Gendered communication in optimized customer solutions: A structurational view on anti-discrimination policies

This study will examine how organizational members perceive anti-discrimination policies being enacted within their organization and investigate the role of communication in constructing the meaning of the policy in the organization. This study’s objectives are situated in Optimized Customer Solutions Inc., a private company that distributes consumer goods in the Philippines. Motivated by the Structuration Theory (ST), this study aims to illustrate organizational structures and how they interplay with members’ agency regarding gender bias and organizational anti-discrimination policies. This will be studied through a thematic analysis derived from focus group discussions of members from Optimized Customer Solutions Inc. This study’s findings indicate that the discursive practices of an organization play a role, particularly in how employees perceive the concepts of discrimination and gender biases. It is hoped that data from this investigation will provide a deeper understanding of the interplay between structures and discourses that shape organizational policies.Keywords: Structuration theory, Structures, Agency, Gender bias, Organizational policies