Gender diversity in manufacturing industry A comparative study of NALCO and VEDANTA in odisha

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY newlinemanufacturing favours men over women in the labour force as the wok largely newlineinvolves odd work hours and difficult and harsh work conditions such as night shifts newlineand manual and at times technical work component. newlinehave proved their worth in different industries, their participations remains far from newlinesatisfactory let alone representative of their population. In a way the women are not newlinewelcome in this male dominated industry. Thus, the opportunities available to women newlinein manufacturing sector is minimal. A report by the International Trade Union newlineConfederation (ITUC) found that women in general received about 18% less newlinecompensation than their male counterparts in manufacturing. This gender based pay newlinegap in manufacturing is the fourth largest across all industries. (ITUC, 2011). newlineWhile women have caught up with men in all other industries, in newlinemanufacturing industry their share has still not much significant. It is important to newlineinvestigate the reasons and the causes behind the availability of fewer job roles for newlinewomen in manufacturing. newlineAcross the globe, there is growing awareness for increasing gender diversity in newlinethe workforce. Joshi (2017) found that companies promoting gender diversity newlineachieved greater financial success than those with less gender diversity. Gender newlinediversity is a driver of creativity and innovation, and that it is profitable for business. newlineIndian manufacturing sectors are now shifting their gears by implementing the gender newlinediversity. newlineThus, gender diversity in workplace means that men and women are hired at a newlinesimilar and consistent rate, are paid equally and are given the same working newlineopportunities with the same promotional opportunities. Gender diversity must not be newlineseen as a mere reporting number but should mark the commitment of the organization newlineto provide appropriate and commensurate opportunities to women in their work force newlinewithout any prejudice. A firm with perfect gender diversity would have nearly equal newlineproportions of men and women in the workforce.