A number of colleges, universities, and corporations are encouraged to hire equally qualified women and minorities for high status positions. In support of this practice, some argue that the paucity of women and minorities inadvertently communicates to students and workers that members of these groups are not as competent or worthy of consideration. In essence, those who support the diversification of the workforce point to ________ as a source of negative stereotypes and prejudice.

[...] In essence, those who support the diversification of the workforce point to institutional discrimination as a source of negative stereotypes and prejudice.

Explanation:

Institutional discrimination (like individual discrimination) is based on race, religion and gender, but the responsible for it is an entity, such as a workplace or an educational institution. This implies that some people are treated unfairly and not given the same opportunities as others just for being women or part of minority cultures, such as in the case mentioned in the example.