MGMT1135 – Assignment 2
Topic: Ethnic-based stereotyping in the workplace
Introduction
In this discussion, I will be looking at the topic of ‘Ethnic-based stereotyping in the workplace’. Stereotyping affects us all, and we do it every day, most of the time without us even realising it. Hopefully by the end of this discussion, I will have informed you of what the basic principles are behind specifically ethnic stereotyping, how it works, how it affects us and the workplace, and a quick look at some of the ways an organisation can help manage it. So, without further ado.

What is ethnic stereotyping?
First, the definition of stereotyping, it is the process of assigning traits to people on the basis of their membership in a social category (McShane, Orlekands & Travaglione 2014, p. 78), the word ethnic, refers to the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition (Oxford Dictionary: Ethnicity 2015). Integrating the ethnic factor in, the definition would become, the process of assigning traits to people on the basis of their ethnic category. Ethnic stereotyping, or any stereotyping for that matter, is a natural error associated with the general perceptual process, which being, is the process of receiving information about the world, through our senses, then to be either interoperated or screen out, so we can make sense of our world (McShane, Orlekands & Travaglione 2014, p. 75). This concept of ethnic stereotyping is very simple and easy to understand, we do it every day. An example of this in day to day life could be, when you see an Indian man, you make the assumption that he is possibly a taxi driver, or an I.T. technical support representative, or even a telemarketer. Yes, these assumptions and accusations are very racist; but that is what ethnic stereotyping is, it is a perceptual error based on