How are proffessional and managerial careers gendered and racialist Essay

How are proffessional and managerial careers gendered and racialist - Essay Example From this research it is clear that globalization and advancements in technology have led to the career advancement of women and fading of the cultural and feminist beliefs which have made women to increasingly participate in managerial and professional roles which were traditionally male dominated. Every individual despite his race is guaranteed by law a chance to develop in his career without any discrimination. This has however not always been the case since people from minority groups still face discrimination. Evidence from surveys conducted by Equality campaigner groups have shown that job applicants from minority races stood a higher of not being shortlisted for job interviews compared with white counterparts with similar qualifications. People from minority groups have been found to shy away from some professions due to perceived racial prejudice. Researchers have also shown that the racial background of an individual may determine their chances of getting into managerial job s. The government has however worked towards equality at job place by introducing stringent laws to guarantee equal opportunities for all. In professional careers, the role of gender is demonstrated by the perception of the society on the role of women in work activities. Some working environments such as construction and engineering work are considered to be hostile for women. According to Arditi and Balci, the perceptions and beliefs on gender and work continue to persist despite the fact that women have demonstrated the ability of performing duties which were considered to be meant for men.... Watts (2009, p. 23) illustrates that high profile organizations have been reported to show bias against women in the promotion into managerial positions. For example civil lawsuits have been staged by women against large organizations and companies such as Wal-Mart for allegation of gender bias in the appointment, promotion and compensation of female employees as compared to the male counterparts. Fisher, Gushue and Cerrone (2011, p. 447) assert that women in the UK’s construction industry who work as engineers face challenges in balancing the professional and domestic life because of the obligations they are expected to meet at home and the pressure at work. The cultural context and belief of the society on the participation of women in construction work show that men are considered to be most suited for the construction work. According to Watts (2009, p. 37), women face prejudice when working in a male dominated career because some roles and work activities are considered to be meant for men. The number of women within the construction industry is increasing despite the challenges and the prejudice associated with this career. The ability of women to survive in the male dominated career shows that they are qualified to be part of the team and it is contributing to the reduction of the discrimination in hiring female engineers. Therefore the professional identity of women in some managerial and professional careers is facing conflicts and challenges but they are decreasing with the growing civilization within world societies. It is notable that gender discrimination in managerial and professional careers is not always apparently