Affirmative action in the workplace program or action plan is a tool of management designed to make sure there is an equal opportunity for employment for all. Primarily, affirmative action was designed to end unfair treatment and discrimination of anyone based on color, but it in effect, it has done the opposite. In this paper, we will examine the research evidence on the benefits and costs of. Benefits of diversity diversity achieved through racesensitive admissions poli cies has produced several positive effects. Arguments against raceconscious policies are shrouded in the language of equality and meritocracy the belief that individuals should just pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Although affirmative action programs for minority students form just one of. Understanding affirmative action 589 ethnicity or race as equal in historical importance to other dimensions of diversity such as social class. The roots of affirmative action in employment lie in a set of executive orders issued by u. The economic and societal advantages of affirmative action ihep. What are the advantages and disadvantages of affirmative. Affirmative action in south africa repository home.
Jun 08, 2015 8 prevailing advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action navajocodetalkersadmin on june 8, 2015 6. Pdf on jan 1, 2010, rulof burger and others published affirmative action in south africa. I believe affirmative action does create an unfair advantage. Affirmative action compliance the management advantage, inc. What is an advantage of affirmative action in the workplace. Truesdell, sphr president the management advantage, inc. For instance, eva paterson, executive director of the lawyers committee for civil rights, was a beneficiary of affirmative action, and is today one of the main supports of equal educational opportunities.
This option is usually reserved for specific minority demographics that suffered discrimination in previous generations. Affirmative action programmes mustbeintegrated withotherhumanresource management anddevelopment practices, especially themanagement ofdiversity. The economic impact of affirmative action in the us harry j. Affirmative action is a program that was designed to promote educational and vocational access for underprivileged minority groups. Affirmative action policies in south africa and other countries have been designed to address inequity and discrimination, and to manage a wide range of diversity in all spheres of life, particularly after the end of apartheid in 1994. Affirmative action stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. The advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action will continue to spark a passionate debate on both sides of the question. How affirmative action benefits white students its important to consider all the reasons students are selected to be a part of incoming classes at certain universities. Affirmative action refers to a set of practices undertaken by employers, university. Affirmative action is one of the most controversial and important social policy decisions adopted by the united states in the past decades. Affirmative action laws help to further protect people that may be targeted by increasing the actions that are taken against the abuser. Pro and anti affirmative action proponents remain passionate in their convictions, and the very existence of racial differences creates tensions not necessarily conflict under the best of conditions.
When those steps involve preferential selectionselection on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicityaffirmative action generates intense. These are the advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action in the workplace to consider. This landmark decision opened the door to a more culturally diverse learning environment through desegregation in 17 states. Introduction the year 2009 marked 10 years since south africas affirmative action aa legislation of 1998 took effect. Affirmative action, both for its intended beneficiaries and for society more broadly. It is thus opportune to take stock, not only of the. Minorities who benefit from affirmative action often have weaker credentials, but there is fairly little solid evidence that their labor market performance is weaker. This may result to employers highly unqualified employees which will affect productivity and the economy at large. As time went on, this became more and more blurred. Therefore, the position i am taking is that affirmative action is ethically and morally good.
She concludes that racebased affirmative action gives unfair advantage to middleclass african americans who dont need it, while lowincome youth of all races do. Its purpose is to provide equal opportunities for members of minority groups and women in education and employment. The practice of affirmative action equalizes local socioeconomics. The legal justification for affirmative action 22 3. The ongoing affirmative action debate is a clear example. Opportunity according to legal scholar randall kennedy, the primary purpose of affirmative action in the workplace is to ensure that different folks have the same opportunity for employment as anybody else. Affirmative action is a lightning rod in the debate about how to achieve equal. Affirmative action are installed only to regret the failure on the behalf of the state to ensure equality and justice to the people irrespective of the racial, sexual, ethnic and religious divisions, therefore the affirmative action has diluted the heavily concentrated ethnic and racial vigor, and has subdue the negative fallout of such practices. Executive order 10925 issued in 1961 introduced the phrase affirmative action, encouraging employers to take action to ensure nondiscrimination. Smith mgt434 october 28, 20 thomas affirmative action affirmative action is an action that was purposefully designed to provide full and equal opportunities for employment and education for women, minorities, and other individuals belonging to disadvantaged groups. It tends to put an end to discrimination and unfair treatment to studentsemployees on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, or national origin, while in reality, the opposite takes place.
