Define the concept of affirmation action in a work place.

Affirmative action in the workplace is an initiative
designed to bring about a greater sense of representation.  The premise behind it was
noble, if nothing else.  The belief was that at one point in time, and to a certain
extent still valid today, the workplace was a setting that did not reflect the external
world.  Whereas one would find examples of diversity in all of its forms in the real
world, the workplace lacked it.  In this desire to bring about greater representation
and a greater convergence between that which is external to the workplace and its
internal settings, affirmative action policies or practices were embraced.  Essentially,
the process calls for evaluating candidates' qualifications as well as their racial or
representation status.  The belief was that if two equally qualified candidates applied
for a position, and the only differentiating point was race, for example, it would make
sense to bridge the gaps of representation by awarding the position to the candidate of
color.  The Caucasian candidate, it was presumed, would have more opportunities to apply
for a similar position, where the candidate of color at the time of inception of
affirmative action did not have the same opportunities.  It is in this vein that
affirmative action practices or policies were adopted.  It can be delved into in terms
of effectiveness or whether the cultural settings that necessitated it then are still
present today, but that might be for another post if we are only defining the concept in
the purest of senses.