Understanding and Managing Diversity Readings, Cases, and Exercises, 6th edition Instructors Manual by Ace Test Banks

Understanding and Managing Diversity Readings, Cases, and Exercises, 6th edition By Carol Harvey , M. June Allard

INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL

UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING DIVERSITY Readings, Cases, and Exercises Sixth Edition

Carol P. Harvey Assumption College, Professor Emerita Suffolk University

M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO THE INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL SUGGESTED SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS FOR A 14 WEEK DIVERSITY COURSE FEATURES AND TOPICS MATRICES  Diversity Topics Matrix  Matrix of Teaching Materials  Integrating Diversity with Organizational Behavior Topics  Integrating Diversity with Human Resources Topics TEACHING AN ONLINE DIVERSITY COURSE UNDERSTANDING WORKPLACE DIVERSITY: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? SECTION I

UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES OF DIVERSITY

Diversity Today: Fact or Fiction? Carol P. Harvey

DIVERSITY! Jeanne M. Aurelio and Christopher Laib

Body Ritual Among the Nacirema Horace Miner

Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes John R. Bowman

I AM . . . M. June Allard

Are You Privileged? Mark Julien and Micheal T. Stratton

Table of Contents

White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies Peggy McIntosh

The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Difference and Conflict Carole G. Parker

Exploring Diversity in Your Organization Carol P. Harvey

10 The Pitney Bowes Case: A Legacy of Diversity Management Carol P. Harvey 11 Integrative Questions for Section I SECTION II

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: RACE and ETHNICITY

12 Being An Only: A Field Assignment Carol P. Harvey 13 Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom Michelle R. Dunlap 14 Since We Elected an African American President Twice, Is Racism Still an Issue in America? Joyce McNickles 15 Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process M. June Allard 16 The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now Carol P. Harvey 17 Integrative Questions for Section II SECTION III UNDERSTANDING THE PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHALLENGES 18 How Old Should You Be to Drive a Bus? Exploring Ageism Sharon P. McKechnie

Table of Contents

19 Generational Diversity in the Workplace Diane M. Holtzman, Evonne J. Kruger, and Charles D. Srock 20 Exploring The Gender Gap: What Are the Issues? Carol P. Harvey and Deborah L. Larsen 21 When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style Carol P. Harvey 22 The Paradox of Male Privilege: Toward a Gender Democracy and Democratic Manhood Steven D. Farough 23 Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in the American Workplace Gerald Hunt 24 Is This Sexual Harassment? Carol P. Harvey 25 Musical Chairs M. June Allard 26 Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity Mark E. Moore and Caryl L.Martin 27 The Cracker Barrel Restaurants John Howard 28 Integrative Questions for Section III SECTION IV UNDERSTANDING THE SECONDARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: SOCIAL CLASS, RELIGION, APPEARANCE/ WEIGHT, LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION, AND MILITARY SERVICE 29 Does Social Class Make a Difference? Carol P. Harvey 30 Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy Colleen A. Fahy 31 Religion in the Workplace Kathleen M. Fisher, Jeanne M. McNett, and Pamela D. Sherer

Table of Contents

32 Understanding Intercultural Communications in Today’s Global Environment Gina Ruxton and Carol P. Harvey 33 Communicating with a Global Call Center Exercise Carol P. Harvey 34 The Culture of the U.S. Air Force and Its Impact on a Mobile Training Team Case Christopher C. Butts, Elizabeth Sanz, Kizzy M, Parks, and Daniel P. McDonald 35 Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military Joseph R. Bongiovi 36 Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities M. June Allard 37 Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace M. June Allard 38 Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate M. June Allard 39 Integrative Questions for Section IV SECTION V

MANAGING DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL, LEGAL, MEDIA, AND MARKETING ISSUES

40 The Ethics of Workplace Diversity Jeanne McNett 41 Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace M. June Allard 42 How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity Marc S. Mentzer 43 A Report on the Current Health of the Media M. June Allard 44 Exercises in Media Diversity M. June Allard

Table of Contents

45 New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets M. June Allard 46 Points of Law: The Bar Exam M. June Allard 47 Chick-fil-A and the Media Carol P. Harvey 48 Integrative Questions for Section V SECTION VI MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DIVERSITY: CURRENT ISSUES 49 What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity? Examining Corporate Leadership, Training, Mentoring, Employee Resource Groups and Social Responsibility Programs Carol P. Harvey 50 Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done Carol P. Harvey 51 The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at the Western Company Rana Haq 52 Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination M. June Allard 53 One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Bullying Andra Gumbus 54 A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying? You Decide . . . Andra Gumbus 55 The Path to Inclusion: The Business Case for Diversity at Ocean Spray Carol P. Harvey 56 Integrative Questions for Section VI SECTION VII CAPSTONE EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING DIVERSITY 57 Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity Carol P. Harvey

Table of Contents

58 Creating Diversity Awareness: A Video Project Cary J. LeBlanc 59 Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit Using Rubrics Carol P. Harvey 60 Integrative Questions for Section VII SECTION VIII ADDITIONAL CASES NOT FOUND IN THE TEXT 61 The UBS Diversity Case Arlene O. DeWitt 62 Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement Egidio A. Diodati 63 The U.S. Air Force Academy Case Egidio A. Diodati 64 Briarwood Industries Carol P. Harvey 65 The Best Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities David P. Harvey 66 Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way M. E. (Pete) Murphy

Introduction to the Instructor’s Manual

INTRODUCTION TO THE INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL FOR THE 6th EDITION

Since we started writing diversity textbooks in 1995, new legislation has been passed, the concept of diversity has been greatly expanded, the focus has changed from legal compliance to inclusion, and organizations have come to realize that managing diversity can produce measurable organizational benefits in a global economy. However, there is still much to learn about workplace diversity and this Instructor’s Manual provides materials that will help you to design and teach your diversity course. It is important to note that all of the material in this Instructor’s Manual was written either by professors who teach undergraduate and graduate level diversity courses, or by consultants who currently work in this field. Research into the field of diversity management and implementation efforts in organizations have supported our belief that diversity can only be fully understood from an interdisciplinary perspective. Both the text and this Instructor’s Manual were written by authors from many fields including management, marketing, communication, psychology, economics, international business, religion, education, social justice, sociology, and history. Our authors include diversity trainers and managers, as well as classic articles by noted authors such as Peggy McIntosh and Horace Minor. Unfortunately, new copyright requirements coupled with the complexity and costs of obtaining the rights to republish electronically have forced us to omit additional classic articles. Teaching about Diversity Today and Using the 6th Edition Teaching about workplace diversity is changing both in terms of delivery and content, and the 6th edition is designed to respond to these changes. Today, there are more hybrid and online classes. More courses are taught by adjunct professors. Faculty members are being asked to do more with fewer resources. Because of immigration and the expansion of global business, communication and cultural differences play an increasingly important role in understanding diversity. While space constraints for the text made it impossible to address international diversity issues in a comprehensive way, we have inserted, wherever appropriate, a new Global Notes feature to provide information on diversity from an international perspective. Pedagogy, too, has shifted towards less lecturing and more active learning experiences, particularly in the use of the flipped classroom model. There is an increased emphasis on improving students’ writing and critical thinking skills. To address these trends, we have implemented numerous changes in the 6th edition and supported these innovations in this Instructor’s Manual with topic matrices for diversity and organizational behavior courses, an outline of assignments for a traditional and an online course, outlines of articles, answers to discussion questions, teaching tips, and lists of additional resources.

Introduction to the Instructor’s Manual

Organization & Pedagogy To fit our three-level approach to diversity (individual level, social identity group level, and organizational level), the text has been expanded into seven major sections, each beginning with a revised introduction to provide context and ending with a set of integrative questions that encourage higher levels of critical thinking and linkages for active learning. This Instructor’s Manual for the 6th edition features the following: Section I – Lays the historical foundation and context for the course and provides introductory material on stereotypes and privilege. Three new active learning exercises have been added to this section. Section II – Explores primary diversity in terms of race and ethnicity. Two of these articles have been totally revised and updated. Section III – Addresses diversity from the primary dimensions of age, gender, sexual orientation, and physical and mental challenges. Here, three articles and one exercise were revised and two new cases were added. Section IV – Expands our coverage of secondary diversity to include a stronger focus on the military experience in terms of women and intercultural focus communication issues, and features four revised and updated articles. Section V – Covers diversity from the ethical, legal, media, and marketing perspectives and includes four revised and updated articles, an updated exercise, and a new case. Section VI – Presents diversity from the organizational perspective and highlights current issues such as work-life balance, the controversy over diversity awards, bullying, employee resource groups, and the issue of achieving inclusion. Here, two articles were totally revised and updated, and one new article and two new cases were added. Section VII – Provides three capstone learning assignments, two of which are brand new, and a totally new pedagogical feature – rubrics to aid in your assessment of students’ work. Section VIII – Provides additional cases with corresponding instructor notes that have appeared in previous editions of the text.

Introduction to the Instructor’s Manual

Additional Support Materials Adopters have told us that favorite cases and teaching materials have been removed from the text as new editions are published. This is because of the need to constantly update the text while still considering the constraint of page limitations. To address this issue, we have retained popular cases from previous editions and added them and their support material to this Instructor’s Manual (Section VIII) with the permission of the authors. Additional Support Materials Available on the Course Website Note: Adopters will need to obtain access to the course website through their Pearson Sales Representatives. DIVERSITY! – This is an interactive computer game that can be used to sample students’ diversity knowledge and to increase their interest in the subject. The instructions are found in Section I of the text, but the game boards appear only online. To access these, go to http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/ and search for the 6th edition by author, title, or ISBN. Power Point slides – New slides for the 6th edition. We welcome your suggestions and copies of your syllabi. Please contact us if we can be of assistance with your course. We are always interested in suggestions and emails from our adopters. Enjoy your course and know that by teaching about diversity, you have an opportunity to be a change agent for a better world. Carol P. Harvey, Ed.D. Assumption College charvey@assumption.edu Suffolk University charvey@suffolk.edu

M. June Allard, Ph.D. Allard Consulting jallard1833@yahoo.com

Suggested Semester Assignments for a 14 Week Diversity Course

SUGGESTED SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS FOR A 14 WEEK DIVERSITY COURSE* WEEK #1 Topics – Introduction to the Course, Workplace Diversity, and Stereotypes Readings: Understanding Workplace Diversity…Introduction to Section I, Body Ritual… Exercises/Assignments: Diversity Today…Diversity! I AM, and Increasing Multicultural Understanding… WEEK #2 Topics – Individual Diversity and Privilege Readings: White Privilege and Male Privilege…Emotional Connection…and Pitney Bowes Case Exercises/Assignments: Are You Privileged? Exploring Diversity…and Integrative Questions for Section I WEEK #3 Topics – Primary Diversity: Race and Ethnicity Readings: Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom... Since We Elected…Immigration Patterns…and Coca-Cola Case Exercises/Assignments: Being an Only, Integrative Questions for Section II WEEK #4 Topics – Primary Diversity: Age and Gender Readings: Generational Diversity, Exploring the Gender Gap…When Women Do Lead…Case, and Paradox of Male Privilege Exercises/Assignment: How Old Should… WEEK #5 Topics – Primary Diversity: Sexual Orientation and Physical & Mental Challenges Readings: Sorting Through LGBT…Professor on Wheels Case, Cracker Barrel Case, Exercises/Assignments: Is This Sexual Harassment?, Musical Chairs, and Integrative Questions for Section III WEEK #6 Topics – Secondary Diversity: Social Class, Religion, and Appearance & Weight Readings: Social Class: The Fiction…Religion in the Workplace, Appearance and Weight…and Fairfax Hospital Case Exercises/Assignments: Does Social Class…? and Choosing the Board

Suggested Semester Assignments for a 14 Week Diversity Course

WEEK #7 Topics – Secondary Diversity: Language, Communication and Military Service Readings: Understanding Intercultural Communication…The Culture of the U.S. Air Force Case, and Fighting for Equal Opportunity… Exercises/Assignments: Global Call Center and Integrative Questions for Section IV WEEK #8 Topics – Mid-Semester Evaluation; Assign and Explain Capstone Experience WEEK #9 Topics – Managing Diversity: Ethical & Legal Issues Readings: Ethics of Workplace Diversity, Ethics & Diversity Cases, and How Canada Promotes… Exercises/Assignments: Points of Law: Bar Exam WEEK #10 Topics – Managing Diversity: Media & Marketing Readings: Current Health of Media, New Business Opportunities…and Chick-fil-A Case Exercises/Assignments: Exercises in Media Diversity…and Integrative Questions for Section V WEEK #11 Topics – Managing Organizational Change & Diversity Readings: What Do Organizations…Diversity & Inclusion Awards… Allow extra time for questions on capstone assignments and/or have students report out on their progress. WEEK #12 Topics – Managing Organizational Change & Diversity continued Readings: Work-Life Balance…Six Sigma Case, and Ocean Spray Case WEEK #13 Topic – Bullying Readings: One Workplace Bully… A Case of Harassment… Exercises/Assignments: Integrative Questions for Section VI WEEK #14 Topic – Final Evaluation Exams, and presentations and/or papers for capstone experiences Exercises/Assignments: Integrative Questions for Section VII

_____ *Add Diversity on the Web and Writing assignments as needed to these readings and assignments.

Diversity Topics Matrix

II. Introduction to Primary Dimesnions of Diversity: Race and Ethnicity 12. Being An Only 13. Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom 14. Is Racism Still an Issue in America? 15. Immigration Patterns 16. Coca-Cola Company

X X X X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

Media, Marketing & Communication

Military

International

Religion

Social Class

Legal/Ethical

Physical & Mental Challenges

Age

Sexual Orientation

Gender

Ethnicity/Culture

Organizational Diversity & Inclusion

Understanding Workplace Diversity

Race

Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination

DIVERSITY TOPICS MATRIX

III. Introduction to Primary Dimensions of Diversity: Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Physical/Mental Challenges 18. To Drive A Bus? 19. Generational Diversity 20. Gender Gap 21. Gender Bias 2013 Style 22. Male Privilege 23. LGBT Issues 24. Sexual Harassment 25. Musical Chairs 26. Disability and Diversity 27. Cracker Barrel IV. Introduction to Secondary Dimensions of Diversity: Social Class, Religion, Appearance/Weight Language/Communication and Military Services 29. Social Class 30. Social Class: Meritocracy 31. Religion in the Workplace 32. Intercultural Communication 33. Global Call Center 34. Mobile Training Team Case 35. Women's Changing Roles in the U.S. Military 36. Choosing the Board 37. Appearance and Weight 38. Fairfax Hospital

Media, Marketing & Communication

Military

International

Religion

Social Class

Legal/Ethical

Physical & Mental Challenges

Age

Sexual Orientation

Gender

Ethnicity/Culture

Race

Organizational Diversity & Inclusion

Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination

Diversity Topics Matrix

X X X X X X X X

X X X X X

X X

X X X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X

X X

X X X

V. Introduction to Managing Diversity: Ethical, Legal, Media and Marketing Issues 40. Ethics of Workplace Diversity 41. Ethics/Legal Cases 42. Canada - Workplace Diversity 43. Health of the Media 44. Media Diversity Exercises 45. Changing Consumer Markets 46. Bar Exam 47. Chick-Fil-A VI. Introduction to Managing Change/Diversity: Current Issues 49. Leadership, Mentoring, ERGs, Training, Supplier Diversity and Social Responsibility 50. Work-Life Balance Issues 51. Six Sigma Case 52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards 53. The Four Faces of Bullying 54. Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying? 55. Inclusion/Ocean Spray

X X X X X

X X X

Media, Marketing & Communication

Military

International

Religion

Social Class

Legal/Ethical

Physical & Mental Challenges

Age

Sexual Orientation

Gender

Ethnicity/Culture

Race

Organizational Diversity & Inclusion

Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination

Diversity Topics Matrix

X X X X

X X

X X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X

VII. Introduction to Capstone Experiences* 57. Create a Case 58. Diversity Awarness: A Video Project 59. Diversity Audit VIII. Cases in Instructor's Manual Only 61. UBS Case 62. Law Enforcement 63. US Airforce Academy 64. Briarwood 65. Best Buy 66. BWA/Indonesia Way

X X X

Media, Marketing & Communication

Military

International

Religion

Social Class

Legal/Ethical

Physical & Mental Challenges

Age

Sexual Orientation

Gender

Ethnicity/Culture

Race

Organizational Diversity & Inclusion

Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination

Diversity Topics Matrix

X X X

X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X

X X

* Topics depend on projects selected by students.

X X

Matrix of Teaching Materials MATRIX OF TEACHING MATERIALS

X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X X X

II. Introduction to Primary Dimensions of Diversity: Race and Ethnicity 12. Being An Only 13. Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom 14. Is Racism Still an Issue in America? 15. Immigration Patterns 16. Coca-Cola Company

X X X X X X

X X X

Best Practices

X X X

Capstone Assignments Rubrics

Diversity on the Web

Cases

Global Notes

Points of Law

Writing Assignment

Understanding Workplace Diversity

Exercises

Readings

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES

Matrix of Teaching Materials

IV. Introduction to Secondary Dimensions of Diversity: Social Class, Religion, Appearance/Weight Language/Communication and Military Services 29. Social Class 30. Social Class: Meritocracy 31. Religion in the Workplace 32. Intercultural Communication 33. Global Call Center 34. Mobile Training Team Case 35. Women's Changing Roles in the U.S. Military 36. Choosing the Board 37. Apperance and Weight 38. Fairfax Hospital

Best Practices

Capstone Assignments Rubrics

Global Notes

Points of Law

Diversity on the Web

Writing Assignment

Cases

Exercises

Readings

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES

X X X X

X X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

Matrix of Teaching Materials

VI. Introduction to Managing Change/Diversity: Current Issues 49. Leadership, Mentoring, ERGs, Training, Supplier Diversity and Social Responsibility 50. Work-Life Balance Issues 51. Six Sigma Case 52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards 53. The Four Faces of Bullying 54. Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying? 55. Inclusion/Ocean Spray

X X

X X X

Best Practices

Capstone Assignments Rubrics

X X X

Global Notes

Points of Law

Diversity on the Web

Cases

X X

Writing Assignment

Exercises

Readings

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES

X X

X X X

X X X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X

X X

Matrix of Teaching Materials

VII. Introduction to Capstone Experiences* 57. Create a Case 58. Diversity Awarness: A Video Project 59. Diversity Audit

Best Practices

Capstone Assignments Rubrics

Global Notes

Points of Law

Writing Assignment

Diversity on the Web

Cases

Exercises

Readings

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES

VIII. Cases in Instructor's Manual Only 61. UBS Case 62. Law Enforcement 63. US Airforce Academy 64. Briarwood 65. Best Buy 66. BWA/Indonesia Way

X X X X X X

* Topics depend on projects selected by students.

X X

X X X

Integrating Diversity with Organizational Behavior Topics INTEGRATING DIVERSITY WITH ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR TOPICS

I. Introduction to Individual Diversity 1. Diversity Today 2. DIVERSITY! 3. Body Ritual/Nacirema 4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding 5. I AM… 6. Are You Privileged? 7. White Privilege and Male Privilege 8. The Emotional Connection 9. Diversity in Your Organization 10. Pitney Bowes Case II. Introduction to Primary Dimesnions of Diversity: Race and Ethnicity 12. Being An Only 13. Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom 14. Is Racism Still an Issue in America? 15. Immigration Patterns 16. Coca-Cola Company

Global Management

Managing Conflict

Communication

Performance Management

Motivation

Pereception and Attribution X

Decision Making

Leadership

Understanding Workplace Diversity

Teamwork

Organizational Culture

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR TOPICS

X X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X X X

Integrating Diversity with Organizational Behavior Topics

X X X

X X

X X X

X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X X X

X X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X X X

Global Management

X X

Managing Conflict

X X X X X X X X X X X

Decision Making

Leadership

Communication

Performance Management

Pereception and Attribution

Motivation

Teamwork

Organizational Culture

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR TOPICS

X X

Integrating Diversity with Organizational Behavior Topics

Decision Making

X X X

X X X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X

X X X X

Global Management

Leadership

Managing Conflict

Communication

Pereception and Attribution X X X

Performance Management

X X X X

Motivation

Teamwork

Organizational Culture

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR TOPICS

X X X

X X

X X X

Integrating Diversity with Organizational Behavior Topics

X X X X X X

Global Management

X X X X X

Managing Conflict

X X X X

Decision Making

Performance Management

X X X X

Leadership

Motivation

X X X X

Communication

Pereception and Attribution

X X X

Teamwork

Organizational Culture

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR TOPICS

X X X X X X

* Topics depend on projects selected by students.

X X X X

Integrating Diversity with Human Resources Topics INTEGRATING DIVERSITY WITH HUMAN RESOURCES TOPICS

I. Introduction to Individual Diversity 1. Diversity Today 2. DIVERSITY! 3. Body Ritual/Nacirema 4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding 5. I AM… 6. Are You Privileged? 7. White Privilege and Male Privilege 8. The Emotional Connection 9. Diversity in Your Organization 10. Pitney Bowes Case II. Introduction to Primary Dimensions of Diversity: Race and Ethnicity 12. Being An Only 13. Thriving in a Multicultural Classroom 14. Is Racism Still an Issue in America? 15. Immigration Patterns 16. Coca-Cola Company

Recruitment/Selection/ Retention

Benefits/Work-Life Balance

Legal/Ethical

Managing Talent (Training, Mentoring etc.)

Current Challenges

Gobal Issues

X X X

X X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X X X

Communication

Discrimination/ Stereotypes

Understanding Workplace Diversity

Strategic HR

HUMAN RESOURCES TOPICS

Integrating Diversity with Human Resources Topics

X X X

X X X X X

X X X

X X

Communication

X X X X X

Gobal Issues

X X X X X

Current Challenges

Managing Talent (Training, Mentoring etc.)

X X X X X

Legal/Ethical

X X X X X

Benefits/Work-Life Balance

Recruitment/Selection/ Retention

Discrimination/ Stereotypes

Strategic HR

HUMAN RESOURCES TOPICS

X X X X X X X X

X X

Integrating Diversity with Human Resources Topics

Managing Talent (Training, Mentoring etc.)

Current Challenges

Gobal Issues

Communication

X X X X

Legal/Ethical

X X X X

Benefits/Work-Life Balance

Recruitment/Selection/ Retention

Discrimination/ Stereotypes

Strategic HR

HUMAN RESOURCES TOPICS

X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X X X

X X

X X X X

X X X

X X X X

X X

X X X X X X

X X X X

Integrating Diversity with Human Resources Topics

VIII. Cases in Instructor's Manual Only 61. UBS Case 62. Law Enforcement 63. US Airforce Academy 64. Briarwood 65. Best Buy 66. BWA/Indonesia Way

X X X

X X X X

X X

Communication

X X X X X X X

Gobal Issues

Current Challenges

Managing Talent (Training, Mentoring etc.)

X X

Legal/Ethical

VII. Introduction to Capstone Experiences* 57. Create a Case 58. Diversity Awarness: A Video Project 59. Diversity Audit

Benefits/Work-Life Balance

Recruitment/Selection/ Retention

Discrimination/ Stereotypes

Strategic HR

HUMAN RESOURCES TOPICS

X X X X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X

* Topics depend on projects selected by students.

X X

Teaching an Online Diversity Course

TEACHING AN ONLINE DIVERSITY COURSE Carol P. Harvey Five years ago, if you had asked me whether diversity courses could be taught effectively online, I would have said no very quickly. Now that I have taught this course in an online format, I have learned that such technology offers several advantages that can add substance and relevancy to a diversity course. Students have more anonymity and respond more openly than in a traditional classroom, but at the same time, it is harder for them to hide in an online class. The asynchronous nature of online learning allows students time to formulate more thoughtful responses. There is a stronger probability of a more diverse class, particularly in terms of age, life experiences, and geography. Lastly, video resources and the ability to update information are only a click away. So, today, I would say yes to this question. (See Exhibit #1.) Teaching any class online requires more thoughtful planning, explicit directions, and careful organization than teaching in the classroom. With technology in mind, the 6th edition of Understanding and Managing Diversity: Readings, Cases, and Exercises includes several features that will make it easier for you to adapt this course to online teaching. For example: Incorporation of Higher Levels of Critical Thinking – The best learning is achieved when students have to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate material, rather than merely reiterating it. In an online format, students have constant access to their text material and commentary from others. The Discussion Questions and many of the text assignments are designed to require students to think critically about organizational diversity. Online students can be assigned to respond publically on discussion boards or privately in the journal feature. An Interdisciplinary Approach – Students in online classes may represent a wider variety of majors and programs than in traditional classrooms. As in previous editions of this text, the authors represent many disciplines such as business, psychology, education, sociology, economics, etc., thereby providing the opportunity to customize your course by reordering and selecting articles. Pedagogical Features – The Diversity on the Web assignments, many of which guide students to video material, can enrich an online curriculum. The Writing Assignments and Integrative Questions (found at the end of each section of the text), and the three Capstone Experiences all provide assessment opportunities that are appropriate for online classes. The Power Point slides can be posted for students. Finally, most of the experiential exercises can be done individually and then processed in groups on discussion boards.

Teaching an Online Diversity Course

Exhibit #1 Pros and Cons of Teaching Diversity Courses Online Pros

Cons

Students have more time to develop more thoughtful, deeper answers. English as a second language students have more time to process.

Instructors usually do not have the ability to see body language and student reactions to controversial readings or statements.

Visual diversity, such as age, race, and physical challenges, can be less of a factor in the stereotyping of other students.

Graded assessments have to be designed more carefully because students usually will have access to their notes and tests.

Students can be assigned to watch web-based video material that might take too much classroom time.

Group work can be done but is sometimes more complicated than in traditional classrooms.

Easier to keep course current using WIKI and Announcements postings.

Instructors must consistently monitor and respond to student posts.

Encourages greater participation in collaborative discussions.

Planning the syllabus takes more time.

Planning Your Online Course Carefully writing the syllabus is crucial to the success of an online class. When face-toface contact is removed, assignments need to be more carefully designed and explained. Begin by deciding what major topics you will cover in each weekly module. This may depend on the course focus, as well as on the students who will be taking your course. For example, in the online class that I am currently teaching, most of the students are non-traditional working adults and are a mix of social science and business majors. Each weekly module is designed to be thorough, require that students think critically about the material, and provide detailed directions that minimize student questions about what to do and where to place their work. I provide an introduction to the topic and learning objectives (found at the beginning of the readings, cases, and exercises in this Instructor’s Manual) followed by very detailed instructions. (See Exhibit #2.) It is also helpful if each module contains a blend of assignments that involve different learning domains: cognitive (thinking); affective (feeling); and whenever possible, psychomotor (doing). The matrices provided in this Instructor’s Manual are useful for

Teaching an Online Diversity Course

selecting specific readings, cases, exercises, Writing Assignments, and Diversity on the Web assignments, etc. that will help students to accomplish your objectives. You can also work with your librarian to add links to additional library resources. To build a sense of social presence and community, and to reduce student apprehension, I send an introductory email to each student about a week before the course starts in which I try to relieve their anxieties about the class by introducing myself, telling them a little about the content of the class, and giving them information about the text that they will need. Their first posting requires them to introduce themselves on the discussion board. This allows me to get a sense of the class. At the same time, the students find that they often have similarities with each other. To continue building a social presence and to ensure participation, I assign some tasks to small groups and require that students comment on classmate postings. I also encourage students to write in their online journals, where they can reflect on their own thoughts and perceptions about the week’s lesson.

Exhibit #2 MODULE #3. INDIVIDUAL DIVERSITY: STEREOTYPES, PRIVILEGE, AND CULTURE – WEEK OF February 3rd All work must be completed by 9 pm, Sunday, Feb. 9th. Most people deny that they have any stereotypes or that they treat anyone differently. Psychology tells us that stereotypes are the brain’s way of organizing data, that not all stereotypes are negative, and that almost everyone does have stereotypes. It is a part of being human. Once we are willing to recognize this, we can stop ourselves from acting on them. However, this can be problematic when someone believes that treating others as he/she wants to be treated is the only solution. Because individuals have different life experiences, often influenced by their primary social identity group memberships such as race and gender, this denies the uniqueness of those factors and of the different ways in which others may experience the world. LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this module, you will: • Examine the effects of privilege and stereotypes on your experiences • Explore how our life experiences can shape our perceptions • Recognize the unconscious nature of stereotypes

Teaching an Online Diversity Course

ASSIGNMENTS 1. Read White Privilege, article #7. Answer Discussion Questions #4 & #5 on your group’s discussion board in 150 words or less. Return to the group discussion board after the Feb. 9th deadline when others have submitted. Respond/react to at least one posting made by another group member in terms of how he/she has added to your knowledge of diversity issues. 2. Visit the Harvard Project Implicit website (implicit.harvard.edu). Read the background information on the project, and select and take any one of the tests. Note: The best learning experience here is to select a category that you have little experience with in your own life. On the course Discussion Board, under the Module #3 Harvard link, post your answers in 150 words or less to the following question: What has the privilege reading and the Project Implicit test clarified for you about your own stereotypes and privileges? 3. Read Body Ritual…, article #3. Post on your group discussion board brief answers to Discussion Questions #1 & #2. Also, answer the following question: This article was written in 1956. Why do teachers still assign this reading, i.e., what does it teach us that is just as valuable a lesson about diversity in 2014? 4. Make your weekly journal entry and add any interesting new course related material to the WIKI course.

Because the personal nature of this topic can challenge perceptions and beliefs, teaching diversity courses is always a challenge. If the course is online, the challenges are still there, but just a bit different!

Understanding Workplace Diversity: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

UNDERSTANDING WORKPLACE DIVERSITY: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To provide a brief historical context for workplace diversity issues

•

To demonstrate the evolution of workplace diversity from a legal issue to an inclusion issue

•

To present some of the major theoretical concepts that underlie managing diversity in the workplace

•

To explain the business case for diversity

Introduction This article provides students with the historical and theoretical context for this course and should be assigned as required reading. Because the United States has an African American President, there are a few high-profile female CEO’s like Sheryl Sandburg, and more states now permit gay marriages, students sometimes assume that workplace diversity is not an issue in the 21st century. Yet the Obamas and Sandburgs are exceptions, not the norm, and it is currently still illegal for gays to marry in thirty-seven states. For context, students should also watch at least one of the historical videos listed in the second Diversity on the Web.

Understanding Workplace Diversity: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Outline I.

Workplace diversity defined

II. Historical context of workplace diversity (first era, 1960s-1970s) A. Civil Rights legislation B. Quotas C. Assimilation/melting pot III. Valuing diversity (second era, 1980s-1990s) A. Hudson Report: Workforce 2000 B. Diversity as a competitive advantage 1. Cox & Blake 2. R.R. Thomas C. Loden 1. Primary – more permanent, more central to one’s identity 2. Secondary – more changeable D. Gardenswartz & Rowe 1. Personality 2. Organizational differences E. Thomas & Ely 1. Discrimination & fairness 2. Access & legitimacy 3. Learning & effectiveness F. Business case for diversity IV. Diversity management & inclusion (third era, 21st century) A. Diversity as an organizational benefit B. Diversity expanded beyond essentialism C. Miller & Katz – Inclusion 1. Diversity out of the box 2. Diversity tied to achievement of organizational mission and goals D. Diversity as an organizational change process

Understanding Workplace Diversity: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Discussion Questions & Answers 1. Recently, there has been a growing movement to abolish Affirmative Action. Develop arguments that support both sides of the debate. The arguments for abolishing Affirmative Action (AA) include but are not limited to: • • • • • •

It is no longer legally necessary and is based on an outdated statistical approach to diversity management. It protects unqualified job seekers and employees. It does not offer legal protection for every type of diversity. It does not apply to all businesses. It can cause backlash, particularly from white men. It is divisive and creates an “us” and “them” mentality.

Some of the arguments for keeping Affirmative Action (AA) laws include: • • •

Without AA, many of the gains for protected groups would be lost. Workforce statistics support the fact that protected groups have still not achieved equity in the workplace. The legal protections that AA offers have proved its worth by the progress that has been made so far.

2. Interview someone over fifty-five years of age who lived and worked through these eras. Ask them about their experiences with diversity in the 1960s and 70s. Does their gender, race, ethnicity, or religion appear to affect their answers? What did you learn? These answers will depend on who is interviewed and the questions that students ask. Try to encourage them to talk to someone quite different from themselves. In class, ask students about their results according to the social identity group of the interviewees. For example, first, ask those who interviewed women to answer. Then, ask those who interviewed people of color, etc. Lastly, ask those who interviewed white men. This approach should reveal real differences between the social identity groups’ experiences. 3. What are some of the reasons that diversity management is so complex? There are many reasons. Students’ answers may include but are not limited to: people’s stereotypes, generalizations and prejudices, lack of knowledge about the reality of others’ workplace experiences, lack of understanding of the advantages of having a diverse workforce, being privileged and unaware of it, fear of people unlike ourselves, etc.

Understanding Workplace Diversity: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Diversity on the Web Go to http://www.loden.com/Site/Dimensions.html. Here you will find Loden’s updated wheel of primary and secondary dimensions of diversity. Circle the three that you feel are the most important dimensions that define your identity. Write a two-page essay that explains why these dimensions are so important to who you are, and support your answer with examples from your life.