Affirmative action yields many positive advantages for a workplace such as increasing opportunity, diversity, creativity and productivity. Affirmative action is a process or strategy implemented by the organisation to overcome barriers to equal employment opportunity, through a broad variety of activities relating to, inter alia, selection and recruitment, development and. More eduction opportunities colleges are given extra incentives, such as tax breaks or funding, for having a higher percentage of minority students attending. The purpose of this paper is to argue that affirmative action is not reverse discrimination, but simply a policy to contribute to diversity in the workforce as a matter of distributive justice to the diverse groups in society. The advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action show us that promoting diversity can be good, but it should not happen at the expense of others. Some argue that affirmative action policies create an opportunity for fraud, by encouraging nonpreferred groups to designate themselves as members of preferred groups that is, members of groups that benefit from affirmative action in order to take advantage of group preference policies. Sep 01, 2012 the affirmative action time line goes on and on, however, affirmative action does not fix past racial issues, it leaves issues unfixed causing a present effect on past discrimination. Affirmative action means positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and culture from which they have been historically excluded. Johnsons executive order 11246 in 1965 as a way to remedy historic and continuing discrimination. In some circumstances, a program like affirmative action could promote needed diversity. Jun 07, 2005 without affirmative action the number of africanamerican and hispanic students going to elite us universities would plummet with little bearing on the number of white applicants, according to. For example, in a situation where a company is seeking to employ a suitable candidate that may not be necessarily meet the criteria that is required.
Pdf affirmative action is a controversial and often poorly. Advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action essay. Columbia university law professor kimberle crenshaw explained in her 2006 essay framing affirmative action why looking at black people as the face. Participation affirmative action programmes must be developed with the active participation of.
Sep 01, 2015 there is a lot of debate on that subject, even though the media coverage is usually pretty onesided. Ensures diversity the united states was built on diversity and acceptance. List of the advantages of affirmative action in the workplace. Actually, we still need affirmative action for african. Nov 22, 2019 these are the advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action in the workplace to consider. Affirmative action affirmative action was established by thenpresident lyndon b. Affirmative action programmes must focus on steps which optimise the public services human and financial resources. Supreme court fundamentally changed education in america by declaring that segregation is inherently unequal. Without affirmative action the number of africanamerican and hispanic students going to elite us universities would plummet with little bearing on the number of white applicants, according to. Policy and legal compliance diversity best practices. Research shows benefits of affirmative action education. This is probably the most significant advantage of introducing affirmative action. Essay on advantages and disadvantages of affirmative action.
First, it allows white people to erroneously believe that people of color have been hired solely on the basis of race and that they are not. It has been and will continue to be a popular subject for opinion writing and research papers alike. Years after implementing affirmative action in south africa, perceptions of its impact or even. Affirmative action is an outcome of the 1960s civil rights movement. Affirmative action has two other disadvantages as well. Through the order, johnsons goal was to create not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result. The whole idea of this action is that over time there shall be no discrimination whatsoever based on gender, race, ethnic profiles, etc. Communication the purpose of affirmative action policies and programmes must be fully communicated to all public servants. White people who are more qualified and are working harder can be passed over strictly because of their color. Do you approve or disapprove of affirmative action admissions programs at. While affirmative action has benefitted minorities, in the first two decades of affirmative action, white women saw more development in their careers than any other racial and gender group. The affirmative action laws are meant to ensure that the country stays diverse and tolerant of all people, no matter what their gender, race, or sexual orientation may be.
When affirmative action is practiced in the workplace, it creates more equality within the community. There are various disadvantages of affirmative action. Raceconscious affirmative action policies in higher education have existed since the early 1960s. The question asked today is, is affirmative action still necessary today in the united states of america. In the past, there was a lot of discrimination in the american place of work where minorities and women were all kept out of any wellpaying and prestigious jobs. The history of affirmative action is controversial and complex. It grows out of our strategic plan, du impact 2025, and our commitment to educate. History of affirmative action in education infographic. The benefits of affirmative action in employment, then, are. A visionary campus framework plan and multiphase construction effort designed to fuel the collaborative relationships proven to help students succeed, now and throughout their lives. Understanding affirmative action diversity university of california.
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