Equal Opportunity,
Discrimination and
Affirmative Action
A
Inequalities
• Inequalities are defined as “uneven distribution in the endowment and/or access
to financial and non-financial resources in a society, which manifests in differential
abilities and opportunities to engage in value creation, appropriation, and
distribution” (Bapuji et al. 2020, p. 64).
• Individuals might be discriminated based on their caste, disability, religion, race,
economic status, and sexual orientation are generally associated with invisible
inequalities (Bapuji & Chrispal, 2020; Chen, Chittor & Vissa, 2015; Damaraju &
Makhija, 2018; Santuzzi, & Waltz, 2016).
• According to WHO, employed men with disabilities are 52.8% compared with men
without disability 64.9%, and women with disabilities are 19.6% compared with
women without disabilities 29.9% (WHO, 2011).
• This data shows a clear inequality in employment opportunities for PWD (Ameri, et
al. 2020).
Professor Hari Bapuji’s
research
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-
NbPm17nUk
• Bapuji H, Ertug G, Soundararajan V & Shaw J. 2023. Invisible Inequalities:
Barriers, Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of Management
• https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/cisco-systems-inc-caste-conundrum-
regarding-diversity-and-inclusion/01t5c00000D4nfXAAR
Intrinsic Worth & Dignity of an Individual
• Every human being has:
– has Intrinsic Worth & Dignity
• Provided framework for
policy development and
Governance
– Moral foundation for ethics
• Equal Opportunity, Discrimination
and Affirmative Action and Ethics
is as much of a philosophical
problem as it is a business
problem.
What are the roots of
discrimination?
Need policies
Workplace Equity
Policies and practices that ensure that employees
are treated fairly and are afforded equal rights and
equal opportunities.
Workplace Diversity
A philosophy that recognises and respects
individual differences and sees inclusiveness as a
positive.
Blatant Discrimination
• Blatant racism has been on the decline
– Aversive racism has replaced it
– less overt than “old fashioned” racism
– ambivalent, conflicted feelings about race
– less appearance of being racist, but racism still
evident under certain conditions
• Aversive racism
– A ‘modern’ kind of prejudice held by people who
do not consider themselves prejudiced and who
would find any accusation of being prejudiced
aversive, but who nevertheless harbor some
negative beliefs and hostile feelings toward
members of minority groups.
• Aversive racists consider themselves
unprejudiced but harbor some negative
believes or feelings toward minority groups.
Blatant vs subtle
Blatant subtle
• based on strong negative • absence of positive feelings
emotions about minority racial groups
• overtly express norm • covertly express socially
breaking views against acceptable anti-minority
minorities views
Subtle..
• US study, pairs of college graduates with
identical resumes applied for entry level
positions
• Half white, half African American
• Within each group, half admitted to having
served 18 months in prison for cocaine
possession.
• Who was called back for an interview?
• ‘Clean’ whites were called back twice as often
as blacks
• White convicts were even called back more
than ‘clean’ blacks!
• Skin colour still outweighs character
Sexism: Prejudice and Discrimination
Against Women
• Like racism, modern sexism has changed from
its “old fashioned” form
– today, a perception that women are not
disadvantaged, coupled with antagonism toward
perceived demands for special treatment
• benevolent sexism and hostile sexism
§ Benevolent sexism and hostile sexism (Glick & Fiske,
1996).
§ Benevolent - this is where men tend to have
positive attitudes towards women, but believe
that they need to be protected.
§ Hostile - mostly associated with negative attitudes
some men have towards women. Women are not
as capable as men, should only be housewives etc.
Reducing
Discrimination
• Anti-discrimination legislation
– norms against discrimination
– legislation may propel internalization of norms
Dimensions of Equity and Diversity
Policy
Social
Ethics
Justice
Legal Business
Compliance Equity Needs
and
Diversity
Purposes of Policy
• To articulate the organisation’s commitment to equity
and diversity.
• To demonstrate how the organisation will promote that
commitment.
• To show how the organisation will enact the values it
espouses.
• To protect the organisation from litigation and/or
prosecution for breaches of anti-discrimination
legislation.
• To underpin an organisational culture that values
inclusiveness.
Training
• Equity and diversity training helps organisations
to demonstrate tat they are taking reasonable
steps to ensure that the workplace is free from
discrimination.
• Policy should outline the training provided, who
should attend and whether or not it is mandatory:
– Cultural awareness training
– Management training (eg managing diverse
work teams)
Affirmative Action
• “Affirmative action” means positive steps
taken to increase the representation of
women and minorities in areas of
employment, education, and business from
which they have been historically excluded.
• E.g. Job preferences for women, minority
people etc
Affirmative Action
• Affirmative action is the term used to describe
policies and programs designed to address
inequities. These might include:
– Recruitment campaigns targeting people from
specific groups or socioeconomic backgrounds.
Reporting and Accountability
• An effective equity and diversity policy should
outline the various measurement criteria and
accountability mechanisms that the organisation
uses to monitor and promote fairness and
inclusiveness.
• Policies should also outline specific targets.
Target-setting focuses attention on key measures
and provides a basis for accountability.
Dr Martin Luther King
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHc3FY9i
l1s
Thank You
