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International Journal of
Population Studies Cultural values and workplace gender equity

current research aims to explore the cultural underpinnings contingent on the degree to which individuals succumb to
of workplace gender equity (WGE) in India. societal or group pressures. Consequently, conformity holds
the potential to significantly influence people’s behavior
1.1. Cultural value orientation and gender equity and attitudes, including their attitudes toward women’s

Culture is known to be an important determinant of gender participation in paid work and gender equity as a whole. In
equity within a given society. As put by Ștefanovici (2009, the present study, we aim to explore whether the tendency
p. 632), “sexual inequity is rooted within the social structure to conform significantly mediates the relationship between
itself, through the allocation by society of segregated roles for cultural values and individuals’ attitudes toward WGE.
each sex. The very existence of activities and responsibilities
maintain an imbalance of power between the sexes.” 2. Literature review
Therefore, culture can be considered a significant predictor Research evidence suggests that the cultural values identified
of gender equity. Several frameworks have been proposed by Hofstede (1980) are predictive of people’s attitudes
to elucidate cultural values, with Hofstede’s model (1980) toward gender equity (Bertsch & Warner-Søderholm,
standing out as one of the most prominent. Hofstede’s 2012; Holmberg & Akerblom, 1998; Malaquias et al., 2022;
model includes six distinct cultural value orientations: Plueddemann, 2009). In the present study, attitudes toward
individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty WGE are operationally defined in terms of two key factors:
avoidance, masculinity/femininity, long-term versus short- employment skepticism and traditional roles preference.
term orientation, and indulgence/restraint. Individualism/ Employment skepticism refers to the degree of skepticism
collectivism, the two dichotomies exist across a continuum, regarding women’s ability to work outside of home, while
where individualism is defined as a “loosely-knit social traditional roles preference is the extent to which individuals
framework,” while collectivism refers to a “tightly-knit believe that women are naturally suited for household
social framework.” Power distance is the extent to which chores. Gender equity, in this context, is defined as the
people are unconcerned with functional and/or structural absence of cognitive biases and skepticism toward women
inequities within society. Uncertainty avoidance refers to and their capacity to engage in work outside the home.
how individuals cope with uncertainties about the future
and their tolerance levels for such uncertainties. Within The existing body of research demonstrates that cultures
the dimension of masculinity/femininity, masculine values characterized by greater individualism (Davis & Williamson,
include attributes such as competitiveness, achievement, 2019; Dohi & Fooladi, 2008; Malaquias et al., 2022) and
success, and heroism, while a feminine orientation embodies lower power distance (Lee et al., 2020; Malaquias et al., 2022;
values such as cooperation, care, and concern for others. Plueddemann, 2009) tend to exhibit higher levels of gender
Furthermore, a long-term orientation includes a more future- egalitarianism. However, the findings concerning uncertainty
oriented perspective alongside a pragmatic approach that avoidance, future orientation, and masculinity/femininity
emphasizes belief in future planning, saving, and fostering have yielded inconclusive results. With regard to uncertainty
social change. In contrast, a short-term orientation places avoidance, some studies reveal that it can coexist with
greater significance on the past and present, focusing on (Holmberg & Akerblom, 1998) or even promote (Malaquias
normative approaches and the pursuit of quick results. The et al., 2022) gender equality, while others equate higher
final dimension pertains to indulgence/restrain. Indulgence degrees of uncertainty avoidance with a greater preference
refers to the degree to which a culture allows for the free for traditional gender norms that discourage gender parity
gratification of basic needs and desires, embracing the (Bertsch & Warner-Søderholm, 2012; Lee et al., 2020; Terzi et
enjoyment of life and freedom from various restrictions. In al., 2022). Similarly, with respect to future orientation, certain
contrast, restraint characterizes the extent to which a culture studies have found a positive association with greater gender
or society attempts to limit basic needs and desires, imposing egalitarianism (Bertsch & Warner-Søderholm, 2012), while
restrictions that curtail the fulfillment of these desires. others have demonstrated the opposite (Lee et al., 2020).
Likewise, some studies have identified high femininity scores
1.2. Cultural value orientation and conformity as positively correlated with gender equity (Carrasco et al.,
While these values are shared within cultures, the individual 2012; Lee et al., 2020; Milner & Collins, 2000), while other
proclivities to internalize them depend on conformity. studies have not discovered a significant association between
Conformity represents a form of social influence by which masculinity and gender egalitarianism (Terzi et al., 2022).
we transmit and preserve the values of our culture, fostering The extent to which individuals embrace cultural
a network of shared cultural norms and common values. In values, and, subsequently, their appraisal of gender
simpler terms, conformity refers to the potential change in equality, is contingent upon the society’s inclination
individuals’ overt behavior in situations involving others, for conformity (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). Research

Volume 11 Issue 1 (2025) 74 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.422