The Power of One or Power in Numbers?: Analyzing the Effect of Minority Leaders on Diversity Policy and Practice

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Work and Occupations

Volume

42

Issue

2

Publisher

Sage Publications, Inc.

Publication Date

11-11-2014

First Page

183

Last Page

215

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of racial/ethnic minority leaders on equity and diversity policies. Previous research finds that minority leaders are associated with reduced inequality, yet the ways in which these leaders impact organizational policies are understudied. Our analysis relies on a unique dataset of corporate practices, CEO race/ethnicity, and board member race/ethnicity in Fortune 500 firms from 2001 to 2010. The authors find that while minority CEOs have minimal impact on equity policies, diverse boards are significantly associated with equitable practices. They conclude that board diversity is critical for shaping corporate practice related to equity and diversity.

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