The Myth of Black Corporate Mobility

African Americans are significantly under-represented in the upper levels of the corporate hierarchy, and they experience significantly slower rates of upward mobility -- even when measured against their similarly qualified white peers. Two schools of thought seek to explain this phenomenon. One view, articulated primarily by corporate leaders and some researchers, claims that blacks experience slower rates of advancement because they lack the skills and qualifications needed for career advancement. A second view, held by other researchers and many African Americans, states that race-related factors limit blacks' rate of upward corporate mobility. This study focuses on similarly qualified black and white managers to examine why the rate of upward mobility among qualified blacks is inhibited. Interviews with these executives reveal that differences in socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds between blacks and whites, as well as stereotypes and their subsequent discriminatory effects, jeopardize black advancement in the corporate arena. In light of current economic challenges to American business, this persistence of discriminatory constraints continues to derail corporate America's ability to capitalize on the full potential of all available human resources, and to maximize its competitive advantage.