In many countries, companies hire more men than women for certain positions. Some people believe that employers should be required to recruit equal numbers of men and women in every field. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In many countries, companies hire more men than women for certain positions. Some people believe that employers should be required to recruit equal numbers of men and women in every field. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The great public discourse of contemporary times is aligned with the  issue of whether gender bias should be relinquished while  hiring personnel because many businesses still resort to selecting more men compared to women. I strongly feel that employment  should be afforded on the basis of abilities rather than sex-based selection. 

A lobby strongly asserts that recruiting an individual should be based on qualification not on gender. One should have essential degrees and certifications to prove their worth to occupy a certain position. If one does not have specific education - whether male or female, they will be unable to do justice to the duties related to the job. As a result, this will create problems for themselves, as well as for employers. 

Additionally, skills should enjoy greater precedence over gender. One with appropriate requisite skills and seasoning  should  be prioritized over the idea of embracing gender-specific or gender-neutral approach: the former hold greater relevance in functions critical to operations. For example, in fields such as robotics and medicine, only profound knowhow and relevant experience can help deal with on-hand problems, and present optimum solutions.

Furthermore, the focus should be on assessing the approach rather than just evaluating a job aspirant on the basis of their sex. Many modern organizations have started shortlisting new entrants on the basis of psychological assessment and psychometric tests, which aid them in evaluating the reactions to challenges, approaches espoused to surmount those, and problem-solving capabilities  of prospective employees, and  in these examinations, they rarely ask for gender descriptions.  

In conclusion, disputes apart, while choosing the candidate, businesses should focus on education, skills and psychological capacities, rather than whether they are males or females. This will truly help in blurring gender differences, and present equitable opportunities to both sexes.

In many countries, large infrastructure projects are increasingly funded and managed by private companies rather than governments. To what extent do you think this is a positive or negative development?

 In many countries, large infrastructure projects are increasingly funded and managed by private companies rather than governments. To what extent do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Pros 

• Fast-tracking of project initiation: private players can arrange money quickly

• They can make modifications and also arrange extra resources in something goes  missing during the project 

• Appropriate use of resources: manpower and material 

• Time bound project: professionals involved are not given an infinite timeline 

• These concerns are exposed to the threat of losses, they innovate and bring improvements

Cons    

• Since private companies invest for profits, their products are generally too expensive and beyond the reach of the masses 

• These entities also sometimes tend to follow malpractices and launch products without testing for their safety. 

It is being observed that private participation in infrastructural development is usurping  government-run endeavours. Although this might present certain challenges like exorbitant access fee, I vehemently feel that it is a favourable evolution owing to affording speed and efficiency. 

This  trend has rendered impetus and competence  to undertakings aimed at the inception, expansion and enhancements of areas, and services, for public use. Privately-owned and run endeavours can be initiated quickly since the planning and funding of such activities do not need to pass through bureaucratic bottlenecks. For example, the redevelopment of harbour at the old port of San Francisco could not be completed even in 15 years, post senate approval, but Hyundai after taking over this assignment, finished the task within 3 years, and made the site operational in 2012, generating commerce and employment for the locals.

Similarly, involvement of private enterprise in such ventures precipitate innovation; these entities seek profits, and to maximise their earnings, they deploy state-of-the-art methods and equipment, alleviating wastage and pilferage, and multiplying yields alongwith/besides the quality of products and services. To corroborate, wherever mobile networks are in the private hands, outages are negligible and users receive excellent service. 

However, those skeptical of this handover alleged that the venues and products laid at disposal by commercial entities might be unaffordable for a majority of consumers, especially the marginalized, because the prices and charges could be beyond reach. Nevertheless, these concerns can be addressed by lawmakers subsidizing such facilities for the poor.

In hindsight, the concerns about over-priced output because of privately-managed infrastructural undertakings can be negotiated through government funding, and let this pattern prevail and proliferate, by virtue of this being extremely rewarding not only in terms of founding new initiatives quickly but also ushering innovative techniques and concepts.