Affirmative Action Support in an Organization

A Olu Oyinlade

doi:10.1177/2158244013516156

Abstract

Underpinned by the assumption that people would support affirmative action based on self-interests, and/or when they have high job security not to be threatened by the policy, this study investigated the likelihood that workers would differentially support affirmative action by their demographic attributes. Analyses of three demographic models—social, organizational, and combined(social plus organizational)—were used to determine predictors of support for affirmative action. Findings of the third (combined) model indicated that organizational tenure (an organizational demographic variable) and educational completion (a social demographic variable), respectively, were the two strongest predictors of support for affirmative action. This study suggested that factors of achievement, rather than race-ethnicity or gender, were the strongest predictors of support for affirmative action. This finding may be useful to personnel and human resources leaders in designing programs for employee acceptance of affirmative action programs.

Highlights

The practice and the enforcement of affirmative action (AA) programs have perennially generated debates about the fairness of the policy among the American people (Pincus, 2003)
This study further investigated the likelihood that workers would support AA based on self-interest as members of protected social demographic classes under AA, by analyzing demographic characteristics of protected classes against organizational demographic factors of job security, to identify the set of demographic characteristics that most strongly predict support for AA
All the variables in the model were entered into the regression equation, because each had significantly correlated with support for AA in bivariate correlation analyses

Summary

Introduction

The practice and the enforcement of affirmative action (AA) programs have perennially generated debates about the fairness of the policy among the American people (Pincus, 2003). While many people in the public oppose the policy, many others fervently support it. The continuing disagreement over the policy and its various programs has led to its proscription in seven U.S states (Burns, 2011). Even in states that continue to subscribe to AA, the general public, including workers, differentially support it. One popularly reported reason for the support of the policy, in academic papers, is self-interest or collective interest. People who benefit or expect to benefit from AA are likely to support it, while those who expect to be hurt by the policy will likely oppose it (Bell, Harrison, & McLaughlin, 1997; Bobo & Kluegel, 1993; Kravitz, Stinson, & Mello, 1994; Shteynberg, Leslie, Knight, & Mayer, 2011). This study further investigated the likelihood that workers would support AA based on self-interest as members of protected social demographic classes under AA, by analyzing demographic characteristics of protected classes against organizational demographic factors of job security, to identify the set of demographic characteristics (social or organizational) that most strongly predict support for AA

Methods

Results

Conclusion