Final answer:
The management practice that does not lead to a competitive advantage through people is the use of perks to emphasize status differences between employees, as it contradicts the beneficial strategy of reducing status differences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Management practices that lead to competitive advantage through people include various strategies, such as employment security, training and skill development, and reduction of status differences. However, one of the options listed does not contribute to a competitive advantage. The practice that stands out as an exception is the use of perks to emphasize status differences between employees.
Promoting equality and reducing status differences are generally seen as beneficial for fostering a collaborative and productive work environment. In contrast, using perks to emphasize status differences can create an adverse effect by establishing a hierarchy that may hinder teamwork and collaboration.