Nepotize

To show favoritism towards relatives, especially by giving them jobs or positions of power, regardless of their merit or qualifications. This practice often undermines fairness, competence, and the overall effectiveness of an organization or system. It prioritizes familial connections over skill, experience, and objective assessment, leading to potentially less qualified individuals in key roles and fostering resentment among those overlooked for advancement. Nepotism can also create a culture of entitlement and complacency within the beneficiary group.

Nepotize meaning with examples

• The CEO was accused of nepotizing when he appointed his son, who lacked relevant experience, as the company's CFO. This decision sparked outrage among long-serving employees, who felt their own qualifications had been disregarded in favor of a familial connection, hindering morale.
• The political dynasty faced scrutiny for its persistent nepotizing, with multiple family members holding high-ranking positions in the government, regardless of their perceived capabilities. This created an imbalance and was believed to limit opportunities to capable outsiders and fuel corruption.
• Critics argued the university's board perpetuated nepotizing when they hired the president's daughter as a tenured professor, overlooking a long list of more highly qualified candidates from different research institutions. This action also damaged the reputation of the department.
• During the economic downturn, rumors spread about the mayor's potential nepotizing, as his brother’s construction firm was granted a lucrative city contract without a competitive bidding process, further feeding allegations of favoritism. This was a topic of heavy dispute.
• Despite the employee's excellent performance reviews, her promotion was blocked after the boss nepotized by assigning a position to his nephew, even though his qualifications were considerably lower. The employee resigned and sued for unfair treatment.