Study of individual values 629 Equal Opportunities International Vol. 27 No. 7, 2008 pp. 629-645 # Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0261-0159 DOI 10.1108/02610150810904328 A study of individual values and employment equity in Canada, France and Ireland Sudhir K. Saha Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada David O’Donnell Intellectual Capital Research Institute of Ireland, Ballyagran, Ireland Taran Patel La Rochelle Business School, Les Minimes, La Rochelle, France, and John Heneghan Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper, in the context of the employment equity (EE) field, is to explore the relationship between individual values/beliefs and simulated hiring decisions of minority candidates in Canada, France and Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – Individual values/beliefs were elicited using Likert type scales; subjects responded to a series of simulated hiring scenarios. Findings – The link between individual value and belief systems and EE-related HR decision making on recruitment of minority candidates is modestly supported by the findings presented here. The values/beliefs of students from leading business schools influenced, if in part, their simulated hiring decisions on minority candidates presented in the scenarios. National context also matters as EE institutions differ at the societal level of analysis. Research limitations/implications – The subjects were business school students of limited work experience addressing scenario situations, not practicing managers making real hiring decisions. The use of self-reports leads to the usual issues related to common method variance, the consistency motif, social desirability bias, and so on and we note the limits due to the reverse ecological fallacy. Research findings provide modest support to this argument but should be treated with caution. Practical implications – Individual values and beliefs matter in HR decision making on recruitment of minority candidates. Originality/value – Much EE research focuses on antecedents of values/beliefs; this paper is one of a handful of investigations that attempts to establish possible outcomes of values/beliefs towards EE. Keywords Affirmative action, Employment, Human resource management, Equal opportunities, Canada, France, Ireland Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction Despite numerous initiatives from both civil society and government legislations in Canada, France and Ireland, employment equity (EE) remains very much a partially fulfilled, and at times contentious, goal. Certainly there has been some progress, but ‘‘some’’ remains the operative word. Despite social and legislative pressures, why do certain minority groups continue to find it so difficult to obtain justice in the labor market? Why do some countries succeed, if in part, and others fail abysmally in this area? We argue here that legislation alone is insufficient – mindsets of the key The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0261-0159.htm The authors are particularly grateful for very instructive comments from both anonymous reviewers and the editor of this journal. The usual disclaimer applies.