Presenting the Model of Gender Gap in National Gas Company of Iran

Gender gap is one of the basic contemporary discourses in organizations. The aim of the current research is to identify the components and provide a model of the gender gap in the field of human resources. The purpose of this research is applied, qualitative in terms of method, and based on the grounded theory approach. The participants were 55 women from Iran's National Gas Company, selected according to theoretical saturation and the purposeful sampling method. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data.
According to the findings, management inefficiency, discrimination in support mechanisms, lack of opportunities for women, injustice in having facilities, injustice in employment, injustice in organizational structure, and injustice in organizational promotion were identified as causal factors. Problems in women's personal lives, inefficiency of the macro structure, and discriminatory laws and regulations were identified as background factors. Weakness in societal and organizational culture were identified as intervening factors.
Consequences identified include neglect of human capital, weak organizational culture, a culture of discrimination in society, inefficient processes, unfair distribution of facilities, organizational injustice, missed opportunities for women, weak support mechanisms, neglect of women's management, little attention to the balance between work and life, unfair employment of women, discriminatory implementation of laws and regulations, inefficient use of macro-structure strategies, reduced organizational efficiency, reduced organizational commitment, and reduced organizational productivity.
The gender gap is influenced by various factors, but these factors are formed in interaction with a discriminatory perception and lack of organizational support for women.
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Gender Gap, Human Resource Management, Grounded Theory, Qualitative Approach, National Gas Company of Iran
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‌Introduction
During recent years, in the oil and gas industry, the indiscriminate reduction of women and the lack of replacement of women, as well as the low mobility and unbalanced job promotion of women in managerial and decision-making fields, have characterized this industry. Correcting this process requires a change in mentality among senior managers and human resources of the oil and gas industry. Therefore, the current research seeks to understand the perceptions and subjective experiences of women in the areas of participation, salary, and promotion, as well as the conditions and contexts (causal, intervening, contextual, and process) influencing the perception of the gender gap and its consequences for women in the National Gas Company of Iran.
 
Methodology
The aim of the current research is to identify the components and provide a model of the gender gap in the field of human resources. The purpose of this research is applied, qualitative in terms of method, and based on the foundational data approach. The participants were 55 women from the National Gas Company of Iran, selected according to theoretical saturation and the purposeful (with maximum diversity) and theoretical (emergence of underlying theory) sampling methods. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Before conducting the interview, the objectives of the research were fully explained, and the satisfaction of the participants was the main condition of the interviews. The interview duration was between 40 and 60 minutes. Then, constant comparisons with theoretical coding, including open, axial, and selective coding, were used for data analysis. Within the framework of the paradigm model, the conditions, contexts, strategies, and consequences of the gender gap were discussed. Finally, all the categories were selected and integrated around a central category in the selective coding stage and were regularly linked to other categories using the storytelling technique.
 
Findings
According to the findings, management inefficiency, discrimination in support mechanisms, lack of opportunities for women, injustice in having facilities, injustice in employment, injustice in organizational structure, and injustice in organizational promotion are identified as causal factors. Problems in women's personal lives, inefficiency of the macro structure, and discriminatory laws and regulations are identified as background factors. Weakness in societal and organizational culture is identified as intervening factors. The consequences include neglecting human capital, weak organizational culture, a culture of discrimination in society, inefficient processes, unfair distribution of facilities, organizational injustice, missed opportunities for women, weak support mechanisms, neglect of women's management, little attention to the balance between work and life, unfair employment of women, discriminatory implementation of laws and regulations, inefficient use of macro structure strategies, reduction of organizational efficiency, reduction of organizational commitment, and reduction of organizational productivity. According to the findings, the gender gap is influenced by various factors, but these factors are formed in interaction with discriminatory perceptions and lack of organizational support for women.
 
Result
One of the most important concerns raised by the participants as an effective causal factor is injustice in organizational promotion. From the point of view of women, it is possible to help lay the groundwork for their promotion through the identification of talented women and the increase of women's participation in administrative missions. Additionally, scoring based on people's competencies and performance and evaluation based on capabilities can lead to the improvement of promotion processes. On the other hand, the issue of perceived discrimination in salaries and wages (overtime and missions, etc.) has created concerns for women, which can be addressed by establishing justice in the compensation and employee bonus systems.
One of the background conditions affecting the gender gap is the problems of women's personal lives. From the point of view of women, proving their abilities in the workplace and following the example of successful female managers can help them deeply believe in their multifaceted talents and abilities. In addition, weakness in society's culture and organizational culture is one of the intervening factors that affects the formation of the gender gap. From the point of view of women, this can be addressed through the reformation of family culture and societal norms.
The most important consequences of the gender gap are the reduction of organizational efficiency, reduction of organizational commitment, and reduction of organizational productivity. According to the participants, believing in women's abilities and creating opportunities for action can help create opportunities for women and improve organizational efficiency, commitment, and performance. Finally, the category that best analyzes the process of women's understanding and interpretation of the gender gap in Iran's National Gas Company is "lack of organizational support for women," which was considered the central category.
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