avor of groups victimized in the past was a part of the affirmative action program in the United States that attracted opposition from the beginning of the effort. Further, the opposition to affirmative action focusing on this application of affirmative action laws and regulations steadily increased over the years and tended to divide the American population politically and socially in ways that shifted allegiances over time (Federico & Sidanius, 2002).
In theory, government regulation designed to eliminate employment discrimination should have no adverse impacts on business and industry, for in theory discrimination between individuals in relation to hiring, promotion, retention, and compensation would be based only upon performance or upon performance potential.á Some analysts conclude that firms would enjoy increased profitability as a result of the elimination of compensation differentials based upon sex or upon racial or ethnic background.á Such a conclusion assumes, however, that the distribution of abilities and motivations to learn, knowledge ba
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