Need for Diversity in Elected Decision-Making Bodies: Economics-Related Analysis

Authors

Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Banking University Ho Chi Minh CityFollow
Olga Kosheleva, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow
Vladik Kreinovich, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow

Publication Date

8-2020

Comments

Technical Report: UTEP-CS-20-87

Abstract

On a qualitative level, everyone understands the need to have diversity in elected decision-making bodies, so that the viewpoint of each group be properly taken into account. However, when only the usual economic criteria are used in this election -- e.g., in the election of company's board -- the resulting bodies often under-represent some groups (e.g., women). A frequent way to remedy this situation is to artificially enforce diversity instead of strictly following purely economic criteria. In this paper, we show the current seeming contradiction between economics and diversity is caused by the imperfection of the use economic models: in an accurate economics-related decision making model, optimization directly implies diversity.