Abstract
This article, based on interviews from the Dutch Pathways to Success Project, investigates how Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch second-generation professionals in leadership positions experience and deal with subtle discrimination at work. We argue that subtle discrimination in organizations remains a reality for second-generation professionals in leadership positions. Because organizations are penetrated by power processes in society at large, these professionals are perceived not only on the basis of their position within the organization, but also on the basis of their marginalized ethnic group background. We show this through the existence of subtle discriminatory practices at three organizational levels—that of supervisors, same-level colleagues and subordinates—which may take place at one or more of these levels. When dealing with subtle discrimination, Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch second-generation professionals in leadership positions show an awareness of organizational power and hierarchies. This awareness amounts to various forms of “micro-emancipation” by the second generation—adapted to the organizational level (supervisors, same-level colleagues and subordinates) they are dealing with—that question and challenge subtle discrimination in organizations.
Highlights
In March 2015, the Dutch Prime Minister stated in a newspaper article that labour market discrimination in the Netherlands exists, but that he could do nothing about it on a structural level (Metro, 2015)
We will firstly argue that hegemonic, “hidden” power plays a role in understanding how experiences with subtle discrimination continue to be a reality for the second generation in leadership positions from the Pathways to Success Project
We will indicate how dealing with these experiences takes into account the more “open”, hierarchic power dynamics that are present in organizational hierarchies
Summary
In March 2015, the Dutch Prime Minister stated in a newspaper article that labour market discrimination in the Netherlands exists, but that he could do nothing about it on a structural level (Metro, 2015). In order to do so, we will focus on the Pathways to Success Project (PSP) interviews with second-generation professionals with a Turkish or Moroccan background, working in leadership positions They can be seen as the active “gogetters” the Dutch Prime Minister envisions, as they seem to be successfully climbing the corporate ladder. We pose the following research question: How do Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch second-generation professionals working in leadership positions experience and deal with subtle discrimination in different organizational relationships—such as with supervisors, co-managers and subordinates—within an organization?. It is due to characteristics of the Dutch context, whereby organizations may be penetrated by power processes in society at large through which ethnic minorities can be marginalized This penetration may contribute to an organizational climate in which TurkishDutch and Moroccan-Dutch second-generation professionals still face discrimination in the workplace even though they have climbed the corporate ladder into leadership positions. We will provide an answer to the central question posed in this article
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
