Empirical Identification of the Criteria for Effective Affirmative Action Programs

Legislation prohibits discrimination in most social activities. Organizations have implemented affirmative action programs to comply with the law and to attempt to reduce discrimination. Research indicates, however, that discrimination still exists. Research must therefore identify the key factors that make affirmative action programs truly effective. The authors designed this study to capture the policies of personnel and affirmative action officers in institutions of higher learning regarding criteria for effective affirmative action programs. The research identified 13 potential criteria. The results suggest that attitudinal and procedural factors — e.g., commitment from higher administration, receptive attitudes of key personnel, formal and informal grievance procedures — were the most important criteria for program effectiveness. The institution type — i.e., public versus private — and size — number of students — have no moderating effects.