Diversity in the federal executive ranks: The nexus between merit, organizational justice, politics, socialization, and social identity

The primary purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical framework rooted in organizational behavior that examines diversity and representation, or the lack thereof, in the federal career senior executive ranks. As such, the objectives of this study were threefold: (1) gauge career executives' perceptions regarding the fairness and merit of career senior executive selections, and the commitment by senior executives to achieving diversity in the SES ranks; (2) measure the extent that organizational politics and in-group membership correlate to advancement to the career senior executive positions; and (3) determine if individual merit is greater, less than, coincides with or equals the preceding non-merit factors in progression to federal senior leadership positions. Survey results show race/ethnic group perception differences. Unlike Whites and the other race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African-American to a large extent believe that administrative discretion applied in the merit staffing process limits their advancement to career executive positions; therefore, reinforcing linkages between procedural and distributive justice. In contrast to Whites and males, who occupy the bulk of career executive positions, the results also show that women and people of color view the commitment by senior leaders to achieving diversity among career executives differently, suggesting unclear and weakened linkages between descriptive and active representation. Black/African-American perceptions suggest public policy violations, and a flawed merit staffing process. As a consequence, and unlike Whites and the other race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African-Americans attribute their ascension to the executive ranks to the interrelationship between merit, participating in organizational politics, and in-group membership. Organizational politics and organizational socialization/social identity may moderate or have a greater influence on Black/African-American upward mobility to federal career executive positions than merit or individual qualifications in certain instances or organizations. Considering the race/ethnic groups differences, it is unclear and perhaps dependent upon the workplace environment if individual merit is more, less than, or equal importance as organizational politics and in-group membership to advance to the executive suite.