Favoritism is a pervasive social phenomenon characterized by the preferential treatment of individuals based on personal biases rather than objective criteria. This practice can manifest in various contexts, including workplaces, educational institutions, and political environments, leading to significant implications for organizational culture, employee morale, and governance.

In organizational settings, favoritism often results in unequal opportunities for employees, where certain individuals receive advantages such as promotions, project assignments, or recognition due to personal relationships or biases held by supervisors or management. This can create a toxic work environment, fostering resentment and disengagement among those who feel overlooked or undervalued.

Favoritism can also intersect with other forms of preferential treatment, such as nepotism and cronyism. Nepotism refers to the preferential treatment of family members, while cronyism involves favoring friends or associates. Both practices can lead to conflicts of interest and corruption, as personal relationships take precedence over merit-based evaluations. The implications of these practices extend beyond individual experiences, affecting the overall functioning of organizations and political systems.

In this context, favoritism has become a much-talked-about concept in organizations, especially in employment in recent years. The aim of this study is to define the concept of favoritism and to reveal the practices of favoritism in organizations, its types, the reasons and results of favoritism, and the factors affecting favoritism.