunities and pay to be successful in the business world. Wilkins (2011) writes in chapter 7, It’s Your Duty, “even if we do not reach our goals because of unforeseen twists in events, if we act out of an intention to fulfill our duties (or goodwill), we have met our ethical obligation” (p. 115). If the woman is acting in goodwill, anything that she does to further herself in the business world is good and right. Women should be given the same chances to succeed because it is good and right. There should no longer be silence because of fear.

There are few counterarguments to the idea of women becoming more powerful in the business world. However, women are still not fighting for what they deserve. One of the main counterarguments of this issue are that men are more competent. Many people fight for the belief that men are more powerful and knowledgeable than women. I find this to be very untrue due to the many statistics that have already been shown throughout this paper. Women are just as competent and honest, if not more competent and honest, than men are. Men do not follow the rules because intrinsically, their minds work in the way of getting things done, no matter the cost. Women work in the way of doing the right thing. Therefore, if women are given the opportunity to take on leading roles in a business, the business will be lead in an honest direction.

There are a few counterarguments against greatest happiness but one of the main counterarguments is a fear of not knowing. Questions like “can we know the results?” or “how can we compare the results?” are presented by Wilkens (2011). These questions are only asked because people fear the unknown. Society is stuck in their old ways of knowing what has always been done. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, “cultural relativism says that it is not each person but each person’s culture that is the standard by which actions are to be measured” (Wilkens, 2011, p. 29). Women have always been at home while the men have been the bread winners. People are scared of change because they do not know what will happen if something is changed. Wilkens (2011) further states that “cultural relativism can open our eyes to this by questioning whether we accept a certain point of view simply because we are comfortable with it” (p. 34). Maybe society is uncomfortable with the idea of women becoming more powerful. The fear of the unknown should be overlooked and women should be given the chance they deserve to prove their abilities in a business setting.

To conclude, “Kantian ethics says that humans have inherent value, thus they can never be used as means” (Wilkens, 2011, p. 120). Women have immense value in the business world and should no longer be used as objects. They do not deserve to be looked at as a pretty face in the business world, with no brain/ They have the knowledge and honesty needed in the business world today. With the value that women add to a business, there could be a shift in the honesty and integrity conducted in business deals, but this can only happen if women are given the chance to rise up in the business world.