Diversity Vs. Affirmative Action

Nicole Barde, a network manager for Intel Corporation, says, “We view diversity as one of our major competitive advantage, It allows us to understand global markets and the need of our customers.” (Shaw & Barry, 2013, pg. 557). Today, four-fifths of those entering the workforce are either a minority or immigrants. Affirmative action allows corporations to benefit from a diverse pool of talent that they can recruit from. With the number of minorities in this country increasing, with the globalization of our corporate environment, it stands to reason that the future of Corporate America will be a diverse one.

Companies and educational institutions greatly benefit from the guidelines of affirmative action because they profit from the different ideas, work styles, and contributions unique to each diverse individual. As quoted in Paul Connors’s compilation, Affirmative Action, President of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, addresses the importance of a diverse educational system by stating, “The experience of arriving on a campus to live and study with classmates from a diverse range of backgrounds is essential to students' training for this new world, nurturing in them an instinct to reach out instead of clinging to the comforts of what seems natural or familiar” (12-13). A statement by Southeastern Oklahoma State University further supports the idea that success in modern day society stems from diversity saying, “Our country is strong because of the rich diversity of our culture, not in spite of it” (Affirmative Action).

Coupled with previous information on why Affirmative Action policies can help promote diversity and give minorities improved opportunities overall is a statement from former Secretary of the United States Condoleezza Rice. Rice emphasized on how Affirmative Action has given her the perfect opportunity to prove herself in academics, in a time and place where African-American women were not taken seriously. Rice goes on to say that “I myself am a beneficiary of a Stanford strategy that took Affirmative Action seriously.”(Rice) Given the opportunity Rice excelled in academics especially in government where she rose up the rank and became Secretary of State under the Bush administration. Even President Barrack Obama excelled at an intuition that used Affirmative Action to propel qualified minority applicants. Comparatively these reasons alone help identify how Affirmative Action plays a key role in giving opportunities to

Regardless of how diversity is defined, it is an issue that is sweeping the nation. By the 21st century, racial and ethnic minorities will constitute 25% of the U.S. population, affecting the makeup of the U.S. labor force (7). By the year 2000, women will constitute 47% of the total workforce and the average age of the workforce is expected to increase from 36 in 1986 to age 39 (7). If the corporate society does not address the issue by learning how to manage diversity, they will fail.

Diversity is discrimination based on race and ethnicity. Whether in admissions or hiring, its purpose and effect is the selection of individuals who would not have been selected but for their race or ethnicity. And that means, inescapably, that an equal number of others were not selected because of their race or ethnicity.

Diversity is a wonderful asset to an organization and brings with it many benefits. Employees bring in their own personal experiences and knowledge to the team (Burns & Kerby, 2012). Having diverse teams allows for the possibility to fix a problem or perfect a process by using different employee’s experiences and past knowledge to find solutions. A diverse workforce can drive economic growth and capture a greater share of the consumer market (Burns & Kerby, 2012). With diversity as a core value, the recruitment pool is widened to find the most qualified candidate and reduces employee turnover as a result. An organization can be highly competitive with a diversity initiative by adapting to a changing environment (Burns & Kerby, 2012).

The general line of reasoning is that if we learn to incorporate each other’s diverse traits and characteristics in the workplace, we can then use these differences to foster an innovative environment, which will give the company a competitive advantage over the competitors that do not accept workforce diversity. According to the Allied Academies International Conference, “Diversity is rapidly becoming a common practice among companies due to the increasing number of minorities entering the job market today. As these groups become more prevalent throughout companies, upper-level employees are facing numerous challenges when determining what changes must take place to create a positive working environment for everyone. Management is responsible for the development and implementation of effective policies directly relating to diversity to ensure the acceptance of minorities into the workplace and to aid in minorities’ success through equal opportunities and treatment.” (Marcia L. James, 2001, Academy for Studies in International Business Proceedings)

The term "Affirmative Action" originated in the United States and first referenced when President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925 on March 6, 1961 (Infoplease 2000-2007). The term was used in the Order to mandate federal employers to take affirmative action to ensure employment practices are free from racial discrimination against minority groups. Executive Order 10925 increased diversity between minorities and whites but was not enforced until four years later under Executive Order 11246, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act has since been expanded several times to prohibit discrimination and influenced implementation of other acts, such as The

In the present day a combination of diversity and affirmative actions have created equal opportunities for people of all races and genders to be accepted and respected in the workplace. The goal with diversity is to have acceptance of minorities by combining all different cultures in the workplace. The way that many people have been accepted through diversity is because more people are becoming aware of the great value behind it each and everyday. On the other hand, affirmative action plans purpose is to recruit women, minorities, and disabled veterans. Affirmative action is used so that the wrongs that were done in the past can be amended in the present. More women, minorities, and disabled veterans are being hired on a daily basis because

Affirmative action and diversity are two sides of the same coin, different but similar. The former can be described as when “leadership commits the organization to hiring and advancing minorities and women” whereas the latter is when “leadership creates an organizational culture that allows all members, minorities and women included, to reach their full potential” (Schermerhorn, 2012, p. 305). Affirmative action is the law in the United States, whereas diversity and diversity management are concepts that modern workplaces have adopted to continue the idea of affirmative action in all aspects of business, not just in recruiting and hiring. Affirmative action laws are designed to correct discriminatory hiring practices from the past, intended “for the organizational workforce to reflect the percentage of targeted groups represented in the segments of the labor force from which it recruits workers" (Combs, 2005, p. 346). Diversity management, by contrast, is intended to maintain a diverse workforce from recruiting, to hire, through promotional opportunities; essentially, for the full life cycle of the employee.

The beginning of colleges and universities in the United States dates back to Harvard University founded in 1636. In more prestigious schools, only people at the top of their class and the highest achievers would be accepted. As time progressed, these elite schools would grow a reputation for birthing people that would go on to achieve great things. Later in the 20th century, more rights had been given to minorities such as blacks. This would lead to the creation of affirmative action, which colleges, universities, and workplaces started to implement. Affirmative action is controversial because it can be against the Constitution in some cases, and others can be accepted by court. Overall, affirmative action can increase diversity in colleges

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. This paper will assess the rudiments of Affirmative Action as it applies to public and private sector employers. The paper will also evaluate what employers are subject to affirmative action plans, what the plans require employers to do, and what happens if employers do not meet the objectives of the affirmative action plan.

Organizations who make a commitment to diversity can see a significant impact on business in many ways. Diversity “requires a significant commitment for change to occur” (Delong, 2007, p.9). It is extremely important that leaders understand the commitment and embrace it in order for a positive impact to occur. Employers with diverse cultures and leaders can build positive and successful relationships with customers, suppliers and vendors. They can better attract and retain top talent. All of these equal more financial gain for the company.

The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult. In the U.S., where the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word “diversity” can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, yet they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.

Diversity is what makes people different, not just culturally but in human differences. Having a multitude of differences in the workforce gives an organization the ability to use many ideas to reach a common goal. A person could say that a diverse group of people together in one room can accomplish greater achievements than a room filled with the same types of individuals. Managers understand the concept of diversity, and how important diversity is to the success of a company’s ability to implement programs that continue to develop a harmonious and diverse workplace. The recognition that diversity is a reality in the workforce has generated an enormous amount of activity over the years among leaders in business, government, and civil