Identifying and measuring diversity's payoffs: Light at the end of the affirmative action tunnel.

Because affirmative action is a means for achieving diversity and is, the authors argue, not an end in and of itself, diversity as an end and a concept, along with diversity's payoffs, are highlighted here. Another reason for doing an end-run around affirmative action is that it is a code expression, conjuring up controversial and contentious affect, including reverse discrimination, quotas, and set-asides, which are anathema in the twilight of the 20th century. Hence, the authors' attention is on the bottom line, diversity, as a legitimate end whose payoffs are coveted by employers and institutions of higher learning. They then offer a scheme for selecting employees and students targeted for diversity's payoffs.