Business Research Powerpoint

Workplace Gender and Racial Bias

Keyashden Beasley

Savannah State University

Introduction, problem statement, and purpose

Introduction

Historically, the rates of participation of Black women in the labor force have been studied. Many studies have found high labor force participation in this category. Despite the high number, Women of color have not reached economic equity with other ethnic and gender groups as they have to bear the burden of gender and racial discrimination in the workplace. The discrimination represents a considerable potential source of problems such as job-related stress and low income compared to their peers. As a result, the discrimination is reflected in other areas such as the inequities, personal and financial advancements.

Workplace discrimination manifests itself in multiple ways that may range from intentional and overt to subtle and ambiguous, as well as from institutional to personal whether through organizational processes, profiling or statistical discrimination. It operates differently in different domains and may cumulate with time across or within domains. Regardless of which form workplace racial and gender discrimination takes, it creates barriers to opportunities and equal treatment and can have negative effects on a range of outcomes. Due to the nature of the problem, historical and ethnographic studies on African American Women provide important textural details about the impact that the practice may have on individuals, organization and the economy. As a result, organizations have implemented policies to prevent discriminatory practices in the workplace against minority groups. Additionally, the current law prohibits discrimination on the basis of a range of characteristics. Due to these changes, there is a need to determine whether workplace discrimination against African-American Women still persists despite the measures available. This research work will make an important contribution to this field by assessing the level of discrimination against women of color in today’s workplace.

Problem statement

Despite evidence that workplace discrimination has significant impacts on the lives of the victims and well as the organizations that allow it, little is known about the level of discrimination following anti-discrimination policies and laws. Additionally, only a few researchers have assessed the level of workplace discrimination against African-American women. A lot of studies aim to explain racial differences in women's employment such as occupational mobility, earnings, and labor force participation rates. Although these studies serve their purposes, they tell us little about the actual level of workplace discrimination or factors that influence it.

Hence, the empirical knowledge about how conditions at work influence job experiences among African American women is inadequate. For example, studies of job conditions such as low decision-making authority, low task variety, high psychological workload, and other well established occupational stressors are primarily based on samples of male workers. Although recent studies have assessed such job characteristics among female and African American employees, very few have distinguished African American female employees from other female or African American male employees.

Purpose

Although African American Women actively participate in the labor market, they have been found to be less likely to occupy jobs that are less secure, pay less and with few benefits compare to those held by White Women (Combs, 2003). There are different job factors that explain these discrepancies. Gender and racial discrimination account for a substantial degree of the discrepancies. However, not much is known about the level of discrimination that exists in today’s workplace. Since discrimination still exists in the workplace, there is a need to investigate the work experiences of African-American Women as compared to other minority groups due to their dual status as both minorities and women. The current study findings on other demographic subgroups cannot necessarily be generalized to African American women.

Literature Review

Workplace discrimination means organizational practices that promote differential treatment on the basis of race that disadvantage a racial group on the basis of inadequately justified factors other than race to disadvantage a racial group. Workplace discrimination against women includes two components, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination. Different studies have examined the topic of racial discrimination in the workplace. A study by Hughes & Dodge (1997) examines the relationship between African American women's exposure to different occupational stressors including racial bias and its impact on job quality (Hughes & Dodge, 1997). Racial bias is often in the form of interpersonal prejudice and institutional discrimination. Findings indicate that interpersonal prejudice and that institutional discrimination were significant predictors of job quality among the participants compared to other occupational stressors such as decision authority, low task variety, poor supervision, and heavy workloads. The study also established that racial bias in the workplace was more likely to be reported by individuals working in predominantly white work organizational settings. Additionally, African-American women who worked in service, unskilled or semiskilled occupations reported substantially more institutional discrimination than interpersonal prejudice, compared to those in managerial, professional, and technical occupations or those in clerical and sales and occupations. The findings are supported by Collins (2004), Ridgeway& Correll, (2004) and Shorter (2004).