Diversity on the Web To better understand the historical context of diversity today, watch one or more of the following videos. Go to youtube.com and search by the titles below, or click on the following links. The History of the Civil Rights Movement (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URxwe6LPvkM) The March on Washington (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=march+on+washington+1963&oq=&gs _l=youtube) The Freedom Riders (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zBY6gkpbTg)

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SECTION I

UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES OF DIVERSITY

1. Diversity Today: Fact or Fiction?

DIVERSITY TODAY: FACT OR FICTION? Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To introduce students to current diversity issues and topics

•

To stimulate students interest in the content of the course

•

To demonstrate that there are many misconceptions about workplace diversity

Pedagogy This exercise is intended to generate conversation around current issues of diversity. It was designed to be administered very early in the semester, ideally in the first class, to provide an overview of the semester. If students do not have a text yet, use the Power Point slides to ask the questions. Then, ask students for a show of hands whether each item is fact or fiction. After they have “voted,” show the slide with the correct answer and perhaps expand a bit on any topic of particular interest. 1.

Fiction: While somewhat difficult to measure, recent studies conducted by Catalyst, McKinsey & Co., the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and others are starting to document that having diversity, coupled with having policies and procedures that lead to employees feeling included and valued, can result in cost savings through retention, productivity, improved team work, and improved creativity. (Sources: catalyst.org, www.mckinsey.com/careers/women/~/media/Reports/Women/Changing_ companies_minds_about_women.ashx, shrm.org/diversity.businesscase.asp)

Fiction: In the U.S. (as in China), there are no federal laws that require that fathers receive paid paternity leave. A few U.S. states such as California, Washington, and New Jersey, as well as the District of Columbia, do have local laws that require some paid time off for new fathers. Even when employers choose to provide such leaves, few men take advantage of this benefit and those who do usually take about a week off from work. (Sources: ChildrensChances.org and PaidFamilyLeave.org)

Fact: Finnigans is an interesting example of corporate philanthropy and social responsibility to the poor. The organization has a halo as part of its corporate

1. Diversity Today: Fact or Fiction?

logo, and supports food banks for families, children, and veterans in Minnesota, South and North Dakota, and Wisconsin by donating 100% of its profits to these causes. Their packaging says, “belly-up and fill a belly up.” (Source: finnigans.org) 4.

Fact: This question was asked as part of Gallop’s annual Values and Beliefs poll. Not only is it true, but this is the largest gap ever reported between these two opinions. As recently as 1990, only 19 percent answered that sexual orientation was inborn, with 48 percent saying that it was caused by external factors. (Source: www.gallup.com/poll/162569/americans-gay-lesbian-orientation-birthfactor.aspx).

Fact: Figures released in June 2013 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the 2012 unemployment rate for people without a disability but who were actively seeking work was 7.9 percent, while the similar rate for people actively seeking work but with a disability was 13.4 percent. (Source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm)

Fiction: Actually, racial prejudice in the U.S. has increased slightly. Researchers from Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Chicago found that racial prejudice is increasing. In 2008, 48 percent of those surveyed using an implicit racial attitude bias test scored as racist, but the study was repeated in 2012 and 51 percent scored as racist. (Source: Agiesta, J, and Ross, S. (2012). Poll finds majority hold racist views. The Boston Sunday Globe, October 28, A-4)

Fiction: First, Hispanics and Latinos are ethnic minority groups, not racial categories. They can be of mixed race or of any race. Asians were the fastest growing racial group increasing by 45.6 percent between 2000 and 2010 according to the U.S. Census Bureau reports. (Source: census.gov)

Fact: Started as a roadside stand in Japan, this retailer has a strong sense of social responsibility to people with disabilities and to refugees. In addition to its program to hire those with physical and mental challenges, UNIQLO has a goal of donating at least one piece of clothing to each refugee in the world. So far, they have donated over three million items of clothing to this cause. (Source: UNIQUO.com)

Fiction: According to a 2010 Catalyst study, informal mentoring relationships are much less successful than formal programs that include matches based on an employee’s individual needs, establishment of measurable developmental goals, and linkages to the strategy of the organization. (Source: Making Mentoring Work, by S. Dinolfo and J.S. Nugent, available at http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/making-mentoring-work-0)

1. Diversity Today: Fact or Fiction?

10.

Fact: Workplace bullying is four times more prevalent than sexual harassment, and a recent survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute revealed that 37 percent of American workers reported being bullied at work. While 60 percent of the bullying is done by men, when women do act as bullies, 70 percent of the time they target other women. (Sources: workplacebullyinginstitute.org and http://www.forbes.com/sites/worldviews/2012/04/30/why-women-are-the-worstkind-of-bullies)

2. DIVERSITY!

DIVERSITY! Christopher Laib University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Jeanne M. Aurelio Bridgewater State College

This game is designed to be played in the classroom using software found on the textbook website. It can be used as a dynamic course opener that, besides being fun, will interest students in various course concepts and identify aspects of diversity with which they may or may not be familiar. The game may be played twice: once as an introductory experience, and once as an assessment activity later in the semester. Teaching Tip The instructor is able to alter the questions to focus on particular course material or to change, for example, the diversity law questions to cover Canadian laws as needed. Goals of Diversity! •

To enable students to test their knowledge of some aspects of diversity in an engaging way

•

To learn about diversity and its wide-ranging subject matter

•

To become acquainted with fellow students

Time Required A single round (board) of Diversity! can be completed in a 50-minute class session, while a 60- or 75-minute session will accommodate more discussion or two rounds (both boards) of the game. Materials To “host” the Diversity! game, access from the classroom to the Diversity! Power Point presentation on the textbook website is needed. Some practice with the software prior to class is necessary.

2. DIVERSITY!

Pre-class Preparation 1. To access the Diversity! game: a) Go to http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/. b) Search for the 6th edition by author, title, or ISBN. c) Go to the Resources tab and click on the Diversity! game link for the download. Note: Adopters will need to obtain access to the course website through their Pearson Sales Representatives. 2. Once you have the “board” displayed, click one of the cells to reveal a question. For best results, do not click directly on top of the point designator. Click again and the answer is revealed. 3. To return to the main board, click on the icon in the lower right corner of the screen. 4. To advance to the second board, forward to the next slide and click the logo in the middle of the screen. This should take you to the Extreme Diversity! board (Board 2). 5. You will likely want to familiarize yourself with all of the questions and answers that appear in the Appendix at the end of these instructions. Team materials Determine the number of teams you will have in class and make a sign for each with a legible marker. (Alternatively, you could provide a manila folder and marker to each team in class.) Also, determine if you would like teams to have audible sounds (e.g., bell, horn, whistle, kazoo, harmonica, maracas, etc.) for registering their readiness. If so, either assemble the required number of instruments, or assign the teams to bring them to class. Assistant It is helpful to choose an assistant (e.g., a student or a teaching assistant) to record the order of team responses for each question, and to record the scores so they are visible to all teams. (Note: The authors recommend having an assistant, especially the first time you administer the game.) Prizes You may wish to hand out low monetary value prizes, like candy or pencils, to give students either as they answer or at the conclusion of the game. (Your commitment to diversity may be established by providing “diverse” prizes such as chopsticks, or Turkish delight). Prizes of any sort add to the spirit of fun in the classroom.

2. DIVERSITY!

Classroom Instructions (once the software is displayed in the classroom) A. 1 minute Tell the class they will be playing a diversity game. If you have one, introduce your assistant and explain that s/he will be determining the answer order and recording scores. B. 4 minutes Select teams of 4-5 people or more. Allow them to move their chairs so that each team may sit close together to confer quietly. Hand out or allow them to make team designator signs. C. 5 minutes Read these instructions to the class: •

One team will randomly be selected to choose the first question category and level. Once a question is read aloud, all teams will debate the answer. One team will raise a hand or use his or her assigned team noisemaker when the team is ready to answer.

•

I will call on the first team to respond. If they answer correctly, they will receive the number of points indicated, and they will choose the next question category and level. If their answer is incorrect, I will call upon the second quickest team that responded, and so on.

•

In the event that no team answers the question correctly, I will give the correct response. The team that chose last still has control of the board and should choose the next question.

•

Scores will be recorded and the winner announced at the end of the round. There will be one round of 25 questions (or two rounds of 25 questions each).

Ask for and answer any questions the students have. Give them time to look over the practice questions that appear in the textbook article, Diversity! D. 30 minutes for 50-minute class (40 minutes for 60-minute class) (50 minutes for 75-minute class) Randomly select a team to choose the first category and level. Display and read the question they select and call on the first team indicating readiness. You are the judge of whether they answer correctly. If they are correct, have them choose another category and level.

2. DIVERSITY!

If no team answers correctly, you should give the correct response and allow the last team that chose to select the next question. For longer classes, move on to the second screen of questions once they have completed the first. The game can be stopped at any point. E. 10 minutes for 50-minute class (15 minutes for 60- and 75-minute classes) Determine who won and recognize them or hand out prizes. Then ask the class the following Discussion Questions.

Discussion Questions & Answers 1. Which of the Diversity! questions would you like to discuss further? Students may wish to address any of the game questions. Their interest provides a good opportunity to let other students respond, thereby revealing pockets of knowledge and experience in the classroom. You may also respond to add more information. 2. What did you learn as a result of this game that you did not know prior to playing it? Responses to this question may help you assess their level of knowledge in the course subject matter. Allow several students to respond, or call on students if they haven’t volunteered. 3. In which areas did you notice that you and/or class members were particularly knowledgeable? In which areas did you and/or class members lack knowledge? The class will identify areas where students seem fairly knowledgeable or not. They may, for example, be fairly comfortable with gay and lesbian issues, but less so with transgender topics. You should draw them out on the subjects they introduce, or ask them questions regarding particular areas like African Americans, persons with disabilities, or Islam. They may begin to express their feelings, so you can use this information to get to know their issues.

4. What is your reaction to this experience? This question often results in students saying that they thought the experience was fun. Try to move them beyond that response to question whether they felt competent to answer many questions, whether they felt uncomfortable when certain topics were broached, and the like.

2. DIVERSITY!

5. How do you think this experience ties in with the purpose of your course? You should be able to guide them into consideration of all the areas that are going to be covered in your course. While they probably felt enthusiastic and competitive during the game, you might let them know that the course may bring out a lot of feelings that they will be able to examine. Lastly, you might be able to point out that a main course goal is to become more knowledgeable and open-minded regarding the differences that people bring to the workforce.

2. DIVERSITY!

DIVERSITY! BOARDS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Board 1 (Blue Board) Categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) Judaism World Languages Symbols The Amazing Race

Category 1: LGBT Points

This was the first state in the United States to recognize the marriage of two people of the same gender. Massachusetts

This term refers to the fear and hatred expressed toward people identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Homophobia

This symbol from WWII was used by the Nazis in concentration camps to identify gay males. Pink Triangle

This 1968 riot in New York City’s Greenwich Village marked the beginning of the lesbian and gay rights movement in the United States. Stonewall Riots

This term refers to a person who identifies and lives as a member of the opposite gender. Transgendered

2. DIVERSITY!

Category 2: Judaism Points

The majority of Christians worship in a church and many Muslims worship in a mosque. Followers of the Jewish faith worship in this edifice. Synagogue or Temple

Not mixing milk and meat because it is forbidden by Jewish law is an example of this type of Jewish meal preparation. Kosher

Observant Jews may leave the office early on Friday afternoons to celebrate this holy observance. Shabbat or Sabbath

This holiday is considered to be the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah

The mystical teachings of Judaism, made popular by Madonna and Britney Spears and symbolized by a red string bracelet, are known collectively as this. Kabbalah

Category 3: World Languages Points

This is the second most common language in the United States. Spanish

This world organization has six official languages for business: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Chinese. United Nations

Between 1000 and 1500 languages are spoken on this continent. Africa

While English is used to conduct all federal government proceedings, this country has never designated English as its official language. The United States

This language surpasses English as the most widely spoken language in the world. Mandarin Chinese

2. DIVERSITY!

Category 4: Symbols Points

This symbol of gay pride was created in 1978 by artist Gilbert Baker. It is generally flown in lesbian and gay pride marches worldwide. Rainbow Flag

This symbol, used by the Nazis, was actually used for more than 3000 years by cultures across the globe to represent the sun, power, strength, and good luck. Swastika

While the color white is used in weddings in many cultures, it is also used in this ritual in many Asian countries. Funerals or mourning

This textile, originally from Ghana, has come to represent pride in one’s heritage in the African American community. Kente cloth

This Hindu symbol is applied to a woman’s forehead and is said to strengthen concentration and protect the spirit of the wearer. Bindi

Category 5: The Amazing Race Points

Their history of slavery has made the road to full equality a laborious journey. African Americans.

This Civil Rights icon prompted the Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott when she refused to give up her seat on the bus. Rosa Parks

Created in the pan-Latin melting pot of New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s, this musical genre is based on rock, jazz, and Latin American musical traditions. Salsa

This American city boasts the largest percentage, about 66%, of Asian Americans. Honolulu

According to the Human Genome Project, human beings of all “races” are genetically alike by this percentage. 99%

2. DIVERSITY!

DIVERSITY! BOARDS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Board 2 (Green Board) Categories: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Here Comes the Judge Cane & Able Islam Women in the Workforce U.S. Culture

Category 6: Here Comes the Judge Points

This law protects women from losing their jobs after taking maternity leave. Family and Medical Leave Act

This law makes it illegal for work organizations to discriminate against anyone born in another country or with a different ancestral heritage. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Policies against sexual harassment, as a form of discrimination, have been developed in work organizations as a result of this law. Civil Rights Act of 1964

This is one of two forms of discrimination not covered by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Sexual orientation, weight, height, or social class

This man, who later became a Supreme Court Justice, presented the legal argument in the historic 1954 case of Brown vs. the Board of Higher Education, which ruled that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional. Thurgood Marshall

2. DIVERSITY!

Category 7: “Cane & Able” Points

This piece of legislation enacted in 1990 provides equal access for people with disabilities. Americans with Disabilities Act

Discrimination based on an individual’s or group’s perceived socio-economic status is referred to as _________. Classism

This condition affects a person’s ability to read letters and numbers, often distorting the image and making it difficult to read. Dyslexia

This non-verbal language has just as many cultural variations as spoken English. American Sign Language

This breed of primate has been trained to assist quadriplegics with day-to-day household chores. Capuchin monkey

Category 8: Islam Points

This holy text of Islam is believed to be the word of Allah given to Muhammad. Koran or Quran

According to religious teachings, Muslims are required to pray this number of times per day. Five (5) times per day.

This city is said to be the ancient birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and is the most revered city for Muslims. Mecca

A yarmulke is to the Jewish religion as this headgear is to Islam. Kufi

The five pillars of Islam are Salat (prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), Ramadan (fasting), Kalima (creed), and this, which translated into English means Pilgrimage. Hajj

2. DIVERSITY!

Category 9: Women in the Workforce Points

This term refers to prejudice or discrimination based on gender. Sexism

In 1981, this woman, appointed by President Reagan, became the first female Supreme Court Justice. Sandra Day O’Connor

In 2009, women comprised this percentage of the United States workforce. 47%

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, men comprised 8% of the workforce in this traditional female occupation in 2009. Nursing

In what year were men first outpaced by women in the number of baccalaureate degrees they earned? 2000

Category 10: U.S. Culture Points

This religious group in the United States is known for their horse-drawn buggies and rejection of electricity. Amish

This term is used by the United States government to classify people who come from a Spanish or Spanish-speaking background. It should not be confused with the terms Latino and Latina, which refer to people from Latin America. Hispanic

These Americans hold the view that people should live in harmony with the natural world. Native Americans (American Indians)

Evidence indicates that these workers tend to be more involved in their jobs, have higher morale, and are less likely to leave their organizations. Older workers

This major cultural group, comprised of many subgroups, has experienced rapid growth in the United States due to high birthrates. Hispanic Americans

2. DIVERSITY!

Additional Questions •

With approximately 1 billion followers, this religion is the world’s third largest organized religion, and India’s largest. Hinduism

•

The origins of this popular stress relaxation activity stem from the Hindu religion. Yoga

•

The practice of closing businesses from 1:30 - 4:30 pm in tropical regions around the world is known in the United States as _______. Siesta

•

This term refers to the oppression of the disabled community. Ableism

2. DIVERSITY!

Appendix A: Diversity! Source Notes Board 1 (Blue Board) Categories : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) Judaism World Languages Symbols The Amazing Race

Category 1: LGBT Points

Pink Triangle http://www.pink-triangle.org/

Retrieved 6-17-2010

Stonewall Riots http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/exhibitions/sw25/case1.html Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 2: Judaism 2

Kosher http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm

Shabbat or Sabbath

Kabbalah

Retrieved 9-25-2006

http://www.jewfaq.org/shabbat.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/faq.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 3: World Languages 1

Spanish http://july.fixedreference.org/en/20040724/wikipedia/Languages_in_the_United_ States Retrieved 6-17-2010

United Nations http://www.un.org/Depts/DGACM/faq.html Retrieved 6-17-2010

Africa http://www.africanlanguages.org/

Retrieved 6-17-2010

2. DIVERSITY!

The United States http://www.strictlyspanish.com/whitepaper2.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Mandarin Chinese http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/most_spoken_languages.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 4: Symbols 1

Rainbow Flag http://www.gay-web.de/service/symbole/rainbowflag.shtml Retrieved 6-17-2010

Swastika http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Kente cloth http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m12/activity3.php Retrieved 6-17-2010

Bindi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindi_(decoration) Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 5: The Amazing Race 3

Salsa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_music Retrieved 6-21-2010

99.9% http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/project/journals/insights. html Retrieved 6-17-2010

2. DIVERSITY!

Board 2 (Green Board) Categories : 6. Here Comes the Judge 7. Cane & Able 8. Islam 9. Women in the Workforce 10. U.S. Culture

Category 6: Here Comes the Judge Points

Sexual orientation http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-orientation_parent_marital_political.html Retrieved 6-17-2010

Thurgood Marshall http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/hill/marshall.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 7: “Cane & Able” 4

Classism http://poverty.suite101.com/article.cfm/classism Retrieved 6-17-2010

Capuchin Monkey http://www.monkeyhelpers.org/ourfamily/monkeys/monkeyDO/ Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 8: Islam 2

Koran or Quran http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qur%27an Retrieved 6-17-2010

Hajj http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/islam/beliefs.html Retrieved 6-17-2010

Category 9: Women in the Workforce 6

47%

http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/main.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

Nursing http://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/main.htm Retrieved 6-17-2010

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Category 10: U.S. Culture 4

Hispanic http://shpetc.dreamhosters.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id =27&Itemid=41 Retrieved 6-17-2010

Sources for Additional Questions •

With approximately 1 billion followers, this religion is the world’s third largest organized religion, and India’s largest. Hinduism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism Retrieved 6-17-2010

•

This term refers to the oppression of the disabled community. Ableism http://www.answers.com/topic/ableism Retrieved 6-17-2010

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

BODY RITUAL AMONG THE NACIREMA Horace Miner Instructor’s Notes M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To better understand the role that culture plays in the development of stereotypes and prejudices

•

To see one’s culture from a different perspective

Key Points An anthropologist presents observations of a culture less developed than his/her own and describes features of that civilization in the same manner as we describe cultures we view as primitive. The “less developed” culture is, of course, American. •

To understand other cultures, we must be able to stand back and view our own culture as others might.

•

In describing some aspects of American culture (“Nacirema” is “American” spelled backwards), Miner shows that to more advanced cultures (and by extension, to future generations), our culture today may well be considered primitive.

•

It is important to get away from the parochial view that one’s own culture is “right” or “normal” or “superior” and that other cultures are more inconsistent or strange or inferior to our own.

•

We think of “primitive” cultures as practicing magic and having strange rituals, but rarely see these elements in our own culture.

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

Teaching Tips 1. In the class immediately prior to the one in which the Nacirema will be discussed, I ask how many students have read this article. Sometimes, one or two students are familiar with this reading from a Sociology course. I ask them not to discuss this article with the other students in the class who are not familiar with it. 2. I begin the Nacirema discussion with the question: “Would those of you who just read this essay for the first time give us some one-word reactions, descriptions, evaluation, etc., of the Nacirema?” Then I write the students’ responses on the board. Most answers have negative attributions like “weird,” “barbaric,” “sadistic,” etc. As the class discussion of Miner’s essay proceeds, it becomes obvious that the author is writing about Americans. 3. Then, referencing the list on the board, I ask, “How do you feel about these negative terms now that you know that these people are really Americans?” This opens up a rich discussion that leads to the major themes of this article. 4. Students sometimes ask for explanations of some of the terms such as “the-holymouth-men” (i.e., dentists). This is the perfect opportunity to point out that Miner’s analogies are not dated, as some may attempt to argue. Today, people pay “holymouth-men” dearly for optional cosmetic services such as teeth whitening. 5. Even if you do not use the Diversity on the Web assignment (“Nacirema Extended”), its premise that all cultures still have practices that seem ordinary to their members but strange to outsiders, can still be useful in the class discussion. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What general message do you think the author was trying to convey in his description of this culture? Message: The behaviors and beliefs that we take for granted look as strange to other cultures as their behaviors and beliefs do to us. We use our own values and beliefs as the criteria for evaluating other cultures. 2. What stereotypes could you have about the Nacireman culture and its people if this reading were your only source of information? • • • • •

Promotes strange practices and rituals Highly developed market economy Very, very magic-ridden Not very advanced in healthcare practices Very conscious of physical appearance and health

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

3. The many strange and interesting rituals observed by Miner lead him to conclude that the Nacirema have a strong underlying belief about the human body. What is this belief? “The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease … man’s only hope is to avoid these characteristics through the use of powerful influences of ritual and ceremony.” (Quoted from the first page of Miner) 4. Assume that you are carrying on the work of Miner and study the Nacireman culture as it exists now in the 21st century. a) What additional body-related activities could you observe in their culture today? Answers may include: tanning gyms health clubs fitness centers spas

exercising liposuction yoga plastic surgery aerobics facials saunas face lifts massages piercings

supplements vitamins diets health foods cosmetics

dental implants dental braces teeth whitening etc.

b) Is Miner’s observation about the preoccupation with body and health still valid today? Explain. Preoccupation with health and body image is alive and well and even expanded today, as the answers to Question 4a indicate. c) Is Miner’s observation about the underlying belief about the human body still valid today? Explain. The answers to Question 4a are evidence that the human body needs to be “improved upon” in Nacireman culture today. Further evidence comes from the media promotion of the “body beautiful,” the slim, ideal body most people don’t have, but are encouraged to strive for. The huge number of products designed to avoid the appearance of aging (wrinkle-reducers, hair dyes, etc.) also attest to concern over appearance. 5. Describe, as Miner might have, two or more of the body-related activities you

listed for Question 4a. Answers will vary, depending upon the body-related activities listed in Question 4a.

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

6. How does Miner’s article relate to modern business in terms of: a) outsourcing b) international business negotiations c) marketing to growing ethnic populations? Without an appreciation and non-judgmental attitude about other cultures, miscommunications, conflict, and lack of understanding can occur. As a result, businesses can lose sales and alienate potential customers. 7. On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being very important) how would you rate the appearance and body rituals observed by Miner and, in your own opinion, in terms of their importance to: a) personal life? Explain your rating. Ratings will vary, but most likely will be high among students of traditional college age. b) the business world? Explain your rating. Ratings may be quite high. You might refer to the article on appearance in the text (#37, Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace). 8. Other facets of this culture also yield many rituals today. There is, for example, WIKI, a ritual that appears to involve belief in magic. Student Naciremans trade information with each other in this ritual. They believe that when they read a WIKI, whatever it says is indeed fact. Somehow, WIKIs magically hold all-knowing truths. How might this ritual relate to prejudice and stereotypes? Society is filled with prejudice and stereotypes about race, ethnicity, religion, etc. WIKIs can easily “trade on” and spread much misinformation that bolsters stereotypes and prejudices as well as actually creating stereotypes and prejudice. Teaching Tip: If your class is diversified, check for gender, age and ethnic differences in response to Question 8. 9. Vast numbers of individual Naciremans also conduct a Ritual of Networking using magic boxes to weave a social “web.” They exchange pictures of themselves and much personal information with strangers on their webs. “Participants” of the networking ritual seem to constantly check their webs and respond to them. They walk around webbing; they eat with their boxes and check their webs during meals. The magic boxes are always nearby even when they are in their shrines devoted to health and appearance ceremonies. It is said that some even sleep with their boxes. This appears to be very ego-centered activity. What does this say about how people in this culture relate to each other?

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

This is open to interpretation. In the absence of information on family and other forms of relationships, it suggests that relationships seem to be both indirect and superficial and that personal interface is not important. What is important is to have a large number of “friends.” 10. Nacireman market economy also has rituals. Among these is the Business-Hiring ritual. In this ritual, business chiefs check the social webs of those desiring to join their tribes before hiring (sometimes even before interviewing) a positionseeker. Business chiefs do not appear to favor position-seekers who have social webs that indicate values and beliefs different from their own. This is not a secret. It is actually a very curious thing: large numbers of Naciremans insist upon conducting the social web ritual even though they know that business chiefs may very well disapprove. Business chiefs appear to belong to a different group within this society. a) When a “participant” is both employment seeking and social networking at the same time, hiring rituals assume great importance. How might the Ritual of Networking help or hurt a position-seeker? Reading an applicant’s social web can tell an employer whether or not there is likely to be a “good fit” between the applicant and the company. A web that appears to be a “bad fit,” however, can end an employment-seeker’s changes to join the tribe. Social webs can showcase applicants possessing social media skills, something employers may value for customer-relations positions. Other employers may be turned off, however, as extensive media involvement can distract from focusing on the job and is a source of potential leaks of confidential company information. On the positive side, social networking can inform employment-seekers about job opportunities and pitfalls in the interview process, and about particular companies as well. On the negative side, job-seekers who, as students, post silly and unprofessional information on the internet may find those postings coming back to haunt them in the job market, particularly when they seek professional positions. There is concern in some quarters that extensive electronic communication may result in lack of face-to-face people skills and social skills in general and this may be a consideration for some positions. b) How do these clashing rituals reflect the values of the position-seekers and the business chiefs? One set of values reflects the differences between generations, i.e., business chiefs and employment-seekers may well belong to different generations. Business chiefs often belong to an older generation, one that may not engage much in electronic social networking and may not value it much. They may

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

place far more value on face-to-face meetings, both for personal and business reasons. In contrast, position-seekers tend to belong to a younger generation that considers such networking integral to their lives, sometimes to the point of addiction. They may not value face-to-face interaction, considering it to be a waste of time. 11. Participants in the modern Nacireman market economy sometimes create

relationships that only exist electronically. They create groups called “Virtual Teams” whose members never meet each other in person. Considering the Rituals of Networking, WIKI, and Virtual Teams, what stereotypes might strangers have about Nacireman culture if these three rituals were their only source of information? People might stereotype others based on their communication styles. For example, someone with poor grammar or spelling skills, or whose first language isn’t the same as theirs, might be stereotyped as dumb or unqualified. Someone might stereotype those who have trouble dealing with technology as old fashioned and unable to keep up with change. Conversely, the diversity benefit to electronic communication is that people may be less aware of one’s race, age, sexual orientation, or physical/mental challenges, etc., thus eliminating the influence of stereotypes.

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

Diversity on the Web NACIREMA EXTENDED You are a member of a team of anthropologists studying a large and rather diverse group of

people. These people have a primitive information and communication system called “Internet” that will provide you with a first glimpse of their culture. To begin examining this culture, the team decides to scan Internet for information on their rituals. 1. Read the Body Ritual Among the Nacirema article in the text. 2. Using the websites listed at the bottom of this box as a starting point, investigate (scan) Internet for descriptions of one ritual. Be complete in your investigation searching for symbolism and note how the ritual relates to a holiday or event. What does the ritual celebrate? Are there special roles in the event? Who participates? 3. Using a style similar to Miner’s, record your perceptions of one of the events from the list that follows. A sample description, “Observation of the Cultural Event Called Halloween”, appears on the next page. 4. Based solely on the information in your report, what kinds of stereotypes of American culture could result from these observations? College Graduation Ceremonies ▪ http://brownielocks.com/graduation_ceremony.html ▪ http://www.wrightwood.com/college.htm ▪ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi_times/An_underwater_degree_ ceremony/articleshow/22050.cms National Political Conventions ▪ http://people.howstuffworks.com/political-convention.htm ▪ http://wikipedia.org/wiki/united_states_presidential_nominating_convention ▪ http://en.wikiedia.org/wiki/political_convention Saint Patrick’s Day Parade http://www.saintpatricksdayparade.com Mardi Gras Parade

http://www.holidays.net/mardigras/parades.htm

Thanksgiving Parade

http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_menu.htm

Easter Parade

http://www.ny.com/holiday/easter

Rose Parade

http://www.tournamentofroses.com/aboutus/officialPhotos.asp

Adapted from Nacirema Extended by M. J. Allard from C. P. Harvey & M. J. Allard: Understanding and Managing Diversity 3rd ed., Prentice Hall, 2005.

3. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION Observation of Cultural Event Called Halloween Halloween is a very strange custom. It doesn’t appear to be a holiday; it is more like an event—an event characterized by at least two rituals and many symbols. There seem to be no special roles for males, females, or elders. The chief rituals appear to be the 1) Ritual of the Pumpkins and 2) Ritual of the Begging. Ritual of the Pumpkins The pumpkin vegetable, which apparently is eaten at other times of the year, is not eaten at this event. Instead, the people paint strange faces on pumpkins or carve faces on empty pumpkin shells. Lighted candles are placed inside the carved pumpkins. Decorated pumpkins appear in windows facing outdoors or on display outside of homes. Ritual of the Begging This is a special ritual for children. On Halloween night, children dress up in costumes that frequently represent mythical characters such as ghosts, witches, monsters, ghouls, cartoon characters, etc. They wear masks to hide their identities. After dark, the children go begging from house to house, calling out “Trick or treat!” People then open their doors and give candy to the children. Sometimes the children play pranks on the people. Symbols Among the prominent symbols of Halloween are ghosts, skeletons, spiders, witches, black cats, grave yards and monsters, all of which seem to be very frightening, gory, ugly, or sinister in character. Not only are these symbols displayed in the costumes the children wear, but many houses are adorned on the outside with displays of them, particularly witches and ghosts. Sometimes people visit “haunted houses” (eerie houses where frightening creatures lurk in dark corners to scare people). Sometimes, too, people attend social events called Halloween parties, where they play strange games such as dunking their heads in buckets of water while trying to catch an apple in their teeth. These events are sometimes for adults and sometimes for children.

4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes

INCREASING MULTICULTURAL UNDERSTANDING: UNCOVERING STEREOTYPES* John R. Bowman

Instructor’s Notes M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To help individuals become aware of their own values

•

To show students how culture programs them to react to and judge others in automatic and stereotypic ways

•

To discover the types and sources of stereotypes about others

•

To provide an opportunity for participants to see how their stereotypes create barriers to appreciating individual differences

Time Required Approximately 30 minutes

Materials Uncovering Stereotypes Student Instructions, Student Worksheet, Group Summary Sheet (included in the text as well as in this manual), and pencils or pens.

Pre-Class Instructions 1. Instruct students to turn to the Uncovering Stereotypes worksheet in the text. (This form can be copied.) Note that the blank category boxes should be completed by either the instructor assigning categories that reflect different special populations (e.g., hillbilly, migrant worker, Jews, etc.) or by allowing the students to choose the categories that may be significant to them.

________________________ *Adapted from Dr. John Bowman, Pembroke State University of the University of North Carolina

4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes

2. Instruct participants (working alone) to look at the First Thought/Judgment Column and immediately write their first thought or judgment. For example, are their first thoughts/judgments about the category immoral, greedy, hard working, etc? 3. Instruct students to rate each thought/judgment as positive (+), negative (-), or neutral (0) in the Rating column. 4. In the Sources column, ask students to identify the source(s) of their thoughts and judgments. For example, parents, television, friends, school, etc. (Total time for steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 is 15-20 minutes).

Classroom Instructions 5. Form groups with no more than 4-6 students per group. Group size should be small enough to encourage active participation and maximum discussion. Chairs should be in a circular configuration where participants can face one another. 6. Instruct each group to complete the Group Summary Sheet (form may be copied) by entering a quick count of positive, negative and neutral thoughts/judgments for each Source Category. Students often have more negative than positive thoughts/judgments, even for categories that they have no real experience with such as a gay female U.S. President. 7. Make a transparency of the Uncovering Group Stereotypes Summary sheet (next page) and project it on the board. Enter group totals with chalk or a marker. 8. Analyze the combined data from class. What trends do you see? (Often media becomes the number one source of stereotypes, particularly negative stereotypes, that can lead to a discussion of media influences.) 9. Discuss the implications of having negative or positive stereotypes/judgments. For example, having a negative stereotype about working mothers taking too much time off for childcare can negatively influence a manager's hiring/promotion decisions for mothers of young children. Individuals often make stereotypic judgments about groups primarily because: • They reduce the ambiguity about dealing with representatives of these groups. • Negative judgments can make individuals feel superior to members of other groups. 10. Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of stereotyping, reminding students that stereotypes are neither good nor bad, but it is what we do with those thoughts and judgments that count.

