HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Group 6 – Case Study Presentation | Chapter 6 – Recruiting Human Resource
TO QUOTA OR NOT TO QUOTA
INTRODUCTION Quotas are simply defined as fixed number or amount of people or things in particular. However, Scott (2014)[9] defines quota in HRM as affirmative action guidelines which require covered employers to meet certain goals and timetables for hiring and/or promoting women and minorities. In human resource management quotas are associated with changing demographic composition and diversity of workforce across one or more distributive categories such as gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability and education backgrounds. As per our case-study, ...view middle of the document...
LITERATURE REVIEW There is a substantial amount of research on quotas and quota law in boardrooms. Previous work of Sasha Galbraith (2012) Erika Watson (2012)
[10] [7]
has highlighted effects of quotas and quota law whilst
has portrayed the international acceptance of quotas. The most
recent research done by Sherrie Scott (2014) [9] discussed the bilateral effects of quotas on an organisation. While researchers conducted countless studies on quotas and its effects on organisations, little information was procured on ethical aspects of quota implementation.
DISCUSSION While there has been literary myriad researches done on quotas and its relevance and implications in recruiting human resources, most researches if not all displayed similar results. Having discussed about the pioneer researchers of the aforesaid topic, we will now focus on their developed theories and its viability “to quota or not to quota”.
A quota system, in employment context is a hiring system that gives preference to protected group members or minorities. Quota systems are designed to correct adverse impact resulting from employment practices that appear neutral but in reality are biased and have discriminatory attributes. A research by Scott (2012)
[9]
has evidenced that quotas increase
female leadership and influence policy outcomes. Implementation of such policies strongly promotes gender equality whilst it discriminates the male counterpart in terms of meritocracy. The gender equality conveyed by quotas often facades ethical dilemma. These ethical dilemmas can be overcome by implementing merit based recruitment and selection criteria; educating and conducting training programs for executives in boardroom to mould their perception of quota law and lastly to enforce a legislation for diversity and equality in boardroom on the basis or meritocracy.
Sasha Galbraith (2012)
[7]
strongly advocates that no country has achieved equality among
women and men in business. Despite women being in workforce for decades and almost comprising half of the labour force in US, females are underrepresented at the most senior levels of business worldwide. Numerous researches affirm that quotas forcibly raises the
level of awareness of women in board of directors, it also reveals the implications of quota in workplace. Implementing quotas to address the problem of women in non-executive positions on Company Boards does not necessarily tackles the broader question of how to get more women involved at every level of business including the executive hierarchy.
Women cannot be parachute into boards or break through the glass ceiling easily, there is a need for existence of experience to make rationale decision and possess leadership qualities. Galbraith (2012) [7] states that it is just a matter of time until more women acquire the skills the boards need and shall be recruited on the basis of meritocracy. Such recruitments will absolutely remove the...
