This thesis investigates the problem of Affinity Bias in recruitment processes, particularly in Dutch public organizations. Affinity Bias refers to the tendency for recruiters to favor candidates...Show moreThis thesis investigates the problem of Affinity Bias in recruitment processes, particularly in Dutch public organizations. Affinity Bias refers to the tendency for recruiters to favor candidates with similar backgrounds or characteristics, resulting in hiring decisions based on personal preferences rather than qualifications, skills, and experience. This bias can have a detrimental effect on diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. The thesis aims to identify Affinity Bias’s manifestation in recruitment and selection processes and its impact on Dutch Public Organizations. The theoretical model proposed in this paper builds on existing literature on Diversity and Inclusion, Recruitment and Selection Processes, Social Identity Theory, and Affinity Bias. The inductive research design applies interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore how public sector recruiters make sense of their experiences through Semi-Structured Interviews. This thesis aims to contribute to the existing literature on Affinity Bias and its interrelation with the Social Identity Theory, as well as provide empirical evidence on the presence of affinity bias in Dutch public organizations, extending existing knowledge by exploring a model in a new context and a different population, and providing practical implications for public organizations in the Netherlands and beyond.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
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Diversity and inclusion in the work environment are nowadays widely presented as solutions for enduring social issues. Various examples however show that it turns out to be very difficult for...Show moreDiversity and inclusion in the work environment are nowadays widely presented as solutions for enduring social issues. Various examples however show that it turns out to be very difficult for organizations to work on diversity and inclusion and to make it function as a solution for certain social issues within organizations. This thesis studies the implementation of a diversity and inclusion program in a department of the municipality of Amsterdam. My study indicates three main challenges that have to do with the framing of diversity and inclusion programs, the aim of diversity management, and the multivocality of the terms used. These challenges make it particularly difficult to implement such diversity and inclusion programs and foreground issues that can accompany diversity and inclusion programs.Show less
Over the past decades, both business studies (and in particular management studies) and social sciences have increasingly emphasized the importance of the individual and thus how Culture influences...Show moreOver the past decades, both business studies (and in particular management studies) and social sciences have increasingly emphasized the importance of the individual and thus how Culture influences individual particularities. Yet, a dichotomy is today flagrant between how social sciences approach the term 'Culture' and the characteristics given to it in management studies. A new term even emerged when relating to the workplace, 'diversity'. However, almost ironically, the definition of diversity is closer to the modern sociological term of 'culture'. While 'Culture' as defined in management studies remains clearly based on studies from the end of the 20th Century. This paper addresses this central divergence, approaching the why and how it could be problematic to reduce the complexity of culture, especially concerning individuals and the workplace, as compared to sociological findings on the subject.Show less
