Business/Private Sector

Introduction A byproduct of the global viewing of the ruthless killing of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin was the proliferation of new racial equity/anti-racism statements, plans, and initiatives by businesses and organizations. Witnessing the public recording of police brutality/police violence forced many individuals and corporations to confront the fact that systemic racism exists…

Introduction A board of directors is a crucial aspect of an organization’s leadership. Members are instrumental in shaping a company’s mission, goals, and financial success. Historically in Western culture, seats on boards of directors have been largely homogeneously dominated by those who have held political and economic power in those societies – white men.  This…

INTRODUCTION Since 2020 we have seen more employers establish diversity programs to promote values of diversity within an organization. Yet, few have acknowledged existing research that has challenged the implementation and efficacy of diversity programs at the managerial and staff levels.  This summary examines this earlier research by focusing on one study to show that…

Introduction As principles of diversity and inclusion become more explicit within Corporate America, there remains a discrepancy between commitments to and actualization of racial parity in corporations, particularly among corporate leadership. In this article, the authors evaluate corporate policies and contrast legally enforceable Affirmative Action policies that acknowledge the history and disparate impacts of slavery…

Introduction Access to sufficient and affordable credit is a key determinant of a business startup’s ability to finance projects and pursue growth opportunities. An entrepreneur’s creditworthiness is often assessed using their credit score, which has been lauded for expanding access to credit and financing to credit-worthy business owners. However, research also suggests the credit-scoring process…

Introduction One-time diversity training is a common tool deployed by more than half of mid-size and large organizations seeking to promote equality in the workplace. However, the existing body of research on the effectiveness of diversity training is limited by a lack of field experiments and the difficulty of identifying and measuring objective behavioral outcomes.…

Introduction As institutional Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) efforts have become increasingly prevalent, public scrutiny (critical attention paid to particular behaviors) has increasingly been recognized as an effective tool to encourage such efforts. The #OscarSoWhite critique of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is one such example. Although previous scholarship has shown…

Introduction When Carter G. Woodson, the Black historian refered to as the Father of Black History, launched Negro History Week in 1926, he understood that the celebration of African American history and scholarship could not just be a one-week act. Instead, he insisted that the goal should be “studying the Negro throughout the school year,…

Introduction In the midst of widescale evidence of natural-hair discrimination in the workplace and in schools, some states, in 2019, began to outlaw this form of discrimination. There is the story of the Black student who was told to cut his hair or he would not be allowed to graduate, and another of a Black woman who had her…

Introduction Until recently, workplace diversity was primarily perceived as a tool for enhancing corporate profitability. It was understood that private corporations that excelled in enhancing diversity based on race, ethnicity, and gender generally had more significant financial outcomes, particularly in terms of net income growth and return on economic equity. Yet, recent research has explored…