Affirmative Action With Its Limitations Remains An Effective Strategy To Address Discrimination In The Workplace
Submitted by nelsonsa on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
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Affirmative Action With Its Limitations Remains An Effective Strategy To Address Discrimination In The Workplace
After reading "Showing My Color," by Clarence Page, I have a much better understanding of what affirmative action is intended to do. Although I may have had my doubts in the past about whether it was worthwhile or not, I now believe affirmative action, with its limitations, remains an effective strategy to address discrimination in the workplace. However, I can also see how people can easily perceive affirmative action as a disadvantage or does a disservice to the white male population. If a person does not have a clear understanding of what affirmative action is intended to accomplish, it is easy to become annoyed when you feel you have been overlooked because of affirmative action.
Those who oppose affirmative action think that the minorities who get the job should feel bad about it because they think that person must have been less qualified than the white male who normally would have gotten the job (Page, 218). However, nothing in the affirmative action law states that an unqualified minority should be hired over a qualified white male. If affirmative action is properly implemented its main purpose is to widen the pool of qualified candidates who will be considered (Page, 219).
Page points out that women and minorities are increasing in the job market at a faster rate than white males. If companies want to attract the talent from this pool, they will want to make sure their policies on affirmative action are where they need to be. People have a tendency to want to hire those that are most like them, therefore; it is important for corporations to support affirmative action efforts if they want to have a diversified workforce that will enable them to remain competitive. As globalization becomes even more prevalent, it will become increasingly important for companies to maintain a diverse workforce who will be able to stay in tune with the diverse consumer (Page, 232).
I believe if minorities feel affirmative action has a positive...
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