While strolling through Smith’s department store at Maplewood Mall, the atmosphere is pleasant.  It may appear to the casual shopper that there is a harmonious and proportionate ratio of gender and race.  A shopper will see African American employees.  Several of the area managers in the store are women.  Upon closer inspection, however, one would discover that all is not so equal.  Marla is the only African American female in the women’s department at Smith’s.  Marla, like most of the other associates, answered an advertisement for employees in the newspaper.  Marla’s manager, Rick, who is a white male, did not answer an advertisement.  His position was acquired as a result of a relationship with middle management.  Rick’s manager, Don, has been a friend to the Smith family for many years.  While the social networking process is essential in obtaining a management position at Smith’s, discrimination is a common thread woven throughout the company.
            White males hold all upper management positions within the Smith’s corporation.  The CEO of Smith’s, Inc., is George Smith II.  His father, George Smith I, is the founder of Smith’s, and he is now the chairman.  Mike Smith, another son, is president of the company.  The Smith men have hired other members of senior management.  Terrence N. is the vice president, and Jeff B. is the Senior Vice President Council and Secretary.  Each division of Smith’s has its own president and several vice presidents, all of which are white males.
            The Smith men have displayed examples of homosocial reproduction during the hiring process of upper management positions.  Homosocial reproduction occurs when a high level manager hires someone who is very similar for another high level position.  The hired members of the Smith’s upper management team are white males who have the same mindset, and the same ideals, as the Smith men.  According to Rick, the women’s department manager at Smith’s, no exceptions will be made to the “good old boy rule.”  This model illustrates that the high level managers must be of similar backgrounds.  Rick says, “The Smiths are from Savannah, and they wanted all their top management to be from that area.  That way, they would have the same mentality, and agree with the old-fashioned, southern approach to business.”  The Smiths’ ideal of the “southern” business is to have fewer sale events, and ‘low’ everyday pricing.  The Smiths’ determination to stay within their narrow perception of a traditional business has led them to discriminatory behavior.
            The Smith’s corporation has practiced gender and racial discrimination in the hiring process of upper management.  Discrimination occurs when a legally protected group is denied the same opportunities as other members of society.  A person with the required experience would not be hired if part of a different race or gender.  Each member of the upper level management team is a white male.  This practice has remained intact since the company was started.  Rick says, “The unwritten policy here is that white men have always been and will always be in charge.  They will always be hired for top management.  The managers know that, and we accept that it is just part of their thinking.”  The practice of hiring only certain members of society based on race and gender has led the Smiths to practice discrimination.
            Networking is essential to acquiring a management position of any level at Smith’s.  Networking refers to a social relationship between the management and the applicant.  A waiting list is maintained for the management positions at Smith’s.  The list is composed of social friends who are interested in management.  A management job is filled before the position is vacant.  This networking process does not permit others, who may be even more qualified, to have a chance at the position.  Many college graduates apply for these positions.  Although networking often occurs among college graduates, they may not be acquainted with the management at Smith’s.  These graduates, who are very qualified for management positions, will not stand a chance without the social networking process.  Networking is essential for these positions, due to the high demand.  The salary level is the major reason for this great demand.  The salary ranges from high class to upper middle class.    Although discrimination exists against the sales associates at Smith’s, networking is not required for sales associate positions.  Job openings for sales associates are advertised in the newspaper.  The demand for these positions is much lower therefore networking is not required.  This demand is less due to lower wages and sales quota requirements.
            Gender typing is a form of discrimination during the hiring process of sales associates Smith’s.  Gender typing occurs if an employee is hired, and then placed in a particular position due to the company’s perceived abilities or inabilities of the employee.  Every sales associate in the women’s department at Smith’s at Maplewood Mall is a female.  It is believed by management that a male would not be appropriate for an associate position in this department.  Among other duties, the job entails interaction with many women.  The clothes must be folded and displayed neatly and attractively.  It is assumed that a male would not perform these tasks as well as a female does.  Rick claims, “I would not feel comfortable hiring a guy for this department.  He wouldn’t fit in, and he wouldn’t do very well.”
        Recently statistical discrimination was avoided at Smith’s during the hiring process of a sales associate.  Statistical discrimination is the refusal to hire someone due to the statistics of a particular group.  Cindy, a white female who is expecting a baby, was having an interview with Rick, the area sales manager.  She did not inform the manager of the pregnancy for fear of discrimination.  Cindy’s fear was that Rick would apply the data of previous pregnant associates to her situation.  Cindy believed that Rick would not hire her, because the job is physically demanding.  However, Cindy believed that she could manage the job, regardless of her pregnancy.  Cindy was hired as a new sales associate at Smith’s.
            The glass ceiling is another form of discrimination against sales associates at Smith’s.  A glass ceiling occurs when a person has a lower job ladder than others due to race or gender.  It is possible for a sales associate to be promoted to an assistant sales manager.  However, the associates who are of a racial minority will not be advanced to this position.  There are no members of the management team at Smith’s who are of a racial minority.  For this group, the sales associate position is the highest position attainable.  Those associates who are qualified are being discriminated against due to race.  Rick notes, “It is sad to think about, but an associate won’t be bumped up if they are not white.  My best friend is a black man.  I’d like to think things are more fair, but they’re not.”  Although Marla is an excellent associate in the men’s area, she will never advance at Smith’s.  Marla’s job ladder is shorter simply due to the fact that she is an African American.
            Marla also experiences tokenism in the women’s department.  Tokenism occurs when a female or racial minority employee enters a new work situation.  This employee becomes a symbol of their group who is put on display.  This employee may feel the need to succeed, as the other colleagues monitor their behavior.  Marla was recently transferred from the home department to the men’s department.  Marla feels as though her behavior is constantly being observed by some of her coworkers.  Marla feels pressured to do well, or even better than the other associates in the women’s department.  Marla says, “I kind of feel like an outcast over here.  I wish I wouldn’t have been moved.  They keep watching me, and they get so nervous when any blacks walk in.”
            Jill and Kathy are both sales associates in the women’s department.  Jill and Kathy feel that their ‘security’ has now been threatened.  The perceived problem is due to the shoplifters who regularly visit the department.  The majority of these shoplifters are African American.  Therefore, Jill and Kathy have a prejudiced outlook toward members of the African American race.  “Now we have to watch even more carefully, now that Marla’s here,” says Jill.  Kathy notes, “Well, I don’t like this.  We didn’t need this problem, too.  Now we will have to spend even more of our time watching out.  It’s impossible to get everything done and do that, too.”  Although Marla has not displayed any negative behavior in the department, her conduct is being heavily monitored.  Jill and Kathy expect Marla to work harder than the other co-workers.  Jill and Kathy expect Marla to prove that she has the same work ethic.  Kathy says, “We’ll see what she can do.”  Jill notes, “Yeah, but I’ll bet she doesn’t work hard.  They usually don’t.”
        The issue of discrimination poses a difficult problem for employees and applicants in today’s society.  Businesses often quietly benefit from many different forms of bias.  True colors can often be deceiving.  In Smith’s case, the “good old boy’s rule” is not the golden rule.