Qualified Recommendation

In their discussion of bureaucracies, Cheney et al state that "In principle, bureaucracy is intended to promote fairness" (p. 32), and credit bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs) with helping women and minority groups break through the glass ceiling. I found myself to be skeptical of such a claim, especially since the authors provided no evidence to support it. The assumption that job applicants to bureaucratic organizations are selected only on the basis of their BFOQs, ignores the human factor present in all hiring decision. Although organizations frequently argue that there is a lack of qualified ....(fill in the blank)... applicants, studies have demonstarted that gender, race, ethnicity, age, and other characteristics frequently play a signficant role in the screening of job applicants. On-line applications and phone interviews do not level the playing field, as even seemingly beneign demographic information, such as an address, can carry negative or positive associations. I think the most that can be said of bureaucratic hiring practices, is that they screen for a minimum common denominator of qualification.