4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes

WORKSHEET A: UNCOVERING STEREOTYPES

Category

First Thought/Judgment

Working Mother

Neglects children, busy, tired

Rating*

Sources

--. 0, 0,

Own experience, movies

Transgender Male Muslim Female wearing Burqa

Bipolar Co-worker

Illegal Asian Immigrant

Job Applicant with Facial Piercing

Gay Female President of the U.S.

*Ratings: (+) = Positive

(--) = Negative

(0) = Neutral

4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes

WORKSHEET B: UNCOVERING STEREOTYPES GROUP SUMMARY SHEET

Source Categories

Positive (+) Thoughts/Judgments

Negative (–) Thoughts/Judgments

Family

Media

Experience

Work Experience

Friends

Other

Total

Neutral (0) Thoughts/Judgments

4. Increasing Multicultural Understanding

Diversity on the Web

1. Take and score the multicultural quiz found on the website listed at the bottom of this box. 2. Think about your score on this quiz and your responses to Bowman’s Uncovering Stereotypes exercise. a) What are your primary sources of information about social identity groups to which you do not belong? b) How accurate is your knowledge about these groups? c) How could a lack of correct information contribute to the formation of stereotypes? http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/quizzes.html

5. I AM . . .

I AM … M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To help students learn about themselves by examining the roles and group memberships by which they define themselves

•

To further examine student self-descriptors for indications of roles and memberships they perceive as most important

Time Required 30 minutes Note: This exercise can be done in class, online, or as a writing assignment. Materials for In-class Use Student Instruction sheets from the text, pens or pencils, chart pad or board, and markers Instructions 1. Ask the students to think about how they would describe themselves to someone they have never met and then write a single word descriptor on each line of their instruction sheets. 2. Stop description-writing after five minutes. Tell students to draw an “X” through all remaining blank lines. (This will discourage later additions to their lists when they listen to those given by other students.) 3. Ask students to place a star by the three most important descriptors. 4. Ask students to read aloud (or write on the board) the descriptors they starred. Discuss similarities in dimensions and why these were felt to be the most important. Note whether most descriptors are visible dimensions, such as gender, race, and personality characteristics, or are roles such as student and breadwinner most often given. Do some class members consistently differ from those in the minority? Are descriptors such as age, social class, or geographic location listed? Why or why not?

5. I AM . . .

5. Ask students to read aloud (or write on the board) the first three or four descriptors they wrote. Discuss similarities and differences in the dimensions of these descriptors and why these were the first descriptors named. 6. Discuss whether the dimensions differed for males and females and for any other groups represented in the class. Do men write more descriptors than women? Do the descriptions of majority class members differ from those in the minority? Are descriptors such as age, social class, and geographic location listed? Why or why not?

Discussion Notes Homogeneous groups Homogeneous classes such as those in which everyone is American or young or male rarely mention that common characteristic probably because it doesn’t distinguish them from other members of the group. They are simply not conscious of it in a situation where everyone is the same. Heterogeneous groups In heterogeneous groups with mixed age, ethnicity, race and/or gender, these characteristics are more likely to surface in the descriptions – especially for those in the minority on that characteristic. Minority status on a characteristic tends to raise consciousness of it. Other Observations Characteristics of secondary diversity, such as social class, religion, or geographic location (e.g., Southerner, Easterner), are rarely mentioned. Ask the class why this might be. The most likely reason is that these are less visible diversity characteristics.

Teaching Tips Males and females can write their descriptors on separate boards. To highlight gender differences, circle the themes running through the descriptions. Generally, males tend to list physical and personal characteristics such as tall, strong, brave, etc. Females rarely list personal traits, however; they tend to list relationships such as daughter, sister, and girlfriend, etc. Discuss differences in starred descriptors as well.

6. Are You Privileged?

ARE YOU PRIVILEGED? Mark Julien Brock University Micheal T. Stratton University of North Carolina Asheville

Background on Privilege The notion of privilege emerged from Critical Race Theory (CRT). According to Bergerson, CRT evolved out of legal studies and the recognition that the legal system can perpetuate racism. The crux of CRT is to engage persons of color in efforts to combat and eliminate racism (Bergerson, 2003). CRT is a theory “developed by people of color to better understand their experiences and to revolutionize the current system in ways that could ultimately be viewed as…beneficial to people of color” (Bergerson, 2003, p. 56). One of the main tenets of CRT is the centrality of race and racism in our society and by examining both the micro (individual acts of racism) and macro (how society and its institutions perpetuate racism). CRT proponents promote the use of counter stories that challenge dominant cultural perspectives and views (Bergerson, 2003). Recent research (Case, 2007; Combs and Luthans, 2007) suggests that participant awareness of privilege is an important variable when increasing training effectiveness vis-à-vis participant learning. In particular, Case and Stewart (2010) recently found that students enrolled in a diversity course exposed to heterosexual privilege were also more likely to alter their social policy attitudes than their peers not enrolled in diversity courses. The Privilege Checklist has been used in a variety of contexts by the Brock University Office of Human Rights and Equity Services to educate students and staff and in Introduction to Human Resource Management courses at Brock University and University of North Carolina Asheville. Instructors teaching affirmative action, employment equity and human rights may find introducing the topic of privilege to be helpful in contextualizing the need for organizations to create a level playing field of opportunity for groups who have historically been disadvantaged in matters of employment.

6. Are You Privileged?

Teaching Notes We have found introducing the concept of privilege and presenting the Checklist to be very helpful when teaching topics such as affirmative action, equity, harassment, diversity, and discrimination are introduced. We suggest asking students to suggest additional privileges not identified on the Checklist. DIRECTIONS Instructors include options with respect to how the Privilege Checklist is used. Option I

Ask students to complete and score the Checklist in class, followed by a discussion of how privilege is defined and how privilege has impacted various social identity groups.

Option 2

Give the students the Checklist to complete and score before class and ask them to write a short reflection paper before attending a classroom discussion. We have found that more discussion is elicited using this second approach. This option works well for more introverted students and others who may benefit from having the additional time for reflection.

Option 3

(Online Courses) Assign students to complete the Checklist. Then instruct them to select two of the life experiences from the list that they indicated applied to them personally and ask them to post an explanation of how these privileges impact their life experiences. After all students have posted their answers, ask them to react to the answers of others.

Regardless of which option is chosen, when instructors are leading the discussion, they can ask students which questions resonated with them based on their privileged or disadvantaged experiences. Students are encouraged to share with the class their experiences with privilege or disadvantage. Most of our students come from privileged backgrounds with respect to socio-economic status, race, and/or sexual orientation, but we recognize that the social identity characteristics of students at other schools may differ. Overall, student feedback has been very positive. For example, many students say that they tended to think of discrimination as isolated incidents involving two people. They admit to rarely thinking about systemic (indirect) discrimination and how privilege has had an impact on their lives and the lives of others. We have encountered very little resistance or “push back” from our students. We would strongly recommend that how the instructor positions privilege matters. We make it clear that we are not here to make those

6. Are You Privileged?

who perceive themselves to be privileged feel bad or guilty, but instead to have an open and honest dialogue about all the ways the privilege may or may not impact us. We also let students choose whether or not they comment about the items; no one is forced to share anything that they don’t wish to share. Please see the additional instructions that we have included if you would like to assign the privilege checklist as a short reflection paper. We have also provided a brief overview of some questions you can ask to facilitate the privilege discussion. Additional resources on privilege that you may wish to consult include: McIntosh, 1989; Amoroso, Loyd & Hoobler, 2010; DiAngelo, 2006; Bozalek & Biersteker 2010; and Case & Stewart 2010. As the workplace becomes even more diverse (Zinni, Mathis & Jackson, 2011), it becomes more important than ever to educate management students about topics such as privilege, diversity, and equity. It is hoped that sustaining a theme of social justice through our teaching will help the next generation of business leaders focus on these issues in their decision making.

6. Are You Privileged?

References Adams, M., Blumenfield, W. J., Castaneda, C., Hackman, H.W., Peters, M.L. & Zuniga, X. (2010). Readings for diversity and social justice. New York: Routledge. Amoroso, L.M., Loyd, D.L. & Hoobler, J.M. (2010). The diversity education dilemma: Exposing status hierarchies without reinforcing them. Journal of Management Education, 34, 795-822. Bergerson, A.A. (2003). Critical race theory and white racism: is there room for white scholars in fighting racism in education? Qualitative Studies in Education, 16 (1), 51-63. Bozalek, B. & Biersteker, L. (2010). Exploring Power and Privilege Using Participatory Learning and Action Techniques. Social Work Education, 29 (5), 551-572. Case, K. A. (2007). Raising White Privilege Awareness and Reducing Racial Prejudice: Assessing Diversity Course Effectiveness. Teaching of Psychology, 34 (4), 231– 235. Case, K.A. & Stewart, B. (2010). Heterosexual privilege awareness, prejudice, and support of gay marriage among diversity course students. College Teaching, 58, 37. Combs, G. M., and Luthans, F. (2007). Diversity Training: Analysis of the Impact of Self-Efficacy. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 18 (1), 91–120. DiAngelo, R.J. (2006). My Class Didn’t Trump My Race: Using Oppression to Face Privilege. Multicultural Perspectives, 8 (1), 52–56. Mahoney, M. (1997). The social construction of whiteness. In R. Delgado & J. Stefancic (Eds.), Critical White studies: Looking beyond the mirror (pp. 330-333). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. McIntosh, P. (July/August 1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom. Wildman, S. & Davis, A. (2002). Making systems of privilege visible. In P. Rothberg (Ed.), White privilege: Essential readings on the other side of racism (pp. 89-95). New York: Worth. Zinni, D.M., Mathis R.L., & Jackson, J.H. (2011). Human Resources Management. Toronto: Nelson Education.

6. Are You Privileged?

In-Class Discussion Privilege and Oppression: Identity exercise: 1. How do you identify yourself (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.)? Jot down a list of identities that you use to represent who you are at this point in your life. 2. Of your identities, pick one that is most central to how you view yourself. Do you have privilege or are you oppressed? a. How has it impacted your life; your attitudes/behaviors? b. If you have experienced oppression, has it been fairly aggressive and prevalent where others notice, or does it go unnoticed by many? Privilege: •

Advantages that we have in society (e.g., to make rules, influence change, be taken seriously, gain access, acquire/maintain power, and distribute/acquire resources)

•

We tend to be taught NOT to actually see our privilege and therefore we often take our privilege for granted. Nor do we understand how or why we may exist in a social system/hierarchy in which we are inadvertently or unconsciously the oppressor.

When we look at protected groups from this perspective, we see how and why laws and regulations are put into place to provide a more even playing field (equal opportunity). This also shows us where there may be opportunities to address existing injustices.

6. Are You Privileged?

Privilege Checklist Directions: Please check “True,” “ False,” or “N/A” for not applicable for the statements below that best describe your life experiences. Only use the N/A column if you cannot relate to an item at all (such as for #2 if you have never flown, or #18 if you do not follow a particular religion). Then total your scores for the three columns. Life Experiences

True

I can talk freely about my sexual orientation or gender identity to fellow students.

If I am selected for additional screening procedures at the airport, I rarely feel it’s because of my appearance.

I can kiss my partner farewell at the airport, confident that onlookers will either ignore us or smile understandingly.

I can physically access most stores and public buildings.

People do not consider my age to be a detriment to getting a job.

I can easily find appropriate cards for my partner, to celebrate special occasions like our anniversary.

I feel I am not treated differently because of my size.

At the bottom of the stairs, I never have to wonder how to get to the next floor.

I can be fairly certain my gender will not negatively affect my income.

10. I can make plans with friends confident that I have the money to be able to do so. 11. I can be confident that I will not be harassed in the washroom I choose to use. 12. I can consider getting a visible tattoo without worrying about it affecting my chances for a job. 13. I got a job or internship because of someone I knew. 14. If my partner is seriously ill, I know I will be allowed into the intensive-unit to visit her/him. 15. In my neighborhood, I can walk to my car late at night without worrying about my safety. 16. When out in public, I can be fairly certain I will not be stared at because of appearance. 17. If I experience violence in the street, it will not be because I am holding hands with my partner. 18. If I take time off from work for a religious holiday, I will not be challenged. 19. When I fill out a form, I can usually check off a box that accurately represents my ethnic identity. 20. I rarely hear negative jokes or comments about a group to which I belong. Total number of checks:

False

N/A

7. White Privilege and Male Privilege

WHITE PRIVILEGE AND MALE PRIVILEGE: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies Peggy McIntosh

Instructor’s Notes Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Key Points The reluctance of males and whites to recognize that they have special unearned privileges that give them advantages is examined in this article, which concludes with an extensive list of everyday, taken-for-granted, white privileges. •

Males and whites are taught not to recognize their privileges; they can admit that others are underprivileged, but can't see the corollary to this.

•

Denial of male over-privilege is seen in a variety of arguments males make against changing the academic curriculum to reduce male centrality and dominance.

•

The author lists 46 special privileges she (and other whites) take for granted daily – privileges not enjoyed by nonwhites.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What does the author mean by the concept of "white privilege"? Being unaware of unearned advantages such as being white, male, heterosexual, ablebodied, etc. 2. Re-read the author's list of 46 examples of white privilege. Select the five examples that seem the most significant in helping you to understand that white people are privileged. Explain your selections. Answers vary here, but some examples are usually more difficult for white students to comprehend (e.g., example numbers 2, 5, 8, 20, 24, 35) than others which they seem to understand (as in numbers 3, 12, 46). This article can add to a productive class dialogue, particularly if there are minorities present in the class who will share their reactions to these 46 items. Many white students think that legislation has "taken care of" some of these examples of racial privilege. Minorities know that this is far from the reality.

7. White Privilege and Male Privilege

3. In addition to white privilege, the author also cites examples of heterosexual privilege. In a similar manner, develop a list of privileges that the able-bodied enjoy that the physically challenged do not experience. Answers should come from the class. Small groups can be used to develop ideas. Sometimes you will have to give one or two examples to get the class moving (i.e., I can choose any seat on a bus or an airline, I can use any rest room, I am not dependent on anyone to dress me in the morning). 4. Most of us have experienced privilege in some form. Describe an example from your experience. • •

Many students have difficulty with this question. An example for Christians is the emphasis put on the celebration of Christmas as though it is everyone's holiday. If the class is comprised of students of traditional age, bring to their attention some "privileges" from the past such as the "help wanted male" job ads, lower life and car insurance rates for females, the fact that in many states men were not allowed by law to teach below the 6th grade, etc. Students can also be assigned to ask their parents and grandparents for additional examples.

5. How does this article help you to understand the oppression that members of other groups may experience? The author's unique approach offers an opportunity to understand that we may be unaware of how many unearned "privileges " we have by virtue of our race or sexual preference. This can lead to an interesting dialogue about how 30 years of EEO/AA legislation have not, and may never, totally level the playing field for everybody.

Diversity on the Web Peggy McIntosh writes about the notion of racial, gender, and straight privilege and makes it clear that most people are unaware of their privileges. Watch “The Miniature Earth” video at: www.miniature-earth.com What does this short video teach you about your educational and social class privileges? What are the global and future implications of the data presented in the video?

8. The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Difference and Conflict

THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION OF DISTINGUISHING DIFFERENCE AND CONFLICT Carole G. Parker

Goals •

To understand how emotions can escalate into conflicts

•

To learn when it is appropriate to avoid and repress differences

•

To be aware of the dangers of avoidance and repression in terms of the business case for diversity

Key Points The text includes a discussion of diversity in organizations focusing on factors used in the treatment of difference and ways of addressing diversity. These include the positive aspects of difference and the escalation of emotions into conflict. Emotions are introduced as a primary factor leading to a choice for choosing conflict or valuing the difference as a manner of managing the interaction.

Management of Differences by Avoidance 1. Avoidance techniques: restrict associations to those with similar backgrounds; segregation of conflicting individuals 2. Repression techniques: don’t allow conflict to be resolved, i.e., “let’s all work together on this,” etc. 3. Appropriateness of avoidance and repression: useful for limiting considerations when deadlines are tight; a good interim strategy to buy time to make decisions 4. Dangers of avoidance and repression: strong resistance may develop; groupthink may result; over compatibility (stifling creativity and productivity) may occur and further conflict is likely Differences and Conflict 1. Positive aspects: enriched perspectives and creativity; a way to test the strength of a position 2. Factors affecting individuals’ treatment of differences: needs, wants, goals of the individual, the value placed on the relationship; experiences and successes in interacting with dissimilar others

8. The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Difference and Conflict

3. Differences evoke emotions varying in intensity; intense or mild emotions can lead to conflict; conflict is not a prerequisite for managing differences

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. How can one distinguish difference from conflict? Conflict arises when the emotions evoked in attempting to deal with differences intensify and escalate. If similarities among individuals are too weak to enable an appreciation of the difference, and the difference is heightened, the potential for conflict increases. 2. What are some of the dangers of avoiding and repressing differences? Avoiding differences can lead to "groupthink," wherein a group follows through with a potentially disastrous plan because different opinions are not expressed. Repression can lead to over-compatibility (i.e., everyone is overly agreeable due to similar values, etc.), which can lead to lowered productivity. 3. Think of an experience that you had in an organization or social setting involving avoidance or repression of differences. What was the outcome? How did you feel about the outcome? A possible example could be a friendship that has been lost because the discussion of difficult feelings or emotions was avoided. Another example could be when a student finds himself or herself in the position of assuming more responsibility for completing a group project because of a tendency to avoid conflict with members of the work group. 4. What are some positive aspects of difference and what roles do emotions play in our ability to manage differences? More than one perspective can result in a more creative approach to problem solving. Differences are also valuable in ensuring that more aspects are considered in making decisions. In business, this can result in improved marketing opportunities. Differences are both physical, cognitive, value based, emotional, and cultural. Think of the many different types of food that excite you when attempting to select a restaurant for a dinner (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Brazilian, etc.). The ability to be aware of emotional triggers and feelings when encountering differences may enable one to be selective in the manner in which one addresses the difference. When one chooses conflict, several outcomes may occur: the parties may resolve the conflict to their satisfaction, one person may emerge the "winner" and the other the "loser," or the parties may learn important information from each other that may otherwise remain hidden.

8. The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Difference and Conflict

5. How can you develop the skills needed to increase your emotional intelligence? •

• • •

• •

Workshops such as those offered by National Training Laboratories in Alexandria, Virginia or the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland are just two organizations that specialize in the personal and professional growth of individuals. Expanding one's experience base to include individuals who are different and learning from the richness of those differences. Spending time with individuals or cultures that require one to move from his or her their personal "comfort zone." Keep a journal of differences and experiences that evoke emotions; include your response to the event, and the outcome. This may assist in the selfreflection process, enabling one to return to an event (without the intensity and emotion) and learn from the experience. Consulting an online source on emotional intelligence such as www.feel.org/articles/index.html Reading books and articles on emotional intelligence by Daniel Goleman and others.

Teaching Tips A brief overview of the Johari Window could be useful in addressing this question. The Johari Window, developed by Joe Luft and Harry Ingram, uses a model to describe how others see us. For a more detailed discussion of Johari Window, consult the Briarwood Case in the Instructor’s Manual. Awareness of emotions allows one to better manage oneself when differences are encountered. Self-management is the true key to dealing effectively with differences. Exploring when, what, how, and why emotions are aroused is important. Self-reflection of behaviors and feelings can lead to better understanding and outcomes with differences.

Diversity on the Web Research the history of a major class-action lawsuit such as Bell South, Texaco, Denny’s, Georgia Power, WalMart, etc. Develop a timeline of the events that led to these lawsuits. Do the events listed on the timeline indicate escalating conflict as illustrated by Parker’s triangle? Why or why not? What actions or interventions could have been taken to prevent these conflicts from escalating into costly lawsuits?

9. Exploring Diversity in your Organization

EXPLORING DIVERSITY IN YOUR ORGANIZATION Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To provide an opportunity early in the course for students to examine the degree of surface and deep diversity in their college or workplace

•

To allow students to see that people have very different definitions of what it means to be diverse

•

To illustrate that there is a tendency to assume that organizations are more diverse than they actually are, especially at the leadership levels of the organization

•

To examine how one’s educational or work experiences may be different if diversity is present or absent in an organization

Teaching Note Option A can be completed in 25-30 minutes. Because Option B involves students’ reporting on various organizations, allow at least an hour depending on the size of the class. To maximize critical thinking, assign questions to be answered prior to class.

Instructions 1. Assign either Option A or B to be completed prior to class. 2. Since this exercise is intended to provide a non-threatening way to get people talking about diversity as they define it, simply ask the students to report out on the questions listed in the exercise. Be sure to bullet their answers on the board or chart pad, so that these can be referred to later. 3. Initially, students, like many organizations, often define diversity in terms of EEO characteristics like race and gender. Notice that the directions in the text are purposefully vague. This is done to encourage discussion about what diversity really encompasses. If students only talk about surface diversity, you may want to ask them about the less visible aspects of diversity such as social class, religion, etc. The purpose here is to

9. Exploring Diversity in your Organization

determine if there are obvious groups that are not represented in the leadership of the organization. Note: Criteria for defining diversity may be related to an organization’s mission and/or location. For example, if this is a church sponsored college, lack of diversity in terms of religion may arise as a diversity issue but this is to be expected. In Option B, a business located in a racially diverse city would be expected to be more diverse, etc. If the students don’t bring up the less visible aspects of diversity such as social class, religion, geographical origin, etc., ask them how people often determine these aspects of diversity (e.g., cars, dress such as headscarves, jewelry, such as crosses, Stars of David, accents, etc.). 4. Option A: As you continue asking the questions in the exercise, encourage the students to contrast specific examples of the “costs” of not attending a more diverse institution and the benefits that may be available in a diverse college. (For example, the type of courses/majors that may or may not be available, the hiring and promotion policies, dynamics of in-class discussions, the availability of diverse professors as mentors, learning from friends from different countries, the institutional norms around dress, behavior, sex, alcohol, etc.) Option B: In an evening, online, or graduate class where the students may have extensive work experience but less contact with the college, they will be reporting out on many different organizations. So, it is important to guide the discussion towards a “business case for diversity” theme. How can diversity add to this organization’s bottom line in terms of reduced turnover, better recruitment and selection practices, improved morale, better community relationships, new product/service development, and better customer service?

10. The Pitney Bowes Case

THE PITNEY BOWES CASE: A LEGACY OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To provide an example of an organization that has been successful at linking diversity initiatives with its business strategy planning process

•

To illustrate the importance of corporate support for successful diversity management

•

To show the impact of organizational values on programs and policies

•

To demonstrate that diversity can be a competitive advantage

Summary Pitney Bowes is an organization with a history of diversity management dating back to the 1930s when the President, Walter Wheeler, encouraged the hiring, development and promotion of women and racial minorities. Today, the corporation continues this tradition by using a human capital approach that connects the organizational mission to its diversity initiatives. Since a prime requirement for successful diversity management is support from the top of an organization, the contributions of three CEOs, Walter Wheeler, George Harvey and Michael Critelli, are detailed in the case. Although the company is best known for the development of the postage meter, Pitney Bowes has adapted to meet the changing needs of its marketplace, the decrease in traditional snail mail and advances in technology. Today, this corporation is a leading provider of integrated mail and document systems to a global customer base extending to 130 countries. At Pitney Bowes, diversity is considered to be a competitive advantage that permeates the way that business is conducted and employees are managed. Each business unit produces an annual strategic plan that is derived from corporate goals and this must include diversity. The Diversity Leadership Council monitors the units’ progress in diversity management, which is taken into account in determining executive compensation. To recruit and retain the best diverse employees, Pitney Bowes has formed partnerships and made alliances within the diverse community. As a result of involvement with organizations such as the National Urban League and the Society of Women Engineers, the corporation has become an employer of choice for qualified minorities and women.

10. The Pitney Bowes Case

These efforts are supported by integrating diversity into core management functions, developing flexible benefit programs and utilizing open communication systems. Pitney Bowes has been the recipient of many awards for its diversity initiatives. (See Figure 1 in the case.) However, from interviewing three vice presidents, it is clear that the organization’s diversity efforts are driven by a sincere commitment to diversity, not external recognition. Corporate management at Pitney Bowes is acutely aware that maintaining diversity as an operational value and competitive advantage will be an ongoing challenge in the future. To stay competitive in a rapidly changing business environment, the organization has developed a business strategy that is focused on growth through diversification and global expansion. Consequently, maintaining diversity initiatives as an integral part of the Pitney Bowes’ culture will require continued Board and corporate support.

Teaching Tips 1. Depending on the instructor’s approach to teaching this course, the Pitney Bowes case can be used in two very different ways. The first alternative is to assign the case early in the semester to provide students with an illustration of systemic integration of diversity initiatives in a real organization. This provides students with a frame of reference and concrete examples that can be used throughout the semester. 2. A second approach is to wait until later in the course, when organizational change is the focus, and to use Pitney Bowes as an early yet current example of how an organization evolves in response to its internal values and the needs of its external environment. In both sequences, students should be encouraged to apply the organizational theory covered in this course to the current status of diversity at Pitney Bowes. One of the interesting aspects of this case as a teaching tool is that management is acutely aware that the current status of diversity as a strategic imperative at Pitney Bowes could be jeopardized in the future. All three vice presidents who were interviewed for this case mentioned that they were concerned about maintaining the systemic diversity at Pitney Bowes as the organization transitions to the 21st century. New markets, global competition, transitioning from a manufacturing model to a service provider, new corporate management, etc. could change the organization in ways that could dilute the importance of diversity as an integral part of the fabric of the organization.

10. The Pitney Bowes Case

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Given Pitney Bowes’ growth and globalization strategies, analyze the forces for and against maintaining an organizational culture that supports diversity as a business imperative. Forces for maintaining diversity as an organizational value: • Corporate history/tradition of valuing differences • Support for diversity at the corporate and board levels • Large contingent of current managers and employees are female and racially diverse • The organization needs creativity, innovation, and new product development to offset declining market opportunities for traditional postage-meter products. So diversity can be linked to the bottom line. (Business Case) • The organization does business in 130 countries and has a strategy of global expansion. Employees who can speak other languages and understand their cultures will continue to be an asset. • Influence of external stakeholders that have established relationships with Pitney Bowes, such as the National Urban League, Women’s Business Enterprise Council, National Black MBA Association, etc. Forces against maintaining diversity as an organizational value: • Threats of downsizing due to global competition, declining markets, and development of new technologies • Increased external competition for qualified women and minority employees • Growth through acquisition of companies that do not share the same organizational culture and values • Corporate takeover or buy-out by an organization with a corporate culture that does not value diversity • Substantial changes in corporate and Board leadership 2. Provide specific examples of ways that Pitney Bowes has aligned diversity goals with a market-driven approach to meeting customer needs. Possible examples include but are not limited to: • When women were promoted from low paying clerical positions into the sales force, sales increased. • International operations account for 17% of the company’s total revenue and this percentage is expected to increase. • In 2000, the corporation purchases $47 million dollars worth of goods and services from women and minority suppliers. Helping these businesses to grow and become profitable can result in new customers. • Including diversity as part of the mission, planning process, and executive evaluations.

10. The Pitney Bowes Case

3. At Pitney Bowes, diversity, in addition to being an ethical imperative, is a business imperative. How does diversity create competitive advantages for this corporation? One of the reasons that Pitney Bowes has survived as a viable business is because it has changed and adapted to its external environments. Clearly, the United States is becoming more diverse every year. Having a reputation as a good place for women and minorities to work and with external partnerships with many diverse organizations, Pitney Bowes has a wider base from which to recruit new employees. This allows the corporation to select the best potential employees from a wider pool of applicants. Creativity and out of the box product development have prevented Pitney Bowes from making the same mistakes as many staid U.S. manufacturing companies that were reluctant to adapt their products to changing customer needs (auto industry, steel industry, shoe industry, etc.). To maintain this level of innovation, Pitney Bowes needs a cross-section of diverse employees. In addition, Pitney Bowes’ corporate culture supports the integration of these employees into its decision-making processes. There are female and racially diverse role models throughout the corporation. Since open communication is valued and rewarded, these employees are encouraged and expected to contribute and produce. Teaching Tip The Pitney Bowes’ website (www.pb.com) is an excellent source to use to demonstrate a good example of integrating diversity into organizational web material. See text at the end of Article 59 (Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit) in the text.

10. The Pitney Bowes Case

Diversity on the Web The last sentence of the Pitney Bowes case mentions that the corporation’s commitment to diversity could be affected by its growth and global strategies. An additional threat would be hiring a new CEO who does not value diversity as a strategic value. Although the current CEO, Murray Martin, continues the diversity legacy at Pitney Bowes, what has happened in terms of the organization’s efforts to maintain an inclusive and diverse culture during a time of internal and external change? How has Pitney Bowes adapted to becoming more of a global business while maintaining diversity as a core value? To answer these questions, go to the webite below. Reading this document affirms that diversity and inclusion are still important in the Pitney Bowes culture. Evaluate the 2009 report in terms of: a) the organization’s efforts to maintain an inclusive and diverse culture during a time of internal and external change; and b) Pitney Bowes’ adaptation to becoming more of a global business while maintaining diversity as a core value. c) What have they done and why has it worked? Source:

www.pb.com (Search for the “2009 CR report”)

11. Section I: Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION ONE

1. What did you learn about yourself from the exercises, readings, and cases in this section? How could this new knowledge help you in the workplace? How could it help you in your personal life? 2. Now that you understand that there are differences between prejudices and stereotypes, what are the major sources of your stereotypes? How could you prevent your (future) children from developing stereotypes? 3. How does the Miner article relate to McIntosh’s notion of unearned privilege? 4. Provide an example from your own experience of how a “difference” has led to a conflict. 5. Thinking about organizational diversity at this point in the course, what do you think an organization needs to change or do to successfully manage diversity?

SECTION II

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: RACE AND ETHNICITY

12. Being An Only: A Field Assignment

BEING AN ONLY: A FIELD ASSIGNMENT Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To provide students with the experience of being different in some visible way

•

To illustrate the importance of situational influences on perceptions of difference

•

To learn why adding one or two individuals from a different social identity group may not produce the expected benefits in terms of creativity and problem solving

•

To apply and reinforce the material from the award-winning video, A Tale of O

NOTE: If you do not have access to the Tale of O video, it is available on youtube. Go to the website and search for “Tale of O video on diversity”. This needs to be run on a computer with sound capability. Instructions This video is a classic, based on the work of Dr. Rosabeth Moss Kanter from the Harvard Business School. It is a particularly effective way to make the point that both “X”s (majority) and “O”s (minorities) may behave and think differently based upon the numerical makeup of the workforce. The Tale of O provides a visual experience that students can relate to because all of us have been different at some time in our lives. However, these lessons can be quickly forgotten without reinforcement. This writing assignment provides students with an opportunity to relive this experience by applying the theoretical perspectives from the film. 1. Obtain the DVD of the A Tale of O (available for purchase with a user’s guide from www.trainerstoolchest.com, 877-288-6657) or access it on YouTube. 2. Instruct students to take meaningful notes as they watch the video. 3. Conduct a discussion about the contents of the tape. See the user’s guide for ideas. 4. Ask each student to select an appropriate topic for his/her “O” experience. Remind students that they must clear this topic with you before completing the assignment. 5. Announce any changes you make about the length and format of the paper that you require. 6.

On the day that these papers are due, be sure to have the students share their experiences with their classmates.

Teaching Tips Remind students that their experiences must be safe, alcohol, and drug free and respectful of others’ privacy. These are the reasons for not allowing students to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, go to gay bars, etc. Recycling a previous experience, such as a semester spent abroad, usually doesn’t produce as thorough an analysis as a new experience that is intended to duplicate the ideas conveyed in the themes of the DVD. Interesting student “O” experiences have included such ideas as attending a religious service of another faith, young people attending Bingo games in a nursing home, a male student joining an aerobics class, a female student shopping for a pick-up truck, and a female student shopping while wearing a burqa.

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

THRIVING IN A MULTICULTURAL CLASSROOM Michelle R. Dunlap Connecticut College Goals •

To assist students of all backgrounds in preparing for the emotional work that can be involved when engaged in a multicultural curriculum

•

To familiarize students with the concepts of racial identity development and white privilege, and to brief them on how these concepts may play a role in their multicultural learning experiences

Outline of Key Points I.

II.

III.

Consideration of the emotions that can be involved in the multicultural learning process •

Students may experience a range of emotions from guilt, to anger, relief, and validation.

•

Students need help appropriately managing their emotions related to diversity issues.

Review of Racial Identity Development for those new to the multicultural learning process •

The Racial Identity Development work of Beverly Tatum, Janet Helms, and William Cross are reviewed.

•

The strengths and limitations of their models are considered.

An alternative model for considering one’s racial identity development •

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s Model of Death and Dying is offered for consideration in the Racial Identity Development context.

•

The Kubler-Ross model is compared and contrasted to the Racial Identity Development models.

IV. Understanding the concept of white privilege •

Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege and Male Privilege article (section 1, number 7) and its usefulness are discussed.

