Faye Cocchiara, Myrtle P. Bell and Daphne Perkins Berry
To compare and contrast the experiences, challenges, and career mobility of black women and Latinas in the workplace.
Abstract
Purpose
To compare and contrast the experiences, challenges, and career mobility of black women and Latinas in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
Extant literature and data from the US Census Bureau, the US Department of Labor, the Pew Hispanic Research Center, and other relevant repositories were used to assess the workforce participation, education, and income for women of color. Specifically, their representation in organizational positions was examined, considering historical and social influences that affect this representation. Relevant human capital theory (HCT) was applied to consider its predictive power for outcomes of black women and Latinas in the workplace.
Findings
Although women of color are increasing proportions of all women in the US labor force, equal opportunity legislation (now in its fifth decade) has improved their status less than would be expected by their education and workforce participation. HCT does not adequately explain the experiences of Latinas and black women.
Practical implications
Being aware of barriers that black women and Latinas face in the workplace will prevent organizations from devaluing a growing segment of workers and help them compete in an increasingly competitive market.
Originality/value
While black women and Latinas are the most numerous women of color in the US workforce, the relatively small amount of research on women of color, particularly Latinas, remains a gaping hole in the field. Thus, the value of this article is that it adds to the literature on the workplace experiences of an important segment of the US population.
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Faye K. Cocchiara, Eileen Kwesiga, Myrtle P. Bell and Yehuda Baruch
The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of US MBA and specialist master's degree alumni to determine the influence that their degree program experiences had on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of US MBA and specialist master's degree alumni to determine the influence that their degree program experiences had on subsequent perceptions of career success.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 318 alumni MBA and specialist master's degree recipients from a large university in the southwestern USA; more than half of them were male. The university provided independent demographic data used to match respondents' surveys.
Findings
Evidence was found that men and women graduates perceived their post‐graduate degree success differently, with women graduates reporting less salary gain but higher hierarchical levels and job satisfaction compared to men. Social capital and perceived discrimination indirectly affected the reported career success of graduates on hierarchical level salary gain.
Research limitations/implications
Use of self‐report data, for all model variables, puts the findings at risk for common‐method bias. Additionally, while discrimination measure had acceptable reliability for this sample, it has not been widely validated.
Practical implications
The findings that women viewed their graduate program as less effective for advancing their careers than men despite earning higher grades suggests that business schools emphasize improving graduate student experiences as well as managerial competencies. Organizations' leaders should make their diversity management practices readily apparent as women and minority MBA graduates are likely to view such practices as important during their job search.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the knowledge of factors that influence career success.
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Keywords
This paper discusses the author's perceptions of anti-blackness, her research on “surface-level” diversity and her recommendations for faculty, administrators and allies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper discusses the author's perceptions of anti-blackness, her research on “surface-level” diversity and her recommendations for faculty, administrators and allies.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a personal account, drawn from the author's background and experiences teaching and studying diversity. It discusses research on American Blacks' unique experiences with police violence and discrimination in employment, housing, customer service, healthcare and education consistent with anti-blackness.
Findings
Anti-blackness pervades Blacks' everyday experiences, including in academic institutions.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is a viewpoint paper. Researchers should study anti-blackness, looking specifically at Blacks' organizational and societal experiences.
Practical implications
The author provides suggestions for faculty regarding sharing their research findings, teaching about anti-blackness in diversity, human resources, organizational behavior, management and other courses along with mentoring doctoral students. Recommendations for administration to help ensure that Black faculty are hired, valued and supported are also provided.
Social implications
Efforts to identify, acknowledge and dismantle anti-blackness are critical to Blacks and are important to improving diversity, inclusion and equity in society.
Originality/value
This paper provides the author's perspective on anti-blackness, using her personal perceptions and experiences, coupled with research evidence. The author provides suggestions for faculty and administrators based on decades of research and experience in the field and being Black in an anti-black society.