An Assessment of Affirmative Action in Business

Abstract

Affirmative action has become an inevitable aspect of the employment hiring process. It has been put into place to assist in eradicating the institutionalized discrimination that inherently exists in such practices. On the surface, affirmative action may appear to be something that is beneficial to both the hiring institution and the individual; it seems to be a win-win situation because the business is creating a more diverse workplace and the individual is getting a job that they desired. However, the way that affirmative action is practiced may prevent its overall effectiveness. For example, there are several fundamental flaws with this practice, such as its dependence on employers, despite federal regulations, and reverse discrimination, which may create an adverse affect on both the business and the individual. The shortcomings as well the positive effects of affirmative action including its affect on corporate America, potential employees, and actual employees will be explored deductively throughout this paper.