The Need for Housewives in a Culture of Store-Bought Goods and Services

(1). Hochschild and Machung (2003) state, “In the two-job couple this trend moves even faster; working couples do less at home and buy more goods and services. A woman’s skills at home are then perhaps also less valued” (p. 255). In a culture of store bought goods and services, is there a need for the housewife? Please support your answer using text material.

(2). If you had enough money to live as comfortably as you’d like, would you prefer to work full-time, work part-time, do volunteer-type work, or work at home caring for the family? Explain your choice.

(3a). Why does Hochschild and Machung (2003) compare the working wife to an “urbanizing peasant?”

(3b). Is there a relationship between unequal wages and marriage; if so, how?

(3c). Is there a relationship between unequal wages and the second shift; if so, how?

(3d). Who does Hochschild and Machung (2003) state as being the “wealthiest” and “poorest” in backstage support, and why?

(4). Please address this question posed by Powell (2003): Can a “positive” signal, such as the receipt of an advanced degree, counteract the “negative” signal of being female? That is, might an educated woman be regarded as “atypical” of her sex, and arouse less discrimination among prospective employers (Moe, 2003, p. 203). Use text material from this week to support your response.

(5a). Discuss the laws prohibiting employment discrimination and the methods used in litigation to establish a legal finding of discrimination.

(5b). Do you feel enough is being done to alleviate wage discrimination? Why or why not?

(6a). In the “Balancing Work and Family” article, what are some ways in which current companies keep productivity growing while addressing family concerns?

(6b). What types of company programs allow employees to have a life and still get ahead?

(7a). What are some of the adaptive strategies discussed by Ezzedeen and Ritchey (2009) devised by executive women to advance their careers and enjoy a family?

(7b). What are your thoughts and feelings on these strategies?

1. In present times, the lives of women are fast changing. The expansion of employment opportunities has created various avenues for women. Women have few children now as opposed to five to six in earlier times. Earlier it was men who identified with the premonition of manhood with having money in a manner they have never done before. Now, there has been a paradigm shift. It is women who are assuming the new basis of identity. Women have discovered that earning is important to them than it was to their mothers. This has given the rise of two-job couple spectrum wherein working couples do less at home and buy more goods and services. Certainly, there is a need of housewife who would take care of the kids and chores of the family along with the husband. On the other hand, feminism proposes that women should be given equal opportunities as men. Men should assist their spouses in domestic activities which would help the women in managing work outside the home (Hochschild & Machung, 2012).

Work-Life Balance: Adaptive Strategies by Executive Women

2. If I have ample money and would like to live comfortably as per my choice, I would like to be at home thereby caring for the family and avail work from home option. I subscribe to the philosophy of work in life and not being in a state of inaction. Thus work would be on my list of priorities, come what may. Since I may have a leeway of having enough money I may not prefer to work on a full-time basis. I would rather invest considerable time at home thereby caring for my family. There could not be a better option than work from the home scheme of things. This would enable me to be engaged in work in keeping with supporting the family in every possible need and addressing concerns. In fine, it may be said that hailing substantial money does not amount to being indolent and inactive.

3. In present circumstances, women have established a new basis of identity and authority. The factual reality is they are trying to get a firm footing in the employment domain. Similarly, peasants also strive to reap good returns for their grains. Thus the author has likened the condition of working women to that of urbanising peasants.

There is indeed a strong linkage between unequal wage and marriage. Hofstede states that with the rise of feminism women are likely to be paid more compared to their male counterparts that may evoke psychological issues between the wife and husband. However, the reverse is also true with women being suppressed as their spouses get paid more.

The experts have stressed that human behaviours are governed by factors like society and mental make-up. The patterns of society, culture may be deemed as being the wealthiest or for that matter poorest in the backdrop. Various theories reveal the existence of a relationship of social structures with the human behavior (Pedulla, 2014).