The findings of a study by Pew Research Center comprising of 2,300 male and female participants working in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) fields underscore the reality that for individuals in STEM jobs, race and gender are still a barrier to success. The report based on a survey conducted in 2017, 50% of female and 19% of male participants acknowledged to having faced discrimination owing to their gender. 41% of women outside STEM jobs reported gender discrimination by comparison. The most cited discriminatory practices included earning less than other people compared to others in the same position or being passed over for a job or promotion based on their gender (Pew Research Center, 2017). Therefore, for women, the workplace can be a very hostile environment than the one that male co-workers experience. According to Buchanan & Fitzgerald, (2008), discrimination is seen to be more frequent, and gender is more of a barrier than an advantage to career success (Buchanan & Fitzgerald, 2008). The trend continues to be a concern especially among women in male-dominated workplaces. Other studies have uncovered race-based barriers, especially for African Americans women.

Workplace discrimination on African American Women has an influence on different processes on job outcomes. A study by Shorter (2004), examined the experience of between African-American women in different occupations. This group of women reported encountering very intractable and persistent negative race-based stereotypes. Reports to relevant authority are questioned for their credibility. Hence, they lack organizational or institutional support Shorter (2004). Additionally, this group emphasizes the lack of connection with others in the workplace while responding to scrutiny from coworkers about themselves. Race is particularly a difficult topic to discuss in the workplace due to the sensitive nature of the matter stemming from the legacy of slavery, discrimination based on skin color, legally enforced racial segregation. Also, many African-American women perceive their relationships with others as conflicted.

According to Fassinger (2008), challenges are still prevalent in the workplace despite diversity programs. In response to the growing diversity of the workforce in the United States, they have limited benefits for African-American women (Fassinger, 2008). In some organizations, they are opportunities to advance to senior management. Hence, they are ineffective in addressing racism. Intra-organizational pressures affect the implementation of federal laws and guidelines. To effectively address workplace against African-American women, race and sex-appropriate behavior should be reinforced.

Theoretical Framework and Research Hypotheses

Social learning theory as a framework for discrimination research

To effectively measure the extent and existence of racial discrimination of a specific type in different domains, it is important to have a theory of how such discrimination occurs and its impacts. The model then specifies the approach that will be used to support the findings or intervention of social learning theory. Social learning theory suggested by Bandura, (1977) is a prominent theory that describes the interaction between an individual’s experiences, knowledge, the environment in which they operate and the behavior (Crittenden, 2005). This theory posits that a person’s behavior is the result of a learning process that is partly dependent on the support present in the environment, regarded as situational support. Bandura contends that the process is continuous and that outcomes can evolve as different factors of situational support change. By examining the antecedents of compliance from the perspective of social learning theory, a research model that provides a unique framework for understanding workplace discrimination, the influence of the workplace environment on individual outcomes can be formed.

To understand the integrative framework that social learning theory can provide a framework within which to conduct discrimination study, it is important to establish how behavior is acquired in the organizational system. Behavior can be acquired through observation or experience of others. Differential reinforcement of behavior may result in the development of successful modes of behavior for organizational members. Such reinforcement plays different roles. First, it provides information concerning executed behaviors. It also motivates and regulates behavior. Moreover, through learning, individuals develop expectancies about their behavior and its outcomes. For example, observational and direct learning can be used to account for the acquisition of sex-typed behavior (Barclay, 1982).

Despite measures to prevent different types of discrimination in the workplace, there has been little progress. The courts have tightened their definition of discrimination to include only deliberate acts that can be proved as having been motivated by discriminatory intent. This is a very steep burden of defining and proving discrimination can be challenging. On the other hand, many employers do not have an outward motivation to discriminate. However, they do not do enough to prevent or stop the prevalent discrimination from co-workers or organizational processes (Marsick & Watkins, 2015).

This means that workplace managers should not that employees learn acceptable behavior by observing the treatment of others under similar circumstances. Hence, organizational managers should be consistent with their expectations regarding employees’ behavior and not give special treatment to certain individuals. The theory supports the concept that managers should be role models of appropriate behavior. Social learning opportunities created through rewards would assist managers in promoting desired behavior. Similarly, inappropriate social behavior, such as discrimination should be punished uniformly across the workplace to build the correct context to modify behavior. While addressing the issue of African-American discrimination in the workplace is critical, it is important to first identify how the behavior occurs, which forms it takes as well as the impact it has on individuals within this group in order to propose mechanisms to address the problem.

