Compensation disparities in the realm of retailing are unique because retailing is a female-dominated industry. Retail buyers, vital links between manufacturers and consumers, were the focus of this study. It was hypothesized, based on findings of previous studies, that gender would be significantly related to compensation disparities. Although comparative studies of gender-based compensation issues have traditionally found pay inequities favoring men, this study does not support such findings. Further analysis revealed both position experience and retail experience were significant predictors of compensation. Of all retailing positions, the buying function is the most performance-based. The results suggest that for retail buyers compensation is more strongly based on performance, as opposed to gender.
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