Perceptions of Racial and Ethnic Inequality within Organizations: A Case Study of Southwest City

Richard Lewis, Jr.

Abstract

The United States is undergoing dramatic demographic change which challenges organizational culture and potentially makes ensuring discrimination free workplaces more problematic. This research effort explores the perception of institutional discrimination within municipal government. Using a case study design, municipal employee perceptions of differential access to workplace opportunities were examined. Conflict theory and social disclosure were used to develop a conceptual approach employing sex, age, educational attainment, and occupation as key variables. The findings indicated that occurrence of differential access perceptions was small and varied across the variable dimensions. However, minority employees and those with lower educational attainment were more likely to identify differential access. The research supported the perception of social disclosure but at low levels within the organization.