U.S. Social Identity Group and Business paper and presentation - Essay Example

African-American Subculture and Business African-American Subculture and Business It is customary human behavior to evaluate people and their surroundings. The American society holds a myriad of stereotypes about different cultures, through which they gain understanding of their behavior, or so they assume. Largely, stereotypes are indistinct beliefs or expectations one has about a group of people, which some perceive as biological facts. In the present century, several groups constitute the culturally diverse United States population.

African Americans are one such distinct cultural subgroup, within the larger American populace, which endures some harmful stereotypes. For them, stereotypes have been part of their culture since prehistoric days in which slavery was the norm. This paper explores some stereotypes held against Africa Americans and the effect they present on organizational behavior and productivity. Both Americans and other cultural subgroups in United States geographical areas hold stereotypes against African Americans.

Largely, since White people were slave owners before the abolishment of slavery, they are the main culprits of such stereotypes. For instance, slaves were perceptibly happy and ignorant people who were ready to serve their masters. According to their White masters, they were lazy people who needed supervision from their masters in order to work productively. Of all minority groups in America, African Americans endure the worst forms of prejudice (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2010).

They may fail to enjoy economic and social advantages such as lower employment rates and lower remuneration. Stereotypes affect organizational behavior and productivity in negative ways. The stereotype that African Americans require supervision to show efficiency in the workplace is misguided. It affects organizational behavior because some employees may endure victimization owing to generalization. The probable psychological effects of stereotypes on African Americans may reduce their ambition and honesty to feedback.

Eventually, they may fail to demonstrate productivity because of morale issues and uncoordinated efforts at the workplace. Negative expectations and stereotypes have an unconstructive effect on performance levels (Bridges, 2008). For instance, if a stereotype advocates African Americans as less intelligent and with poor work ethic, then some Black employees who are naturally intelligent may fail to realize their work potential and become less productive. In addition, an organization may fail to employ African Americans in managerial or senior positions because of the stereotypes it holds, rather than because of merit.

For that reason, they experience fewer opportunities in comparison to their White counterparts who are perceptibly positive in life. The workplace has a direct link with individual ambitions and financial livelihood, and for that reason, it is essential to ensure that the workforce avoid stereotypes so that employees can maximize their utmost potential and eventually enhance productivity (Block, Koch, Liberman, Merriweather, and Roberson, 2011). As seen above, there are diverse stereotypes held about African Americans that have detrimental consequences at the business and organizational level.

While most oxymoronic myths and stereotypes have basis, they are not overly applicable in all African Americans. In fact, one may find White people who are naturally lazy at work as compared to African Americans. Stereotypes are paradoxical in nature because they envelop a group of people, but rather define individual characteristics. In an organizational context, it is essential to promote diversity management programs to enhance cohesiveness and trust, which are essential constituents of productivity.

ReferencesBlock, C., Koch, S., Liberman, B., Merriweather, T., and Roberson, L. (2011). Contending With Stereotype Threat at Work: A Model of Long-Term Responses. The Counseling Psychologist 39(4) 570–600. DOI: 10.1177/0011000010382459. Bridges, S. (2008). Interpreting Feedback in the Workplace: An Examination of Stereotype Threat and Stigmatization with African American Professionals. Minnesota: ProQuestU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2010). EEOC African American Workgroup Report.

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