Discussion questions

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What was one of your earliest experiences concerning race? a) Describe the experience, how you felt, and how the experience was handled. b) If you could rewrite that experience, how would you change it and/or how it was handled? Answers to these questions will differ according to the personal experiences of the student(s). Many of these experiences will involve students noticing or asking about race when they were around age 6, and caregivers demonstrating discomfort. Others may involve students witnessing either the prejudiced or racist behaviors of caregivers or other significant others in their environment, or themselves or their loved ones being a victim of such behavior. Some students will speak very briefly, while others may respond in great detail. You may notice trends in the answers that seem to correspond to the various models of racial identity development that are outlined in the chapter. 2. Think of 3 different ages or points in your life, for example, ages 6, 12, and 18. a) What racial identity development stage would you say you were in for each of these stages and why? b) What factors can you think of that may have impacted any changes in your racial identity development stages from one age to another? c) Do you feel that each of these stages could have been better supported by the caregivers, educators, peers, or colleagues around you? Some students will insist that they are, or perhaps even always have been, at the highest levels of racial identity development. This itself may signal that they are in an early stage of racial identity development and through the work of the semester you may see some evolution in their attitudes that would suggest this to be so. Other students will observe a process or progression of their earlier growth over time, and an anticipated continuation of that growth. Some students are more at ease with evaluating themselves, their experiences and their progress. Others may need to be gently challenged and guided, while others need to be left alone to discover their racial identity progress on their own. Over time, you will be able to use your intuition in responding to your students’ racial identity development reflections so that you may challenge student without alienating them.

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

3. If you could rewrite your first experience with race, racism, or oppression, and how it was handled by the adults or others in a position of authority: a) Would you change it? If so, in what ways would you change it? b) How would you better facilitate the learning and/or support among those involved or impacted at the time? Answering this question provides the student an opportunity to engage in “what if” thinking. They can take the new information that they are learning and grapple with how they might (or might not) apply it to the scenarios that they described earlier. For example, might their caregivers, instead of shushing them, attempt to answer their questions and perhaps take them to the local library to explore children’s books on diversity? Might their caregivers stand up for an issue rather than remain silent? Students have an opportunity here to rewrite the script, in essence, and therefore make practical applications with the new information they are learning. 4. What does racial identity development have to do with (emotional) death and dying? After having read the article, the student should be able to identify trends in the racial identity stages that follow a pattern similar to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s. They may be able to synthesize the idea that learning about race, racism, and other forms of oppression often is accompanied by loss—loss of previous notions, loss of innocence about how the world operates, loss of idealism and beliefs in meritocracy, etc. 5. Create a list of all of the emotions that you can recall from the moment you began reading on this topic and/or working with the discussion questions. What is the significance of those emotions in terms of your own development and learning about a multicultural curriculum? You can expect a great deal of variation across students in the emotions that they recall from their past experiences: anxiety, anger, relief, confusion, guilt, validation, etc. The more that students can acknowledge the emotions involved in the process of exploring racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc., the less likely they will be to personalize the discomforts that they feel in class and look to blame or scapegoat someone for it (e.g., the teacher, a fellow classmate). Rather, they will understand that the process of grappling with issues of oppression may itself raise a variety of emotions that may or may not always be easy or comfortable.

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

Writing Assignment Read and reflect on Tatum’s 1992 article on racial identity development.* 1)

Describe in 2-3 pages, your initial reactions to the work of Tatum and her students.

2) Using one of the models provided in this chapter, prepare a statement describing your racial identity development and stage(s) up to this point in your life. 3) Include a description of any key person(s) or event(s) that have been instrumental in your racial identity development thus far. *Tatum, B. (1992). Talking about race: The application of racial identity development theory in the classroom. Harvard Educational Review, Vol. 62 (1), 1-24.

Teaching Tips Suggestions and strategies for teaching a multicultural curriculum can be found in the following articles. The suggestions include: creating rules and guidelines for safe communication with students in the classroom; exploring emotional issues and concerns surrounding diversity and multiculturalism; incorporating a variety of methods including films, documentaries, autobiographies; and managing meetings and discussions when students are overwhelmed or upset. Davi, A., Dunlap, M. & Green, A. (2007). Exploring difference in the service-learning classroom: Three teachers write about anger, sexuality, and justice. Reflections: writing, service-learning, and community literacy, 6 (1), 41-66. Dunlap, M. (2000). Teaching about children and families in a multicultural society. Transformations: The New Jersey project journal for curriculum transformation and scholarship, 11 (1), 28-34. Williams, M., Dunlap, M. & McCandies, T. (1999). Keeping It Real: Three black women educators discuss how we deal with student resistance to multicultural inclusion in the curriculum. Transformations: The New Jersey project journal for curriculum transformation and scholarship, Special issue on social justice, 10 (2), 11-22.

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

Michelle Dunlap’s Top Ten Favorite Movie Picks 1. Imitation of Life (the 1959 version) – a classic that portrayed Lana Turner in the leading role while her Black women co-stars actually stole the show. Reportedly, this story is based on a book written by a Jewish author who presented Black and White relations as a metaphor for relations between Jews and Whites. The characters are metaphoric of race relations in America. For years, this movie was considered the alltime favorite movie among the African American community. 2. Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored – an account, based on a true story, of life for African Americans in the Jim Crow era. This film was produced and directed by Tim Reid on a shoestring budget, and like many independently and minorityproduced movies, never really received the acclaim that it deserved. 3. Unchained Memories – based on transcripts of audiotaped interviews of surviving, enslaved African Americans, with award-winning actors and actresses such as Oprah Winfrey and Samuel L. Jackson. Not for the faint-hearted. 4. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf (Broadway Theatre Archive, 1982) – based on the famous book of poems and short stories by Ntosake Shange, the title of this DVD speaks for itself. As old as it is, it perhaps is the only female counterpart to Get on the Bus and many other great but male-dominated movies, except for maybe Oprah Winfrey’s Women of Brewster Place. 5. Half Past Autumn – documents the life and works of journalist, photographer, painter, musician, acclaimed film producer and director, Gordon Parks. 6. Lady Sings the Blues – the making of this movie is a lesson in Black History itself, so watching the “bonus materials” that describe this history is recommended. Berry Gordy was ahead of his time with his technique, cinematography, casting, etc. Although it was her acting debut, Diana Ross received a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for her role as singer Billie Holiday. 7. How to Eat Your Watermelon in the Company of Whites and Enjoy It – documents the life of multilingual writer, singer, actor, film producer, Melvin Van Peebles. 8. Rize – looks at the role of dancing (such as “Krump” and “Clown” dancing) among African American youth, but from both a historical and contemporary context. Supports the idea that our minority youth want to be both seen and validated. 9. 10,000 Black Men Named George – based on the true story of A. Philip Randolph’s efforts, along with Dr. Martin Luther King, to unionize the railroad Pullman Porters who were predominantly African American. Because of his efforts and achievements, Randolph became known to some as “the most dangerous man in America.”

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

10. Tales from the Hood – Spike Lee executive produced this “Friday the 13th” type movie, but with a seriously moral and ethnic twist on Black History and past and current race relations. This movie is a precursor to American History X. Michelle Dunlap’s Additional Favorite Movies 1. Three Sovereigns for Sarah – some have said that this movie is arguably the best dramatic account of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. 2. Dirty Pretty Things – two immigrants – a young highly educated Nigerian man and a Turkish woman – work together in a hotel and befriend each other. Together they confront racism, sexism, and every kind of exploitation from the more privileged that you can imagine. 3. Fried Green Tomatoes – a middle-aged woman finds her voice with the help of some good friends. 4. Living Out Loud – a recent divorcée finds her voice with the help of Queen Latifah and some other friends. 5. Magnolia – fate and choice collide while questioning greed, sexism, racism, and other issues. 6. Life is Beautiful – survival (and non-survival) during the Holocaust, from a child's point of view. 7. The Antoine Fisher Story – the directorial debut of Denzel Washington. A man learns to confront his childhood abandonment, foster care, and sexual abuse issues. 8. Phenomenon – John Travolta's character deals with newly-found, strange abilities and disabilities with the help of his best friend, portrayed by Forest Whitaker. 9. The Five People You Meet in Heaven – this heart-warming movie is a story of man who dies and has some interesting encounters on his way to heaven. 10. Mi Familia – a Chicana family immigrates to California and rears their children and grandchildren in spite of poverty, violence, and racism. 11. Hollywood Shuffle – Robert Townsend and Keenan Ivory Wayans make a thoughtprovoking satire of the challenges for African American actors and actresses. Townsend made this movie in 1986 by charging $100,000 worth on credit cards. 12. Get on the Bus – Spike Lee at his best. A bus load of men on their way to the Million Man March illustrate the strength, intelligence, and diversity of African American men. Also check out other great Spike Lee movies, e.g., 3 a.m., The 25th

13. Thriving In A Multicultural Classroom

Hour, Malcolm X, Mo Better Blues, Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, and Bamboozled. See also: Denzel Washington (e.g., DeJaVu) Sidney Poitier

(e.g., For the Love of Ivy)

Queen Latifah

(e.g., Last Holiday)

Angela Bassett

(e.g., The Sun Shine State)

John Sayles

(e.g., Lone Star)

Quentin Tarantino (e.g., from Dusk till Dawn) Richard Prior

(e.g., See No Evil)

Robert Townsend (e.g., Five Heartbeats) Tyler Perry

(e.g., his early Madea productions)

David Talbert

(e.g., Love on Layaway)

Happy Viewing, and don’t forget the popcorn!

14. Since We Elected an African American President Twice…

SINCE WE ELECTED AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TWICE: IS RACISM STILL AN ISSUE IN AMERICA? Joyce D. McNickles McNickles and Associates

Goals •

To understand the difference between prejudice and institutional racism

•

To increase student awareness of the prevalence of racism in the United States today

Synopsis This article focuses on the aspects of modern racism and enlightens students who think that race is no longer a problem, particularly since the election of Barack Obama, an African American man. The author makes the distinction between prejudice and racism, and identifies in great detail the effect institutional racism has on the daily lives of African Americans. Topics include the justice system, the healthcare system, the educational system, and the ways in which African Americans are disadvantaged with regard to employment opportunities. Outline of Key Points I. Race still matters in the United States, despite the election and re-election of Barack Obama as the first African American president. African Americans and white Americans often have different perceptions regarding the prevalence of racism in society today. This may be due to differences in understanding and the use of terminology. A. Racial Perception Gap B. Prejudice C. Racial Prejudice D. Racism E. Institutional Racism F. Implicit Bias II. Racial Disparities and Inequities in the Workplace A. Under-representation in management (financial and advertising industries) B. Biases and discrimination affecting hiring and promotion C. Discrimination against African American men without criminal records in favor of white men with criminal records

14. Since We Elected an African American President Twice…

D. Double jeopardy for African American women E. Name profiling of resumes III. Racial Disparities and Inequities in Healthcare A. Lower quality healthcare 1. Physician biases 2. Disparities and inequities in treatment and diagnosis IV.

Racial Disparities in Education A. Racially segregated schools 1. Disparities in educational outcomes 2. Inferior facilities, larger class sizes, fewer advanced placement classes 3. Less qualified teachers and high teacher turnover 4. Disparities in disciplinary actions

IV. Racial Disparities in the Justice System A. Racial profiling, “driving while black,” and “stop-and-frisk” B. Police brutality C. Disparities in arrest, sentencing, plea bargaining, parole, capital punishment, drug sentencing guidelines, and presidential pardons D. Jury bias V. Future of Race Relations A. In order for race relations to improve, white Americans must acknowledge that African Americans continue to experience institutional racism that puts African Americans at a disadvantage. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. According to McNickles, what explains the perception gap that exists between whites and African Americans when it comes to matters of race and racism? The perception gap between whites and African Americans on matters of race and racism exists because they often are not talking about the same thing. Most whites see racism in terms of negative individual behavior, such as bigoted slurs and prejudicial remarks. For African Americans it is the policies and practices in various social institutions that create inequities for them. 2. What is the difference between racial prejudice and racism? Prejudice based on race is referred to as racial prejudice. Racial prejudice resides within the individual. Racism resides within society’s structures and institutions. It can be seen as a system of advantage based on race.

14. Since We Elected an African American President Twice…

3. In what societal institutions can institutional racism be found? Institutional racism can be found in the workplace with regard to hiring and promotion; in the healthcare system with regard to medical treatment and medical decisions; in the educational system with regard to racially segregated schools resulting in disparities in resources, facilities, educational attainment, and teacher qualifications; and in the justice system regarding racial profiling, disparities in arrests and sentencing, and in jury bias. 4. How do Arab Muslims suffer biases and prejudices similar to African Americans in a post 9/11 America? Since 9/11, Arab Muslims have been victims of racial profiling and negative stereotyping, and they have been incarcerated and harassed solely because of their appearance. 5. How does the factual evidence presented in this article lend support to affirmative action programs and policies? The evidence in this chapter concerning the overwhelming obstacles African Americans face in this society support the implementation of affirmative action policies in the interests of fairness, justice, and the creation of a level playing field. The disparities persist despite the election of an African American president. 6. What must white people acknowledge for race relations to improve? In order for race relations to improve, white people must acknowledge that institutional racism exists and creates disparities, putting African Americans as a racial group at a distinct disadvantage. Additional Discussion Question (not in text) 7. Go to the African American Policy Forum internet address below and view the myths and facts about affirmative action. http://aapf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Affirmative-Action-Primer-Focuson-Affirmative-Action.pdf. Do you think the facts presented here would be enough to change the minds of affirmative action opponents? Why or why not? Proponents of affirmative action argue that it is still needed because racism and discrimination continue.

Writing Assignment Research the term racial empathy gap. Write a 1-2 page memo that explains how this gap contributes to the racial disparities experienced by African Americans?

14. Since We Elected an African American President Twice…

Diversity on the Web 1. Go to the Harvard Project Implicit site, https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/. Click on the demonstration tests and then complete one of the race and one of the gender demonstration tests. After completing the tests, what are some of your reflections\thoughts and reactions? 2. Watch the Implicit Association Video. After viewing, what are some of your reflections/thoughts/theories and/or reactions?

Diversity on the Web The author argues that the re-election of Barack Obama suggested to some that race is no longer an issue for whites. The next progression would be to contemplate if race is no longer an issue for African Americans. Go to http://www.diversityinc.com/ or search the Internet. Conduct a search using any of the following words or combination of words: a. African Americans or Blacks

e. Justice system

b. Employment discrimination

c. Disparities

g. Health

d. African American youth

Racial profiling

Racism

What are some of the issues that result from being African American or Black?

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

IMMIGRATION PATTERNS: THE TRANSITION PROCESS M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To examine the changing immigration patterns

•

To examine the issues and impact of immigration in the United States today

•

To examine the costs and benefits of illegal immigration today

Outline of Key Points I.

Migration and Immigration

II.

Immigration Patterns

III.

The Transition Process A. Acceptance of Immigrants B. The Undocumented C. The Exploitation

IV.

Impact: What do immigrants bring and what do they cost? A. The Economy B. Entrepreneurship C. Employment/Productivity D. Service and Consumer Products E. Taxes F. Social Services G. Neighborhoods H. Assimilation

Immigration Policy

VI.

Lessons from History

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

Commentary on Discussion Questions Anyone not born a U.S. citizen is considered to be foreign-born. The Census defines United States natives as people “born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. Island Area, or born abroad of a U.S. citizen parent.” Island Areas are the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Source: The Foreign-Born Population: 2000 [2003, December]. Census 2000 briefs.) Determining the numbers of legal and illegal immigrants is not easy. The numbers reported are projections (estimates) made from the 2010 U.S. census data. These estimates are difficult to make for several reasons: •

The 2010 Census asks for country of birth, but does not ask about the legality/illegality of residence in the U.S. Note that country of birth may not be the current country of citizenship or residency.

•

While the 2010 Census asks if an individual is a citizen of the U.S., this does not distinguish an illegal resident from a non citizen who is in the process of naturalization.

•

Although the 2010 Census does ask when an individual came to live in the United States, no proof of this date is requested.

•

Estimates of legal and illegal residents are based on samples of the population and therefore subject to sampling error.

Note: Students may have difficulty with the acronyms denoting immigration agencies. INS = Immigration and Naturalization Service (ceased to exist March 1, 2003) USCIS = United States Citizen and Immigration Service Discussion Questions and Answers 1. The ability to communicate in English is important for many jobs and therefore some companies offer ESL (English as a Second Language) courses to their nonEnglish-speaking employees. One alternative to requiring company-sponsored ESL instruction is to require that all potential employees meet an English language proficiency standard before they may be hired. Compare and contrast these two alternatives in terms of advantages and disadvantages to the company. Sample discussion points follow. If the company offers ESL: - It can tailor the ESL course to the company’s most immediate needs.

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

- If potential employees have specialized or hard-to-find skills, it may be very important not to lose these employees. - Being around employees who are proficient may speed up a new employee’s language progress (immersion process). - ESL is costly when substantial numbers of employees are involved. - ESL is a time-consuming process. - If employees are not proficient enough in their early employment, they can make costly mistakes. - Employees may not attend classes once they are hired (a common problem, unless they are paid to do so). - Being around other employees who are also not proficient may slow down the new employee’s language progress; it is easier to communicate in one’s native tongue. - The fluency need may be immediate; i.e., the organization can’t wait for the immigrant to learn English. If potential employees must already speak English: - It is hard to measure job-required proficiency before hiring. - There is a huge backlog of people waiting to take ESL courses and the pool of proficient applicants may be too small. - Some immigrants may not be able to afford ESL courses. - ESL courses vary in quality. 2. Considering the three types of immigration law—legal, humanitarian, and illegal—what kind of immigration policies do you think the United States should pursue in the future? Why? This is an opinion question intended to stimulate discussion. Answers will vary. Starting sources: University of Denver. (2009). Architect for Immigration Reform: Fitting the pieces of public policy. http:/www.du.edu/issues/reports/documents/2009 immigrationreport.pdf Denier, G & Nielsen, N. (2009, April 14). Change to win and AF-CIO unveil unified immigration reform framework. http://www.changetowin.org Center for Immigration Studies (2005) Legal immigration. http://www.cis.org/topic/legalimmigration.html News Batch (2007, July). Immigration policy issues. http://www.newsbatch.com/immigration.htm

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

3. a) Describe the citizenship application process including the interviews and tests. Starting source: FindLaw (n.d.). Typical citizenship examination questions. Find Law. http://immigration.findlaw.com Click on Citizenship, then on The Citizenship Test. Also click on Citizenship, then on The Naturalization Process. Categories of Legal Immigration: The naturalization process is not always a straightforward one. It can be long and complex given that there are a number of statuses under which people apply: 1. Family Preference a) Individuals can sponsor a limited number of relatives (adult children of U.S. citizens; spouses and children of immigrants and siblings of citizens). b) Individuals can sponsor an unlimited number of minor children, spouses and parents. 2. Employment-based Preference This is a complicated collection of preferences ranging from possession of job skills in demand by the economy, to unskilled and religious workers and investors. 3. Humanitarian Preferences This category includes refugees, asylees and those receiving cancellation of removal (deportation) such as long time illegal aliens whose deportation would cause hardship for American family members. 4. Diversity A limited number of individuals based on past under-representation in the immigrant program. Currently chosen by lottery. In 2012, a total of 757,434 persons became naturalized citizens. The leading countries of birth were: Mexico, The Philippines, India, Dominican Republic and Peoples Republic of China. Requirements to be met before applying for citizenship: • • • • • •

possession of a green card age 18 years or older legal permanent residence for minimum of 5 years (exception: spouse of U.S. citizen; refugee or recipient of green card thru political asylum) physical presence in U.S. more than half the time during the 5 years of permanent residence not absent from the U.S. for more than one year at a time not establishing a primary home in another country

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

• • • • •

living in the state of District of Columbia or state where filing citizenship application for a minimum of 3 months having “good moral character” ability to read, write and speak English passing a (civics) test about U.S. history and government swearing belief in the principles of the U.S. Constitution and loyalty to the United States

Naturalization Process: 1. Complete the application (Form N-400: Application for Naturalization). 2. Get two (2) color photographs of oneself that meet immigration requirements. 3. Collect and send in the necessary documents (application Form N-400), photographs, green card, and pay naturalization application fee ($ 595.00 in 2013). 4. Appear for finger printing (scheduled by Immigration; cost $ 85.00). 5. Appear for interview and tests (scheduled by Immigration). Interview: Immigration will ask detailed questions about applicant’s entire immigration history and examine in detail every trip outside the U.S. If deception is detected, the application is denied, green card is revoked and applicant must leave the U.S. Civics Test: A test on basic knowledge of U.S. history and government. English Test: Reading test may include being asked to read out loud certain parts of the Form N-400. Writing test may include being asked to write one or two simple sentences. Speaking test: applicant is generally evaluated by his or her answers during the interview. Those over age 50 and some categories are exempted from the English test. 6. Take the oath of citizenship (scheduled by Immigration). Note: Permanent U.S. resident children under the age of 18, who are in the legal and physical custody of the naturalizing parents, automatically become U.S. citizens when their parents are naturalized. Denaturalization rarely happens, but citizenship can be revoked for: 1. Falsifying or concealing relevant facts 2. Refusal to testify before Congress 3. Membership in subversive groups 4. Dishonorable military discharge The denaturalization process occurs in Federal Court (not immigration court) and if

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

the person is denaturalized, they must leave the country. Children granted citizenship based on their parent’s status may also lose their citizenship after the parent has been denaturalized. 3. b) Go to the USCIS site below. It contains a series of four multiple-choice items measuring knowledge about U.S. history and law. Do ten sets (40 questions, total) and score yourself. How well did you do? Do you think you would pass the naturalization test which is not multiple choice? Starting source: U.S. citizenship and immigration service (n.d.). Naturalization Self Test. http://www.uscis.gov Search: Naturalization Self Test Students will vary as to how well they do and whether or not they think that they could pass the Naturalization test. Explore with them which types of questions they found most difficult. 4. Although the military does not allow undocumented aliens to enlist, many have managed to do so. Starting sources: Barbassa, J. (2010, October 25). Immigrant vets face deportation for crimes. Worcester Telegram & Gazette. p. A3. Hattiangadi, A. et. al. (n.d.). Non-citizens in today’s military research brief. http://www.can.org/centers/marine-corps/selected studies Best approach: search by article title. a) Do illegals serve as well in the military as U.S. citizens? The military report that most non-citizens serve well in the military. The Center for Naval Analysis reports that in the Navy Marine Corps, non-citizens are far more likely to complete their enlistments successfully than their U.S.-born counterparts. The military has started offering a fast track to citizenship to immigrants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces. b) What happens if illegals die while serving in the military? When non-citizens die while serving in the military, they are given citizenship and a military funeral. c) The U.S. is now deporting illegals who commit serious crimes. Can undocumented military veterans be deported if they commit crimes? Non-citizens who commit serious crimes can be deported. Since 1996, serious crimes for all citizens include crimes involving drugs, anger management, and weapons charges – all common problems for all veterans.

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

Special courts now make it possible for mental, emotional considerations and military service to be considered in sentencing. These considerations do not apply in immigration courts, however.

Writing Assignment IMMIGRATION Who can legally immigrate to the United States? What are the principles governing the granting of citizenship? Write a 2-3 page paper that includes the following: a) the two legal principles that govern the granting of citizenship in the U.S. b) the two general categories of legal immigrants and who they include b) the differences between refugees and immigrants. Can refugees become legal U.S. immigrants? Starting Sources:

Center for immigration studies (n.d.). Legal immigration. http://www.cis.org/topics/legalimmigration.html Immigration policy issues (2007, July). News batch. http://www.newsbatch.com/immigration.htm

15. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process `

Diversity on the Web The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) programs listed below grant special waivers and visas. Research these programs. What are the implications of these special programs for immigration and immigration policy? * Conrad 30

http://www.conrad30.com

* Special immigrant visa category for Non-Minister religious workers

www.uscis.gov/religious

* Investor Program and EB-5 Regional Center Program

Search by program name

Diversity on the Web Contributions of U.S. immigrants. The U.S. leads the world in Nobel awards. Examine the list of U.S. Nobel winners on the web site below. a) How many and what percentage of the U.S. laureates are foreign born? b) Select one of the six areas of Nobel awards and access its web site. How many and what percent of the U.S. laureates in the subject you selected were foreign-born? Chemistry Economics

Literature Peace

Physics Physiology and Medicine

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list of_nobel_laureates_by_country The list is ordered by year. For each laureate on the list, this site gives the subject of the award and the country of birth if the laureate was foreign-born. Note: At the end of the list are links to the laureates by subject except for Economics. Economics link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nobel_prize

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

THE COCA-COLA COMPANY: THEN AND NOW Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To understand how a lack of attention to internal diversity issues resulted in a $192.5 million lawsuit

•

To illustrate how an organization can benefit when it uses diversity as a strategic business advantage

•

To analyze the process of changing an organizational culture to adapt to a more diverse environment

•

To recognize the importance of corporate leadership in effective diversity management

Synopsis – Then In 2000, the racial discrimination lawsuit formally known as Ingram, etc. al. v The Coca Cola Company (case # 1-98-CV-3679) was settled when Coca-Cola agreed to pay $192.5 million to 2200 present and former employees. This was the largest racial discrimination settlement in United States history. Because The Coca-Cola Corporation had a history of heavily promoting its products to minority groups and of publicly supporting minority social causes, this lawsuit caught the organization off guard. The case illustrates the contrasts between a public promotional image and core organizational values. When an organization focuses so much on attaining ambitious financial and growth goals, they can lose sight of monitoring their human resource processes and procedures. On the surface, this case may appear to address AA/EEO issues because of the legal settlement. On a deeper level, it is really about a corporation that failed to “manage diversity” issues in spite of two substantial warnings about minority employee discontent. To the employees, using minorities in advertisements, promotions, etc. and supporting minority social causes contrasted with the lack attention to minority employee needs within the organization. Other corporations can use the lessons from this case to analyze and address their needs for systemic change and inclusion. This case is intended to illustrate the complexities of managing diversity issues in terms of poor communication, lack of planning and missed staffing opportunities, but most importantly, a lack of corporate diversity leadership.

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

If you have assigned the diversity audit as a capstone project, this case illustrates how just looking at the “pieces” of diversity management, such as number of minority employees, supplier diversity programs, etc., does not necessarily mean that an organization is managing diversity and inclusion very well. Note: You can share any and all of the information supplied below by Coca-Cola Media Relations with your class. It is important to get the students to focus on the contrasts between the public image that the corporation presents and some of the problems that the company has had with diversity that are not limited to the $192.5 million lawsuit. Coca Cola’s Statement Detailing Diversity Initiatives as a Result of the Lawsuit When asked to update the progress that Coca-Cola made since the lawsuit was settled, the following information was supplied via e-mail by Karyn Dest, of Corporate Media Relations at The Coca-Cola Company on 11/5/2003: “Since then, we've done a number of things to level the playing field and improve the opportunities for everyone within our system. Workplace Our 13-member Executive Committee includes five people of color. The percentage of executive and senior vice presidents of color has increased from 10% to 41.7% in Doug Daft's three-year tenure as Chairman. During this same period, the Company's percentage of elected and appointed officers of color increased 157% in just three years. Twenty percent of the company's top 50 paid employees are people of color. In 2002, 12.3% of people of color in the company's professional workforce were promoted, compared to 9.3% of non-minorities. These are just figures, but they are figures that show our commitment in this diversity journey. We are a beverage industry leader and we have been for more than 116 years. We recognize that driving diversity as a business imperative is not only the right thing to do, but makes solid, bottom-line business sense in today's economy and network of cultures. For The Coca-Cola Company, this means taking diversity beyond representation and providing employees an opportunity to learn about different cultures and regions of the world in which we do business. In 2002, the Company launched Cultural Sensations, an employee awareness program designed to foster dialogue about the similarities and differences of people, cultures and ideas. In its first year, Cultural Sensations presented monthlong celebrations of the various U.S.-designated cultural heritage and awareness months, like Black History Month, Gay Pride Month, National Disability Awareness Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month, through the use of art, music, dance, food and special events.

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

Diversity Training Leveraging the Power of People - By end of 2002, all managers and 40% of employees in Corporate participated in the training, as well as non-manufacturing employees of Coca-Cola North America (CCNA). Mentoring A formal mentoring program provides all employees a way to share experiences and expertise, resulting in professional development and personal growth. The program based on large-scale pilot of 100 pairs of mentors and protégés in CCNA in 2001. Currently, 250 employees are participating in the Company-wide program, and 700 have been in the program over three years. The Corporate Intern Program Celebrating its third year, The Company's Corporate Intern Program features eightto-ten week summer internships in the areas of business, chemistry, communications, engineering, finance, human resources, information technology, and/or marketing. The Corporate Intern Program is a joint initiative of The CocaCola Company, The United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Each student intern chosen earns a $2,500 monthly salary and is provided housing and transportation. At the end of the internship, students are eligible to receive a $10,000 academic scholarship. The company has been a corporate partner to both The College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund for more than 15 years, contributing more than $9 million to both groups. Community Beyond our workforce, our company has amplified our community-based initiatives through considerable leadership and financial support to hundreds of community programs. The Coca-Cola Company has developed partnerships with key community-based organizations that focus on education and youth development, including The American Indian College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, The College Fund/UNCF, Korean National Grocers Association, and the National Council of La Raza. The community response to these initiatives resulted in more than 20 prestigious honors and recognitions in 2002. For example: The Coca-Cola First Generation College Scholarship Program began in 1994 and was created to open the door to education for young people who are the first in their families to attend college. Committing more than $7.1 million since its inception, the program operated in 31 states and benefited 250 students of color in 2002. Joining forces with other CocaCola system partners, The Coca-Cola Foundation pledged $1 million in 2002 to the education programs of The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, a 158,000-square-foot museum and learning center that interactively recounts the

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

story of slavery and freedom in America. Beyond financial support, we leveraged our partnership with Muhammad Ali to arrange his appearance and support at the historic groundbreaking ceremony last year. The Cincinnati-based education center is scheduled to open in 2004. The company spearheaded the creation of the Diversity Leadership Academy, a unique partnership with the American Institute for Managing Diversity. Launched over a year ago with initial company funding of $1.5 million, this ongoing diversity learning program brings together a broad cross-section of leaders within metropolitan Atlanta to gain a greater understanding of diversity in our city, and work together to build a community that works for all citizens. Our commitment to this initiative includes providing a company executive who serves as president of the Academy. The program is already having a meaningful impact on our community. For example, last year, a group of participants, led by a prominent member of the city's African American clergy and a leading Korean businessman, tackled the issue of tensions between African Americans and Korean Americans in inner-city neighborhoods. Taking lessons learned from their participation in the Diversity Leadership Academy, they developed a series of initiatives designed to help build relationships between the two ethnicities and enable them to work together and learn from each other. Marketplace Our marketplace is our home - it's where we do business and where we reside. And, like us, this marketplace can only be strengthened by our increased diversity efforts and unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. Our Supplier Diversity program is a perfect example. The company is in year three of its five-year, $800 million spending commitment toward minority- and women-owned suppliers. We began 2002 with a spending goal of $135 million, and proudly concluded the year at approximately $181 million across 574 suppliers. Our Supplier Diversity program yields the benefits of innovation, competitive pricing, and strengthening minority communities. We grew our network of first-tier diverse suppliers by 48%. Our second-tier diverse supplier spending increased by 161%, as a result of requiring all primary, majority-owned, suppliers to engage minority and womenowned suppliers as second-tier suppliers on all Coca-Cola projects and contracts. We provide forums for our buyers to meet potential minority- and women-owned suppliers and allow the suppliers to showcase their capabilities. We have a minority and women-supplier mentoring program that has been developed in collaboration with Clark Atlanta University, one of Atlanta's historically black colleges. We also make available experts and training sessions, along with securing resources for development benchmarks. This is really just the tip of the iceberg and is some of the information that we included in our Fortune magazine submission

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

for the Best Companies for Minorities, of which we are now ranked #25. We also are at #18 in DiversityInc's survey of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity. Diversity continues to be an important part of our business. We hope this brief summary gives you the background you need and clearly gets across our commitment to diversity. Again, thanks for the opportunity to share more information with you on this subject. (K. Durst, Coca-Cola Corporation Media Relations)” Synopsis – Now Due to the guidance of the external Task Force, the willingness of the organization to embrace systemic change, and new corporate leadership, today Coca Cola is considered to be a diversity leader in the global marketplace and is the winner of numerous diversity awards. With diversity as one of the organization’s seven core values, and a CEO who considers diversity and inclusion to be keys to future financial success, the organization provides an example of what is possible when diversity is well managed and considered as a strategic advantage. Teaching Tip It is helpful to begin by listing the major players in the case (see below) and their roles and responsibilities on the board. Additionally, drawing a timeline of the events leading up to the lawsuit may help students to understand that there were several places where more effective management might have averted the lawsuit. •

Carl Ware – highest ranking Black employee at Coca-Cola; prepared a report documenting minority employee complaints in 1995; demoted by Ivestor during the lawsuit

•

M. Douglas Ivestor – CEO when the lawsuit was filed; ignored Ware’s report five years earlier

•

Douglas N. Daft – succeeded Ivestor as CEO; settled the lawsuit

•

Cyrus Mehri – lawyer who won a $176 million settlement for minority employees against Texaco; lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the Coca-Cola class action suit. (See his firm’s website for additional information: www.findjustice.com.)

•

E. Neville Isdell – became CEO in 2004. Lived in countries where he saw the results of discrimination and prejudice. Voluntarily asked the Diversity Task Force to continue an additional (fifth) year.

