The wage gap between men and women is a widely recognized concern in today's society. In this paper I will try to address the main reason for this difference. Why is it that the median male wage earner earns 20% more than the median female worker? While there are many suggestions out there for why men earn more, there are few that are confident in their answers. In this paper I will discuss a number of theories that contribute to a difference in wage between men and women. In the end I found that, while gender discrimination in the workplace may occur, there are also a number of other factors that contribute to this wage gap that discrimination play no part in.
[...] In conclusion, while some discrimination does still occur, there are many other factors that must be corrected before the gender wage gap is destroyed. References: 1 Stites, Janet. “Equal Pay for the Sexes.” HR Magazine, May 2005: 32- 2-6 Browne, Jude. Sex Segregation and Inequality in the Modern Labor Market. Policy Press 18- Pinker, S. and Spelke, E.S.(2005) The science of Gender and Science: Pinker vs Spike: A debate, Harvard University, Mind/ Brian/Behavior Initiative (www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge160.html#d) Taubman, Paul J. “Discrimination Within the Family.” Essays on the Economics [...]
[...] He claims that female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy” whereas male brain is hard-wired for understanding and building systems.”5 While it sounds similar to Goldberg's theory, Baron-Cohen argues that theory explores averages of sex difference, and that these should not be confused with stereotypes like those implied by Male Dominance Theory.”6 While it is possible for members of either gender to have more empathy or understanding, he is looking at the average of each gender rather than the exceptions. [...]
[...] Even “today, women who own their own businesses net only 49% of their male counterparts net earnings.”11 This discrepancy leads us away from employer discrimination because without an employer the wage gap widens. This suggests that if discrimination is occurring in these businesses it is happening at the hands of the consumer. Consumer discrimination is a suggestion that is often overlooked when factoring the contributors to the wage gap. Is it possible that consumers are less likely to purchase a good or service from a man than a woman? [...]
[...] It may not be perfect, but as time passes hopefully women will be able to overcome their difficulties in other industries and follow the lead that engineering has set. There are many different situations and characteristics that affect the amount of money a person makes. In this economy and global market all people who are qualified are needed in the workforce, and in our free market economy most are compensated fairly. While the theories I have discussed cannot fully explain the gender wage gap phenomena, it does provide a grounds for why the majority of this wage gap does occur. [...]
[...] more women capitalists hire, the greater will be their profits, since women workers are hired at a lower wage than equally skilled men.”8 In the long run, the only companies that will be left are those who hire only women at the lower wage and men will have to accept this wage. Thus the long run equilibrium is one in which all people of equal skill are paid the same. Because this is clearly not yet the case, and we can assume that the beginning of recorded history until the present to be the long run, one of the assumptions of the model must not hold. [...]
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