Running Head: Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 1

Analysis of the Effects of Racism on Organizational Experience, Job Performance and

Career Progression
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 2

Introduction

The racial issues may refrain the individuals from minority groups from performing well

at higher levels due to the presence of conflicts, as any kind of such tensions are influencing

(Outlaw, 1993; Peters, 2004; Utsey, 1998). The problem and stress related to the racial conflicts

may influence the performance of the racial groups and its outcomes overall. The self-esteem of

this group may become lower and increase the feelings of worthlessness, and may lead to some

other negative outcomes in terms of psyche. Furthermore, according to the psychologist Maslow

(1970) people have an innate drive to reach their maximum potential or self-actualize and this

need is mostly satisfied by interactions in one’s social group and place of work. For example,

working in groups and in the forms of teams at job places and other social places allow the

person to satisfy his need for socialization. Related to the work environment the social

satisfaction also can be linked with it, and is of the idea according to the Maslow theory that

individuals are encouraged and satisfied through the sense of belongingness and identification

with reference to a group (Maslow, 1970).

The literature related to the career development overall quite insufficient on the issues

like race although that the diversity regarding the workplace have increased (Humphrey, 2007).

The researches that have been carried out related to the African Americans, it can be seen that

they have focused and treated the African Americans as a minimal group of individuals or have

either focused more into how the relationship of gender and race influences the development of

career of African American Women. Most of the issues that are faced by the African American

men are different that those which are faced by the African American women (Bingham & Ward,

2001). The approaches that have been used worldwide for the understanding of African

Americans development of career and their experiences is tricky because it has placed a vague
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 3

category of experiences that are faced by African American men in professional and cooperate

areas in America and has been unsuccessful in analyzing the effects of racism on their

development of career.

A study conducted by the Central Government team of research in 2002 has found out

that Black people confront huge drawback in the workplaces (Cabinet Office, 2002). The

researches of this study explain that such differences cannot be comprehended in terms of age,

attainment of education, experience of work, industry or location because all of these terms were

tested as a variables of the study. The study concluded that after testing all these variables, Black

individuals are mostly disadvantaged in reference to the employment and attainment of

occupation. The disadvantage in terms of the occupation achievement is more crucial and severe

that that of the earning (Cabinet Office, 2002).

Although that the study from Cabinet Office (2002) concluded that men from India have

overall been a lot much benefited in the labor market, the Black individuals and non-native Black

women would yet earn less than those of their White equivalents. To be more specific the study

says that Caribbean’s of Africa, men from Pakistan and Bangladesh seem to face more sever

levels of drawbacks (Cabinet Office, 2002). The research from Cabinet Office (2002), also

explains that the rate of unemployment is quite greater for Black individuals than those of the

Whites.

According to the Cabinet Office (2002) the black employs comprise of almost 6 percent

of the public and 10 percent of the force that provide voluntary sector work services (Cabinet

Office, 2002). With reference from the private sector, according to the Runnymede Trust (2000)

they explained that the people from Black community were only 5.4 percent from the whole

work population and has such distribution as; 3.4 of the total workforce was comprised of
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 4

Indians and they were present on all levels from middle to junior level managers, The Africans

from the Caribbean were not present at any levels of managers, And the individuals having

Bangladeshi identity did not present at any levels (Runnymede Trust, 2000).

According to the evidences from Runnymede Trust (2002) it was reported that only 1

percent of Black employs were having senior seats and almost 0.02 percent of them had higher

executive seats. Cabinet Office (2002) held a multivariate regression analysis on different groups

and the analysis stated that there were significant variants among the labor market success

between Blacks and Whites with reference to the measures that were different.

Pakistani, and Bangladeshi among the Black men have more chances to be unemployed,

closely relating to those of African Caribbean men. Although that Indian men were less likely to

be without any employment. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women had less chances to stay

unemployed while African Caribbean women also had greater chances to unemployed.

In organizations the commitment for equality between all has been compromised with

reference to those who belong from the marginalized groups, and for some of those individuals

of the group, inequality can be dangerous. Certainly the problem of racism still exists around the

globe in the field of workplace, despite of all the equality movements (Dickens, 2007; Quillian et

al, 2017; Seifert & Wand, 2018; Stainback & Tomaskoviac-Devey, 2012).

