Affirmative Action - Research Paper Example

This would remind everyone of the fact that change has been taking place and it will be more progressive and imminent in the future. Taking into account the idea of affirmative action, there is a strong point to consider that it could be a form of reverse discrimination because for instance, it could limit employer’s freedom to hire employees on the basis of race and sex (Rabe 113). This point is a bit clearer because affirmative action is historically more associated with the workplace, but its application can span into a larger field (Erasmus and Schenk 105).

However, affirmative action does not mean giving preferences to any group or people but it only ensures giving equal opportunity for everyone, disregarding the issue of sex and race (Shaw and Lee 561). Furthermore, affirmative action only makes sure of active steps for employers to ensure equal employment opportunity for everyone (Dempsey and Forst 188). Original belief So here is one perspective of affirmative action that needs to be critically considered. It is a form of giving equal opportunity for everyone, but on the basis of employment activity, employers always have the choice to select and employ employment criteria for specific jobs or tasks with associated functions and responsibilities.

So the original belief of the proponent concerning affirmative action is the thought that it could be a form of reverse discrimination. This is contradictory to what Shaw and Lee pointed out as a corresponding myth associated with affirmative action. Affirmative action would turn out as a way of neutralizing everything, but the point may be a bit more different when applied in specific context. Hiring women for instance on a particular job is definitely covered by affirmative action in order to ensure equality.

However, one should also try to take a look at it on the context of employers’ perspective. Employers have also the freedom to select the best employees suitable to the continuation of their quality operation. However, some may try to look at this approach as highly discriminatory especially on the part of employers who are employing the working concept of affirmative action. So at this point, a clear policy is necessary, creating a balance within the context of employment. There are some requirements in the company that would require competency, skills and even other related factors and some of them may essentially point out to the concept of discrimination.

However, there are certainly companies that would only require men rather than women for the purpose of ensuring continuation of quality, standard and efficient operation. The problem with employing affirmative action would be to consider these companies for discrimination and even passing on the idea of being able to justify things for the sole purpose of ensuring their profitability. Changed stand Based on the actual observation, policies concerning inequality are changing and improving. For this reason, affirmative action is consistently moving forward to its refinement for the purpose of serving everyone with all equality.

So at this point, it has become clearer that affirmative action’s main intention is to only promote equality for everyone as stated by Shaw and Lee. However, some policies on the other hand may try to reinforce inequality (Shaw and Lee 562). For this reason, affirmative action is trying to make sure everyone is embracing the policies associated with it that would only promote maximum level of equality for all, and this is evident on how it stands for no one but for everybody’