Organization and Strategy Seminar（2016-10）

Topic：Let's choose one of each: Using the partition dependence bias to increase diversity in hiring decisions

Speaker: Krishna Savani,Nanyang Technological University

Time: Friday, 14 October, 14:00-15:30 pm

Location: Room 217,Guanghua Building 1

Abstract:

Past research has demonstrated that the salience of social categories can reduce employers’ likelihood of hiring employees from diverse backgrounds because it can activate recruiters’ stereotypes and biases. Research in judgment and decision making, however, suggests that the salience of categories can sometimes lead people to choose more diversity. Building upon the theory of partition dependence, we propose that categorizing job candidates would nudge recruiters to consider more diverse candidates on the categorized dimension. Further, building on dual-process theories in cognitive and social psychology, we argue that this effect would occur outside of recruiters’ conscious awareness and would not compromise the competency of selected candidates. Four experimental studies with diverse partition categories (e.g., gender, ethnicity, university, major) and with different selection methods (i.e., profile screening, resume screening) found that both hypothetical recruiters and experienced human resource professionals selected more diverse candidates on whichever dimension the candidates were categorized. Importantly, the selectors did not feel that any attempt had been made to influence them, and the increased diversity did not come at the cost of lower competency. The present research highlights that the salience of social categories need not always lead to reduced diversity but can be used to increase diversity.

Introduction:

Krishna Savaniis an Assistant Professor of Strategy, Management, and Organisation at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University. He obtained his PhD in Psychology from Stanford University, and did a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Columbia Business School. He uses cross-cultural research to provide insights into basic psychological processes, and has conducted research on cultural norms, cultural conditioning, interpersonal influence and accommodation, choice, decision making, and policy attitudes. His research has been published in numerous academic journals, includingJournal of Personality and Social Psychology,Psychological Science,Journal of Applied Psychology, andOrganizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. He is currently as an Associate Editor at theSocial and Personality Psychology Compass, and an Editorial Board member atOrganizational Behavior and Human Decision ProcessesandPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin.Dr. Savani has been recognized as a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, a leading association of psychological scientists across the world. He is the first holder of the Nanyang Assistant Professorship in the business school, a university fellowship designed to attract exceptional young academics throughout the world to work at Nanyang Technological University.

//www.krishnasavani.com/

Your participation is warmly welcomed!