Discrimination in Business

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JobJob

discriminatidiscriminati

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Discrimination the wrongful act ofDiscrimination the wrongful act of

distinguishing illicitly among peopledistinguishing illicitly among people

not on the basis of individual merit,not on the basis of individual merit,

but on the basis of prejudice or somebut on the basis of prejudice or some

other invidious or morallyother invidious or morally

reprehensible attitude.reprehensible attitude.

E.g. employment discrimination inE.g. employment discrimination in

US-US-

religious groups Jews & Catholicsreligious groups Jews & Catholics

ethnic groups Italians, Poles & Irishethnic groups Italians, Poles & Irish


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Forms of discriminationForms of discrimination

Isolated behavior (intentional)- maleIsolated behavior (intentional)- male

interviewer preferring womeninterviewer preferring women

candidatescandidates

Routine behaviorRoutine behavior

Isolated behavior (unintentional)-Isolated behavior (unintentional)-

individual unthinkingly adoptsindividual unthinkingly adopts

traditional practices & stereotypestraditional practices & stereotypes

Systematic routine of org toSystematic routine of org to

discriminate against women ordiscriminate against women or

minoritiesminorities


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Affirmative action program Affirmative action

program

A program designed to ensure theA program designed to ensure the

proportion of minorities within an orgproportion of minorities within an org

matches their proportion in thematches their proportion in theavailable workforceavailable workforce


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Discrimination & LawDiscrimination & Law

Civil rights Act of 1964 made it illegal toCivil rights Act of 1964 made it illegal tomake it hiring, firing, or compensationmake it hiring, firing, or compensationdecisions on the basis of race, color,decisions on the basis of race, color,religion, sex, or national originreligion, sex, or national origin

Executive order 11246 required cosExecutive order 11246 required cosdoing business with the federal govt. to todoing business with the federal govt. to totake steps to redress racial imbalance intake steps to redress racial imbalance in

workforceworkforce

Equal Employment Opportunity Act ofEqual Employment Opportunity Act of1972 gave EEOC increased power to1972 gave EEOC increased power tocombat underutilization & to requirecombat underutilization & to require

affirmative action programsaffirmative action programs


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Extent of discriminationExtent of discrimination

Average benefitsAverage benefits

Placing discriminated groups atPlacing discriminated groups atlowest levels of institutionslowest levels of institutions

More advantageous positions toMore advantageous positions to

preferred onespreferred ones


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Discrimination in US Discrimination in US

(i)(i) The income gap b/w Whites & minoritiesThe income gap b/w Whites & minorities

has not decreasedhas not decreased

(ii)(ii) Large Y inequalities based on sex existLarge Y inequalities based on sex exist

(iii)(iii) Black unemployment is more than twiceBlack unemployment is more than twice

as high as Whitesas high as Whites(iv)(iv) Minority poverty rate is 2-3 times ofMinority poverty rate is 2-3 times of

WhitesWhites

(v)(v) Poverty rate of families headed byPoverty rate of families headed bywomen is 3 times that of male headedwomen is 3 times that of male headed

onesones

(vi)(vi) Most higher-paying jobs go to whiteMost higher-paying jobs go to white

malesmales


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Glass ceiling an invisible, butGlass ceiling an invisible, but

impenetrable barrier to furtherimpenetrable barrier to furtherpromotion sometimes encounteredpromotion sometimes encounteredby women or minoritiesby women or minorities

Increasing problems for women &Increasing problems for women &

minorities minorities (i)(i) Women & minorities make up mostWomen & minorities make up most

new workersnew workers

(ii)(ii) Women are steered into low-payingWomen are steered into low-payingjobs & face a glass ceiling & sexualjobs & face a glass ceiling & sexualharassmentharassment


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Utilitarian arguments which claimsUtilitarian arguments which claims

that discrimination leads to anthat discrimination leads to aninefficient use of human resourcesinefficient use of human resources

Rights arguments violates basicRights arguments violates basic

human rightshuman rightsJustice arguments which claims thatJustice arguments which claims that

discrimination results in an unjustdiscrimination results in an unjust

distribution of societys benefits &distribution of societys benefits &burdensburdens


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UtilityUtility

Discriminating job applicants on the basisDiscriminating job applicants on the basisof race, sex, or other characteristicsof race, sex, or other characteristicsunrelated to job performance isunrelated to job performance isnecessarily inefficient & contrary tonecessarily inefficient & contrary toutilitarian principlesutilitarian principles

Objections encountered:Objections encountered:

(i)(i) The jobs shud be assigned on the basis ofThe jobs shud be assigned on the basis of

job related qualifications only so long asjob related qualifications only so long assuch assignments will advance the publicsuch assignments will advance the publicwelfarewelfare

(ii)(ii) Society as a whole may benefit fromSociety as a whole may benefit from

some forms of sexual discriminationsome forms of sexual discrimination


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RightsRights

Discriminatory practices violate theDiscriminatory practices violate the

principle in two ways :principle in two ways :

(i)(i)

Racial & sexual discrimination isRacial & sexual discrimination is

based on stereotypes that seebased on stereotypes that see

minorities as lazy or shiftless &minorities as lazy or shiftless &

women as emotional & weak.women as emotional & weak.

(ii)(ii) Placing members at lower positions,Placing members at lower positions,

lower salaries & lower joblower salaries & lower job

opportunitiesopportunities


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JusticeJustice

Principle of equal opportunity socialPrinciple of equal opportunity social

& economic inequalities are to be& economic inequalities are to be

arranged so that they are attachedarranged so that they are attached

to offices & positions open to allto offices & positions open to all

under conditions of fair equality ofunder conditions of fair equality of

opportunityopportunity


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Discriminating practicesDiscriminating practices

Recruitment practices word of mouthRecruitment practices word of mouthreferrals, only White males, for MEN onlyreferrals, only White males, for MEN only

Screening practices disqualifyingScreening practices disqualifying

minority class who are unfamiliar with theminority class who are unfamiliar with thelanguage, concepts & social situations inlanguage, concepts & social situations inthe aptitude & intelligence teststhe aptitude & intelligence tests

Promotion practicesPromotion practices

Conditions of employment less wages &Conditions of employment less wages &salaries to women & minorities, providingsalaries to women & minorities, providingsecretarial or clerical positions only, lesssecretarial or clerical positions only, lessbenefitsbenefits


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Sexual harassmentSexual harassment

Discrimination in Business

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