About this Event
Seminar Title:
When Credentials Speak Louder Than Race: Foreign Credential Bias in Hiring Decisions
Event Details:
đź“… Date: 29 April, 2026 (Wednesday)
⏰ Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
đź“ŤVenue: CR-W2-05, Asia School of Business
đź’» Zoom Link: https://asb-my.zoom.us/j/98095663733?pwd=cgYX74oZUWkdwcndjbmxypX7oatQFF.1
Meeting ID: 980 9566 3733
Passcode: 979991
Abstract
Bias in hiring decisions is often attributed primarily to candidate race. However, organizations increasingly evaluate applicants whose education and experience were obtained outside the host country, raising the possibility that foreign credential origin itself functions as a bias-relevant signal.
Across two experimental résumé studies involving 195 full-time U.S. managers, this research examines how credential origin (North America vs. East Asia) and candidate race (Asian vs. White) independently and jointly influence hiring decisions. When credential origin was held constant, Asian candidates were not disadvantaged; instead, race shaped how job-relevant characteristics were weighted in evaluation.
In contrast, when race was held constant, candidates with U.S. credentials were selected more frequently than those with Asian credentials, particularly among White candidates. Across both studies, inferred English-language proficiency emerged as the primary mechanism linking credential origin to selection decisions, explaining more variance than respondent attitudes such as ethnocentrism and social dominance orientation.
Prior implicit bias training was found to reduce credential-based discrimination in certain contexts. Overall, the findings suggest that hiring bias is better understood as credential-based and signal-driven rather than purely race-based, highlighting the importance of institutional familiarity and perceived competence in organizational decision-making.
Speaker’s Bio
Professor Eddy Ng is a Professor at Queen’s University and holds the Smith Professorship in Equity and Inclusion in Business. He is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), careers, and human resource management.
He has held academic appointments across leading institutions in North America and has also served as a visiting professor at institutions including James Cook University (Singapore campus) and the University of Sydney.
Professor Ng is consistently ranked among the top 2% of most cited scientists globally (Elsevier/Stanford rankings) and has received numerous awards for his impactful research. His work focuses on workplace diversity, inclusion, international workforce integration, and the future of work, with publications in leading academic journals such as Journal of Business Ethics, Human Resource Management Journal, and Personnel Review.
We look forward to your participation in this insightful research seminar.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Asia School of Business (ASB) Academic, 11 Jalan Dato Onn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
USD 0.00