•

Muhtar Kent – current CEO

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. The traditional change model consists of three steps: unfreezing (i.e., recognizing the need for change because of some event or threat); the actual change actions; and refreezing (i.e., incorporating new ways of operating and thinking into the everyday operations of the organization). Apply this model to the situation at The Coca-Cola Company at the point when the lawsuit was served in 1999. Unfreezing: recognizing the need for change. With a strong focus on profits and market share in a highly competitive environment, many warning signs were ignored, such as Reverend Wheeler, President of the NAACP’s visit, Ware’s report that resulted in his demotion, the threat of Jesse Jackson’s boycott, etc. The tipping point was the actual lawsuit. Employees felt that they had no other recourse. The Actual Change. As a result of losing the lawsuit, The Coca-Cola Corporation was under a legal mandate to comply with the recommendations of the external Task Force. It was not a smooth process but the company made progress in terms of managing its internal and external diversity initiatives. The organization voluntarily extended the task force for an additional year when management recognized the need for more time for the implementation of the changes. Refreezing: incorporating new ways of operating. Today, The Coca-Cola Company considers diversity as one of its seven corporate values and strives to make employee and brand inclusiveness a reality. 2. How would you describe the leadership styles of four of the CEO’s mentioned in this case (i.e., Ivestor, Daft, Isdell, and Kent) in terms of their abilities to accomplish both strategic goals and to manage people? Ivestor – Focused on maintaining the status quo and profitability, i.e., a task oriented manager; top down communication; not willing to accept others’ advice; not focused on employees as a resource Daft – Willing to listen and to delegate authority to others; realized the strategic role of human capital within the corporation Isdell – Focused both on people and task; considered both improving employee morale and maximizing profit as strategic goals Kent – Continues to see diversity and inclusion as a business imperative that is integral to achieving the strategic goals of the organization

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

3. How does Parker’s triangle in “The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Differences and Conflict” article help to explain: a) why so many minority employees joined the class action lawsuit? Going back to the case it is helpful to create a timeline on the board and link the most relevant events of the case to Parker’s triangle of escalating conflict. Include Jesse Jackson’s suggested boycott of Coke products (1981), the inaction on Ware’s report on the status of minority employees (1995), Rev. Wheeler’s visit to Daft, the initial lawsuit, which only included four current and ex-employees, appointment of Ware to head the Diversity Advisory Council, the demotion of Ware, and the Board’s actions that resulted in Ivestor stepping down (1999). The appointment of Daft as CEO, the naming of Ware as Vice-President, and the settlement of the lawsuit all occurred in 2000. Now, link these events to the stages of Parker’s triangle. It is easy to see why eventually over 2200 employees participated in the lawsuit as a form of “escalating conflict”. b) how Coca-Cola failed to “manage diversity?” The Coca-Cola Corporation for years focused on high volume growth, increased market share and excellent financial returns. As a result, the organization became a major global corporation and the best-known brand in the world. However, the corporate culture was insular and resulted in using the technique that Parker calls “avoidance of differences” (e.g., the board composition, top management ranks, etc.) A case can also be made for “repression of differences” in terms of Daft’s lack of action on the Ware report in 1998. 4. Specifically, how does the Coca-Cola Company today exemplify the business case for diversity? Going forward, what threats could there be to the continuation of Coca-Cola’s progress in terms of diversity management? This corporation is a global brand in a highly competitive market, with a very diverse customer base. The business case supports diversity as a competitive advantage in terms of product development, employees as human capital, supplier diversity, global markets, community relations, marketing communication, etc. Changes in corporate leadership style, lack of financial resources especially due to decreased sales, etc., could decrease the current emphasis on the value of diversity.

16. The Coca-Cola Company: Then and Now `

Writing Assignment Research the details of any other major recent employment discrimination case. How is this case similar to or different from the Coca-Cola case? Applying Thomas and Ely’s framework (see Introduction to the text) to each of these organizations, what can be learned about managing diversity from applying their model?

Diversity on the Web Now that you have read the Coca-Cola case, visit their website where you will find the five task force reports that were part of the legal settlement of the Coca-Cola discrimination case. Within each annual report, you will find an “executive summary” section. Beginning with the 2002 report, read the summaries and develop a time line that tracks the yearly actions Coca-Cola took to remedy the issues that led to the lawsuit. What were the problems with implementing the new policies here? Go to the Coca-Cola company.com website. Search by diversity task force reports in the search box. Scroll down and select each annual task force report, reading from the earliest to the last one.

17. Section II. Integrative Questions `

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION II

1. In an office where everyone is white except one new Asian worker, what could her co-workers do to make her feel more included? Be sure that your answer is a list of specific behaviors. 2. Select an experience that has at some time made you an “only,” like being the only young person, the only female, the only vegetarian, the only Jew, etc. Describe exactly how this made you feel. What could others have done to make you feel more included? Compare this answer with your answer to Question #1. How are these answers similar or different? How do you account for these differences? 3. What is the relationship between ethnicity and the notion of privilege from Section I? What is the relationship between being an immigrant to the U.S. and the notion of privilege? 4. Unless you are a Native American, your family has immigrant roots. Analyze the history of your family on both sides as far back as you know or can discover by asking your relatives, if you do not know this information. Try to go back at least three generations or more if necessary. Where did they come from? When did they come to this country? What language(s) did they speak? When and how did they learn English if this was an issue? What types of jobs did they have when they first arrived? How does their experience relate or not relate to the article on immigration? If your family has recently immigrated, do this only for the current generations who are here. Teacher’s Note: Students can also get a short but free subscription to ancestry.com, which may be helpful in doing this assignment. 5. Read Thomas Sowell’s A World View of Cultural Diversity, available at http://www.tsowell.com/spcultur.html. This author writes about the process of cultural evolution and exchange that has been going on for centuries, and the interdependence of cultures on each other for new goods and services. After reading this article, think about the growing significance of the BRICKS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, Korea and South Africa.) According to Sowell, no culture dominates forever. Therefore, what are the future implications for these countries and their cultures? What are the implications for the United States? Teacher’s Note: There are many interesting videos on youtube.com that relate to the Sowell article.

SECTION III

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHALLENGES

18. How Old Should You Be To Drive A Bus?

HOW OLD SHOULD YOU BE TO DRIVE A BUS? EXPLORING AGEISM Sharon P. McKechnie Emmanuel College, Boston Goals •

To explore attitudes and opinions related to chronological ages

•

To illustrate legal and cultural frameworks related to age that shape beliefs, expectations, and actions

•

To understand that ageism includes the young as well as the old, although in the United States, only those over forty are legally protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Summary This exercise is designed to illustrate stereotypes about all ages – young, middle-aged, and mature – while allowing students to identify their own socially-conditioned expectations about age and ageing. The students will discuss a range of chronological ages and link them with specific activities. When asked to justify why a certain age is appropriate for an item, students usually have difficulty giving clear justifications. As students cite “evidence” (e.g., legal, cultural, biological and developmental) to support their answers, they may recognize their own stereotypical beliefs about age. Note: Items 13 and 14 were left blank for instructors or students to add additional items. How old should you be to…… 1. ….. start formal schooling? 2. ….. live alone? 3. ….. serve in the armed forces? 4. ….. drive a bus? 5. ….. fly a commercial plane? 6. ….. buy an alcoholic drink in a bar? 7. ….. have a baby? 8. ….. retire from work? 9. ….. manage a department of 50 employees? 10. ….. get married? 11. ….. vote in state elections? 12. ….. start your own business? 13. ….. 14. …..

18. How Old Should You Be To Drive A Bus?

In-Class Instructions 1. Form groups of 4 to 5 members each. 2. Ask each group to come to consensus on all of the age events in the list. The group should write down the age they feel is appropriate for each event and give a one to two sentence explanation of why they selected that age for that event. 3. Stop the discussion after about 15 minutes and ask a representative from each group to come forward and write the age they selected for each event on the board/chart. 4. Discuss the similarities/differences in the ages selected. Be prepared to play devil’s advocate in instances where the groups all cluster around the legal age for an event. Press them to give clear reasoning for their answer. If the answer corresponds to the “legal” age, then question them as to why and if the legal age is appropriate. Alternative Instructions 1. Instruct students to individually complete the questions, writing down the age they feel is appropriate for each event and giving a one to two sentence explanation of why they selected that age for that event. This step can be done in class or assigned as homework. 2. Class discussion may be in-lass or online. Teaching Tip If this is a hybrid or online course, students could be asked to complete the questionnaire and post their answers to the discussion board. The instructor should facilitate a lively conversation about the items of greatest disagreement. Discussion Notes The aim of the discussion is to highlight the unconscious and socially-constructed views students hold about chronological age. The key to illustrating bias is to be prepared for the discussion with evidence from a range of sources to show differences in acceptable ages across the decades, states, and different cultures and also to include issues related to human biological and cognitive development. Legal Ages Students may tend to cluster around the legal ages for some of the listed events. Be prepared with evidence of differences in legal ages for various activities with data from different U.S. states and different countries. Outliers Groups or individuals who give answers that are well outside the “norm” should be given time to discuss their views. If possible, developmental as well as social

18. How Old Should You Be To Drive A Bus?

justifications should be included. For example, when is it appropriate to start school? If very young ages are given (e.g, 2 or 3 years), child development data can be used to show when the human brain is ready to learn. If students err on the older end of the spectrum, issues of biological maturity can be used. Resources The following websites can be helpful for finding supporting materials: •

Each state has its own Department of Motor Vehicles website that will provide information on minimum ages for all types of driving licenses, e.g., www.dmv.gov.ma; www.dmv.gov.ca; www.dmv.gov.ny

•

International driving information can be found on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_license

•

Minimum and maximum ages for enlisting in the U.S. military: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/enlage.htm

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International military service age and obligation facts: www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2024.html

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Various U. S. pilot license age requirements: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_United_States

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International elementary school ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_education

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International drinking ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

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International marriage ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriageable_age

•

Detailed requirements on the U.S. constitution and requirements to run for President: www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE Diane M. Holtzman Evonne J. Kruger Charles D. Srock The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Goals •

To gain a greater understanding of diversity among generations

•

To describe how groups of individuals in a generational cohort may be influenced by social, historical, and cultural forces of their generational timeframes

•

To analyze workplace cases and apply generational concepts in written and/or oral communications

Outline of Key Points I.

Four generations are currently in the workforce A. Differences in attitudes, values, work ethics, work-life balance, communication, etc., among generational cohorts B. Little agreement on the overall profiles and dates of cohorts C. Soon to be joined by Generation Z (1994-2004) 1. Highly influenced by technology 2. May experience more unemployment and layoffs due to older generations staying in the workforce longer

II.

Veterans (1922-1943) A. Core values: dedication, discipline, self-sacrifice, hard work, delayed rewards, respect for authority B. Influenced by stock market crash, Great Depression, New Deal, World War II, Korean War, etc. C. Motivators: respect for experience, acknowledgement of their experiences, etc. D. Communication: prefer face-to-face and more formal language E. Leadership style: direct, command-and-control style

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

III.

Baby Boomers (1943-1960 or 1946-1964) A. Core values: optimism, team work, health and wellness, personal growth, and staying young B. Influenced by McCarthy hearings, Civil Rights, Vietnam War, JFK, etc. C. Motivators: directness, being appreciated, flexibility D. Communication: face-to-face or electronic E. Leadership style: collegial and consensual, can be authoritarian

IV.

Gen Xers (1960-1980 or 1965-1980) A. Core values: diversity, global orientation, balance of work and family, technology, casual approach to authority, self-reliance B. Influenced by women’s liberation and gay rights, Watergate, Three Mile Island, recessions and layoffs, Iran hostage crisis, Exxon Valdez, and fall of Communism C. Motivators: technology, feedback, having more autonomy and fewer regulations D. Communication: electronic, informal, soundbites F. Leadership style: uncomfortable with bureaucracy, egalitarian

Millennial/ Generation Y (1980-2000 or 1981-1999) A. Core values: civic duty, confidence, optimism, collaboration, diversity, community, connections through technology B. Influenced by September 11th, school shootings, Clinton-Lewinski scandal, Community Service Learning C. Motivators: flexibility, autonomy D. Communication: expect to be given respect, electronic and visual media preferred E. Leadership style: prefer teamwork, resiliency, experiential learners

VI.

Generational Diversity Case

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Discussion Questions and Answers for MANAGING DIVERSE GENERATIONS IN A RETAIL SETTING 1. What are the generational issues Julia faces with each employee? What cultural, historic, or societal issues may influence these generational issues? Ethel represents the Veterans’ generation and has the assets that she is hardworking and loyal to the organization. She is reluctant to disagree with authority and goes where she is assigned. In addition, she is not from a generation that is accustomed to technology for communication or for retail operations. She is limited in terms of technology because it represents change from the status quo. Ethel may have been influenced by the events surrounding World War II, the Great Depression, the stock market collapse, and the New Deal. Many of these events created a mindset for members of that generation to a) value that they have work and b) be confident that they would be “taken care of/rewarded” in their retirement for their longevity with one company. Larry represents Gen Y and has workplace assets such as being technologically literate and the ability to multitask. He is not intimidated by authority and tends to be impatient in terms of when he expects rewards and feedback on his job performance. Larry believes work should be fun and believes communication should be done via texting or email, not by phone calls. The technology often creates a situation wherein Larry is impatient with person-to-person interactions and this creates poor customerrelationship skills. Larry may have been influenced by the events and trends of his generation: being reared by parents who were child-focused, the use of technology in educational and personal settings, the September 11th terrorist attacks, the violence of the Columbine High School massacre, and the Oklahoma City bombing. Many Gen Y workers are inexperienced in handling difficult issues with people. For this reason, Larry needs more mentoring on the job to develop customer service skills and team building. Because he may have grown up in an environment receiving a lot of attention from his parents, he’ll bring that need to work and require more attention by supervisors at work. Rick represents the Baby Boomer generation. He brings a service orientation with him that may be influenced by generation events such as the start of the Peace Corps and Civil Rights Movement. Rick has the willingness to go the extra mile in a work environment. He believes in hard work and has a willingness to please the customer. Events that may have influenced Rick include the Kennedy election, the start of the Peace Corps, the Cuban Missile crisis, John Glenn going into space, Martin Luther King’s march on Washington, D.C., the assassinations of Dr. King, John F. Kennedy,

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

and Robert F. Kennedy, the founding of The National Organization for Women, and the Vietnam War. 2. How do these generational issues affect Julia’s management of the department? Julia knows that customers expect their wants and needs to be met immediately. In order to do this, she must recognize the role that training and mentoring could have with each employee. Julia must find ways to work with each employee’s strengths and ways to correct their weaknesses. Julia needs to work with Ethel’s strengths of loyalty and stability. Ethel can be given personalized training in use of the computer and the inventory system. In addition, she may need extra training on the products offered in the department. It’s important to relate her training to her experiences on the floor. After the personalized training, Julia can have Ethel start to use the computerized cash register and the use of technology in inventory control of the DVDs and movies. In assigning Ethel’s work, it may benefit the department to pair Ethel with a Gen Y part-time worker who is more technologically adept. In working with Larry, Julia needs to build on his asset of technological know-how. Julia should take a mentoring approach focusing on the policy of “the customer comes first.” In order to provide structure in the work environment, she needs to provide constant feedback and praise to shape his behavior. She also needs to work with Larry on designing simple instructions for showing customers how to use specific equipment—a collaborative task. In addition, Larry should “shadow” Rick to observe his sales techniques. Julia needs to recognize that Rick needs technical training. Julia should have Larry work with Rick to learn the simpler technology (e.g., computers, iPads, etc.) so he can gain confidence. To reinforce Rick’s strong personal selling skills, Julia should provide positive feedback as a motivator. 3. What can Julia do to improve customer service within the department? Julia must focus on creating a diverse team that capitalizes on the strengths of each generation, while considering the needs of the organization and its customers. 4. What generalizations are made by upper management about the employees? In your opinion, are they right or are they wrong? Be specific. Ethel. She may be perceived as being too old to work effectively and having nothing to contribute in the organization. Larry. His technology skills would transfer into personal selling skills.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Rick. His personal selling skills could carry into technology sales, where he would have technological proficiency. Julia. She can support and develop a competent team, is adept at accessing information on the internet, and knows enough about technology to move into the manager position in Electronics without prior experience in the department. 5.

Have you faced similar or different exchanges in your retail shopping experience with employees of different generational cohorts? Give details to support your answer. Discussion question; students responses will vary.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Additional Intergenerational Diversity Case (not in text) MANAGING DIVERSE GENERATIONS IN A SERVICE INDUSTRY Pat, age 55, is Vice President for Customer Services at the Davis Employment agency. Pat started working for the company 33 years ago, right out of college and advanced to a position under the mentorship of the founder, Harry Davis. Harry’s son, Jeff, 33, is now in charge of the agency. Upon retiring, Harry announced, “I leave the company under the capable direction of my son and the sound management of Pat, who we all know is knowledgeable about the ‘Davis Way’.” Pat, known for loyalty, commitment, and dedication to the company, is valued and respected by many in the agency. Recently, billings have begun to decline noticeably, even though industry billings are up. In response, Jeff has hired several new employees to provide new and creative responses to clients’ needs. One of the new employees is 32-year-old Alex, Assistant Vice President for Customer Services under Pat. Alex manages the office and deals with clients. Alex has only been at Davis four months out of a six-month probationary period. He is having difficulty adapting to his coworkers, many of whom have been at the company for more than 10 years, and who are familiar with Pat’s management style. Alex has many good ideas, but is not empowered to enact any changes. This is frustrating to him because he believes incorporation of these ideas would bring the company “into the technological era of efficiency.” Alex cannot convince Pat that these ideas would enhance efficiency and more effectively meet clients’ needs. Some of the office employees say that “Pat’s Way” may seem antiquated by today’s office procedures and technological advances, but Pat is very competent and on top of everything. Pat knows operations and each client’s history. However, Pat’s procedures create confusion with newer employees, who find them cumbersome and often overlapping. The workers do not appreciate all memos and correspondence being done on paper versus electronic messaging, and the endless number of informational meetings. They prefer charts and aggregated data to long, detailed memos and keeping each other informed via email, not face-to-face meetings. Pat sees the procedures as time proven and cannot understand why Alex does not value going through channels, following the company procedures for manually documenting details, and articulating the “big picture” before proceeding. Pat believes in getting things done efficiently, using technology to enhance productivity, finding shortcuts, and avoiding wasted time by being overly cautious. When Alex tries to explain how procedures could be improved or done more efficiently, Pat listens politely, expresses a look of frustration, and tells Alex to, “Do it my way.” Alex sighs and leaves the office, mumbling. One week, Alex was working under a lot of pressure on projects Pat had assigned with tight deadlines. Alex took charge, completed the assignments in the style to which Pat was accustomed. All the projects were completed on time. Alex did not ask to have Pat approve each step. “Surely, Pat will appreciate me now,” thought Alex. One night when

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Alex was working late, Jeff stopped by the office and Alex explained the sophisticated charting of one project and how the data was presented in an easy-to-follow manner using spreadsheets created on Excel. Jeff was interested and commented about finally being able to communicate with clients on their wavelengths. The next morning, when Pat asked Alex how the projects were progressing, Alex stated that they were all done and on the way to clients. Pat’s temper flared and a heated dialogue ensued. Pat wrote a disciplinary letter to Alex citing insubordination. In addition, Pat wants to start documenting Alex’s performance in order to terminate him eventually. Alex has requested a formal hearing regarding the disciplinary letter. The committee is composed of three members of the Human Resources Department: Lou, age 56, Vice President for Human Resources Fran, age 37, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Jan, age 23, Human Resource Specialist Both Pat and Alex have been asked to come in individually to meet with the committee.

Discussion Questions and Answers for MANAGING DIVERSE GENERATIONS IN A SERVICE INDUSTRY 1. What generational issues could be involved in this case? What cultural, historical, or societal issues may influence these generational issues? The generational issues are those of Pat, a Boomer, who is overly sensitive to feedback, judgmental of those who see things differently in the workplace, and is focused on a process he understands very well (although is not always efficient) and which he perceives works very well for the company. Alex and Jeff, both Gen Xers, are technoliterate, have a casual approach to authority, are pragmatic, and sometimes have poor people skills. Boomers are influenced by the struggle for Civil Rights by Rosa Parks, through school integration, Martin Luther King, Jr., bomb shelters and nuclear power, John F. Kennedy’s presidency, the establishment of the Peace Corps, the assassinations of J.F.K, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, founding of the national Organization for Women, the Vietnam War, and the disgrace of Richard M. Nixon. Xers are influenced by the struggle for women’s liberation and gay rights, the energy crisis, personal computers, successive recessions accompanied by massive layoffs, AIDS, Exxon Valdez oil spill, Operation Desert Storm, and the fall of Communism.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

2. Do you think the grievance committee will agree in their decision? Why or why not? The grievance committee may not be in accord on their decision. Lou, at age 56, may identify with Pat’s feelings of being pressured to use computers and other technologies in his work. Lou may also relate to Lee’s desire to keep things statusquo; change in work patterns and styles may be difficult for those Boomers who thrive on “the good old days” at Davis. Fran and Jan, from different generations, will find that the request for Pat to take technology training is reasonable. They may even express their surprise that Davis has employees who do not know the efficiencies of technology in the workplace. 3. What should the grievance committee recommend? How do you think that this will be accepted by the two managers? The grievance committee should recommend that Pat follow the directive by Alex to use technology in the workplace. This is not an issue of harassment from a younger manager towards an older worker; it is a sound business decision based on the efficiencies provided by technology and meeting the clients’ needs in a more expeditious manner. Members of the grievance committee should also recommend that Alex provide Pat with developmental technology training that allows him to incorporate technology into his workload incrementally. Alex should have reasonable expectations for Pat to incorporate what he has learned into the workload. There needs to be a “give and take” between Alex and Pat. The committee should tell Pat that he can use this opportunity to make a difference in the efficiency and productivity of the company where he has contributed for over 30 years. And, as Pat begins to incorporate technology into his work, Alex and Jeff should recognize this and provide positive feedback to Pat, telling him how much this is assisting the company to reach its goals. Alex will be open to the idea of offering technology training to Pat and the end result will be a more efficient office with less paperwork. If Pat does not participate in the training, Alex may fire Pat for not following a reasonable work directive; the company cannot remain paper-bound and antiquated in production in a technologically proficient business world. Pat, on the other hand, will feel defeated by the decision and, depending on his financial situation, quit the company feeling that he is no longer needed and cannot contribute to the company. However, based on the job market and the need for technological skills in many occupations, Pat may stay at Davis and participate in the training. He may recognize that he would have difficulty obtaining employment without the skills needed in a business world that is technologically-bound.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

4. What do you think will actually happen? Why? There are three possible scenarios. First, Alex will start looking for a new job, find one, and leave. As a Gen Xer, he is not wedded to the organization and has only been there for four months. He knows that his technological skills make him highly employable. Second, Pat will fire Alex. Third, Jeff will intervene. He will speak with his father, who will recommend that he not fire Pat unless he has to because of Pat’s faithful years of service. Harry and Jeff are very concerned about the company’s drop in revenues, and believe that Pat may be a significant part of the problem. Harry recommends that Pat be told the company will pay for him to get training to update his skills and understanding of how his profession is changing. Pat gets the message because it came from Harry. Pat will get the training and try, with difficulty, to work with Alex. As he learns more about how employment services need to change in the technological era, his respect for Alex will grow. Alex and Pat will develop a working relationship which, while not warm, will be productive for the Davis Employment Agency. Pat knows that at 55 years of age, it would be difficult for him to re-enter the job market.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Writing Assignment GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES To better understand generational differences, conduct an interview with someone from an age group different from your own. As a minimum, ask the questions below to get a sense of his other experiences. Your instructor may add additional questions and you may find it necessary to add appropriate follow-up questions based on the interviewee’s answers to help you to understand how this person’s life experiences as part of a particular generation may have contributed to shaping who he or she is today. From the interview material, write a three page paper that analyzes how these experiences have impacted that person’s life. The emphasis here should be on learning if your subject had life experiences that may have shaped him or her in some significant ways. As Holtzman, Kruger, and Srock suggest in this article, examine how these generational differences could impact workplace communication and understanding. Be careful not to simply list questions and answers. Questions 1. Besides family members, who were your role models when you were growing up? 2. As a child and a teenager, did you have any close friends who were of a different race or religion than you? 3. Describe your first job in terms of salary, benefits, work schedule, and responsibilities. 4. How long did you stay in this position? 5. Approximately how many organizations have you worked for in a full time capacity in your lifetime? 6. What historic, political, and/or personal events were most significant during your childhood and young adulthood? 7. How did these make a difference in your life? 8. What inventions affected your life the most? Why? 9. How have healthcare, education, and the economy changed in your lifetime? 10. How have any of these affected how you have lived your life? 11. How has your gender impacted your life experiences? 12. What year were you born? 13. What is your highest level of education?

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity on the Web 1. Go to the website below and read the report by Deloitte Consulting Group entitled Gen Y-ers, Baby Boomers & Technology: Worlds Apart. Technology usage in the global workplace. http://www.deloitte.com/ Search for: Gen Yers, Baby Boomers & Technology

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Answer the following questions: a) What does the article reveal about the use of technology by Baby Boomers in the United States and the Baby Boomer generation in emerging nations? Give examples to support your answer. b) What impact did technological developments and culture have on the use of technology by American Baby Boomers compared to Baby Boomers from emerging nations? c) Read the Recommendations section of the report and apply two concepts presented to the workplace scenario involving the use of technology by the employees in the Everything’s Here case. 2. Go to the website below and read the article on Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees by Greg Hammill (2005). In the article, Hammill presents a chart of Workplace Characteristics for Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm a) Analyze the information presented in the chart. b) Using the information from the chart, state how Julia should communicate with each member in the Everything’s Here case. Give details to support your answer. c) Using the information from the chart, state how Julia could motivate each member of her department. Give details to support your answer.

20. Exploring the Gender Gap: What Are The Issues?

EXPLORING THE GENDER GAP: WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita Deborah L. Larsen UniBank

Goals •

To understand why women have still not achieved parity with men in government and business in the U.S.

•

To learn about the effects of a patriarchal culture on female achievement

•

To investigate factors such as horizontal and vertical job segregation, leadership style differences, work-life balance issues, and lack of mentoring that contribute to gender differences in salaries and leadership opportunities

•

To be aware of the status of women in global leadership

Outline I.

Introduction A. Women have more education than men B. Women earn less money than men C. Women hold far fewer leadership positions than men

II.

Gender Gaps and Privilege A. Gender is socially constructed B. In most societies, men have unearned advantages called privileges

III. History of Patriarchy A. Men hold the most power in patriarchal societies B. Women who achieve positions of power are seen as exceptions

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

IV. Closing the legal gap A. Laws passed that benefit women 1. Right to vote (1920) 2. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964) 3. Title IX (1972) B. Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution 1. Took fifty years to pass Congress 2. Never ratified by the thirty-eight states needed V. Gender Gap in Wages and Employment A. Horizontal segregation – traditional female jobs pay less 1. College majors chosen 2. Lack of STEM majors B. Vertical segregation – men perceived as better qualified even in the same fields as women VI. Gender gap and leadership A. Styles – transactional and transformational B. Glass ceiling/labyrinth C. Communication style differences VII. Time Gap A. Work-life balance issues B. McKinsey & Co. – best practices VIII. Mentoring gap A. More difficult for women to find mentors B. Queen Bee syndrome C. Women of color and mentoring IX. Conclusion A. Women still have less political and corporate power than men B. Global differences 1. Europe 2. Asia C. Leadership still associated with masculine values

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Pedagogy One of the most difficult issues in teaching about the discrimination and inequality women still face in the workplace is to make traditional-age college students realize that this is still an issue. Because young women often get similar job opportunities as their male counterparts in entry-level jobs, and better grades in college, there is often the assumption that this has been “fixed” by previous generations. A good way to handle this misconception is to start the discussion of this article by asking the class to list on the board in columns labeled male and female, the gap statistics detailed in the article (e.g., wages, corporate board leadership numbers, CEO positions, etc.) Then, ask students which of these surprised them the most and why.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Make a case for and a case against passing legislation that requires a quota for women on corporate boards. While some students may resist the idea of such legislation as not needed, not treating males fairly, creating an unfair advantage for women or that it is only a matter of time before this improves, point out that this has already been done with considerable success in Europe. There could be parallels here with early Civil Rights legislation, particularly Title VI. Before its passage in 1964, women and minorities experienced considerably more overt discrimination in the workplace than they do now. History demonstrates that sometimes laws are needed to “inspire” organizations to be more creative in their ability to find female talent. Challenge students to consider what’s needed for women to achieve any significant progress. 2. If women face difficulty climbing the corporate ladder in part due to a lack of mentors for women, a. what could women themselves do to improve this situation; and b. what role can organizations take to facilitate mentoring relationships? a. Women need to be more proactive about finding their own mentors and not wait passively for someone to take an interest in their career development. Women can work together in interest groups or to sponsor more junior women rather than use the excuse that they got to their current positions by hard work and so can the next generation. b. Organizations can follow the lead of IBM, McKinsey and Company, and others by investing more in the development of female talent and by providing work-life balance programs and more opportunities for flexible work arrangements that help women deal with the very real issues of caring for children and elderly parents.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

3. This article states that women as a group tend to have a more collaborative style of management and more indirect communication styles. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these styles for women in today’s global business environment? Advantages: Many cultures are more collective than the United States and a more team based collaborative approach can be an asset to managing workers in and from these countries. In the same way, an indirect communication style is more valued in high context cultures, and most of the world outside of Europe and North America is predominately high context. Disadvantages: Because collaborative decision making and indirect communication is less valued in more patriarchal cultures like the U.S., some women may not make it to a high enough corporate level to have much power in the global business arena. 4. What can happen when a woman who uses a more “masculine style” of communication has a manager of either gender who uses a more “feminine” style? Women who exhibit more masculine, (i.e., direct, assertive, etc.) communication styles are sometimes ostracized by other women and also criticized by male coworkers as being “bitchy.” The manager who has a more “feminine” style may consider the female subordinate with a more masculine style as too pushy and aggressive. 5. If there were only one woman at the corporate level of an organization, how could her status as an “only” affect her interactions with her male co-workers? What additional challenges might she face? When a woman is an “only,” it means that she is more noticeable and her mistakes are also more obvious. (See McIntosh article.) Sometimes the only is considered as an unqualified token who represents her entire group, in the minds of majority co-workers. She may have to work harder, smarter, and longer to be recognized as equal to her male co-workers. Her appearance and dress may get more attention. (Remember Hilary Clinton and her pants suits?

Writing Assignment Go to diversityinc.com and search for “Things Never to Say to Women Executives.” After reading this article, write a one-page memo that explains how these statements undermine women as leaders in organizations.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity on the Web Because of the issues facing women in organizations today, many women are choosing to start their own businesses. In 1972, women owned less than five percent of all U.S. businesses. Today, there are 10.1 million female-owned businesses that employ 13 million people and generate $1.9 trillion dollars in sales. Visit the website of the Center for Women & Enterprise. Why was this organization founded and what do they do that relates to some of the issues explained in this article? www.cweonline.org Go to http://www.mckinsey.com/features/women_matter and watch the video about female executives. Play all four segments. What additional insights on the gender gap do these interviews reveal? How may these factors and the ones discussed in this article affect your career if you are female OR if you are male? Go to mckinsey&co.com and search for Women Matter Making the Breakthrough (2012). This report details the status of women in many countries. Compare and contrast the facts found in this report with the situation for U.S. women. What common issues do they all face? What is different internationally from women’s career opportunities within the U.S.?

21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style

WHEN WOMEN DO LEAD: GENDER BIAS 2013 STYLE Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals • To illustrate that gender discrimination still occurs in the workplace •

To provide a true and recent example of how poorly some organizations manage diversity issues

•

To explore the complexities that exist for women in leadership positions

Case Synopsis Note: Because the author wanted to use this case as an example for the case writing assignment, the real names and institutions were not used in the text but are revealed in the summary below. The actual case involves Dr. Carol Warfield, Chief of Anesthesiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, who in 2013 was awarded a $7 million settlement against the hospital, the CEO, the chief of surgery, and the physicians group for sexist treatment. Settled out of court a week before the trial was scheduled to start, this was the largest gender discrimination award in Massachusetts history. Dr. Warfield worked at the hospital since 1980, is a full professor at the Harvard Medical School, and the author of two books including a best-selling text on anesthesiology. Soon after she became chief of anesthesia in 2002, she became the subject of harassment and abuse by Dr. Josef Fischer, the chief of surgery. Dr. Fischer had a long history of treating female physicians and nurses poorly, as is detailed in the case. Dr. Warfield went to the then CEO, Paul Levy, who did not take her seriously and accused her of “playing the victim,” creating a “culture of whining,” and being too “aggressive.” He suggested that she try to get along better with Dr. Fischer and excused his behavior on the basis that “Joe can’t help himself.” The testimony prepared for the trial documented many additional cases of gender harassment by Dr. Fischer including his getting a female doctor fired (who was later reinstated when Harvard intervened on her behalf), removing a woman from a position of authority and replacing her with a less qualified man, etc. All of these behaviors were tolerated by the institution.

21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style

In 2008, after Dr. Warfield filed her lawsuit, Levy finally asked Fischer to resign. However, the reason given was not related to Warfield’s case. It was because Fischer had paid his wife $12,000 in hospital funds to organize events, find housing for new hires, and orient them to the Boston area. Dr. Fischer was allowed to keep an office at the hospital as well as his endowed chair at Harvard.

