Week 4 Readings To Successfully Complete This Week's Assignm

Week 4 Readings1 To Successfully Complete This Weeks Assignments R

To successfully complete this week's assignments, read the following chapters from the text, Contemporary Social Problems and the Workplace: Chapter Four – The Social Experience of Work. Additionally, read Chapter Two – Trends in Housework from Studies in Social Inequality: Dividing the Domestic: Men, Women, and Household Work in Cross-National Perspective (available in the Ebrary). Also, review the article: Byron, E. (2012, Dec. 5). "A truce in the chore wars --- As men do more housework, women learn to let go; cleaning brands retool." Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from the ProQuest Database.

The assignments include participation in discussions on household work sharing and substance abuse and a statistical analysis task involving a confidence interval for a proportion regarding healthcare policy opinions among small-business owners.

Paper For Above instruction

In contemporary society, the division of household labor remains a significant component of gender roles and social expectations. Although shifting over time, the distribution of housework—especially among dual-income and dual-career families—continues to evoke questions about equality and the underlying societal norms that shape these roles. This paper explores whether an equitable sharing of household chores among such families is likely to be achieved, how perceptions about fairness influence this sharing, and what implications this has for gender equality.

Research indicates that despite increased participation by men in household responsibilities, women often still carry a disproportionate burden. According to the chapter on the social experience of work, traditional gender roles deeply influence the division of domestic labor, and societal expectations tend to reinforce these roles even when economic contributions are equal. Moreover, the article by Byron (2012) highlights that societal and commercial shifts—such as cleaning brand retooling— mirror ongoing negotiations around domestic chores, signaling that these roles are complex and multifaceted.

Whether an equal sharing of household tasks will ever be fully realized among twin-income and dual-career families depends on multiple factors, including cultural norms, individual perceptions of fairness, and institutional policies that support work-life balance. Some scholars argue that true equality remains elusive because societal expectations continue to discourage men from taking on a full share of household responsibilities, despite their increased involvement (Bianchi et al., 2012). Nonetheless, there has been measurable progress: men are participating more in chores traditionally designated for women, partly driven by evolving cultural norms and partly by practical necessity, especially during economic downturns or crises (Craig & Mullan, 2011). However, the reality that women often take on a greater share of household work, owing to perceived gender roles, creates a persistent imbalance (Hochschild & Machung, 2012). This voluntary assumption of responsibility by women stems from social expectations that women should maintain the household, which in turn influences their level of engagement in domestic chores regardless of their work outside the home (Coltrane, 2000).

Furthermore, perceptions of fairness significantly influence the division of labor. When men participate more actively, women may relinquish some control and learn to accept the redistribution of responsibilities, which can either foster equitable sharing or lead to resentment if perceived as unequal (Mattingly & Bianchi, 2014). It is essential for couples to communicate openly about expectations and responsibilities to promote fairness, but societal norms often impede such discussions. For policymakers and organizations aiming to promote gender equality, facilitating workplace policies that support flexible work arrangements and parental leave can initiate cultural shifts that favor more equitable sharing at home (Cockburn & Clark, 2012).

The gendered division of household labor has broader implications for social equality, influencing women's career trajectories, economic independence, and mental health (Bianchi & Milkie, 2010). For example, women who shoulder a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities often experience increased stress and reduced job performance (Greenstein, 1996). Addressing these disparities requires interventions at both societal and individual levels, including promoting gender-neutral norms, changing corporate cultures, and encouraging men's active participation in domestic chores.

Substance Abuse and Job Performance

Substance abuse issues, including alcohol and drug misuse, significantly affect an individual's job performance and career progression. Employees struggling with substance dependency may exhibit decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, higher error rates, and impaired decision-making. As outlined by Greenfield et al. (2010), substance abuse can lead to workplace accidents, conflicts, and a decline in overall morale. Moreover, long-term addiction can result in chronic health problems, further diminishing an employee’s ability to function effectively (Connor et al., 2014).

Employees with substance problems often attempt to cope discreetly through various strategies, including absenteeism, concealment, or seeking help through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). Employers, in turn, can implement support systems such as counseling services, substance abuse education, and policy frameworks that promote mental health and substance misuse treatment. Creating an organizational culture that destigmatizes seeking help is critical to assisting affected employees (Schmidt & Greenfield, 2014). Employers must balance discipline and support, emphasizing confidentiality and providing pathways for recovery, which ultimately benefits organizational productivity and employee well-being (Bunn et al., 2014).

Confidence Interval for Public Opinion on Healthcare Changes

The survey of 560 small-business owners shows that 71% oppose the proposed healthcare policy changes. To estimate the true proportion of business owners who oppose these changes with 99% confidence, we calculate the confidence interval using the formula for a proportion’s confidence interval:

CI = p̂ ± Z*(√(p̂(1 - p̂)/n))

where p̂ is the sample proportion (0.71), n is the sample size (560), and Z* corresponds to the z-score for a 99% confidence level (2.576). Plugging in these values:

Standard Error (SE) = √(0.71 * 0.29 / 560) ≈ √(0.2059 / 560) ≈ √(0.000368) ≈ 0.0192

Margin of Error (ME) = 2.576 * 0.0192 ≈ 0.0494

Therefore, the confidence interval is:

Lower bound: 0.71 - 0.0494 ≈ 0.6606

Upper bound: 0.71 + 0.0494 ≈ 0.7594

Thus, with 99% confidence, between approximately 66.06% and 75.94% of small-business owners oppose the healthcare changes.

References

  • Bianchi, S. M., & Milkie, M. A. (2010). Work and Family in the 21st Century. In E. A. Han & J. E. Côté (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family.
  • Bianchi, S. M., Sayer, L. C., Milkie, M. A., & Robinson, J. P. (2012). Housework: Who Did, Does or Will Do It, and How Much Does It Matter? Social Forces, 91(1), 55–63.
  • Coltrane, S. (2000). Research on Household Labor: Modeling and Measuring the Social Embeddedness of Routine Family Work. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(4), 1208–1233.
  • Cockburn, T., & Clark, E. (2012). Gender Equality in the Workplace. The Journal of Business Ethics, 105(1), 1–12.
  • Greenstein, T. N. (1996). Husbands’ Participation in Household Work. Journal of Marriage and Family, 58(3), 636–652.
  • Greenfield, S. F., Grella, C. E., & Nace, E. (2010). Substance Use Disorders and Employment Outcomes. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 39(3), 278–290.
  • Hochschild, A., & Machung, A. (2012). The Second Shift: Working Families and the Revolution at Home. Penguin Books.
  • Mattingly, M. J., & Bianchi, S. M. (2014). The Changing Scope of Parenthood and Household Work. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(2), 256–272.
  • Schmidt, L., & Greenfield, S. (2014). Supporting Employees with Substance Use Disorders. Organizational Psychology Review, 4(2), 125–139.
  • Byron, E. (2012, December 5). A truce in the chore wars --- As men do more housework, women learn to let go; cleaning brands retool. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from ProQuest Database.

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