Summaries of Existing Research
The issue of employment discrimination and specifically discrimination in recruitment has been discussed by many scholars and academics in recent years. This literature review will present, summarize, and compare important findings from a number of such works. Adamovic (2020) conducted a research with a purpose of measuring discrimination in the labor market using the literature search method. Based on 250 resume studies conducted since 1990, this study found a significant amount of employers’ responses that demonstrated discriminative tendencies (Adamovic, 2020). In addition, Adamovic has suggested staged strategies and best practices for further research on resume studies. The implications for this study were that minority groups frequently suffer from discrimination in recruitment, and that researchers can implement certain practices to reduce and prevent hiring discrimination.
Another study was conducted by Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) and focused on measuring discrimination at workplaces in the United States. Its purpose was to study the importance of race as a factor in the recruitment process. Research methodology was based on a randomized field experiment, in which almost “5,000 resumes were sent in response to over 1,300 newspaper ads for sales, administrative, and clerical jobs in Boston and Chicago” (Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004, par. 5). In addition, resumes were “randomly assigned either a black-sounding or white-sounding name to imply the applicant’s race” (Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004). The researchers have found that black applicants’ race had a negative impact on and association for the majority of employers, which demonstrates the scope of the problem. The implications for this study were that there is an obvious prevalence of racial discrimination in recruitment, and that policy-makers are responsible for introducing significant changes in the employment laws.
The third study, conducted by Chamberlain (2016), aimed to raise public awareness about the discrimination tendencies and bias that prevent employers from hiring diverse talent and creating a diverse work environment. Research methodology is defined by the discussion of five main areas that allow understanding the causes and consequences of racial bias at the workplace. The findings of this study indicate that there is direct danger in comparing candidates “using biased criteria” and that a special checklist developed in advance can help interviewers recognize their own biased thoughts and intentions (Chamberlain, 2016, par. 1). The implication for the study is that companies can lose many potential talented employees if they do not address organizational bias and improve work environment.
Comparison of the Literature
The studies summarized above have a number of similar aspects. First, they all state that there is currently a high incidence of racial discrimination in many workplaces (Adamovic, 2020; Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004; Chamberlain, 2016). A study by Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) focuses specifically on the US job market, while studies by Adamovic (2020) and Chamberlain (2016) seem to address the topic in a broader way. While two studies suggest certain ways to reduce hiring discrimination, their approaches differ. Adamovic suggests a research-oriented strategy, where resume studies are the main means to build awareness about the problem (2020, p. 16). On the other hand, Chamberlain suggests a way to address workplace bias through a five-step model (2016, par. 3). Finally, a study by Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) describes an intervention conducted to evaluate the discrimination levels, but it does not provide a specific strategy to address the problem.
Synthesis/Integration of the Literature
A review of literature round that racial bias is the most common type of discrimination that takes place in hiring processes. Since all studies discussed have been conducted over the last two decades, it can be stated that they offer a credible perspective on the problem. While it may have been challenging to determine if race is the basis of discrimination at the majority of workplaces, this literature review allows stating that it is. The percentage of individuals hired over the last two decades shows that black candidates are almost twice is likely to be unemployed as white candidates (Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004). The studies reviewed have also identified risks that employers face by not paying sufficient attention to hiring diverse talent (Chamberlain, 2016; Adamovic, 2020). None of the studies have suggested a concrete policy-based solution to the problem. Nevertheless, they provide a basis for ongoing research and development of a comprehensive approach that will eventually allow reducing hiring discrimination on a local as well as global level.
Questions Emerging from the Literature
The literature review conducted as a part of this research proposal has yielded several important questions concerning further development of the problem discussion. First, do male and female individuals face the same challenges caused by racial prejudice and bias? Second, what resistance mechanism can individual candidates use to oppose these biased attitudes when they face them during job interviews? Third, what changes should be made on a more global scale, such as political, social, and economic contexts? Finally, what should be the exact steps to utilize research in developing a policy-based solution? The study will aim to find answers to these questions in order to develop a comprehensive approach to solving the problem of hiring discrimination.
References
Adamovic, M. (2020). Analyzing discrimination in recruitment: A guide and best practices for resume studies. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 28(4), 445-464. Web.
Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Discrimination in the job market in the United States | The Abdul Latif Jameel poverty action lab. The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). Web.
Chamberlain, R. P. (2016). Five steps toward recognizing and mitigating bias in the interview and hiring process. Strategic HR Review, 15(5), 199-203. Web.