Research Proposal

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Introduction

Despite all the changes in Western societies in recent decades, as far as forms of social and family concerns, unmarried women are still socially stigmatized; according to the European Census Bureau, in 2009, 40% of adults were single, but apparently this fact that has not reduced the bias associated with the civil status of solo women. In the social environments of single women is often put pressure on them trying to direct them to form more conventional life, many researches show that being “solo” i.e. only representative of his or her group sex affects the performance of women more than men. Prior to the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Civil Rights Act, both in 1964, as well as various employment legislation, the workforce was segregated, those segmented groups a reflection of homogenous ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, gender, and other demographic-related traits.

Technology has flattened organizational structure and the workplace has become increasingly global. All of this has led to an increased focus on workplace diversity, and the benefits of being able to maneuver within a diverse work environment. There are benefits to a diverse workforce, such as penetrating untapped markets, gaining a competitive advantage, and having a creative edge and the more diverse a company's workforce, the more diverse and innovative the company's culture, strategic plan, and communication network.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this study will be to explore how the phenomenon of solo status impacts female performance in the workplace.

Literature Review

The current pool of literature surrounding solo status, that is to say when an individual is the only member of their social category present in the workplace, is embedded within the much broader theme of workplace diversity; and how this diversity subsequently effects performance on an both an individual and organisational level. There are conflicting views regarding diversity in the workplace: assets that promote innovation and helps organisations meet the demands of an ever-changing market, versus the commonly experienced phenomena of a decrease in morale and turnover due to an increased occurrence of conflict in the workplace (Knippenberg & Schippers, 2006).

A selection of the literature concerning solo status has focused on the feelings of women in a solo status work group, and the effect on their performance. Niemann and Dovidio (1998) found that the tendency of women to differentiate themselves (when part of a solo status work group) resulted in feelings of distinctiveness, leading to mediated job satisfaction and a direct effect on their performance.  Female concerns about how they are perceived within solo status groups were further investigated by Kellar and Sekaquaptewa (2008), who also observed a detrimental effect on performance when women entered test situations that were male-dominated. Research therefore suggests that when in a solo status a woman will often experience a detrimental effect on their performance. Several authors have attributed this to the stereotypical beliefs held by some women that men are in some way superior and thus naturally more gifted in the workplace.

On a more workplace focused level, ...