Using selection theory, this paper shows that discriminatory constraints to selection
reduce the overall merit of candidates selected. Examples are given for situations
with one or more independent constraints, where the constraining variable is
correlated with the variable under selection, where the population of candidates
is small and where the mix of the selected group is forced to match the mix
of the population from which candidates arise.
In all cases it is shown that selection purely on merit leads to the best team
being selected. The paper concludes that discriminatory constraints are potentially
both inefficient and unfair.
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