4. Various experts opine that advancement in education counteracts the negative signal of being female. The bivariate regression model elucidates that women having a considerable quantum of education are less likely to be discriminated among prospective employers. As per the results, the female is a construed as a dummy variable. The bivariate regression analysis that of wage over the dummy variable has two different categories namely, women and men offer a comparable measure relating to the standard difference between wages of men and women. While visualizing the relationship between another variable and wage, the link of wage and years of experience also deserves special mention. Similar to the bivariate regression investigation between gender and wage, the connection between wage and years of experience is anticipated. Thus it may be concluded that women who come with substantial years of education and work experience are not subjected to discriminatory motives among the prospective employers.

5. The Federal Laws being effective in prohibition of job discrimination are laid below:

Title seven of Civil Rights Act (1964) prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, origin, gender or religion.

The Equal Pay Act (1963) provides safeguards for men and women who perform equal work in the same establishment.

The US Disability Act (1990) prohibits employment discrimination against individuals or resources with disabilities in the state.

The Civil Rights Act (1991) provides monetary damages in various cases of deliberate employment discrimination.

Litigation Methods in Employment Discrimination

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC is at the helm which enforces all the laws above and litigation. The compliant body also takes care of equal employment opportunity in keeping with practices and policies (Emens, 2012).

The various methods used in litigation to establish a legal finding of discrimination or resolving the discrimination charges are mainly mediation, settlement and conciliation. EEOC being the statutory body is effective in alleviation of wage discrimination (“Resolving a Charge”, 2016). The expansion of federal along with state discrimination laws in keeping with the common law has been successful in providing individuals safeguards relating to employment issues. The federal authorities are ever vigilant in formation and application of the laws (Gould IV, 2013).

6. Nowadays, workers seek to strike a balance between work and family. This helps in balancing sufficient earnings with family time being stretched. Companies are striving to make arrangements so that the productivity does not take a backseat while the resource could fulfil family commitments. The effective ways of maintaining a prolific balance could be the following.

Scheduling plan of work scrupulously.

Communication about the company’s policies about laid objectives.

Usage of technology to the advantage of both employees and companies.

Making good use of family time.

In present times, organisations are undertaking various initiatives which aim to be beneficial for the resources as well as upholding the productivity at work. Work life balance is one such scheme which permits employees to manage multiple responsibilities at family without posing any threat to the productivity at work. Dependent care, wellness options, education and training opportunities, encouragement of fitness and hygiene standards are some of the popular models that organisation initiatives allow employees to have a life and still get ahead (Smith, 2016).

7. In the present parlance, women have expanded their career aspirations undeniably. To accentuate their careers, women have devised various strategies which are mentioned below.

Getting as much of training and education possible.

Prominence in social and online networking sites.

Charting a diligent career growth plan.

Networking with alumni and former coworkers.

Self-promotional measures.

Undertaking freelancing activities.

Nurturing of talents which offer scope for career development.

Leverage in interpersonal and communication skills.

It is understandable that women are freethinkers and are willing to embark on what it takes to make advancement in their personal careers in keeping with healthy family life. Women are inherently assiduous and intuitive which makes it easier for them to plan accordingly. Furthermore, given the strategies being implemented appropriately, the society is likely to gain immensely by the contribution of women both in work and family, by and large (Stets & Burke, 2014).

References:

Emens, E. (2012). Disabling Attitudes: US Disability Law and the ADA Amendments Act. American Journal of Comparative Law, 60(1), 205-234.

Gould IV, W. B. (2013). A primer on American labor law. Cambridge University Press.

Hochschild, A., & Machung, A. (2012). The second shift: Working families and the revolution at home. Penguin.

Pedulla, D. S. (2014). The Positive Consequences of Negative Stereotypes Race, Sexual Orientation, and the Job Application Process. Social Psychology Quarterly, 77(1), 75-94.

Resolving a Charge. (2016). www.eeoc.gov. Retrieved 14 August 2016, from https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/resolving.cfm

Smith, J. (2016). 8 Ways To Achieve Better Work-Life Balance. www.forbes.com. Retrieved 14 August 2016, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/18/8-ways-to-achieve-better-work-life-balance/#7d7e6bb63a25

Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2014). Self-esteem and identities. Sociological Perspectives, 57(4), 409-433.