Examining findings from a research study Questioning its implications

1. Individual and Organizational Causes of Discrimination • Examining findings from a research study • Questioning its implications

2. Definition of discrimination • Unequal treatment or behavior toward members of different groups (Stephan & Stephan 02)

3. Measures of discrimination • Differences in • Income • Percent in management & senior executive ranks • Recruiting & retention rates • Hiring rates, performance ratings, promotion rates • Via differential access to social networks, mentoring, training • Percent allocated to same-race supervisors • See also Dear White boss • Self-reported discrimination • Satisfaction • Bystander reports See also Human Rights doc

4. Discrimination Measures used by Brief et al • Rating of Black applicants’ qualifications • Number Black applicants hired

5. One Organizational Factor: Brief et al Study 1 Organizational Directives Discrimination

6. Study 1 • Hypothesis (H): Do all comply with directives? • Finding (F): Yes • Those who received business justification not to hire Black candidates rated Black candidates lower than those who did not receive such justifications

8. Why do all employees comply w/directives? • Organizations provide employees with much needed resources • Employees believe person-organization ‘fit’ arguments • Cohesiveness leads to better functioning • Clients prefer employees of a certain kind

9. Brief et al Study 1 Organizational Directives Discrimination

10. An individual factor: Brief et al Study 2&3 Prejudice Discrimination Stereotype Stephan & Stephan 02 model tested by Brief et al Study 2 & 3

11. Traditional definition of prejudice • Negative attitudes Stephan & Stephan 02 • Evaluations & feelings • E.g., Evaluations: They are bad… • Feelings: I hate..

12. Contemporary manifestations of Prejudice Adding to traditional definitions… • Positive +negative feelings • E.g., sympathy & aversion • Negative feelings + value equality • Negative feelings+ perceived value differences • E.g., in self-reliance New Prejudice Stephan & Stephan 02

13. A type of New Prejudice: New Racism • Endorse equal opportunity values but oppose equal opportunity policies • Believe that… • Blacks do not value self-reliance, self discipline • Racial discrimination no longer exists • Blatant racism is bad • Blacks have moved too fast • Discriminate when justified • E.g., employee-customer match, employee-organization fit

14. One measure of new racism • Modern Racism scale previously validated in other research • Learning Check (from Research Methods): • What does it mean to be validated? • What does it mean to be reliable? • What is the relation between reliability & validity • Example items • Discrimination against Blacks is no longer a problem • Blacks age getting too demanding in their push for equal rights • Over the past few years, Blacks have gotten more economically than they deserve

15. Individual & Organizational Causes Brief et al Study 2 & 3 Prejudice Discrimination Organizational Directives

16. Why do new racists discriminate more? • Non-racists comply even if it conflicts with personal values because they feel obliged to obey authority • New racists comply because it confirms their attitudes and justifies their discriminatory behavior • Is acting in line w/own beliefs stronger than obeying authority?

17. Study 2 • H: Do new racists comply more with directives? • F: Yes, • New racists selected fewer Blacks when they received business reasons not to hire Blacks when compared to those who were non-racists and those who did not receive justifications

19. Implications: Implement Principle Disobedience • Disperse authority • E.g., Immediate line manager & HR are responsible for personnel decisions (see also Cox) • Re-define loyalty of subordinates • Encourage questioning of orders • Encourage dialogue on how to articulate doubts & respond to troublesome orders • Create norm of openness

20. Implications: Establish clear selection criteria? • “Fit” justifications for hiring should • Not be used or • If “fit” is a bona-fide occupational requirement, then it dimensions of fit be clearly articulated • Job-person fit • Person-organization Gladwell New Yorker Article suggests this is not a good strategy

21. Changing criteria for admission • Scores on College entrance exam board/SAT • Indicators of personal, academic, extracurricular, athletic excellence • Reference letters • Personal essays demonstrating leadership aptitude • List of extra curricular activities • Emissaries’ ratings of character • Indicators of background & breeding • Speech, dress, deportment, physical appearance Gladwell article

22. Changing criteria for admission • Success DURING college (e.g., law students) • Success AFTER college (e.g., lawyers) • Personal inner force, personality, athletic ability, social skills, motivation in addition to academic achievement • Be good graduates • Be Generous & loyal as alumni Gladwell article

23. Validity of admission criteria • Are they measured well? • Not as well as academic achievement

24. Validity of admission criteria • Ability to predict salary • Those admitted into both types of schools but chose non-ivy League schools earned the same as those who chose Ivy-league schools • Male athletes with lower SAT scores earn more than peers • Choice of job: high paying financial services • Personality traits competitiveness, determination, outgoingness, team player confidence: measurement issues

25. Validity of admission criteria • Ability to predict job performance • LSATs don’t predict lawyer success • Restriction of range on LSAT scores reduces correlation • LSAT only measure some of the skills needed to become a successful lawyer

26. Conclusions from Gladwell article • Establishing clear criteria is not sufficient • Establishing valid criteria is not sufficient if they result in ‘adverse’ impact • Legal requirement is that if it has adverse impact it should be a job requirement (i.e. valid)

27. Final Conclusions • Individuals and organizations can cause discrimination • Individual=prejudicial attitudes • Organizational • Ability to extract compliance from employees, • Ability to determine & validate criteria for ‘fit’