THINKING AND MANAGING

ETHICALLY

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

May 23, 2016

Affirmative action
Affirmative action means taking positive
steps to improve the material status of the
less advantaged in society, usually through
the provision of educational or economic
benefits

May 23, 2016

Social Determinants of Health

SDH are the economic and
social
conditions
that
influence the health of
individuals,
communities,
and jurisdictions as a whole
(WHO, 2011).

Affirmative actions are not limited

Early childhood
development;
Education,

Income, and
income
distribution
Social exclusion

Employment, and
work

The social safety net

Food security

Job security

Health services

Economic and social

conditions

Housing

PROSANDCONS

Action policies is to remedy the effects of

past discrimination.
Affirmative action do not contest the moral
obligation to remediate past harm.
Not always positive results

May 23, 2016

Introduction
Discusses internal conflicts in business job
discrimination

Inequities prevalent in business

Affirmative actions needed to address exclusion of

individuals

May 23, 2016

Nature
Discrimination in its root meaning refers to the act of
distinguishing one object from another.
In modern usage, the term refers to "wrongful
discrimination," or distinguishing among people on the
basis of prejudice instead of individual merit.
Discrimination in employment involves three basic
elements:
It must be a decision not based on individual merit.
The decision must derive from racial or sexual prejudice.
The decision must have a harmful impact on the interest of employees
May 23, 2016

Discrimination
Discrimination exists when a disproportionate number of a
certain group's members hold less desirable positions
despite their preferences and abilities.
Comparisons provide evidence:
Average benefits given to various groups,
Proportion of a group found in the lowest levels of the institution,
Proportion of a group found in the most advantageous positions in
the institution.

May 23, 2016

Average Income Comparisons

Income comparisons are the most suggestive indicators of
discrimination.
Income gap between whites and blacks has not decreased
black average family income remains about 65% that of whites.

Similar inequalities found based on gender.

Ratio between male/female earnings getting equal, largely due not
to a rise in female earnings but a drop in male earnings.
In every occupational group, women earn less than men.

May 23, 2016

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Low Income Group in Society

Poverty rate among minorities

Families headed by single women
Statistics showed that:
Larger proportions of minorities and women are poor,
Larger proportions of people have the most desirable jobs as per
links, gender and religion.
The more women who work in an occupation, the lower the
average pay for that job.

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Discrimination: Utility, Rights and

Justice
Inequalities found in businesses should be address and if
wrong should be changed.
Arguments against discrimination fall into three groups:
utilitarian arguments,
rights arguments,
justice arguments.

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Utility
The utilitarian argument against discrimination maintains
that society's productivity will be highest when jobs are
awarded based on competence or merit.

Discrimination based on anything else is inefficient and

counter to utility.

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Rights

Other, non-utilitarian arguments against discrimination

maintain that it is wrong because it violates people's basic
human rights.

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Justice
A third group of arguments against discrimination views it
as unjust.

Another argument sees it as a form of injustice because

individuals who are equal in all relevant respects cannot be
treated differently just because they differ in other, nonrelevant respects.

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Discriminatory Practices
Despite difficulties of arguments against discrimination,
five recognized categories of discriminatory practices:

Recruitment practices
Screening practices
Promotion practices
Conditions of employment that do not award
unequal wages and salaries to people doing the
same work.

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Affirmative Action
The policies discussed in above are all negative, aimed at
preventing further discrimination.
Affirmative action programs, in contrast, call for positive
steps designed to eliminate the effects of past
discrimination.
Such begin with a detailed study, a "utilization analysis"

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THEFUTURE
Affirmative action remains enormously
controversial, and political and legal battles over
the issue are sure to continue.
In the courts, challenges to affirmative action
programs may gain additional momentum with a
change in the composition of the Supreme Court.
The survival of government affirmative action
programs is a topic likely to be considered again
in the years ahead.
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