Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Filters

1999 - 199922010 - 20191

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.Affirmative action programs

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Discrimination or diversity? A balanced score card review of perceptions of gender quotas : prepared in partial fulfilment of a Master of Business Studies, Massey University (Albany)
    (Massey University, 2019) Burrell, Erin Kathleen
    Creating an economy where gender equality is at the forefront could be claimed to be beneficial to most, if not all, citizens and countries. Recent mandates of gender reporting at the Director and Officer levels have created a dichotomous environment in New Zealand. Taking learnings from other countries experiences with quotas, with a particular focus on Norway, adds insight into what could happen if implementation were to occur. Using qualitative interviews across a diverse group of participants, this study investigates current perspectives and implications of gender quotas. Understanding the role of the board to govern and design organisational strategy, the Balanced Score Card was selected as a clear instrument for analysis and recommendations. This exploration showcases the complexity of equity strategy as a component of board construction and the realisation that gender alone will not deliver a diverse board of directors. Empowered by the BSC structure, this effort delivers a recommendation for driving organisational change through diversity programming and contributes to academic discourse through a business outcome focused approach to qualitative research. Findings display that social policy does have a place in the boardroom, but that efforts must be measured and documented consistently over time, a process that is lacking in many NZ firms. Further, outcomes from the study show that quotas are not preferred as a tool for gender equity with just 27.78% of participants supporting the concept. This study makes a three-fold contribution: first, it investigates a broader range of participants than does existing NZ work, second, it leverages the Balanced Score Card for analysis to support real-time application of findings by practitioners outside of the academic sphere, and third, it introduces gender diversity as an element of gender quotas.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A comparative analysis of equal employment opportunities law and policy in Japan and New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in East Asian Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Broadfoot, Dani
    This thesis is a comparative analysis of Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) law and policy in Japan and New Zealand. This study was undertaken due to the fact that Japan has had an EEO law since 1986, and New Zealand first gave EEO legislative intent in the 1988 State Sector Act. and even though these laws and policies were enacted, women's position in the workplace has only changed marginally. Thus, my thesis offers extensive sign posting, starting with an analysis of theoretical perspectives of EEO. In Japan and New Zealand it has been noted that patterns and conditions of work in both the preindustrial and industrial economies have become differentiated by gender, The many reasons for this are and include, ideological, political, economic and social, or more accurately, a complex interaction of all of these factors. The nature of societies and government's attitudes to EEO in both Japan and New Zealand has been poor, as has been indicated by the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Unfortunately, not enough is known in both Japan and New Zealand about EEO, for both countries to implement effective EEO laws and policies. I propose that the long-term outcome for EEO is the elimination of all forms of unfair discrimination in employment. I propose that this will be achieved when three conditions prevail in organisations. Firstly, inclusive, respectful and responsive organisational cultures which enable access to work, equitable career opportunities, and maximum participation for members of designated groups and all employees. Secondly, procedural fairness as a feature of all human resource strategies, systems and practices, and thirdly, employment of EEO groups at all levels in the workplace. I argue that to have operational equality in employment, it is necessary to have legislation for violators of EEO, to implement solid, strategic initiatives to EEO and give both the private sector and public sector education in how to deliver effective EEO programmes and policies. I also suggest that as both Japan and New Zealand have ratified CEDAW, they should both be looking at implementing an Optional Protocol, which will give international backing to EEO initiatives and which has been proposed to provide better enforcement of women's human rights. The Optional Protocol would give women the right to complain to a specialist United Nations (UN) Committee (CEDAW) about violations of CEDAW by their governments. By implementing the Optional Protocol it would enable the UN Committee to conduct inquiries into serious or systematic abuses of women's rights in countries. The Optional Protocol raises many issues about the cultural context of inequalities and the way specific national histories are used to authorise certain workplace issues.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Sexual orientation diversity programmes : an evaluation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Powell, Terence W
    Since the mid 1980s the American, like the New Zealand workplace has undergone significant changes, particularly in the composition of the workforce. Increasingly, the 'traditional' employee, a white male, ablebodied heterosexual is in the minority. The emergence of Diversity Programmes within the American workplace is a direct response to these changes. While Diversity Programmes emerged from Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action Programmes, the distinctions are significant. Diversity Programmes focus on productivity, profitability, inclusivity and organisational culture. In recent years a major area of growth has been the development of sexual orientation Diversity Programmes. This research examines ten American organisations that have invested significant resources into sexual orientation Diversity Programmes with reported success, describes their key features and the reasons for this success. The findings clearly reflect the literature on the subject and show that when an organisation values and respects its gay, lesbian and bisexual employees the rewards to the company can be significant, both to the individual and the organisation. The second component of the research was the examination of the response of New Zealand organisations to the implementation of sexual orientation Diversity Programmes. However, it became evident that this could not proceed as planned, primarily due to local lack of awareness of the concept of Diversity Programmes and the apparent lack of interest in addressing the issue of sexual orientation in the workplace. The local research then reviewed local human resource related policies and procedures, to determine the level of inclusivity of gay and lesbian employees, and found that of the 20 organisations sampled, while all subscribe to EEO, most exclude sexual orientation, and in many cases their policies and procedures are discriminatory against gay and lesbian employees. The research highlighted significant differences between the American and the New Zealand organisations sampled. While American companies have embraced sexual orientation Diversity Programmes as being good for business, the local organisations remain focused on legislative requirements and moral obligation, a key criticism of EEO programmes in the literature. While the American workplace has demonstrated an ability to respond successfully to the changing nature and composition of the workplace, New Zealand organisations have been slow to adapt, with the result that gay and lesbian employees do not, in many cases, have equity within the workplace and organisations are not realising their potential level of profit and profitability.