Critically appraise the value of the concept of inequality regimes for understanding workplace inequalities - Essay Example

Indeed, the dimensions of inequality are numerous, for which understanding of inequality regimes for change purposes becomes important. Such endeavours are especially imperative if inequalities are, as experts establish, resilient due to entrenched values in social systems like work organisations, economic processes and legal systems. In the following study, the researcher shall establish that there is a need for intersectional study of social processes in organisations (and thereby the society at large) which lead to inequality regimes to develop monitoring mechanisms and measures for change.

At the root of social inequality lies economic discrimination, even though today scholars acknowledge inequality can be intangible too (such as power and attitude). The challenge in inequality study is not to establish that inequalities exist, but rather in what form do they prevail. Traditionally, as Korpi (2000) establishes, inequality studies have been focussed on socioeconomic discrimination in the distribution of material wealth. However, in recent years, feminist scholars have introduced the concept of gender, and subsequently other basis for inequalities - such as class, race and ethnicity.

Based on this premise, Acker (2006) has introduced her seminal concept of inequality regimes. Acker (2006) establishes that study of organisational level inequality regimes lead to understanding of the wider scope of social inequality. She believes that organisational elements like the need for power and control, provision of opportunities for work, management decision processes, need for maintaining job security, rewards systems, and work environment form the inequality regimes. These are processes established by traditional bureaucratic and hierarchical organisations which continue to exist and influence the corporate sector today, and form the basis for discrimination.

Because of the entrenched nature of these processes, inequalities have become