Page 168 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

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6. RACE COMPOSITION
effectiveness literature, little or no attention has been paid to why a spe­
cific cluster of practices has the effects that it does. So, one currently cannot
turn to the HRM literature to learn how or why HRM systems might in­
fluence the race composition of organizations. Clearly, there is a need for
those that profess an interest in strategic human resource management
(e.g., Jackson & Schuler, 1995; Lengnick-Hall & Lengnick-Hall, 1988) to
consider broadening the dimensions of organizational effectiveness they
attend to, emphasizing the development of process knowledge.
What do we know about the role of HRM inside the box? As noted
earlier, HRM systems that provide written guidelines and effective over­
sight reduce managerial discretion, thereby promoting racial integration
(e.g., Mittman, 1992). Moreover, if these formalized systems are identity-
conscious (i.e., race-conscious), the employment status of people of color
will be enhanced further (e.g., Konrad & Linnehan, 1995). Supporting
the former assertions are various arguments, and considerable empirical
evidence, that bureaucratizing HRM practices undermines "ascription"
[allocating status, position, or opportunity based, at least in part, on an
ascribed characteristic such as race (e.g., Parsons, 1964)] (e.g., Pfeffer and
Cohen, 1984; Sutton, Dobbin, Meyer, and Scott, 1994; Szafran, 1982). Sup­
port for the positive consequences of identity-conscious (vs. identity-blind)
formalized HRM systems is less prevalent. It is known that the sheer exis­
tence of goals for minorities' and women's representation in organizations
fosters hiring members of those groups (e.g., Leonard, 1985, 1990) and
that evaluating and rewarding managers on the basis of their progress
toward achieving such goals also enhances representation (e.g., Reskin,
1998).
Conceptually, what might all of this mean? It may be the case that
formalized HRM systems supply the tools necessary to inhibit discrim­
ination based upon race. These tools might include posting job openings
and advertising them in public media in lieu of sole reliance on word-of-
mouth recruiting (e.g., Marsden, 1994), and using achievement and ap­
titude tests in addition to interviews (e.g., Neckerman & Kirschemman,
1991). Race-conscious goals (and the monitoring of them), based upon
the ideas of Locke and Latham (1990) may (a) direct attention to goal-
relevant behaviors and outcomes, (b) motivate the exertion and persistence
of goal-relevant efforts, and (c) stimulate the development of strategies
for goal attainment (including planning). Also drawing from Locke and
Latham's ideas, the rewards/sanctions attached to goal progress may pro­
mote a determination (or commitment) to attain a goal of racial diversity.
In summary, whereas formalized HRM systems may provide the means
for constructing a racially integrated organization, goals can provide the
incentive to do so.