Research Hypotheses

H0: African-American women experience prevalent discrimination in the workplace.

H1: African-American women do not experience prevalent discrimination in the workplace.

Research Methodology

Research design

A qualitative design was employed as the most appropriate for the study of workplace gender and racial bias. Qualitative research design attempts to answer questions analytically and employs defined procedures to collect evidence and produce results (Wiersma & Jurs, 2005). In this context, the use of a qualitative study in investigating the workplace gender and racial bias was appropriate because there is inadequate information on the African-American women discrimination. The qualitative approach was also appropriate because the topic has not been widely investigated using a definite sample of a group of people or healthcare organizations. The design is appropriate where the issue has not been widely addressed.

The choice of the design was also influenced by the research aims and goals. The aim of the study was mainly to determine the level of discrimination experienced by African-American women in the workplace. Therefore, the researcher needed to obtain information from the participant based on their experiences as opposed to conducting a quantitative study aimed at largely authenticating a theory by examining data numerically or conducting an experiment. A quantitative study would not be suitable for the chosen study as the topic under consideration calls for a more inductive strategy. Additionally, the research hypotheses also dictate the research methodology to be employed. As compared to offering a problem that can be generalized to a sample, the study will focus on studying a current problem that is affecting a particular group. Thus the study requires the use of qualitative study methodology. The design influenced the methodology and the process of gathering data. It also influenced data analysis method to be used.

Research Methodology

The research methodology stems from the research design selected for the purpose of this study. Using a survey is the appropriate data collection method that is applicable in underpinning the research work. Further, the study relates to a specific group in organizational settings. Given that the problem only affects a small section of employees, survey approach is appropriate in gathering response from different participants located in diverse geographical locations. Therefore, surveys were selected as the most appropriate in efforts to answer the research questions. Additionally, surveys helped the researcher in obtaining individual’s account of reality, as compared to taking up one general version of reality like a literature review methodology would do.

Data collection tools

Survey questionnaires were utilized as the instruments for data collection. The choice of the technique was informed by different issues. Primarily, the thought that the achievement and validity of a survey rest on the degree to which participants’ view is truly reflected in the study by the researcher (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The researcher first developed a letter of beginning created for the study. The letter was then sent through e-mail to all of the survey participants. The details of the survey were discussed in advance before sending out the e-mails. Survey questions were then sent to participants. The questions were categorized thematically and used for reference during data analysis. With this kind of data collection instrument, it was possible to obtain as much related data as possible due to the in detail answers that will possibly be gathered from participants. Before answering the questions, the purpose of study and questions was explained to the participants.

A survey questions template was developed and then sent to participants. Questionnaires were developed based on the literature review to collate information available pertaining to workplace gender and racial bias. It is an important step in template development as questions will need to accurately measure participant’s experiences, opinions, and behaviors. Questionnaire design was then done as a multistage process that will demand attention to many details. Several steps were involved in questionnaire development. Questionnaires were then administered to respondents. Only open-ended questions were included to allow participants to provide detailed answers to study questions. It was also possible to address a large number of participants. They also had more freedom to express their experiences on their terms. Eventually, the tool gave a chance to produce rich, dependable and proportional qualitative data. In addition, data collected was investigated in a range of ways to arrive at findings.

Participants and sampling technique

50 African-American women were included in the study. The participants were between ages 21-50 years. In addition, all participants were in employment for a period of not less than 2 years. The number of participants reflected a representative sample. The sample size was adequate to avoid being overly representative of a particular group of the target population. The use of purposive sampling in the study was necessary since the researchers focused on a particular characteristic of a population (Palinkas et al., 2015) & (Etikan et al., 2016).The inclusion criteria was based on race, age, occupation, and length of stay in an organization.

Data analysis

Recording, systematizing, and disclosing the process of analysis is an important step in determining whether the process is credible. There are a number of tools and processes available for conducting a rigorous and relevant analysis. The researcher used thematic analysis as a flexible approach to analyze qualitative data collected.

