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Although there has been substantial research on perceptions of preference in hiring, there is considerably less focus on perceptions of preference in organizational activities more generally. Researchers seldom assess perceptions of preference for both historically high- and low-status groups and for both one's own group and others. Using a three-wave longitudinal survey of 1,094 employees, the causal direction between perceived preference and satisfaction with management, moderators of that relationship, and whether responses to perceived preference differed by group were examined. On average, groups perceived more outgroup than ingroup preference. The satisfaction to perceived preference causal direction was significantly stronger than the reverse for outgroup preference, suggesting that increased satisfaction with management leads to decreased future perceptions of outgroup preference more so than vice versa. The relationship between satisfaction with management and perceived outgroup preference was moderated by perceived organizational tolerance of discrimination, suggesting that positive diversity climate can alleviate the negative effects of dissatisfaction with management on perceived outgroup preference.
Over the past several decades, organizations have devoted considerable resources toward diversity management, including targeted recruitment (Avery & McKay, 2006), affirmative action in hiring (Harrison, Kravitz, Mayer, Leslie, & Lev-Arey, 2006), diversity training (Rynes & Rosen, 1995), mentoring programs for underrepresented groups (e.g., Steinberg & Foley, 1999), facilitation of affinity groups (Friedman & Craig, 2004), and many other efforts. Societal impetuses for these programs within the United States include past histories of discrimination, the increased diversification of the workforce (McDermott & Samson, 2005), and a recognition that diversity can provide competitive advantage in terms of better decision making or customer service (Barker & Hartel, 2004; Cunningham & Sagas, 2006; McLeod, Lobel, & Cox, 1996; Sawyer, Houlette, & Yeagley, 2006). However, diversity can also create workgroup conflict and reduce cohesion and cooperation (see Williams & O'Reilly, 1998 for a review). Organizational leaders have increasingly recognized that positive organizational outcomes are linked to how well the organization leverages its diversity (Jackson & Ruderman, 1995; Richard, 2000; Wright, Ferris, Hiller, & Kroll, 1995). That is, some have noted that there can be backlash to diversity management efforts if they are perceived as institutionalizing preference for historically lower-status groups (Kidder, Lankau, Chrobot-Mason, Mollica, & Friedman, 2004).
Heilman and Haynes (2005) indicated that although a great deal of research...