Pedagogy This case will surprise some younger students who are unaware that gender discrimination is still a factor, especially for women at higher levels of leadership or in fields dominated by men. Try to help them make connections to the notion of privilege and the horizontal and vertical segregation concepts covered in the article “Exploring the Gender Gap: What are the Issues?” (Harvey). What should be stressed here is that Dr. Warfield did the right thing by taking her issues to the CEO. He failed by not taking her complaints seriously and by ignoring Fischer’s history of gender discrimination.

Postscript Levy left the hospital (before he was fired) officially because of his hiring a close personal friend whom he later married. Dr. Fischer has a library named in his honor at the hospital and still participates in weekly Morbidity and Mortality meetings where patient complications and medical errors are discussed. Dr. Warfield, now 61, still sees patients on a part-time basis, conducts research at Harvard, and is working to improve medical care in Ethiopia. As part of the settlement with Dr. Warfield, the hospital admitted no guilt but did establish a lectureship that focuses on females in medicine.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Why is it important for highly qualified women like Dr. Warfield to achieve leadership positions in medicine? There are many reasons including: • Legally and ethically hard-working qualified people deserve career success, regardless of their gender. • Having women in positions of leadership can provide role models and potential mentors to younger female physicians. • Women can bring diversity and new viewpoints and ideas to any field. For example, until the late Dr. Bernadine Healy, a cardiologist, was appointed Director of the National Institute of Health in 1991, women were consistently left

21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style

out of clinical trials and research on heart disease in spite of the fact that 40% of all heart related deaths occurred in women. It was Dr. Healy who insisted that women be included in medical research. 2. Once in a position of leadership, especially in a field dominated by males, should women overlook sexist behaviors or should they complain to higher management? Why or why not? Women need to realize that their perspective as to what constitutes “sexism” may differ considerably from the male perspective as it did in this case. One way to look at a situation is to ask yourself, “What would a man do in this situation?” It is doubtful that high profile male physicians would tolerate Dr. Fischer’s behavior if it were directed at them. However, women, often being an “only” or one of few women at this level, face more scrutiny and are sometimes labeled as “feminists,” “whiners,” etc., as was the case here. 3. List the three options that Dr. Warfield could consider at this point. What are the pros and cons of each option from her perspective? 1. She could find another position and resign. Pros Given her credentials she might be able to get a better job.

Cons Maybe she would experience similar treatment elsewhere.

She would avoid the stress, negative publicity and possibly the cost of a lawsuit.

Leaving would give Dr. Fischer a “win” and other female employees a “loss.”

She would get a fresh start.

This might require relocating her family.

2. She could pursue legal action against the hospital. Pros If she wins, she might get a financial settlement and Dr. Fischer might lose his job or at least his power-base.

Cons If she loses, she will probably either have to leave or endure even worse treatment.

Other females at the hospital might benefit from her win in terms of upper management enforcing anti-sexist policies and taking such claims more seriously in the future.

This could be costly and drag out in the courts. She and the hospital are subject to media scrutiny.

21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style

3. She could “suck it up” and try to ignore Dr. Fischer’s behavior. Pros She will avoid the risk of alienating Dr. Fischer’s friends, who may retaliate.

Cons If she behaves passively, this reinforces his harassment and others may continue to condone sexist behaviors.

She will avoid the risk of alienating upper management who will not appreciate a lawsuit and who may retaliate by denial of other privileges.

This sets a poor example for other women who look to her as a leader and role model.

She will draw less attention to herself.

She will have to live with the situation which could get worse if she is seen as passive and an easy target.

4. What does this case suggest about how women can help themselves? Because other women had also experienced similar treatment, they need to support each other and in this case they did. When there is discriminatory behavior, there is more apt to be change when a history can be documented. In this case, both female doctors and nurses provided corroborating information that supported this case (see case summary for additional examples). 5. Evaluate the way that the CEO handled Dr. Warfield’s complaints. Legally, ethically, and morally, the CEO failed to do due diligence. He knew about Dr. Fischer’s history of gender harassment but failed to manage diversity which, in this instance, cost the hospital dearly in terms of time, legal fees, the $7 million settlement, and negative publicity.

Bibliography for the Case Note: Because the identities of the participants were concealed to provide an example for the case assignment project, where pseudonyms are supposed to be used, the bibliography appears below. Otherwise, these sources would reveal what happened in this case. Anonymous. (2008). Carol Warfield, MD., consultant for ABC news on call+ pain management center. (April 17). Retrieved from abcnews.go.com/Health/Pain? News/story?id=4069316. Brodsky, L. (2013). The five miracles of Dr. Carol Warfield’s $7 million settlement in her gender bias case. February 28, retrieved from www.womenmdresources.com.

21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style

Kowalczyk, L. (2013). Doctor gets $7 million in gender bias suit. The Boston Globe, February 7, 1 & A12. Vennochi, J. (2013). A strong message. The Boston Globe, February 14, A17.

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

THE PARADOX OF MALE PRIVILEGE: TOWARD A GENDER DEMOCRACY & DEMOCRATIC MANHOOD Steven D. Farough Assumption College

Goals •

To explain why men both benefit and lose by investing in dominant masculinity

•

To explain why men continue to maintain advantages in a society that is supposed to be open to both men and women equally

•

To think about how men could change to better promote gender equality both in work and home life and still find a viable sense of manhood to construct a sense of masculinity

Key Points I.

Introduction •

How can men still be so financially successful in an era when women now outnumber men in terms of college degrees?

•

How can men benefit financially but wind up living shorter life spans?

•

There is a paradox of male privilege: Men continue to do well despite being in an era where the success of women is notable. However, the benefits men receive ultimately hurt them.

•

If we can understand the paradox, then we can move to a different male identity and gender politics around work and family life.

•

The Great Recession has some arguing that the tide is finally moving in favor of women (dubbed a “he-cession”).

•

Both men and women are capable of risk taking and over confidence, so why are these behaviors so strongly associated with masculinity?

•

The answer lies in how gender impacts our occupation structure as a form of power (not just behavior or identity).

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

II.

III.

Dominant Masculinity •

Every culture has a variety of expectations about the ways men behave, but only some of these behaviors offer access to power and resources.

•

Those behaviors that reward men are called dominant masculinity because they give men disproportionate access to power.

•

Dominant masculinity is defined through competition, risk, withholding emotions, physical strength, control, being the breadwinner and not being feminine or gay. These behaviors also have to be constantly proven.

•

Behaviors associated with dominant masculinity correlate strongly with success in the business world.

•

The result is organizing the work world along gender lines creating a work world that is hostile to women.

•

Hostility toward working women has declined but is still significant.

•

Three structural issues that continue to privilege men in the Great Recession are: (1) workplace segregation, (2) continued discrimination against women, and (3) the structure of the American family.

Privileges of Dominant Masculinity •

Men earn more than women in almost every occupation and educational level.

•

Men dominate in key positions of power such as CEOs, surgeons, and politicians.

•

Men experience greater upward mobility and have better access to mentoring and networking.

•

Men’s family expectation puts them in position as the primary income earner and women’s family expectation is for their careers to be compatible with child rearing. The result is that men get clustered into higher status jobs than women.

•

Women’s significant gains have been tempered by the glass ceiling, sexual harassment, lack of mentoring and networks, and employers being wary of hiring women in their child bearing years.

•

Men have lost ground in the Great Recession, but the structure of the American family, though changing, still privileges men.

•

Even though this pattern is inequitable, one cannot expect men to give up these advantages because in addition to greater material gain also lies the issues of gender identity.

•

Masculinity is central in defining men’s self worth. It can’t be just taken away without a viable alternative.

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

IV.

Negative Consequences of Dominant Masculinity •

There are many negative aspects to dominant masculinity: men have shorter life spans, they are more likely to die of disease, suffer from higher rates of depression and suicide, and often have more shallow relationships with families and friends.

•

Dominant masculinity marginalizes those men who do not fit within its paradigm of straight, white, and middle class.

•

Equally-qualified women and people of color are denied the same access to opportunity – an affront to democracy itself.

Toward Democratic Manhood •

If men are to give up their privileges, there has to be an alternative.

•

The existing alternatives like “sensitive New Age guys,” “metrosexuals,” and “girly men” will not appeal to most men.

•

There is a need for an alternative that takes the best from masculinity but recalibrates masculinity so that it is on a more democratic trajectory with women.

•

The alternative is what could be called democratic manhood: a type of masculinity that is emotionally connected with others and draws from the belief in equality.

•

Democratic manhood envisions men who are emotionally engaged and yet strong; who are self reliant but still connected to the community; and who see women as equal in the workplace and family life.

•

Men become partners with women to create a more perfect union in general and better workplace and family life in particular.

•

Democratic manhood moves away from rigid definitions of gender to more flexible gender roles where both men and women can be interchangeable in work and family life.

•

These values in democratic manhood also fit well with dominant masculinity’s reliance on strength, responsibility, and taking care of one’s family.

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. How do the key characteristics of dominant masculinity privilege men? How do these characteristics hurt men? Key characteristics like competition, risk, withholding emotions, and self control are all rewarded in the work world — and these characteristics are strongly associated with masculinity. As such, men receive greater access to upward mobility and power than women. Of course, women are just as capable as men in excelling at these characteristics, but the assumption that these behaviors are specific to men makes it more difficult for women to experience the same degree of upward mobility and access to power. 2. What other characteristics could be included in dominant masculinity? There is no single right answer to this question. The instructor may ask students to see if there are other characteristics of dominant masculinity that could signal a change in masculinity. 3. If dominant masculinity is defined through such characteristics as physical strength, competition, control, and emotional distance, what does this say about femininity? Clearly, it suggests that women are weaker, more cooperative, too emotional, and lack self control. With the exception of cooperation, the other characteristics are not valued in the workplace. 4. How does democratic manhood encourage men and women to work together against sexism? Democratic manhood discourages sexism by viewing both men and women as being rightful participants in the deeply American value of meritocracy. Simply put, sexism undermines meritocracy because it assumes only men are capable of high-ranking jobs when women are just as capable as men. Occupational success should be rooted in merit, not sex. Democratic manhood supports merit. 5. How viable is democratic manhood as a starting point in helping men and women work together to overcome sexism? This is a question to be left to class opinion. Some might feel it is too utopian, but there is evidence that men are becoming more egalitarian in their views regarding work and family. This could be a sign that a trend toward democratic manhood is underway.

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

6. If the structure of the traditional family contributes to gender inequality, what can American businesses do so that women have the same chances for upward mobility as men? They could expand flex-time and job sharing. Businesses could also promote the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to men. Men still lag behind women in taking advantage of FMLA. Businesses could reassure both men and women that they fully support FMLA and want them to return after their leave. Businesses could also help new mothers and fathers return to work by offering subsidies for day care and flexible schedules. 7. How could democratic manhood be implemented in American businesses? This is a brainstorming question. Students should come up with their own answers. One area of focus could be in sexual harassment training. Rather than just focus on how it makes harassed employees uncomfortable, seminars could also point out how it makes it more difficult for someone being harassed to be productive. The seminars could also point out how this denies harassed employees the right to work in a company without being intimidated. This could be framed in a manner where men can feel proud when they work against harassment because it supports meritocracy, a key component of democratic manhood. 8. What can be done to reduce the glass ceiling in American business? In terms of gender inequality, create networking and mentoring programs that target up-and-coming women employees. Business can also make sure that sexual harassment policies are enforced. It can also work to create business cultures where the most qualified individuals are rewarded in gender-neutral terms.

Global Note…………………………………………………………Europe and Canada Countries like Sweden and Norway allot some paid parental leave to only fathers (if they don’t take the leave, they don’t get the income); Germany and Portugal hand out bonuses to mothers on paid maternity leave if the fathers also take paternity leave. These social policy initiatives are designed to get fathers more involved in domestic care and allow mothers to stay employed. There has been an explosion in the number of fathers opting into the initiative. What is perhaps surprising about these policies is that they appear to also have transformative effects on new fathers. It has been found that in Quebec, when fathers take the paternity-leave, they spend more time on domestic duties and mothers spend more time on work (Rampell 2013).

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

Reference Rampell, Catherine 2013. “Lean In, Dad: How Shared Diaper Duty Could Stimulate the Economy.” The New York Times. April 2, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/magazine/how-shared-diaper-duty-couldstimulate-the-economy.html?_r=1&

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

Points of Law The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) ensures anyone who works

for private employers with 50 or more employees and any employee of a federal, state, or local agency be allotted 12 workweeks of unpaid leave for one or more of the following reasons: • birth of a newborn child of the employee • adoption of a child or foster care work by the employee • care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition • medical leave for a serious health condition • situations arising out of the employee’s spouse, child or parent who is on active military duty or in the National Guard or Reserves To qualify for the FMLA, an employee must have worked for the employer 12 months and work 1,250 hours per year. Upon completion of the 12 weeks of leave, an employee is also entitled to the same job or a job that is equivalent in pay, benefits, and other conditions of employment. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.pdf

Writing Assignment Not in Text A research study conducted by the National Coalition to Protect Family Leave revealed that females are more than twice as likely (21%) to take a FMLA leave than male employees (10%). While some would say this is to be expected because women are still the primary care givers of children and the elderly, this article suggests additional factors may be operating within society and the workplace that discourage men from applying for these leaves. 1. How might dominant masculinity also be a factor in fewer men than women applying for FMLA leaves? 2. If more people and organizations were to think in terms of the feminist sociological perspective discussed in this article, what could be the personal benefits to taking FMLA leaves for men and their families? 3. Research family leave policies/laws in another country and compare and contrast the foreign plan with the FMLA. 4. What conclusion(s) can you draw from this research?

22. The Paradox of Male Privilege

Diversity on the Web From 1973 to today, a variety of men’s movements occurred, some attempting to reaffirm traditional gender roles, others to overcome male privilege and sexism. Using the links below, research the principles or worldview of Robert Bly’s Mythopoetic Men’s Movement, the Promise Keepers, and the National Organization for Men Against sexism. Write a two to three page paper: a) highlighting the core values of each group, b) explaining why these groups were founded in the historical context of their time, and c) explaining which group or groups’ beliefs would support democratic manhood. Starting sources: http://boston.com/news/globe/ideas/aricles/2005/06/19/daddy_what_did_you_do_ in_the_mensmove.html (Zakrewski, P. (2005, June 19) The Boston Globe http://www.menstuff.org/pov/povs/mensmove.html http://stason.org (Click “search” on left column, type in “28.17”) Robert Bly’s Mythopoetic Men’s Movement http://www.xyonline.net/conent/wildmen The Promise Keepers http://www.promisekeepers.org/about http://www.now.org/issues/right/pk.html National Organization for Men Against Sexism http://www.nomas.org Historical Overview of Men’s Movements http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-Dec-1996/Connell.html

23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues

SORTING THROUGH LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER ISSUES IN THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE Gerald Hunt Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada

Goals •

To understand the legal, social, and political situations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons

•

To explore the nature of opposition to LGBT equality in general, and in the workplace in particular

•

To illustrate the initiatives employers take to accommodate LGBT minorities

Outline I. Introduction II. LGBT: Who are they and what do they want? III. Social, Legal, and Economic Developments A. Social Forces B. Legal Change C. Economic Forces IV.

Organizational Response

Corporate Equality Index

VI.

Gender Identity and Transgender Issues

VII. Backlash and Mixed Messages: The Sting of Discrimination Continues VIII. Developments in Other Parts of the World IX.

Conclusions

23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues

Discussion Questions and Answers 1.

What is meant by the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression?” According to Wikipedia, gender identity is “the gender(s), or lack thereof, a person self-identifies as. It is not necessarily based on biological fact, either real or perceived, nor is it always based on sexual orientation. The gender identities one may choose from include: male, female, both, somewhere in between (‘third gender’), or neither.” Wikipedia is not always the best source for information, but in this case, it encapsulates the idea of gender identity quite well. It might even be worth having students read the Wikipedia entry on gender identity. As part of a discussion about gender identity, it is important to discuss the fact that gender is a social construct. What feminine and masculine means does vary significantly across cultures. It might be useful to characterize gender as a continuum, one end being a given culture’s extreme version of masculinity, the other end its version of femininity. Hardly anyone would see themselves as at either extreme regardless of their biological sex. This begins to create openness to the notion that many people operate within a gender identity that fairly closely reflects their biological sex; others do not. This is also a good time to open discussion about why too much gender deviation from one’s biological sex causes so much anxiety and anger in others.

Provide an example of some type of event you have witnessed in your life that illustrates the contradictions and mixed messages surrounding LGBT people in America. This question is best dealt with by letting students provide examples. To kick start a discussion, here are a few examples: • A church/religion proclaiming to love all people but denying membership to LGBT people • Openly gay young man being denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America • A company that proclaims it wants the brightest and best, and then ostracizes and eventually fires a high performer after she comes out as a lesbian

Develop five key criteria that could be used for evaluating how much an organization is “gay-friendly” versus “anti-gay.” Use the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index to assist in answering this question: http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/2012-Corporate-Equality-IndexCriteria

23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues

Writing Assignment Discuss (a) the challenges faced by an organization in creating an inclusive environment for LGBT people, and (b) how they differ from the challenges it might face in creating an inclusive environment for other diversity categories such as race and disability.

Discussion of Writing Assignment First, what are the challenges? They include such things as: •

Opposition from stakeholders

•

Boycotts by consumers who disagree

•

Opposition from other workers

•

Opposition by external groups such as religious leaders

•

Potentially negative press (for example, on right-wing talk shows)

•

Lack of a legal apparatus to reinforce equal rights for LGBT

•

Some measures cannot be introduced in the same way. For example, a policy that provides partner benefits for married couples by definition excludes same-sex couples in jurisdictions where marriage is not possible.

Second, how do they differ from other diversity categories such as race or disability? •

Few people would feel it is acceptable to openly oppose full equality for racial minorities or people with disabilities. This is not the case for LGBT people, and many people feel they can be very open in their opposition to equal rights for sexual minorities.

•

It is extremely unlikely that consumers would undertake a boycott because they perceived an organization to be positive for racial minorities.

•

It is more likely that anti-gay hostility will be overt than will hostility for other minority groups.

•

Some people are so agitated by homosexuality that they believe it is okay to bully and beat up LGBT people – a phenomenon called “gay bashing.”

23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues

Points of Law Challenges to the constitutionality of the "Defense of Marriage Acts" (DOMA) have been initiated in a number of states. In December 2012, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge from Edie Windsor, a lesbian who had been in a long-term relationship with another woman and had been married in Canada. When her partner died in 2007, the federal government taxed the inheritance even though a spouse who dies can leave her assets and incur no estate taxes, Clearly she had been taxed because she was married to a same-sex partner. (Source: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/windsor-v-united-states-thea-doma On July 26, 2013, by a vote of 5 to 4, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. Source: Reilly, R. & Siddiqui, S. (2013, July 26. Supreme Court DOMA decision rules federal same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com. )

Diversity on the Web 1. Go to the following website: “GLOBE – Ford Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees” at http://fordglobe.org/index.html 2. Read the sections called Our Mission and Our History. 3. What might account for Ford’s progressive position on LGBT issues? 4.

Do you think all American organizations should be as LGBT positive as Ford? Why/Why not?

24. Is This Sexual Harassment?

IS THIS SEXUAL HARRASSMENT? Carol P. Harvey Assumption College, Professor Emerita Suffolk University Goals •

To provide examples of situations that are and are not considered sexual harassment under United States law

•

To demonstrate that organizations and managers have a legal liability to prevent, correct, and manage harassment issues

•

To illustrate how subjective one’s perceptions of harassment may be

Points of Law The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Guidelines define sexual harassment as…Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical and verbal contact of a sexual nature when it affects the terms of employment under one or more of the following conditions: such an activity is a condition for employment: such an activity is a condition of employment consequences such as promotion, dismissal or salary increases; such an activity creates a hostile working environment.

Notes: In 2011, there were 11,364 sexual harassment cases reported to the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (statisticsbrain.com). While many people still consider harassment as a female issue, the number of claims from men has tripled in recent years with 11% of these men filing claims against females. However, these numbers represent only the tip of the iceberg because many situations of sexual harassment are settled privately. A Harris poll on this subject revealed that 62% of those harassed did not do anything about the incident(s) (riseman-law.com).

24. Is This Sexual Harassment?

Incidents and Answers 1. Gary & Lois – Technically, this is not yet sexual harassment but it could become so, if the employee feels that this creates a hostile working environment for him and he complains to someone in authority. Lois may just be a “touchy” person who thinks nothing of this gesture or is even unaware of doing it and clueless to its possible implications. However, it is not prudent behavior for a supervisor. If this makes Gary uncomfortable, he should say so. If Lois’ manager knows of other similar incidents when Lois’ touching employees has made them uneasy, he should discuss this behavior with her before it escalates into a major problem. 2. Bob – This is a case where bullying is escalating into sexual harassment. Because Bob is in a position of authority over this employee, and making sexual gestures because of the employee’s implied sexual orientation as gay, this needs to be stopped. Some workers in this situation may simply quit a job when these types of incidents happen rather than report the inappropriate behavior of the supervisor. Unfortunately, doing this empowers the harasser and allows him/her to continue. When these incidents are reported, others often come forward and report similar treatment. These are seldom one-time incidents. If multiple employees complain, it will be much easier to fire Bob because it will no longer be this one employee’s word against the supervisor, who may deny this behavior or accuse the employee of being overly sensitive. 3. Julie – The behavior of the machinists can be defined as sexual harassment and she is clearly negatively affected by it, but she needs to take action and complain to someone in authority. Since Julie is a new employee, the machinists may have behaved the same way in the past but nobody complained. Or perhaps they did and no action was taken. This is all the more reason that Julie needs to provide her employer with documentation. To support Julie, the other woman could offer to go with Julie when she lodges the complaint. 4.

Lewis – Fast food workers are often young, part-time, and frequently move from job to job. Lewis’ behavior is clearly inappropriate and some workers have told him to stop. Unfortunately, in this industry, these workers may have minimal access to higher level management. So it may be more difficult to complain about the manager’s behavior that is clearly making workers uncomfortable. Since there are multiple victims here, they need to find a way to do this as a group. There is also the possibility that this manager is from a more tactile culture where men hugging other men is appropriate behavior. In any case, the manager’s behavior needs to be addressed.

Jeanne and Tom – This is a no-win situation, especially if it continues. Jeanne and Tom are adult co-workers meeting each other socially outside of the workplace.

24. Is This Sexual Harassment?

Since she has already responded positively to his invitations for drinks, he is probably assuming that she is interested in pursuing a dating relationship and is taking the next step. Currently, there is no harassment here. However, since he is her boss, and has the power to fire, promote, and reward her performance, this is a potentially problematic situation. If things do not go well in the romantic relationship, the worker may claim that she was forced into it to keep her job (quid pro quo), etc. On the other hand, if this liaison goes well, once co-workers find out about the couple (and they almost always do), they may perceive that Jeanne is receiving special treatment because she is dating the boss. When workplace romances occur, it is best for one party to leave or to transfer to another job where he or she is not supervised by the other partner. 6. Steve and Kathy – This can be a case of sexual harassment if Cathy has retaliated against Steve for rejecting her romantic overtures (quid pro quo). However, nothing is said here about his actual recent job performance. If she can document that it has deteriorated, it may become a case of “he said” vs. “she said.” However, if his poor performance appraisal resulted from the situation creating a hostile work environment for him, or this is Cathy getting revenge for being rejected, he should lodge a complaint against his supervisor. In any case, she should never have spoken to him this way. This case also illustrates that ignoring harassing behavior seldom solves the problem. 7. Jackie – The boss’ response may have been a conscious or unconscious response to comfort a grieving employee. Since there is no evidence in the case, Jackie felt this was a hostile environment and the boss’ behavior probably had no sexual intent, it is not sexual harassment. The other employee reacted a bit too quickly by jumping to conclusions. 8. Martin, Jacob, and Tina – Regardless of how attractive Tina is, Jacob is obligated to take Martin’s complaint seriously. If she is creating a hostile environment for Martin, this is sexual harassment. Martin was doing the right thing by informing his supervisor that this attention is unwanted. When a supervisor brushes such a complaint off, he is allowing the harasser to continue and this type of behavior can lead to lawsuits. 9. Anna and Caitlin – In the U.S., standing closer than 18–20 inches from another person at work is often interpreted as “an invasion of personal space.” However, in some cultures, it is quite normal to stand much closer. So, it is possible that culture is more of a factor here than Anna’s sexual orientation. In any case, there is no real evidence here of sexual harassment. Caitlin should just tell Anna that she is crowding her and that makes her a bit uncomfortable and she needs more space. It is quite possible that Anna is completely unaware that she is doing this.

24. Is This Sexual Harassment?

10. Joe – Times have changed. Regardless of his age, this is inappropriate, sexually harassing behavior. It has continued for some time and people have complained about it, so they do find it offensive. However, the supervisor has not taken these complaints seriously. He needs to realize that he too is vulnerable to a lawsuit because there is a history of Joe creating a hostile environment and multiple complaints to a supervisor who defended the harasser.

Additional incidents that can be used for class discussion, assigned as homework, or used for exams 1. Trish and Laura – Trish often calls her boyfriend from work on her breaks and speaks to him in a very explicit sexual manner. Laura, the woman in the next cubical complained to Trish that it was inappropriate to do this on a company phone. So, Trish continued these conversations on her cell phone. This is a case of creating a hostile environment at work. The phone conversations are very sexual in nature, occurring at work, easily overheard by others, and Laura has brought to Trish’s attention that this is offensive. Whether or not this is occurring on break time and/or on a personal cell phone doesn’t matter. Others in surrounding cubicles may also be equally offended by Trish’s behavior. Laura will probably need to take this complaint to a supervisor. Being subtle seldom stops sexually harassing behavior. 2. Matt and Luke – Matt, a gay employee, tells dirty jokes at work. Luke, his coworker, who is also gay, laughs at these jokes and even encourages Matt by asking if he has any good jokes to tell him. Luke realizes that Matt sometimes gets out of hand and doesn’t want others to think that all gay men behave this way. So he writes an anonymous note to the Human Resources manager detailing Matt’s behavior. Technically, this is not sexual harassment because Matt’s behavior is not frequent, Luke has made statements that encourage Matt to continue the behavior, and Luke has never told Matt that he finds these jokes offensive and even filed the complaint anonymously. Although sexual harassment can occur between people of the same sex, this situation does not meet the criteria and the fact that they are both gay has no bearing on this situation. 3. Ken and Julie – Ken is a young, part-time college athletic coach. His best player, Julie, is an attractive young woman. Since there are only a few years difference in their ages and Ken is quite attracted to Julie, he keeps asking her out. She consistently refuses to go. Traditionally, the best player is appointed as team captain. However, after Julie tells Ken to stop this behavior, and complains to the Athletic Director, Ken announces that he will select the captain this year by doing a coin toss.

24. Is This Sexual Harassment?

Neither Ken’s part-time status nor Julie’s position as a student negate the college’s responsibility to protect her from harassment. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance. However, this case may be difficult to prove. The timing of Ken’s coin-toss method of selecting the captain lacked transparency and was not a wise way to change the team leadership structure. His behavior could be considered as quid pro quo harassment and/or retaliation since she refused to date him and she complained to his boss.

25. Musical Chairs

MUSICAL CHAIRS M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To provide an experience in how it feels to be physically challenged

•

To understand how it feels to be unable to communicate with people in the traditional way

Time Required Approximately 5 to 15 minutes

Materials Student instructions and student worksheets from the text, pen or pencil, chart pad or board and markers or overhead projector, handouts of the solution sheet from teacher's manual, or an overhead of the solution.

Instructions 1. Form groups of four to six members with each group sitting in a circle facing each other. 2. Ask students to read the Musical Chairs instructions in the text. 3. Each group is to solve the problem using ONLY ONE student worksheet per group and is to come up with ONE GROUP answer. TO SIMULATE THE FEELING OF LOSING THE CAPACITY TO SPEAK OR THE FRUSTRATION OF USING A SECOND LANGUAGE, STUDENTS ARE TOLD NOT TO COMMUNICATE VERBALLY. Note: Students should be told not to solve the problem independently, but to do so as a group. It may be necessary to remind them of this periodically; the intent is to force them to communicate nonverbally with each other. 4. When the group has agreed upon an answer, one member is to raise his/her hand and share the answer on the Worksheet with the Instructor who does not speak, but signals by shaking his/her head whether or not the answer is correct.

25. Musical Chairs

5. Call time when about half the groups have the correct answer. 6. The solution to the problem (see solution sheet) can be written on the board or presented as a PowerPoint slide (included with the PowerPoint slides that accompany the text) or as a handout. 7. Center class discussion on how students felt while doing the exercise. Generally, students express frustration, feelings of inadequacy, irritation, and even anger.

Teaching Tip Feedback from students for whom English is a second language indicates that they are more comfortable with this exercise than with many others, because it forces native English speakers to experience what it feels like to be frustrated when trying to communicate in a less familiar way.

25. Musical Chairs

Diversity on the Web ACCOMMODATING CHALLENGES Under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), employers may not discriminate in the hiring of persons with disabilities. Further, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their jobs and communicate effectively. Note that tax incentives are provided for “qualified architectural and transportation barrier removal expenses.” The employer is not required, however, to provide accommodations primarily for personal use such as hearing aids and wheelchairs. Directions 1. Search the Internet for jobs and select two postings. Make them as different as possible: different types of jobs, different levels, different industries, different qualifications, etc. 2. Try to select jobs for which you have some familiarity. 3. Your instructor will assign a physical challenge for each of your jobs. 4. Assume that someone with the physical challenge assigned to each of your jobs is by far the best-qualified candidate. Research those disabilities, noting how many Americans are afflicted. 5. Devise workplace accommodations appropriate for the physical challenge. Sources http://www.monster.com http://www.usa.jobs.gov

http://www.careerbuilder.com http://www.hotjobs.yahoo.com

Option: search for employment opportunities The Office of Disability Employment Policy, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, maintains JAN (Job Accommodation Network), a valuable resource on work site accommodations at http://askjan.org.

25. Musical Chairs

MUSICAL CHAIRS SOLUTION STEPS

__ CHAIRS___ .

;

. STUDENTS

Total

1. Before class

2. During class

…..

- 15

…..

.….

3. After class

-6

-1

-7

…..

.….

4. Later

___

Total ………………………

5. Total chairs needed ………..…. 38 Chairs in classroom ………….. 24 Chairs still needed……………. 14

5 -4 1 ………… 14 Right Hand & 1 Left Hand Chairs

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

PROFESSOR ON WHEELS A CASE OF DISABILITY AND DIVERSITY Mark E. Moore East Carolina University Caryl L. Martin St. Cloud University

Goals •

To gain understanding of the difficulties that persons with disabilities still encounter in searching for employment in today’s workforce

•

To realize how adaptive technology can create employment opportunities for people with disabilities

•

To increase knowledge of the role of leadership in enhancing diversity initiatives

•

To identify the benefits and costs of developing a diversified workforce

Case Synopsis Dr. Edwards graduated from top university programs in the U.S. in the new and growing field of sport management. He earned high grades, completed significant internships, and participated in adaptive athletic competitions. He has a strong business background with mentoring from the best in the field. Such qualifications would appear to offer excellent credentials for a faculty position in the sport management field. Yet, regardless of the mounting and positive accomplishments in the field of professional adaptive sports, securing a faculty post has been an elusive goal. Dr. Edwards has Cerebral Palsy, a disability that is “protected” by the ADA (Title I). Despite numerous job interviews, he has not been able to gain employment in a traditional higher education setting. At last, it may be possible that he will gain a permanent academic position. His possible appointment, however, rests with a dean who is caught between advancing her agenda of diversifying the faculty on one hand and on the other hand, jeopardizing her existing relationships with the college president and the faculty association by hiring Dr. Edwards.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

Cerebral Palsy Cerebral Palsy (CP) is an umbrella term encompassing a number of physical abnormalities. CP results from injury to the motor area of the brain with the severity of injury varying on a case-by case basis. A number of different impediments can result from the brain injury. Individuals with CP can experience challenges in walking, talking, seeing, hearing, and learning. Multiple impediments are sometimes present. Most of the problems are caused as the baby grows in the womb, but they can occur at any time during the first two years of life while the baby’s brain is developing. Among the causes are bleeding in the brain, brain infections such as encephalitis, herpes simplex infection, head injury, infections in the mother during pregnancy, severe jaundice, etc. There are several different types of cerebral palsy. Major types include: •

Paraplegia: an impairment of motor or sensory function of the lower extremities that is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition affecting the neural elements of the spinal cord. Most paraplegics are dependent upon a wheelchair.

•

Hemiplegia: the total paralysis of the arm, leg and trunk on one side of the body.

•

Quadriplegia (also known as tetraplegia): paralysis caused by illness or injury to the brain or spinal cord that results in the partial or total loss of use of the torso and all limbs. The loss is usually sensory and motor which means that both sensation and control are lost. All quadriplegics currently have or have had some kind of finger dysfunction.

