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“But the fellows are simply diversity hires!” How organizational contexts influence status beliefs

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  • Portocarrero, Sandra
  • Carter, James T.

Abstract

We demonstrate how organizational contexts influence status beliefs. Specifically, we draw from in- depth interviews conducted with current and former U.S. Foreign Service officers to explain how recipients of the U.S. Department of State Pickering Fellowship learn to accept a devaluing status belief about this accolade once they enter the Foreign Service. Within this organizational contex is an established belief that Foreign Service officers who are not the prototypical “Male, Pale, and Yale” workers must be “diversity hires” who have entered the department through a “back door” and have a “leg up” because of their race. This racialized negative evaluation becomes linked to the Pickering Fellowship and affects all fellows. Our study offers insights into the intersection of racial diversity and status processes in organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Portocarrero, Sandra & Carter, James T., 2022. "“But the fellows are simply diversity hires!” How organizational contexts influence status beliefs," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125329, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:125329
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/125329/
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Portocarrero, Sandra & Carter, James T., 2022. "Diversity initiatives in the US workplace: a brief history, their intended and unintended consequences," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125330, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Ya-Ru Chen & Randall S. Peterson & Damon J. Phillips & Joel M. Podolny & Cecilia L. Ridgeway, 2012. "Introduction to the Special Issue: Bringing Status to the Table—Attaining, Maintaining, and Experiencing Status in Organizations and Markets," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 299-307, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    race and ethnicity; organizations; diversity; inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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