| In order to become competitive and remain so, and to be true to the precepts of diversity and inclusiveness, organizational leaders must become adept at managing diverse resources, be they people, ideas or concepts. African Americans in leisure services face barriers that limit opportunities for their upward mobility. Evidence exists that African Americans may be under represented in senior management positions in leisure service organizations. This under representation may have resulted from barriers (institutional policies and practices and individual attitudes and behaviors) that inhibit African Americans from ascending to senior management positions based on their race. It is believed that there is a relationship between homosocial reproduction---the tendency of members of the "in group" in organizations to select persons like themselves for trusted and senior positions, leading to treatment discrimination---and the lower promotion rate of blacks to senior positions, compared to their white counterparts.; The results of the investigation, in the context of the study's research questions, include: (1) The researcher found that homosocial reproduction is present in the YMCA, and that it functions to ensure people who are similar to those in charge are given preference for filling trusted, senior positions in the organization. (2) The researcher found that there was not a significant difference between the promotion rates of black and white respondents. (3) The researcher found that the mean difference between blacks and whites with regard to psychosocial support was not significant. (4) The researcher did not find a significant difference in the promotion rates of black and white managers. With regard to human capital, the mean difference training frequency scores of black and white respondents was not found to be significant. With regard to social capital, the mean difference between blacks and whites on career-related support was not found to be significant, and the mean difference between black and white tie strength (a measure of closeness of relationships with persons in an employee's career-related and social support networks) was not found to be significant. Consequently, investments in human capital and social capital appear to have no significant effect on advancement. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
