Affirmative Action: Justified or Unwarranted?

11 Pages 2767 Words

e action is “any steps taken by a company to increase the number or improve its ranks of minorities workers”(Woods 8). There are no easy answers to affirmative action; however, by learning about it, you will better understand the complex issues and the difficult decisions that have been made in the past and that will be made in the future.

General Information
There are many different ways affirmative action plans can be operated. Most of these plans differ tremendously from company to company. Some of these plans are implemented voluntarily (Summit). Others may be instituted by court order, and yet others are put into place to satisfy the demands of the government (Woods 10). The companies who institute a plan for the government are doing so to retain good government report and to continue to receive governmental grants (Summit).
There are many groups that fall under the protection of affirmative action. The groups who benefit the most differ from region to region, depending on the population and the area (Woods 10). In an interview with an affirmative action officer, it was stated that everyone benefits under affirmative action. The benefits that one group receives snowball to another group and from there on everyone benefits (Summit). Although affirmative action plans help out a lot of the population, there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. Some of the people against it feel that we should only help those who have been discriminated against. Others feel that all members of a minority group are entitled to affirmative action’s benefits (Woods 10).
Still, others note that it is very difficult to determine who or what group has been discriminated against. An employer or admissions officer might recruit minorities by placing ads in women or minority magazines in an attempt to increase their diversity (Woods 14). An employer might promote or even implement training programs for its minority wo...