ABSTRACT
Prejudice and discrimination can occur in any social grouping. Managers need to understand the detrimental impact that prejudice and discrimination has on the achievement of organisational objectives. Beyond these pragmatic considerations, it is important that ethical considerations inform both management practice and personal conduct. Racism, sexism, and homophobic behaviour are most common, but anti-Semitism, political, religious discrimination as well as xenophobia can also cause hurt and distress to victims. Bias and prejudice are defined and discussed to better understand discrimination. This chapter explores some of the current research dealing with the tendency of some individuals to be more prejudiced in their views and actions. It also highlights the intergroup dimensions of prejudice that seem to be at the root of much human conflict. Being sensitive to other cultures, on one hand, must be matched by a recognition of the commonalities that confirm universal truth that despite differences in appearance, human beings comprise one family.
