Research on diversity hiring

"Job Applicants and the Hiring Officer's Race'

Michael A Stoll, Steven Raphael, Harry J Holzer. Industrial & Labor Relations Review. 2004. Vol. 57, Iss. 2.

Abstract (Summary)

An empirical observation is documented and explored: establishments where blacks are in charge of hiring are considerably more likely to employ African Americans than are establishments in which whites are in charge of hiring. This empirical regularity is explored by analyzing the individual steps of the hiring process and the role of the race of the hiring agent. The analysis suggests that this pattern may be driven in large part by the propensity of blacks to apply for jobs in establishments where blacks occupy positions of authority. These results suggest that having blacks in visible positions of authority at firms might increase the rate at which blacks apply for jobs at those firms. The results also suggest that employers with black hiring agents are more likely than those with white hiring agents to hire African Americans, perhaps because they discriminate less against African Americans.