Washington: Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that white men receive significantly more tips about job opportunities than women and racial minorities, especially among people in upper management positions.They say that their findings highlight racial and gender inequality in the labour market.
"Our research shows that 95 times out of 100, white men receive more job leads than white women or Hispanic men or women," says Dr. Steve McDonald, an assistant professor of sociology at NC State, the lead author of the study.
On average, according to the researchers, there is no difference in the number of job leads received by white men compared to black men and women.
"However, white males receive more job leads when they are high-level supervisors, while black men and women receive more job leads when they are in non-management positions that supervise no one," McDonald says.
The research team`s findings suggest that the disparity between white men, minorities and women is greatest among workers in high-level management.
McDonald says: "These gender and race differences in access to job opportunities help to explain why white men continue to fill a disproportionately large number of jobs in upper management."
The study examined data from a nationally representative survey of 3,000 people, and looked at the amount of information people received about job opportunities through routine conversations without asking for it.
McDonald partly attributes the gap in job information between white men and Hispanics to the fact that whites tend to have more "social capital" than Hispanics.
The researcher explains that social capital, in this context, is defined as the extent and quality of connections to people in various fields of employment.
The study, however, has not ascertained why white women receive fewer tips on job opportunities than white men, since the two groups have approximately the same amount of social capital.
Also remains unexplained is the point as to why the job leads disparity among women and minorities was greatest among high-level supervisors.
McDonald says that while the study could not reach any firm conclusions on the issue, the disparity may stem from some form of either conscious or subconscious discrimination on the part of co-workers and employers.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.