Discussions and Implications

The United States long-standing history is characterized by racial and gender bias. The history has deeply affected institutional or organizational processes. As a result, organizations tend to reflect biases similar to those of individuals who operate within them. Organizational rules often evolve out of organizational practices that are not easily reconstructed. Unfortunately, these practices may appear neutral on the surface. However, if they function in a way that causes differential racial or gender treatment, they can be discriminatory. While laws regarding the treatment of race and gender interactions have changed, the basic trait of human interactions has not changed. It is predominantly reflected in workplaces. Unconscious biases against African American still play a considerable role in decision making in institutions. As a result, Workplace discrimination incidences are common occurrences despite their illegality.

In the past, researchers have identified different sources of continuous equality in the workplace among different racial groups. In this respect, Mays et al., (1996) shows discrimination to be the root of African Americans disadvantage along stratification based issues such substantively complex work, access to crucial reward-relevant properties of jobs such as supervisory authority, job autonomy, and investments in human capital credentials (Fernandes & Alsaeed, 2014). Discrimination plays a significant role in workplace stressors even though it is prohibited. Racial discrimination experienced by African American women involves harassment, underestimation, denial of access to employment opportunities and other unfair treatments (Hirsh & Lyons, 2010). Additionally, they are likely to encounter negative race-based stereotypes, and their effort to report the practices does not amount to anything as they are likely to be regarded as incredible. They are likely to be left out by others and encounter harsh from fellow workers. The study results are likely to show that racial bias is experienced more by African American women working in predominantly white workplace settings (Fassinger, 2008).

All employees expect the workplace to be an environment where they are treated fairly and considerately. As concerns the problem of discrimination in the workplace, fair treatment is the legal and moral duty of the employers. They have the responsibility to investigate and respond to issues of discrimination when they become aware of and implement measure to counter the problem (Darity & Mason, 1998). The combination of gender and racial bias has severely limited the progress of African-American women (Mays, 1995). To this day, this group of individuals faces dual discrimination owing to their color and gender. The discrimination is especially widespread in the workplace, where black women receive fewer opportunities and earn significantly less than similarly qualified candidates (Broman et al., 2000). This despite the fact that African-American women have seen their education and skill levels rise dramatically in the last five decades. The study will help shed light into the extent of the problem. African American women in the workplace will provide essential details about the impact the type of discriminatory practices they face in the current organizational environment (Buchanan & Fitzgerald, 2008). As a result, it is expected to have huge implications on the managerial practices and workplace policies.

The second implication of the study is that more research is required in this field. Future Research may assess gender norms, racial attitudes, race socialization, attribution style, ethnic identity, social support and coping styles that may have a role in the differences in experience and vulnerability of African American women to gender and racial bias. Such studies may test racial composition in organizations and differential discrimination from other sources. In addition, the role of work-related contextual factors such as composition of different races in explaining some of the gender and racial bias reported by African America females in this study.

Conclusion

African-American women experience prevalent discrimination in the workplace. Conscious and unconscious biases against African American still play a considerable role in decision making in organizations. As a result, Workplace discrimination incidences are common occurrences despite their illegality. Workplace gender and racial bias represents a considerable potential source of problems such as job-related stress and low income compared to their peers. As a result, the discrimination is reflected in other areas. Racial bias is often in the form of interpersonal prejudice and institutional discrimination. It manifests itself in multiple ways that may range from intentional and overt to subtle and ambiguous, as well as from institutional to personal whether through organizational processes, profiling or statistical discrimination. It operates differently in different domains and may cumulate with time across or within domains. Regardless of which form workplace racial and gender discrimination takes, it creates barriers to opportunities and equal treatment and can have negative effects on a range of outcomes. A qualitative research approach was used to study workplace gender and racial bias. 50 African-American women were included in the study. Survey questionnaires were utilized as the instruments for data collection. Findings indicate that interpersonal prejudice and that institutional discrimination were significant forms of gender and racial bias. The combination of gender and racial bias has severely limited the progress of African-American women as it leads to fewer job opportunities and less earnings. Despite measures to prevent different types of discrimination in the workplace, there has been little progress. A social learning theory framework can help in establishing how behavior is acquired in the organizational system and propose a solution to the prevalent issue.

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