The following websites provide further information about Cerebral Palsy: •

www.cprf.org

•

www.ucp.org

•

www.cerebralpalsy.org

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

Points of Law Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) applies to organizations with 15 or more employees. It mandates that no organization shall discriminate against a qualified individual with a mental or physical disability who can perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation. Dean & Randolph, 2011 The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (amended in 1978, 1992) would also apply to the Edwards case. This law requires organizations receiving federal funds not to discriminate against persons with disabilities in employment situations. Whitney-Thomas & Timmons, 1999

Pedagogy 1. Assign students to read the case and prepare the Discussion Questions before class. 2. Assign students to complete Diversity on the Web assignments before class. Students may not understand the total requirements of a faculty position (e.g., committees, conferences, advising, research, etc). This assignment will provide more objective criteria for hiring faculty beyond teaching skill. 3. Conduct a discussion integrating Cerebral Palsy with the requirements of a faculty teaching position, broadening the discussion to persons with disabilities seeking faculty positions. 4. Consider showing videos on ADA and CP. Some suggestions are: •

Americans with Disabilities Act Documentary (http://videos.disabled-world.com/video/190/americans-with-disabilitiesact-documentary)

•

the Americans with Disabilities Act in Practice (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBjvNYmUdjs)

•

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHBPGqhAwPY

•

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5VNdy7_nIM

•

http://www.mdjunction.com/cerebral-palsy/videos

5. Discuss student answers to the Discussion Questions. 6. Discuss student answers to the Diversity on the Web assignments #2 and #3.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

Theoretical Linkages: Social Stigma Theory and Homosocial Reproduction The Edwards case is linked to two theories. The first is social stigma theory developed by Erving Goffman (1963), a theory grounded in the conjecture that others will reject a person with an undesirable attribute by discrediting and stereotyping her or him. In Derek Edwards’ case, potential employers rejected him for several positions because he was deemed unqualified. Based on social stigma theory, Edwards likely was rejected in many instances, not because of a lack of credentials, but rather due to the stigma of having Cerebral Palsy. The EEOC suggested this, and the courts supported this, in the subsequent finding that Edwards was discriminated against in the phone incident. As such, hiring officials may have felt uncomfortable interacting with Edwards and could believe that this stigma would preclude him from having effective relationships with his students. An additional theory having relevance is homosocial reproduction. Moore and Parkhouse (2005) posited that people hire individuals like themselves because they are more comfortable interacting with those with traits similar to their own. One could theorize that administrators were reluctant to hire Edwards because he did not possess physical prowess and an accomplished athlete’s status, as do most educators in the physical activity and sport disciplines. Hence, they could have felt uncomfortable interacting with Edwards and recommended candidates possessing professional and competitive backgrounds with which they had familiarity.

Epilogue Dr. Derek Edwards was eventually hired by Dean Jessop and went on to teach at SCU for five years. He was tenured before leaving SCU for another institution. Dr. Michele Jessop was Dr. Edwards’s dean for four years prior to her leaving SCU for a position in the private sector.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. How can it be possible that someone with the qualifications and experience of Dr. Edwards still encounters such difficulties in obtaining employment today? Subtle types of discrimination remain in our society. Think back to when a prospective employer contacted Dr. Edwards. His résumé was strong enough to generate a contact call. However, the caller quickly terminated the call when he realized Dr. Edwards had speech issues. The caller could have inquired about strategies to enable effective communication with students instead of quickly eliminating a potentially strong candidate.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

The “good old boys” club is very strong in the hyper-masculine field of sports. Dr. Edwards was told early in his academic career that jobs in the academic field of Sport Management go to former athletes. Should he have listened to this advice and given up on his dream? After all, outside of his elite status in adapted athletics, he would never play football or hockey for a Division I university. Note that playing Division I sports does not guarantee that a professor will excel in the sports management classroom. Questions arise as to whether head coaches should be required to have collegiate playing experience and further, whether experience should be required in the specific sport they wish to coach. Remind students that: -George O’Leary …………………. never played, but… -currently is head coach at the U. of Central Florida -previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets -previously coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish -Paul Johnson ………………….…. never played, but… -currently is head coach at Georgia Inst. of Technology -past head coach at Georgia Southern University -past head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy -Joe Gibbs …………………………..never played, but… -former football coach of the Washington Red Skins Ask students if they can think of any other examples. Further discussion with students: -If adaptive sports are not the same and do not provide the same quality of experience as non-adaptive sports, can the same be said for coaching the opposite gender? -How many Division I male coaches are currently head coaches in women’s sport teams? -Should a person without disabilities serve as a head coach in the Para-Olympics? 2. As a student, would you sign up for a class with Dr. Edwards? Why or why not? What concerns might you have? Once students have successfully navigated their way through their first year in college, many of them ask friends about which courses or professors to take. Some of them read the various websites dedicated to student comments related to a course or a professor.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

Knowing that they have heard that Dr. Edwards can be difficult to understand, what are some potential reasons that they might take his course in spite of his speech difficulties? Reasons for enrolling in Dr. Edwards’ courses: •

Skill set: Students could be indifferent regarding who is teaching the course. They may be more interested in learning sports business skills and the knowledge base to be successful in the sports industry. Dr. Edwards’s background provides a variety of real world work experiences in the Sport Management field. He could provide knowledge and information that students will need to succeed as well as being a potential mentor.

•

Pedagogical style: Students could also learn through word of mouth that Dr. Edwards integrates a practical orientation into his teaching that includes guest speakers, expert chats, case studies, and experience-based projects. Furthermore, students could perceive his communication disorder as beneficial to those with different learning styles because of his integration of visual aids and guided notes into class sessions. In addition, students could learn from sites such as “Rate my professor.com” of Dr. Edwards’ studentoriented approach.

Concerns: •

Degree requirement/grading: The priority of some students may be completing degree requirements and earning high grades and their concern over a particular professor’s grading policies may be important. These students may review sites such as www.myedu.com to become acquainted with Dr. Edwards’ grading patterns.

Reasons for not enrolling in Dr. Edwards’ classes: •

Non-membership: Athletes and coaches may perceive Dr. Edwards as not being a member of their “club.” Their concerns may be that Edwards cannot fully understand the commitment and value they place on sports. Further, there may be a belief among students that the classroom experience may be more interesting by having an instructor who is a former athlete or coach.

•

Discomfort: After observing or learning of Dr. Edwards’ severe disability, a prospective student may feel uncomfortable having involvement with him and therefore be reluctant to enroll in his courses. It could be very difficult and challenging to understand his speech. Students might feel that they would invest too much time in understanding this instructor versus understanding the content of his instruction. A point to

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

consider is student experience with foreign instructors whose heavy accents or limited command of English can also make understanding lectures very difficult. •

Incompetence: If prospective students learn of Dr. Edwards’ disability conditions before enrolling, they may perceive him to be incompetent given that this population of students places a premium on physical abilities. Furthermore, some students may be hesitant to consider Dr. Edwards as a serious sport management professional.

3. What challenges might the university face if Dr. Edwards is hired? What challenges might Dr. Edwards face? Hiring an instructor/program director with severe disabilities can be challenging to the university, the faculty, the students, and also to Dr. Edwards. Place yourself in each of these roles to help determine what some of the challenges might be for each of these constituents. Challenges to the University: • • • • • • • •

Accessible classroom and technology (availability, increased expenses, service personnel, etc.) Parent and student concerns (public relations) Under-enrollment in his classes because of Dr. Edward’s disability Faculty association complaints fostered by the former interim coordinator Undermining of Dr. Edwards and the program by the former interim coordinator Faculty concern that Dr. Edwards may not be able to do his share of non teaching work such as advising, committee assignments, recruitment, etc. and they will have to do his as well as their own Faculty concern that funds may need to be earmarked to make the building, classrooms, offices, restrooms, etc. accessible and such funds may be taken from other areas in the department Dealing with student complaints and concerns about the cost of taking classes where they have difficulty understanding

Dr. Edwards’ challenges: • • •

Adapting to student learning styles and needs. Upon his arrival at SCU, Dr. Edwards will be unsure whether the pedagogical approaches utilized at Temple University can be successfully employed in his new position. Difficulty in establishing relationships with students due to the severity of his disability Campus and community barriers. Dr. Edwards could face campus buildings that were constructed prior to the passage of ADA and

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

•

therefore are not wheelchair accessible. Additionally, some classrooms may not be equipped with the technology he requires to teach his courses effectively. Stern City may not have adequate accessible housing. Further, the community may not have sufficient public transportation for Dr. Edwards to get to and from work in an effective and cost-efficient manner.

How do some of the new technological advances in education, such as online courses, benefit both teachers and students with physical challenges, learning disabilities, etc.? Be specific. The access to increasing technological advances has changed our culture, how we communicate, interact, and even how we pursue our educational opportunities. Degrees at any level can now be accomplished from your home, never requiring any face-to-face communication. Some universities such as Capella, Walden and Phoenix provide just about every program online and most other universities now provide some online classes attracting clientele from all over the world. The use of adaptive technology such as voice synthesizers could make his lectures clearer. Stephen Hawing, a theoretical physicist and genius by any standard, also cannot communicate in the typical verbal mode. Online communication removes the transportation, language and speech barriers. Faculty can develop courses so students can access lectures or information through a variety of formats. Some of these include, but are not limited to PowerPoint, written lectures, chat rooms, books on tape, Skype, etc. An instructor with verbal challenges could even write out his lecture and have a guest read the lecture and tape it. Using these methodologies may possibly better accommodate the learning styles of some students. Online classes may not work for everyone. Some students need the face-to-face contact and some need the structure of class meetings to avoid procrastination. Teaching is not necessarily “all one or the other,” all online or all face-to-face. Many courses today are hybrid, i.e., taught partly online and partly face-to-face. A variety of “hybrid” classroom strategies are currently available. If students have experienced these, ask about some of the strengths of these for students and faculty in general and for those with disabilities in particular. A traditional hybrid: At least half of the classes are online with the remainder in class. How might they be different from a traditional online class and what are the limitations? A flipped class: Students access the lectures at home on their own schedule and attend class during the traditional time to engage in exercises, labs or discussions or

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

to work on assignments. How might a flipped class make learning/teaching easier for a student or faculty member with disabilities? 5. List the advantages and disadvantages of hiring Dr. Edwards from the perspectives of: Students Advantages These would include a valuable real world work experience and connections with professional sports teams that traditional academic training cannot provide. Dr. Edwards uses adaptive technology and it is educational for students to know about it and see it in use. This is especially relevant for those students in adaptive sport management. Dr. Edwards provides a successful role model for students with disabilities. Disadvantage Students may need to read parts of the lecture that they did not understand from Dr. Edward’s verbal presentation. This can mean extra work and time for those not truly invested in a specific course. SCU President Richard Yoshikawa Advantage More than just saying “diversity is important”, hiring diverse faculty demonstrates that the campus values everyone. This could become a strong public relations advantage. Disadvantages The president may need to ensure that appropriate accommodations exist. For example, it may be more awkward to refuse tenure for Dr. Edwards if he does not meet established criteria for tenure and promotion as these may not be as applicable or appropriate for Dr. Edwards, a situation that could cause problems with other faculty. His last name suggests that President Yoshikawa may well represent diversity himself as a minority. He may be more supportive of adding diversity to the university, understanding the struggles he faced as a minority. He could also, however, find it easier not to increase diversity and not worry about dealing with potential charges of discrimination, and the challenges and costs of accommodation. The Faculty Association may be solidly behind the ousted member, or may be merely posturing (i.e., raising the issue, but not really invested in it) to satisfy

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

that union member. If the latter is true, then some of the pressure is off of Dean Jessop and President Yoshikawa. SCU Sport Management program Advantages The Sport Management program could potentially attract a broader base of nontraditional students. Dr. Edward’s ability – via past connections – to bring in quality speakers, provide valuable internships and insight to these internships would increase the marketability of the students who graduate from the program. Disadvantage There could be building, office, and classroom access issues, and prejudice from students, parents, faculty, trustees, donors, etc. 6. Imagine you are Dean Jessop and have the ability to make the final decision on the hiring of Dr. Edwards. a. Why is hiring a faculty member from an underrepresented group an important aspect of your diversity plan? Your hiring practices should reflect the goal of, “A faculty that reflects society.” b. How is your diversity goal impacted by the resignation of the Associate Dean? The loss of a diverse member of the leadership team could be signaling that there are problems with acceptance of diverse faculty. This could also signal that the diverse team member did not feel supported and the dean’s goal was for appearance only. c. As Dean, what are your specific options regarding the Sport Management position? • •

Hire Dr. Edwards because he is qualified and supports the college’s diversity goal. Fail the search, citing too small of a pool of qualified applicants and later reopen the search.

d. If you hire Dr. Edwards, what are the professional risks to you as Dean? •

Simply hiring Dr. Edwards can earn you the wrath of the president and/or the faculty association and risk your own career.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

•

If Dr. Edwards is hired and fails as an instructor, it could undermine support for a diverse faculty and your leadership and vision could come under question – potentially undermining your own career.

e. If you don’t hire Dr. Edwards, what are the professional risks to you as dean?

•

Your vision and leadership once again come under scrutiny. If you value diversity and yet move away from diverse hiring, faculty/staff/other administrators may view you as a hypocrite.

•

With your associate dean leaving and your failure to hire a qualified (diverse) Sport Management faculty candidate, the message you will be sending is that diversity is limited to discussion, not reality.

Are Dr. Edwards’ challenges in becoming a college professor relevant to your decision? Please explain. •

Yes. Dr. Edwards’ work ethic is visible from his continued efforts to attain a faculty position. If he was willing to work this hard to get the job, he will likely be a hard working faculty member and less apt to leave after a year or two.

•

No. Hiring decisions are based upon the goals of the college, the needs of the department as to background, skills, academic specialties, and the qualities of the candidate.

•

No. The many failed job searches of Dr. Edwards suggest that there are other reasons why schools did not hire him. He could be a bad risk. Failed applications and job-hopping are also possible red flags.

g. If you were Dean Jessop, would you hire Dr. Edwards? There must be compatibility between the qualities of the candidate and the needs of the department. For example, due to Title IX requirements, the department may be seeking a female or perhaps they need someone with extensive experience with local media or experience with small colleges or with large universities, or someone with a different type of management experience or different skills, etc. It is extremely difficult to judge hiring decisions from the outside. Two candidates might appear to have similar qualifications in terms of degrees and experience, yet differ on particular skills or attributes that are important to a department. •

Yes. If I (Dean Jessop) believed that he is the most qualified candidate and that he matches the academic needs of the department.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

•

No. Hiring one faculty member isn’t worth taking on the additional issues with faculty, administration, and possibly the students.

Instructor Note: Writing Assignment Instructions 1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 4 students each. 2.

Ask each group to evaluate a different on-campus building. (If there are not enough buildings on campus, groups may do this exercise in any public building, retail store, restaurant, etc.)

Writing Assignment A. Have you ever really looked at a public building to determine if it is truly accessible? Choose a campus building and prepare a one page group memo detailing the building’s features. •

How many doors are accessible to wheelchairs?

•

Are the restrooms really accessible? (Take measurements – do not always believe the posted signs.)

•

If there is a fire in a multi-floor building and the elevators are shut down, how will persons in wheelchairs get out of the building?

•

Could a person in a wheelchair get across campus in the time allocated to move from one class to another and not be late?

•

Should a person in a wheelchair just avoid scheduling back-to-back classes or take all of their classes online?

B. Colleges may not want or may not be financially able (especially if budgets are very tight) to provide all the accommodations necessary to hire or recruit faculty/students with disabilities. Accommodations that would be needed could include things such as remodeling facilities, providing wheel chair access to old buildings, funding extra assistive personnel, etc. If this is the case and funding is not available, should the college disclose these limitations to faculty and students with disabilities? A university employs more than 15 people, so it is reasonable to believe that a university could have become accessible.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

References Dean Bennett, A. A, & Randolph, S. E. (2011). Is everyone disabled under the ADA? An analysis of the recent amendments and guidance for employers. Employee Relations Law Journal, 36(4), 3-14. Goffman, Erving. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs NJ. Konrad, A. M., Moore, M. E., Doherty, A. J., Ng, E., & Breward, K. (2012). Vocational statuses and perceived well being of Workers with Disabilities. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 31(2), 100–123. Konrad, A. M., Moore, M. E., Ng, E., Doherty, A. J., & Breward, K. (in press, 2012). Temporary work, underemployment, and workplace accommodations: relationship to well being for workers with disabilities. British Journal of Management. Lowman, D., West, S. L., & McMahon, B. T. (2005). Workplace discrimination and Americans with cerebral palsy: The national EEOC ADA research project. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 23(3), 171-177. Moore, M. E., Konrad, A. M., & Hunt, J. (2010). A vision boosts the impact of top management support on the employment of workers with disabilities: The case of sport management in the USA. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal 29 (6), 609-626. Moore, M. E., Konrad, A. M., Yang, Y., Ng, E., & Doherty, A. J. (2011). The vocational well-being of workers with childhood onset of disability. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 79(3), 681–698. Moore, M. E., & Parkhouse, B. L. (2006). Structural equation model of female representation in the managerial hierarchy of recreation and sport organizations. International Journal of Sport Management, 7(2), 194-205. Stone, D. L. & Colella, A. (1996). A model of factors affecting the treatment of disabled Individuals in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 21: 352-401. Whitney-Thomas, J., & Timmons, J. (1999). Expanding Access: Changes in Vocational Rehabilitation Practice Since the 1992 Rehabilitation Act. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 43(1), 30.

26. Professor on Wheels: A Case of Disability and Diversity

Diversity on the Web 1. Search for a sport management faculty opening in higher education. Compare Dr. Edwards’ credentials to the requirements of the position. For starters, search the following website by clicking on the faculty link, then click on sport management. www.higheredjobs.com An alternative would be to search the following website using the search term: sport management. www.chronicle.com 2. Locate at least 5 national organizations that provide services for people with disabilities. Of those, one should be employment-related. What resources are available through the organization that could help those with disabilities find viable employment? For starters, search the website that follows for organizations assisting job seekers with disabilities. http://www.ucp.org/resources/employment 3. Provide three examples of how adaptive technology can be used to help persons with disabilities function in the workplace. Name at least five organizations supplying adaptive technology services. Which disability types are they designed to assist? For starters, search the website that follows to locate adaptive technology sources. http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

27. The Cracker Barrel Restaurants

THE CRACKER BARREL RESTAURANTS John Howard King’s College, London

Goals •

To explore sexual orientation employment discrimination issues in the workforce

•

To understand the implications of having only minimal legislation in the United States that protects LGBT employee rights

•

To provide current information on workplace and customer discrimination conflicts at Cracker Barrel Restaurants

Summary Cracker Barrel Restaurants, headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee, was one of the few major American corporations to explicitly incorporate a ban on lesbian and gay employees into its personnel policies. After its adoption in January 1991, at least 17 employees were fired. A nationwide boycott followed. Activists attempted to change the company policy, buying single shares of common stock and encouraging large shareholders to sponsor anti-discrimination resolutions. Cracker Barrel management resisted change. Not until ten years after adoption of the anti-gay policy did the board vote to rescind it. (Meanwhile, the company became a repeated target of complaints for racial bias against its non-white customers and employees.) Teaching Tips Do not allow students to write off the Cracker Barrel case as an aberration – an isolated, regionally-specific incident. Nor should they view the case solely as the work of a single, uneducated, authoritarian president. Though rarely written into policy, such employment bias occurs with great frequency across North America, initiated by managers of various class and educational levels. Though studies suggest that intolerance of homosexuality is indeed greater in the South than elsewhere, homophobia is not limited to that region. Press students to look beyond a simplistic explanation of the case as “hicks” harassing lesbians and gays. Some students likely will consider employment discrimination based on sexual orientation to be a legitimate or moral corporate practice. Such sentiments, if allowed to circulate in discussion, could help expose the irrational anxieties and fears that underlie such discrimination. Therefore, do not squelch students whose remarks appear

27. The Cracker Barrel Restaurants

homophobic. Moreover, encourage fellow students in their attack or defense of such positions. Build empathy for the fired Cracker Barrel employees. It may prove helpful to single out the most virulently homophobic student and have him or her imagining being fired for appearing to be gay or lesbian. Stress how subjective such judgments can be. Discourage students from viewing sexuality as a “private” matter, to be completely left out of corporate and public policy. The simplest of Monday morning questions in the workplace – “How did you spend your weekend?” – can yield revealing and potentially damning information about sexual orientation. Policies around childbirth, maternity and paternity leave, childcare, insurance, and other benefits all involve assumptions about employees’ so-called private lives. Finally, emphasize that employment discrimination against lesbians and gays remains within the law in many large parts of the United States, not just in the South. Examine the cost effectiveness of legislation on a city-by-city, county-by-county, and state-by-state basis as compared to federal legislation that would protect all employees across the country. Note that the Cracker Barrel employees were never rehired and that Cracker Barrel Old Country Store was never brought to trial. Consult www.hrc.org for a current listing of the locations that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Of the video pieces available on this case, the Kelly Anderson and Tami Gold documentary (Out at Work, see below) is most compelling. Despite whatever regional differences may exist between students and Cracker Barrel protestors in styles of dress and speech patterns, you may elicit positive responses to Cheryl Summerville as she explains her story. Scenes of Summerville at home, playing with her dog, and sitting with her lover as she knits may help humanize the episode and allow students to overcome prejudices.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Discuss the factors that make it more difficult to establish workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation than discrimination based on race. With the exception of some religious and other institutions, employers feel compelled to disavow employment discrimination based upon sexual orientation. Most are aware that federal laws prohibit racial bias. Thus, they rarely will commit to print any suggestion of discriminatory practices, since written statements later could prove detrimental in litigation. Hiring, promoting, and firing decisions often are made by a single individual, whose personal prejudices – consciously or unconsciously – will shape outcomes. If one white and one non-white applicant with equivalent résumés are interviewed for the same position, studies show, employers will more frequently

27. The Cracker Barrel Restaurants

choose the white applicant. While this systemic racism can be readily observed over a large sample, it is very difficult to pinpoint the specific decision-maker and rationale in each particular case. Biases persist. Cracker Barrel was unusual only to the extent that its policy was written and widely disseminated. 2. Do chain restaurant operations, which prize uniformity – and thus reliability – in store design, products, and operating procedures, require uniformity of personnel policies? Were the regional variations that Dan Evins proposed on February 27, 1991 a viable corporate strategy? Why or why not? All well-managed companies are attentive to the needs of their customers. Employees who deal directly with patrons are expected to be courteous and efficient. Non-taskrelated matters such as an employee’s sexual orientation, however, should remain outside the purview of the employer. Attempts to ascertain and adhere to all desires (and prejudices) of the customer ultimately lead to the impingement of the employee’s dignity as an individual and rights as a worker. Though U.S. civil rights law does not yet address sexual orientation, much legislation pertaining to the workplace is federal and thereby national in scope, thus precluding regional differentiation in company policy toward personnel. 3. How does the Cracker Barrel case support or challenge the notion that federal legislation is warranted to stop employment discrimination based on sexual orientation? The Cracker Barrel case suggests that employment discrimination based on sexual orientation persists in the American workplace. Even when pressure is brought to bear by major shareholders such as the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, management will wait as long as ten years to change a discriminatory policy. Such discrimination likely is easier to sustain in smaller, less-scrutinized companies, where so many Americans work. To equalize policy across local and state jurisdictions, and to bring federal policy into line with public opinion, federal legislation is warranted. 4. Why are particular retail products – for example, inanimate objects such as mammy dolls – perceived to be racist? Objects carry meanings. Retail products circulate within a broader social and historical context. As historian Deborah Gray White has shown, the Mammy figure has been laden with powerful associations ever since the antebellum period. She has been used to sell pancakes and syrup; she has been pressed into the service of white Southern apologists bent on portraying slavery as a benign institution. In films such as Gone With The Wind, the happy Mammy is rarely shown within the context of her own family. She exists to serve the needs of a white family; she is their property. Such subservience and objectification are magnified when she is literally objectified – turned into an object, a doll and sold to whites. When the seller is furthermore

27. The Cracker Barrel Restaurants

given to racist employment and service policies, the doll’s racist implications can no longer be ignored. 5. Which areas of corporate activity should be open to broader scrutiny through shareholder resolutions? How much stake in the company should a shareholder have in order to present a resolution? Experts disagree. But most accept the democratic notion of one vote for one share. And virtually all hold that any shareholder should be allowed to canvass the others and attempt to build a sufficient number to offer a resolution, not unlike the ballot propositions and referenda of electoral politics. As part owners of a corporation, shareholders have a financial stake and thus a compelling interest in the policies and procedures of a company. A significant holding of stock, usually interpreted as 1,000 shares or more, is required of anyone wishing to put forward a resolution for a vote by the shareholders. Personnel policy resolutions typically are not viewed as “frivolous” or a matter of “ordinary business operations” if they address pressing social issues such as gender and racial discrimination. As such, they are subject to the political climate in which they are presented. 6. If a controversial corporate policy is reversed only after a decade of defiance, how should the company’s public relations officers present the change to the media? Initial press accounts of the incident depicted a company that was deceitful, inflexible, and unyielding. Cracker Barrel’s early public relations efforts seemed to confirm that portrayal. While falsely declaring in 1991 that the company had made a full retraction, Dan Evins reiterated his misgivings about lesbian and gay employees in an interview with The Tennessean newspaper of Nashville. By then, refusing any further comment on the matter, the company left itself open to the harshest criticism from national print and television media. After this point, opposition to Cracker Barrel would only be alleviated through a public acknowledgement of wrong-doing, an unequivocal statement of apology, and concrete evidence of corrective measures. At a minimum, Cracker Barrel could have conducted an internal review. At most, they could have authored a company-wide policy forbidding discrimination against lesbians and gays and a reinstatement of the fired workers. Policy reversals can be presented as evidence of management’s attentiveness to shareholder opinion. In the Cracker Barrel case, management relented only when the majority of shareholders voted in favor of the antidiscrimination clause. However, finger-to-the-wind policy making also can be seen as hypocritical, cynical, and immoral. A moral imperative is not conditioned upon a numerical majority. Theorists of democratic, majority principles have always held that legitimate minority interests must be protected. A formal apology acknowledges the ethical

27. The Cracker Barrel Restaurants

obligations of business. To admit past mistakes is to suggest that the new policy’s motives are genuine and that its provisions will be enforced.

Teaching Tip The Cracker Barrel update illustrates how an organization that doesn’t value diversity as a business advantage continues to get into legal and public relations difficulties. It is worth asking students why this organization continues to win awards and what does this say about the validity of such awards?

Diversity on the Web Many of the Cracker Barrel restaurants are located in states with a significant African American population. Visit the websites below. These articles discuss popular misconceptions and stereotypes about the spending power of African American consumers. As the postscript indicates, Cracker Barrel has had ongoing legal issues with the Black community. In terms of the business case for diversity, that is, the business advantages of diversity in terms of profits, productivity, and recruitment of the most qualified employees, what can Cracker Barrel now do to repair its image with African American customers and potential employees? a) http://www.multicultural.com. Under multicultural experts, click on African American Markets. Read “Maximizing Your Share of the African American Market.” b) http://www.frontpage.wiu.edu and search for “African Americans and Consumer Behavior.”

28. Section III. Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION III 1. Current age-related trends in the workplace include Baby Boomers working past the traditional retirement age of sixty-five and Millennials being “underemployed” (i.e., able to get only part-time jobs or positions that don’t require the education, particularly college degrees, that they have attained). What are the long-term workplace problems that these trends could cause? Do you think this is a global or only an American issue? Why? 2. It is often said that sexual harassment is about power not sex. What material from the articles on women and men would support that statement? What role does privilege play in sexual harassment? 3. Why do you think that there are no U. S. federal laws protecting LGBT workers from losing their jobs due to their sexual orientation? What might prevent there ever being such a law? 4. Once, after conducting the Musical Chairs exercise, an instructor asked the class how it felt. A student who spoke English as a second language responded by saying, “Wonderful. Now everybody has experienced what I feel every day.” What could he have meant by that statement? What does this teach you about diversity? 5. Now that you have read about the primary dimensions of diversity, what have you learned about yourself? Of the six dimensions covered in this text (race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, and physical and mental challenges), which so far have affected your life the most? What examples can you provide to substantiate your answer? Do you think these may change in importance during your lifetime? Why or why not?

SECTION IV

UNDERSTANDING THE SECONDARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY: SOCIAL CLASS, RELIGION, APPEARANCE/ WEIGHT, LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION AND MILITARY SERVICE

29. Does Social Class Make A Difference?

DOES SOCIAL CLASS MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To increase student awareness of the longitudinal effects of social class in the development of individual workers

•

To examine the differences in access to resources that are common to individuals from different class groups

•

To provide an opportunity for students to reexamine the notion of living in an egalitarian society where “everyone” has equal access to resources and opportunities

Instructions Before beginning this exercise, stress that individuals within a social class may have very different experiences due to a variety of factors. The intention of the exercise is not to stereotype but rather to examine the benefits and privileges that social class can bring to a person’s development as a worker. The exercise instructions clearly say to complete the columns with examples of the more common experience for the child born into these social classes.

Time Required The time required varies according to how the students are instructed to complete this exercise but it can be done in 20-30 minutes depending on the level of discussion. There are two options: 1. If time is very limited, or if you are teaching on the web, you can assign all students to complete the two columns prior to the class discussion. 2. If there is enough time, it is preferable to assign groups of 5-6 students in class to discuss and develop a set of answers for one of the boys. To save some time, you can assign half of the room to complete the column that applies to Justin and the other half of the room the columns that pertain to Clark.

29. Does Social Class Make A Difference?

After students have completed the columns, have them give answers for each of the items. For example, have group #1 tell the class how Justin is apt to spend his time before he attends school. The answers usually include “watching television, playing with children in the neighborhood,” etc. Next, turn to the other group that has worked on Clark’s column and ask the same question. Even with the first question, the answers usually vary dramatically. Clark will probably “attend a pre-school, go to library story hours, or take sports lessons,” etc. Then, ask the entire class, “Why does this matter?” From the first question, the differences in access and resources begin to surface. As you continue down the list, it becomes clear that a child born into Clark’s social situation has clear developmental and educational privileges. These can translate into workplace advantages due to the availability of more options and resources. The last question about life and career skills usually produces some interesting answers in terms of the awareness that the Justins, who do become successful in the workplace, may have had to work a lot harder to get where they are than do the Clarks.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. In terms of the workplace, how does social class matter? A higher social class may provide some obvious advantages: better educational opportunities, private medical care and tutoring, less need to struggle to pay for education, social skills, and networking connections that can result in jobs, etc. Clearly, these can be advantages in one’s career. However, those who have had to struggle to overcome the effects of poverty in doing so may develop strong personal characteristics and a hard work ethic that can translate into career success. 2. Is social class really an invisible difference or are there ways that people often deduce other’s social class origins? What can be the effect of this in job interviews, work-related social situations, etc.? People’s social class can sometimes be identified by their dress, speech, manners, etc. Although it is possible to learn how to dress, talk and to behave like someone from a different class, it can be more complicated to acquire these attributes as an adult than to grow up with them. In job interviews, the interviewer may be unconsciously or consciously biased towards someone who grew up in his/her social class. Instead of evaluating a candidate on his/her qualifications, the interviewer may focus on symbols of class status such as patterns of speech, quality of clothing, etc. that may be unrelated to job performance.

29. Does Social Class Make A Difference?

How one acts in social situations may alter the perceptions of others. For example, one’s table manners at a business lunch, how one speaks, etc., may affect a customer’s, boss, or co-worker’s perceptions about an individual’s work ability.

3. What role does the media play in perpetuating both positive and negative social class stereotypes? Support your answer with examples. Mass media plays a major role in influencing our perceptions about social class. The poor are often portrayed as being personably responsible for their class level and inability to improve their situation. Societal factors such as poor healthcare, under funded schools, government policies, and minimum wage levels that will not support a family are seldom considered. In spite of considerable evidence to the contrary, the media continues to perpetuate the idea that we live in an egalitarian society where achievement is limited only by one’s innate talent and willingness to work hard.

4. In this exercise, both people were male and no specific race was suggested. Which of your answers might have been different, if the examples were female or nonwhite? Why? Adding multiple dimensions of diversity will produce different answers. Students often have racial stereotypes about poverty. Citing income and poverty level statistics from the U.S. census website can be helpful in changing these ideas. (www.census.gov)

29. Does Social Class Make A Difference?

Writing Assignments 1. There are many programs and organizations such as Head Start, the Nativity Schools, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., among others, that attempt to help individuals to overcome some of the effects of social class. Research and visit one of these organizations to better understand their mission and the roles that they play in providing access and opportunity. Specifically, how can these organizations change the life experiences and access to resources for children from lower classes? 2. Spend a day in a school that is the opposite from your own grammar or high school experience. If you attended a private school, arrange to visit a public school. If you attended a school that was predominately lower or working class, arrange to visit a private school. Analyze any differences that you observe in terms of the student body, how students dress, the academic experience, the faculty, the physical plant, and athletic and after-school activities. Try to interview students and faculty about their perceptions of the total educational experience at the school. How does what you learned from this visit relate to this exercise? How do these differences translate into “privileges” in the workplace?

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

SOCIAL CLASS: THE FICTION OF AMERICAN MERITOCRACY Colleen A. Fahy Assumption College

Goals • To understand what “classism” means and its connection to views on American meritocracy • To clarify the popular myths about social class mobility in the United States • To examine factors such as access to education, home ownership, and gender that determine one’s social status in the United States • To explore the connections between socioeconomic status, race, gender, and access to resources Outline I.

