NCJ Number
59122
Journal
Industrial and Labor Relations Review Volume: 32 Issue: 1 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 15-23
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
POSSIBLE DISCRIMINATION IN RECRUITMENT IS INVESTIGATED IN THIS STUDY THAT ANALYZES VARIATIONS IN RESPONSES OF 207 COMPANIES TO UNSOLICITED RESUMES.
Abstract
THE STUDY FOCUSES EXCLUSIVELY ON DISCRIMINATION IN RECRUITMENT, A CRUCIAL STAGE IN THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS. IT ASKS TWO QUESTIONS: (1) DO COMPANIES WITH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MINORITIES IN THEIR RECRUITMENT PRACTICES? (2) IS THERE ANY VALIDITY TO THE CLAIM THAT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PRESSURES HAVE RESULTED IN REVERSE DISCRIMINATION? IN THIS STUDY QUALIFICATIONS AND RACE OF THE FICTITIOUS APPLICANTS WERE MANIPULATED ON RESUMES SENT TO A RANDOM SAMPLE OF COMPANIES WITH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS. RESPONSE BY THE COMPANIES TO THESE RESUMES WERE THEN USED TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS ON THE RECRUITMENT OF MINORITIES. EACH OF THE 207 COMPANIES RECEIVED 2 RESUMES, ONE FROM A FICTITIOUS BLACK APPLICANT AND ONE FROM A FICTITIOUS WHITE. EACH APPLICANT WAS PORTRAYED AS APPROXIMATELY 23 YEARS OLD, WITH FULL-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE AND UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM ENROLLMENT. FOUR FACTORS WERE MANIPULATED TO ASSESS THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF RECRUITMENT: RACE, GEOGRAPHIC REGION, COMPANY SIZE, AND APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA INDICATED THAT BLACK APPLICANTS WERE FAVORED SLIGHTLY MORE OFTEN THAN WHITES. DIFFERENCES WERE MORE PRONOUNCED IN LARGE COMPANIES. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS OF COMPANIES DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR ANY VARIATION IN RESPONSES TO THE TWO RESUMES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)