Enhancing Organizational Productivity through Gender Diversity in the Aviation Sector: Asaba International Airport and Stakeholders in Perspective State

Abstract

This study examined how gender diversity enhances organizational productivity in the aviation sector, with specific focus on Asaba International Airport and key stakeholders in Delta State. The objectives were to: examine the effect of workforce composition on organizational productivity; ascertain the effect of gender pay equity on productivity; and determine the effect of equal opportunity for career advancement on organizational productivity. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to a sample of 228 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that workforce composition has a significant positive effect on organizational productivity (β = 0.412, t = 6.287, p < 0.05), indicating that a balanced gender workforce enhances operational efficiency and innovation. Gender pay equity also showed a strong and significant relationship with productivity (r = 0.538, p < 0.05; β = 0.365, t = 5.104, p < 0.05), suggesting that fair compensation improves employee motivation and performance. Furthermore, equal opportunity for career advancement was found to significantly influence productivity (β = 0.447, t = 6.912, p < 0.05), highlighting the importance of merit-based promotion systems. The overall model was statistically significant (F = 56.783, p < 0.05) with an adjusted R² of 0.593, indicating that gender diversity variables explained 59.3% of the variation in organizational productivity. The study concluded that gender diversity is a critical driver of organizational productivity in the aviation sector. It recommended that aviation organizations adopt inclusive recruitment strategies, enforce pay equity policies, and establish transparent career advancement frameworks. The study contributes to knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the linkage between gender diversity dimensions and productivity within a developing economy’s aviation sector, thereby extending existing literature in human resource management and organizational behavior.