From the researches conducted previously it is evident that racism does exist in

organizations and on organizational levels as well. This proposed study aims to analyze the

effects of racism particularly testing it on the organizational experiences, job performance and

career progression. This study further can provide help and create ideas for the minimization of

racial tensions between groups and increase group cohesion. This study will provide some fresh
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 5

knowledge to the topic of racism in the workplace which has been least studied. The support to

this study would be provided with the help of critical race theory by W.E.B Du Bois.

Research question

1. What is the extent to which racism still exists in workplace?

2. What are effects of racism on career progression, job performance and organizational

experiences?

3. Which group faces the most racial tension and which faces the least racial tension?
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 6

Method

This study will be further continued with the help of mix methods research. “Mix

Methods” is a term that is widely used to refer to a new technique or method for research that

involves both the embedment and mixing of qualitative and quantitative data within a single

problem or research approach. The fundamental approach behind this method of research is that

such mixing provides a more sustained and complete utility of the data this collected and

separately analyzes both the qualitative and quantitative data (Wisdom & Creswell, 2013). It is

now possible to say that the integration of quantitative and qualitative data serve the purpose for

real and allow a better understanding of the problem that is going to be answered in the research.

This method is used when one type of research method either quantitative or qualitative do not

serve the actual purpose or are unable to completely answer the research questions (Creswell,

2008).

Research Design

As mentioned above, to better understand the underlying research problem and questions

this proposed research will be addressed with the help of mix methods research. And to collect

data both quantitatively and qualitatively this proposed study will be using in-depth interviews

and questionnaire design. In depth interviews will allow to explore the racial tensions faced by

different ethnic groups and questionnaires or scales will be used to test the three variables. In

depth interviews allow the researcher to have high rate of responses as the interviewer is able to

attain non-verbal cues and observe the immediate environment and use other aids (Neuman,

1977). These interviews can allow the researcher to probe questions and attain needed

information. In this study unstructured interview questions will be used with minority groups.

The other design is the questionnaire research design. For this proposed study the researcher will
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 7

be using different scales to measure the variables of organizational experience, job performance,

and career progression which will then statistically analyzed. According to Neuman (1997) the

structured or close form of questions have the ability to probe sensitive type of questions and is

more appropriate to test and receive objective replies (Neuman, 1997).

Procedure

This proposed research will be using mix method research through two different designs.

The participants for the study will comprised of minority ethnic groups which are easily

available throughout the surroundings of the researcher. The participant number will be a total of

100 to provide a generalizable result of the study. Participants will be selected with the help of

snowball sampling technique. After selection has been done. Certain demographics will be

attained from the subjects such as their gender, age, present working status etc. First of all the

variables will be tested on the participants with the help of different validates scales then there

interviews will be taken by the interviewer who will ask probing questions from them. After that

data from the scales will be analyzed with the help of statistical analysis and the qualitative data

will be explained as results, furthermore correlation between the racism and other variables will

be tested.
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 8

Discussion

Racialised workers routinely experience bullying and harassment; denial of opportunities in

recruitment and selection, training and development, network access and promotion processes;

and receive lower performance ratings, pay and other rewards (e.g. Bertrand and Mullainathan,

2004; Fox and Stallworth, 2005; Greenhaus et al., 1990; Guest, 2017; James, 2000; Pedulla and

Pager, 2019). Racism is endemic in organisations, and disadvantages all aspects of racialised

employees’ work lives severely, as evidenced by myriad reports (McGregorSmith, 2017;

Nwabuzo, 2017; Solomon et al., 2019).

Racial tensions may prohibit members of minority groups from functioning at high levels of

performance in the presence of conflict because tensions are affective (Outlaw, 1993; Peters,
Analysis of the effects of racism on organizational experience 9

2004; Utsey, 1998). Stress caused by racial conflict may affect Racial Groups Performance

outcomes Organizational Groups 17 self-esteem, produce feelings of low self-worth, and lead to

other dysfunctional psychological outcomes. Moreover, an individual’s drive to reach the highest

level of potential or selfactualization (Maslow, 1970) is often satisfied through social interactions

in the workplace. For instance, daily interactions such as functioning in work teams or

participating in workplace social events offer individuals the opportunity to satisfy these social

needs. Social satisfaction in the work environment is also consistent with Maslow’s theory that

humans are motivated and gratified through a sense of belonging and group identification.

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