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Managerial Perspectives on Implicit Bias, Affirmative Action, and Merit
Author(s) -
Foley Meraiah,
Williamson Sue
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/puar.12955
Subject(s) - affirmative action , government (linguistics) , action (physics) , inequality , implicit bias , public relations , cultural bias , positive economics , political science , social psychology , psychology , economics , law , mathematical analysis , philosophy , linguistics , physics , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Abstract Public sector organizations concerned about gender inequality have increasingly sought to address the effect of implicit biases on merit‐based employment practices through bias training and affirmative action programs. Applying qualitative content analysis to interviews with 104 managers in three government agencies in which bias training and affirmative action were being implemented, the authors find that many managers acknowledge the existence of implicit biases and their potential to create unequal employment outcomes. However, this recognition of bias does not translate into support for affirmative action, which is seen by many managers to be an unacceptable violation of merit. The authors argue that implicit bias training and affirmative action are unlikely to create a cultural “tipping point” to progress gender equality without a critical reassessment of merit .