Discrimination and Gender Balance in Public Organizations

• Author: Drumea C.
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 73-80

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşo v

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 11 (60) No. 2 – 2018

DISCRIMINATION AND GENDER BALANCE

IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

Cristina DRUMEA1

Abstract: The paper explores different aspects of discrimination at work,

with a focus on gender balance and anti-discrimination policies targeting

women and other disfavoured categories of personnel. The large public

organizations are studied with predilection, as they present characteristics

that make the implementation of anti-discrimination policies easier to study

in terms of results, costs and side effects. The conclusions partially diverge

from expectations, as disputes around this topic, as well as doubtful

implementation, alter the outcome and may even compromise the initial

intention of the ruler.

Key words: HR policy, discrimination, gender balance, gender gap.

1. Introduction

The discussion of women's discrimination at work has occurred in the last two decades

and the first aspect that retains our attention is its extent and vigour. More and more

European countries assume increased culpability regarding this issue and try to react in

a constructive manner. Large international organizations amplify this approach, both by

modifying their own management approach and through the standa rds that they de

facto and de jure impose on the national organizations they interact with.

From a managerial point of view, there are several problems associated with this

approach. The issues arise from a wide range of areas, starting with problems of

principle and going forward with technical problems associated with the evaluation of

the corrective actions of certain aspects of the “old approach”. Moving ahead from the

enthusiasm generated by a genuine positive demarche and t he desire to undo the

wrong doing, it is to be noted that there are costs involved. These seem to be

proportionate to the intensity of "politically correctness" pressures and are even more

obvious as these pressures are flashier and are claimed to be more moral.

The transposition of a corrective approach into the practice of organizations becomes

particularly thorny as a principle, vis-a-vis the fear that the theme is part of a

"fashionable" package of corrections imposed on contemporary organizations. The topic

of discrimination is strangely accompanied by issues such as global warming, minority

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, cristina.drumea@unitbv.ro