Introduction A. Examples of self-made men and women. 1. Oprah Winfrey (impoverished Mississippi to $2.7 billion) 2. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Apple started with $1300) 3. Sonia Sotomayor (South Bronx housing project to US Supreme Court) B. Views on Social Mobility 1. 80% of Americans answered yes to “Is it possible to start out poor, work hard, and become rich?” 2. 78.8% of college freshmen agree that “through hard work, everybody can succeed in American society” C. Definition of meritocracy and its link to classism. If people assume social status is a matter of effort, then the leap can be made that those in the lower classes simply are not trying hard enough. This, in turn, can lead to classism. D. Classism is the negative stereotyping and discrimination of individuals

from lower social classes. Its foundation is the false assumption that social class standing is simply a matter of effort. The article goes on to explain all the reasons why those born into privilege get a head start and extra boosts along the way.

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

II. Social Class Measurement A. Measures 1. Income: In 2007, the highest 20% of U.S. households had an income exceeding $100,000. The lowest quintile fell below $20,300. 2. Wealth: The top 10% of families have an estimated median net worth of $1.4 million while the bottom 25% have median net worth of $1700. 3. Educational Achievement 4. Occupational Prestige: doctors first, school teachers 45th, dish washers 446th (out of 447) B. Example: The New York Times’ website shows that a housekeeper with an 8th grade education making $20,000 per year and holding $5,000 in net worth is in the 16th percentile of total social class. A surgeon making $300,000 per year, with a net worth of $1 million is in the 99th percentile. III. Class in the Workplace A. Interaction among persons of different social classes will vary by occupation and industry. B. In hierarchical settings, individuals are more likely to work closely with those from other social classes. For example, hospitals have doctors, nurses, CNAs, and maintenance workers. C. Classism, which is rooted in the belief in meritocracy, can lead to negative stereotyping and behaviors within the workplace. IV. Social Mobility in the U.S. A. Social class is “sticky.” One study found that 6% of those born into the lowest income quintile ended up in the highest, while 42% stayed in the bottom quintile. B. Class mobility has not increased in recent decades and there is some evidence it has decreased. C. The U.S. has a low level of social mobility compared with other developed countries. A comparison of nine high-income countries found the U.S. to be second to last in terms of intergenerational mobility. D. Some correlation between parent and child income is expected. Some attributes such as ability and motivation can be partially inherited. However, the high level of correlation indicates that more than genetics is at work.

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

V. Education Equality of education is often cited as the key to social mobility. Children in the U.S. do not have equal opportunity when it comes to education. A. Elementary and Secondary Schools 1. Differences in ability by class show up as early as kindergarten. Explanations include differences in birth weight, health, parental skills, and stress. 2. The primary funding for schools is the property tax. Poorer communities will have fewer resources while the children may be costlier to educate. B. Post Secondary Education may be lower in quality in lower-income communities. 1. Education is a measure of social class itself but it also leads to higher income. 2. In 2003, the income premium for college graduates was 230%. 3. College graduates tend to marry each other. A college-educated couple would have a median income of $108,000 while a single high school educated woman would have a median income of $27,000. 3. A college education is difficult to achieve for low-income families because they often lack knowledge about how to apply and pay for college. They are often not as prepared (e.g., quality of schools, enrichment opportunities) and they have difficulty paying. 4. In 2005, 53% of children from the highest-income families attained college degrees while only 11% of those from the poorest families were able to achieve this goal. VI. Social and Cultural Capital A. Social capital is “who you know” and is critical in developing academic motivation. More directly, personal connections help in job placement and advancement. B. Cultural capital is “fitting in” and is accumulated from birth. Knowledge, values, manners of dress and speech all matter. C. Social and cultural capital are more attainable for those born into higher social classes.

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

D. Cultural capital is particularly important as an identifier of social class in the workplace. To be seriously considered for positions, individuals must “fit the part.” VII. Homeownership and Neighborhood Effects A. The probability of owning a home increases significantly with income and wealth. B. Homeownership is associated with numerous benefits. 1.

Primary source of wealth.

2. Can be used to finance a child’s education. 3. Improves home environment including physical condition of the house, presence of educational materials, self-esteem, and health. 4. Reduces mobility and increases the probability of remaining in the same school. 5. Home ownership rates are much lower for minorities than for whites. Much of the difference is due to income differences but race itself is also a factor. Neighborhoods are still highly segregated in terms of race. C. Summary: Those born with less are less likely to live in their own homes. Mobility hurts educational achievement. Families lose out on an important source of wealth. Residents of poor neighborhoods lack funding for public safety, strong educational opportunities, quality social networks, and role models. VIII. Race and Gender A. It is difficult to untangle race and class. Minorities have lower median incomes and lower average levels of education. B. However, low income Blacks are twice as likely to remain poor and only one quarter as likely to move to the highest income quartile. A significant portion of the income gap between whites and Blacks is unexplained by factors such as education and occupation. Blacks are alarmingly more downwardly mobile than whites. C. Gender and social class are also linked. Women make 75 cents on the dollar compared to men. There is significant occupational segregation by gender. Many highly male occupations (like engineering) have higher prestige rankings than heavily female occupations (like nursing).

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

D. Jobs may have lower pay/prestige because they are heavily female and/or women may be funneled into these fields because of the lower pay/prestige. E. Social class is intertwined with race and gender but is important in its own right. A white man born to financial means will face significant advantages over a white man born into poverty. IX. Class in the Workplace A. Workplace practices often reinforce pre-existing social class stratification. B. Credentialism (i.e., educational achievement) is often used as a sorting mechanism for job applicants even when it isn’t relevant. X. A Multi-Layered Approach to Change Disadvantages of social class must be challenged at all levels. A. National Level 1. Increases in minimum wage would help push back the recent increase in income inequality. 2. The No Child Left Behind Act has increased accountability in education. 3. Passage of the Universal Health Care bill may result in improved health coverage for lower social classes. B. Institutional Changes 1. Improved access to college through such means as SAT-optional policies and increased recruitment of individuals from lower income groups. C. Workplace Changes 1. All qualified persons should be considered for job openings. Unnecessary education levels and other symbols of social class (dress and speech patterns, etc.) should not be as heavily weighted. 2. Equalized benefits across social classes. Paid leave and educational opportunities should not vary by class. 3. Reduced symbols of social class within the workplace such as executive lunchrooms, reserved parking spaces, and washrooms.

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

XI. Summary: Because social class is commonly viewed as something that is changeable, resulting inequities are often seen as deserved but, like racism and sexism, classism is based on false assumptions about underlying differences among groups. Americans need to take a hard look at the way the system really works in terms of merit and rewards. Only then will the perceptions of the personal qualities of those of lower status be questioned and discrimination reduced.

Teaching Tip America as a meritocracy is a deeply held belief of many students. You may want to begin the discussion by talking about the relative impacts of luck and work in your student’s own achievements. Ask if they believe they would be where they are if they had been born into a different family. Ask them to break into percentages how much of where they are in terms of education, jobs, etc. is due to the luck of being born into a specific social class and how much is due to their own efforts. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. In your own success in achieving a college education, consider the following four factors: a) your parent’s attitude toward education, b) your parent’s financial resources, c) the quality of your elementary and secondary schools, and d) your own hard work and determination. a)

Rank these factors in terms of their importance in your own experience. The rankings of these factors will vary student by student.

b) Choose any three combinations of two factors listed in question 1 (for example, school quality and student work ethic) and explain why they are likely to be correlated. There are six possible combinations of the factors. There are a number of arguments that could explain correlations between the factors. Here are some suggestions: a) Parental attitudes toward education and parental financial resources: Parents with money are likely to have a higher level of education; this may be a sign that they value education. In the other direction, those who know they can afford a college education for their children may be more likely to emphasize the value of education throughout the child’s life. b) Parent’s attitudes toward education and the quality of schools: Often, parents who place a high importance on the education of their children will do their best to make sure their children go to good schools. This may

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

mean moving to a good school district, private schooling or taking advantage of school choices offered in many urban environments. In the other direction, one measure of school quality is the connection with parents. A good school can go a long way in improving a parent’s attitude toward education. c) Parent’s attitudes toward education and a student’s hard work and determination: Children take their cues from their parents. Children will often work harder at something if it is important to their parents. d) Parent’s financial resources and the quality of schools: Parents with greater financial resources will often use these resources to make sure their children go to better schools. Good school districts and private schools are options for some social classes. e) Parent’s financial resources and student’s hard work: This one is a little trickier to connect directly. One could argue that students from higher social classes will work hard so that they will live the same quality of life on their own or, that students from lower classes who want an education will work harder for scholarships. f) Quality of the schools and students hard work and determination: Environment and expectations matter in educational outcomes. Students who are challenged, who are undistracted, and of whom things are expected will tend to work harder. High quality schools will have a greater proportion of students going on to pursue higher education. Such role models can be an inspiration for younger students to work harder. 2. Suppose a financial services company offered tuition reimbursement to their employees who work as financial advisors but not to administrative assistants. Why might a company do this? How do policies such as these reduce class mobility? Do you believe such policies are fair? To the question of why a company might do this, there are a number of possibilities. It may be something that competing financial services companies offer and therefore is a necessary recruiting tool. It may be that they estimate the increase in productivity from training their advisors will pay off while paying to educate assistants will not. They may view financial advisors as more likely than administrative assistants to stay on after taking advantage of the tuition benefit. To the question as to how these reduce class mobility, those with higher education are given an opportunity to move up the ladder at a lower cost than those in assistant positions. Instead of improving mobility, such policies make matters worse. “Fair” is clearly a judgment call.

30. Social Class: The Fiction of American Meritocracy

3. After reading the article, do you agree with the statement, “Through hard work, everybody can succeed in American society?” If so, try to counter the arguments given in the article. If not, what do you believe is the biggest obstacle? If you believe that change is needed, give an example of a government or organizational policy that you believe would help reduce classism. Because this is such a widely held belief, many students will remain convinced that this statement is true. They may argue that elementary and high school educations are free and that good students come out of even the poorest schools. They may argue that state school tuition is within reach and that scholarships and loans are available. They may argue that social and cultural capital can be accumulated by all. They may argue that racism and sexism are no longer huge obstacles to success.

Writing Assignment (not in the text) Choose one of the following impediments to social mobility:

(1) Access to quality elementary and secondary education (2) Access to a college education (3) Ability to own a home in a good neighborhood (4) Access to social and cultural capital Explain why the particular opportunity you have chosen differs among social classes (find evidence beyond what is given in the chapter) and discuss what can be done to improve access.

Diversity on the Web Visit The New York Times’ website to determine your social “class percentile.” 1. Go to www.nytimes.com 2. In the search box type, “Class Matters” 3. Choose “NYTimes Special Section: Class Matters” 4. Click on the “Where do you fit in” graphic 5. Choose your current occupation, education, income and wealth and note your percentile 6. Re-enter what you believe your occupation, education, income and wealth will be in ten years

31. Religion in the Workplace

RELIGION IN THE U.S. WORKPLACE Kathleen M. Fisher Assumption College Jeanne M. McNett Northeastern University Assumption College, Professor Emerita Pamela D. Sherer Providence College

Goals •

Build awareness of the historic role of religion in the United States

•

Develop awareness of potential contributions and challenges religion brings to the workplace

•

Explore best practices in involving religious diversity in the workplace

Outline of Key Points I.

Introduction

II.

Historic role of religion in the United States A. Indigenous religion B. 1600s: Colonialist Protestant search for freedom and profit C. Development of the country and the religious "Great Awakenings" challenges D. Northern industrialization, success of Protestant work ethic for industrialists, while workers were in misery. Rerum Novarum. E. Growing diversity in immigration to U.S. after WWII

III. Five Main religions in United States A. Christianity (Protestant, Catholic) B. Judaism C. Buddhism D. Islam E. Hinduism

31. Religion in the Workplace

IV. Religion in the workplace A. Contributions to organizational culture B. Challenges that accompany religion in the workplace V. Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 A. Definition B. Points of law C. Reasonable accommodation examples VI. Best practices for religion in the workplace VII. Religious diversity checklist VIII. Summary

Teaching Tips As with other diversity issues, often majority-religion student awareness of religious diversity problems is limited. They will report that everything is fine, that there is tolerance in the workplace. Yet once practices are closely examined, students may begin to see that there are issues around practices for people who are not members of the majority religion. Try discussing food and drink at celebrations, what people of other religions wear to work or what the minority religion calendars are. Working these conversations inductively will often bring students to a realization on their own that the outlier is often forced to assert his/her rights in order to have them.

Additional Assignment (not in text) Research the treatment of the value of work in the five major religions of the United States.

Writing Assignment You manage a department of twenty-three employees, many of whom are Christian. Write a policy that clearly articulates how the organization accommodates requests for religious holiday leave. Include an explanation of how employees and management will communicate and resolve scheduling conflicts that may arise as a result of multiple requests for leave. Explain how you will communicate this policy to your employees.

31. Religion in the Workplace

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Comment on the general involvement of religion in the U.S. public life, and particularly in the workplace. If a Puritan religious leader were suddenly to show up at your most recent job site, how might you explain the issues related to religion there to him? At present, the involvement of religion in the workplace is undergoing change. While its presence makes many people uncomfortable, its potential contributions to the organization's culture suggest that its presence may increase. If well managed, it can contribute positively to the workplace. The examples will vary and they should support the point the writer has taken on the question. A Puritan leader would be shocked at the level of diversity, including religious diversity, in our workforce and so would need educating. 2. You are an entrepreneur beginning your first start-up company, and you have ample seed money. How might you intentionally involve religion in the new business culture you are about to build? The response to this question will apply the Diversity Checklist and best practices. 3. Using the Religious Diversity Checklist, conduct an audit of an organization to which you have belonged. Once you answer the questions, analyze the answers and generalize from them to offer the organization advice on its treatment of religion in the workplace. How would you rate the organization on its performance on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being excellent)? The response to this question will be individual. It will apply the checklist to an organization, and then analyze the results, looking for a pattern. It will then evaluate the organization against the checklist and best practices. 4. Discuss the contributions religion might make to an organization for which you have worked. Then discuss the challenges that the introduction on religious diversity there might create. Again, this is an individualized question, so the responses will vary. Here is an example: If my crew team shared religion and practiced together, by praying and discussing the role of religion in our own lives, we would probably be a better crew team. We would probably cut each other more slack, be more understanding of individual characteristics, and not always go to negative attribution so quickly. This ideal is highly unlikely because we have quite different practice patterns and our religious beliefs vary from quite conservative, fundamentalist convictions, to secular humanism, to atheism. If the two fundamentalists started praying at practice, we could have major issues. If our coach was a convinced believer and led us in a moderate way, we might just benefit from the involvement of religion.

31. Religion in the Workplace

Resources Videos: “Marketing the Message: Selling Jesus or Selling Jesus Out?” Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2006. http://ffh.films.com/ Program looks at efforts to market the message of the Bible through events such as NASCAR racing and pro wrestling, Jesus-oriented products such as Bibles styled like fashion magazines, and religious tourism sites such as The Holy Land Experience in Orlando. “Is God Green” (2006). http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/green/watch.html Examines the split within evangelical Christianity over whether the Bible contains a moral imperative to protect the environment from human usage. Explores the implications of this dispute for American politics and business. “The Quran, the Bible, and the Torah.” (2004). Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2004. http://ffh.films.com Three scholars present their perspectives on the revelatory and inspirational texts of the three religions of the Book. “I BELIEVE—with Dennis Wholey.” Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2007. http://ffh.films.com A 26-part series that visits churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other houses of worship to examine the religious diversity in the United States. Series includes a two-part interfaith roundtable discussion that can be purchased separately. “No Rest for the Wicked: Protestantism and Economics.” Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2006. http://ffh.films.com Examines the rise of the Protestant work ethic and the religious foundations of Western industry; includes segments on John Calvin, colonial leader John Winthrop, and Benjamin Franklin. Discusses the divisions that arose within Protestantism over slavery and the excesses of factory labor. “The Muslims I Know.” Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2008. http://ffh.films.com Attempts to dispel stereotypes about Muslim faith and practice through interviews addressing questions from non-Muslim Americans to Pakistani-born American citizens.

31. Religion in the Workplace

Websites: “God in America” www.pbs.org/godinamerica The Pluralism Project at Harvard University http://pluralism.org/ Includes an extensive list of multimedia resources on religious pluralism. Nash, Laura. “Can Religion and Business Learn From Each Other?” Working Knowledge, Harvard Business School. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/3511.html Books: Nash, Laura and S. McLennan, Church on Sunday, Work on Monday: The Challenge of Fusing Christian Values with Business Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001.

Points of Law Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of l964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing, and other terms and conditions of employment. Title VII covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments, employment agencies and labor organizations, as well as the federal government. Under Title VII: Employers may not treat employees or applicants more or less favorably because of their religious beliefs or practices – except to the extent a religious accommodation is warranted. For example, an employer may not refuse to hire individuals of a certain religion, may not impose stricter promotion requirements for persons of a certain religion, and may not impose more or different work requirements on an employee because of that employee's religious beliefs or practices. Employees cannot be forced to participate – or not participate – in a religious activity as a condition of employment. Employers must reasonably accommodate employees' sincerely held religious practices unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer. A reasonable religious accommodation is any adjustment to the work environment that will allow the employee to practice his religion. An employer might accommodate an employee's religious beliefs or practices by allowing flexible scheduling, voluntary substitutions or swaps, job reassignments and lateral transfers, modification of

31. Religion in the Workplace

grooming requirements and other workplace practices, policies and/or procedures. An employer is not required to accommodate an employee's religious beliefs and practices if doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employers' legitimate business interests. An employer can show undue hardship if accommodating an employee's religious practices requires more than ordinary administrative costs, diminishes efficiency in other jobs, infringes on other employees' job rights or benefits, impairs workplace safety, causes co-workers to carry the accommodated employee's share of potentially hazardous or burdensome work, or if the proposed accommodation conflicts with another law or regulation. Employers must permit employees to engage in religious expression, unless the religious expression would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Generally, an employer may not place more restrictions on religious expression than on other forms of expression that have a comparable effect on workplace efficiency. Employers must take steps to prevent religious harassment of their employees. An employer can reduce the chance that employees will engage in unlawful religious harassment by implementing an anti-harassment policy and having an effective procedure for reporting, investigating and correcting harassing conduct. It is also unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on religion or for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under Title VII. (adapted from www.eeoc.gov/types/religion.html)

31. Religion in the Workplace

Diversity on the Web Select a religion that you are unfamiliar with from Table 1 and, using some of the resources listed below, answer the following questions: a) What are some of the basic beliefs and practices of the religion you chose? b) Are there any specific past or current workplace issues that have been raised with respect to this religion and/or its practices? c) In general, what strategies can organizations use to educate employees about religious diversity? Comment on challenges that organizations may face when addressing the discussion of religious diversity. The following Internet resources will be helpful in beginning your research. BBC Religion

www.bbc.co.uk/religion/

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

http://pewforum.org/

The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

www.pluralism.org/resources/links/index.php

Krista Tippett on Being

http://being.publicradio.org/

Virtual Religion Index

http://virtualreligion.net/vri/

Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion Internet Guide to Religion www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/guide_headings.aspx

32. Understanding Intercultural Communications

UNDERSTANDING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS IN TODAY’S GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT Gina Ruxton Brandeis University Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To understand the different communication models used by different cultures in the workplace today

•

To learn more about direct versus indirect communication styles

•

To investigate how individuals contribute to the workplace in terms of group communication and conflict

•

To understand the impact of different non-verbal communication styles among different cultures in the workplace

•

To be exposed to the benefits of intercultural communication in the workplace

Outline I.

Introduction A. Communication between culturally diverse sub-groups is increasingly dissimilar. B. Technology has increased exposure to intercultural communication. C. Basic communication model can be more complicated with cultural diversity.

II. Communication Model A. Intercultural communication impacts the basic communication model. B. Different norms and values impact the possibility of miscommunications.

32. Understanding Intercultural Communications

III. Growth and Flexibility A. Effective communication requires knowledge of cultures and personal flexibility. B. Generalizations may lead to inaccurate interpretations, conclusions, and judgments. C. Avoid assuming all members of a subgroup communicate in the same way. IV. Languages A. 79% of workers in the U.S. report speaking fluent English. B. 9.1% report being limited in English proficiency. C. 96% of Americans believe it is very important for the U.S. workforce to speak English. D. 25% of the U.S. workforce can hold a conversation in a language other than English. V. Direct and Indirect Communication Styles and American Sub-Cultures A. Observe communication cues and behaviors. B. Different styles of speech and language can cause anxiety when interpreting messages. C. People contribute in a greater capacity if they are comfortable with their counterparts. D. Communication styles are denied because people cannot cope with difference. VI. Maintaining Harmony and Emotionalism A. People from different cultures deal with conflict differently. B. Some cultures purposefully avoid conflict. VII. Individual and Group Communication: Culture Context A. The U.S. workforce is predominately low context. B. The U.S. workforce is predominately individualistic.

32. Understanding Intercultural Communications

VIII. Non-Verbal Communication A. Many people use non-verbal cues to better understand a message. B. Most cultures use different non-verbal cues, based on their own assumptions and values. IX. Benefits of Intercultural Communication A. Competency and sensitivity in intercultural communication create a more productive workplace. B. Businesses can capitalize on intercultural communication knowledge. 1. Diverse perspectives (e.g., decreased conflict, better understanding) 2. Competitive advantages (e.g., increased commerce)

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What factors make it difficult for people to understand how differences in intercultural communication styles can cause serious misunderstandings? •

Workers have been socialized to believe particular verbal and non-verbal cues have one meaning.

•

People often categorize others as being representative of their entire culture.

•

People have many social identities and some are more salient or important influences on their patterns of communication than others.

2. Why is it important to understand some of the general communication tendencies of cultures or diverse groups? •

Minimizes miscommunications

•

Decreases conflict

•

Improves commerce and productivity

32. Understanding Intercultural Communications

3. Briefly describe an example of an intercultural miscommunication exchange that you have either participated in or observed in the workplace, at college, or in a public place. How did the communicators exhibit some of the dimensions described in this article? In retrospect, what could have been done differently to improve the communication in terms of the sender, choice of medium, and the receiver? Students’ answers will vary according to their experiences. 4. Develop an original example of an intercultural communication misinterpretation in a job interview situation that could cause incorrect assumptions to be made about an applicant’s potential suitability for a position. Students answers will also vary here, but an example could be an interviewer who comes from a high context culture interviewing someone from a low context culture. The interviewer may think that the applicant is asking too many questions and requiring too much detail from him. He/She misinterprets this behavior as indicating that the applicant would need a lot of direction to do the job properly. The applicant may just be seeking more clarity, because s/he thinks that the interviewer isn’t providing enough information.

Writing Assignment Go to http://www.gmi.org and search for “The Ten Commandments of American Culture.” This list contains ten sayings that represent commonly accepted American cultural values. Think about how these “American” values may not be as relevant to African Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Asian Americans as they are to EuroAmericans. Write a two- to three-page paper that analyzes how these could lead to lack of motivation, poor productivity, and conflict in the workplace.

Diversity on the Web Go to http://www.diversityinc.com and search for “Things Never to Say to American Indian Coworkers” (Article #3621). After reading this list and the blog that follows it, what have you learned about communicating with Native Americans and about workplace communication? You will have to register to use this website, but if you use your .edu address, there is no charge and this is a very helpful workplace diversity website.

32. Understanding Intercultural Communications

Videos 1. Derek Sivers: Weird? Or just different www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K5SycZjGhI a. Give an example of a situation when providing directions to complete a task could be challenging to co-workers with different cultural backgrounds. b. Give three examples of careers that could base the salary or pay on the success rate of the individual, such as a doctor. 2. Cross Cultural Communication in a Global World www.youtube.com/watch?v=TazlyjfVsio a. Give two examples of simple tasks in the workplace that may be completely unknown to a person from a different culture. b. Do you agree that global travel is the only way to truly gain cultural understanding, or can it be learned in a classroom?

33. Communicating with a Global Call Center Exercise

COMMUNICATING WTH A GLOBAL CALL CENTER EXERCISE Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To improve one’s ability to communicate with people from another culture

•

To apply the concepts of intercultural communication in an interactive manner

•

To practice mindful listening and negotiation skills

•

To develop stronger listening skills

Instructions Since communication patterns are learned and often highly influenced by cultural values and patterns, it is important to teach students how to recognize and negotiate through intercultural communication differences. While some students may study abroad, travel extensively, and/or work in another country, in today’s global economy with the proliferation of call centers, one does not have to leave home to have an intercultural communication encounter. Because most students can relate to a frustrating call center communication (or more likely miscommunication), this exercise provides an opportunity to build intercultural awareness and listening skills. One way to introduce this exercise is to ask for a show of hands on the following question: “How many of you have had a frustrating call center conversation?” Then ask a few of the students to briefly describe their exchange. Now ask the class, “For everyone who raised their hand initially, how many of you knew where your phone call was answered?” Most students will guess, but call center operators seldom identify their locations. The following points correspond with the student instructions in the text and provide guidelines developed from having run this assignment multiple times. 1. Form diverse teams of 4-5 students. To minimize dysfunctional subgroups of friends, roommates, etc., it is best to assign the students teams yourself. 2. Require written scripts. It is important that the students first write a script, not just demonstrate an unprepared intercultural conversation. Stress that writing is a process and the best dialogues result from several revisions. There should not be any non-verbal cues used in the conversation because this is a telephone communication and participants would not be able to see each other. Often, students want to make role plays humorous, but this exercise is better when it is a serious business conversation.

33. Communicating with a Global Call Center Exercise

3. The debriefing involves the rest of the class as active learners. Remind observers before the role plays begin that their job is to identify the mismatches of styles in the conversations. It is the responsibility of the presenting team to conduct this discussion. 4. The second conversation illustrates the team’s ability to conduct a mindful intercultural communication. This conversation corrects the previous miscommunications and resolves any issues between the caller and the call center employee. 5. Conduct the wrap-up yourself. Try to use examples from the presentations to illustrate how to recognize intercultural communication elements to diagnose miscommunications and improve negotiations. After reading your notes and the scripts, provide each group with feedback using the attached assessment form. 6. Instruct student observers to complete the Call Center Assignment Feedback Form on the following page for each group, for grading and assessment purposes. Try to encourage observers to make specific feedback that refers to principles in the Ruxton article.

Diversity on the Web To see a global call center and intercultural verbal and non-verbal miscommunication in action, go to http://ncb.com. In the search box, write “jolly vindaloo day.” Then, click on the 10-14-10 episode. This will give you a short clip from the television show Outsourced. Select and watch this video and provide specific examples of as many verbal and non-verbal miscommunications that you hear and see.

33. Communicating with a Global Call Center Exercise

CALL CENTER ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK FORM

Group # _______

Situation:

Your evaluation of the 1st role play in terms of illustrating inter-cultural miscommunications. Did the group clearly and creatively illustrate these elements in an understandable way?

Your evaluation of group-led class discussion. How well did the group questions get the class involved in the dialogue?

Your evaluation of the 2nd role play. How well did the group illustrate adapting a conversation to the listener’s style elements that can result in a more successful negotiation?

Your evaluation of the script. How well was the script written in terms of content, grammar, style, and writing?

Group Grade _______

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

THE CULTURE OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE AND ITS IMPACT ON A MOBILE TRAINING TEAM CASE Christopher C. Butts K. Parks Consulting, Inc. Elizabeth Sanz University of Central Florida Kizzy M. Parks K. Parks Consulting, Inc. Daniel P. McDonald Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute

Goals •

To illustrate the economic, political, and security costs of inadequate crosscultural competence

•

To illustrate the implications of stereotyping and group affiliation associated with system justification

•

To examine the reasons for and advantages of utilizing 3C cross-cultural competency training

Case Synopsis This case provides a true example of cross-cultural competence related incidents between the U.S. Air Force and the Honduran military. The information presented in the case has been updated and reflects justification of military systems in place to keep things status quo. Due to the hierarchical organizational culture of the military, ethnocentric themes present themselves during the case and allow for making recommendations that may or may not already be adopted by the U.S. Air Force. The military culture has benefited greatly by learning from such cases as this one and is a leading force for cross-cultural competence allowing the success of commands located worldwide. This case was one of many similar incidents faced by the U.S. military. Policies were altered slowly, one incident at a time. Ethnic and cultural minorities in the military are now being encouraged to provide recommendations for improvements in future military programs involving cross-cultural interactions. Over time, younger, lesssenior, minority officers are encouraged to bring up potential issues that they perceived in policies and requirements.

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

Pedagogy System Justification Theory and Cross Cultural Competency (3Cs) theories can be used to approach the teaching and analysis of this case. System Justification Theory – holds that individuals will support and defend the status quo of the dominant unit. This dominant unit may be one of a social, economic, or political affiliation, but the focus is on maintaining things the way they are, because that’s the way they’ve been done (Jost, 2001). An example of this would be the program manager’s desire to continue to choose the team members for this Mobile Training Unit (MTT) in the manner he and others before him had done, rather than taking into consideration the need for Spanish speakers. System justification theory developed from efforts to expand on already established research and concepts including the Marxian ideology, focusing on the justification of inequality and exploitation (Jost & Banaji, 1994). The major belief of system justification theory is that individuals will use ideas or stereotypes about groups to validate the way things are, so the existing social, economic, or political arrangements are believed to be appropriate (Jost, Banaji, & Nosek, 2004). Often, the dominant unit is known as the established in-group. In-groups and out-groups are usually in place due to the political, economic, or social structure. In the current case, the original personnel selected for the mission were in-group members (non-Spanish speaking Americans), and personal friends with those in charge of selecting members for the second MTT deployment. Research has demonstrated that members of the group low in standing tend to suppress unfavorable behaviors or stereotypes of their own group and instead support those behaviors or stereotypes of the successful out-group, exhibiting what is known as “outgroup favoritism” (Jost & Banaji, 1994; Sidanius, 1993). Existing institutions, policies, procedures and their results are seen as fair and legitimate even if there is reason to believe they are not (Tyler & McGraw, 1986). Despite the existence of out-group (minority) members who were qualified to join the second deployment, no one prior to First Lt. Sanchez questioned the selection procedures or policies in place that prevented out-group members from being considered for the mission. In addition, there is a bias for individuals to make decisions in favor of the status quo and avoid decisions that may entail change. While individuals will stick with behaviors that have worked in the past because they are familiar, they may fail to consider alternatives (Silver & Mitchell, 1990). This was evident in the military program manager’s adherence to tradition, and choosing to waste money on relocating and training a non-Spanish speaker to learn basic language skills prior to deployment rather than utilizing the talent and resources available in the Hispanic personnel.

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

Lastly, according to system justification theory, there is a display of “outcome bias” when evaluating other individuals and groups, demonstrating that successful people are perceived as possessing attributes consistent with their success and unsuccessful people are perceived as possessing attributes consistent with their failure (Allison, Mackie, & Messick, 1996). System justification theory is demonstrated in the current case. The military program manager used the justification of “that’s the way things have always been done” to justify the selection of non-Spanish speaking personnel for the second MTT mission, despite the potential of this decision to undermine the success of the second deployment. In the end, it was the decisions made by upper management (i.e., the Wing Commander) to break with the traditional way of doing things, which prevented the waste of funds in training existing American military members and ultimately led to the success of the overall mission in South America. Cross-Cultural Competence (3Cs) – This theoretical approach has a number of varying definitions and models explaining the knowledge, skills, and awareness needed to effectively operate in any global environment. The Department of Defense (2012) defines 3C as a … set of culture-general knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes developed through education, training, and experience that provide the ability to operate successfully within a culturally complex environment (p.1). The military has worked extensively to increase their efforts in investigating 3C and implementing supporting practices and training. Previously, the military often sent English-speaking Americans to language schools for six months to learn another language, in order to send them to assignments overseas. After incidents such as the one detailed in this case, those who already possessed the desired qualities (both language and technical skills) were encouraged to apply for such positions. There are differences of opinion among disciplines on what competencies constitute 3C. Yet, there are three consistent competencies among the industry and military models: (1) Cultural adaptability, (2) Cultural perspective taking, and (3) Interpersonal skills. 1. Cultural adaptability suggests a leader must have an understanding of their own actions and have the ability to adjust their behaviors to the task using the social and nonverbal cues to manage change and achieve mission readiness (Johnston, Paris, McCoy, Severe, & Hughes, 2010; Russell, et al., 2005).

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

2. Cultural perspective taking emphasizes the leaders’ aptitude to understand the impact culture has on influencing an individuals’ self-perception and their perception of others, taking the other’s point of view into consideration, and how one interprets their own behavior (Johnston et al., 2010). 3. Interpersonal skills stress the significance of rapport building and the effective management of interacting with others from a culture different from one’s own (Johnston et al., 2010).

Postscript Despite the initial resistance to include Spanish speakers in the MTT mission, upper level leadership came to realize the benefit of including such individuals after the failure of the initial mission. The success of the second training was evident and quickly garnered the respect and praise of the military. This effort was recognized with awards and commendations for Captain Anderson, who led the mission, and for the success of the mission itself. Eventually, communism was eliminated in Nicaragua and a democracy formed. First Lieutenant Sanchez went on to request other missions and assignments that utilized his language skills. Subsequent MTTs sent to the region also included Spanish-speaking U.S. military members. Fortunately, due to efforts made by Sanchez and the other Spanishspeaking MTT member, the lectures, reading materials, tests, and exams were all translated into a format that allowed the Honduran military to fully understand the training. Today, the military is more culturally competent, and incidents such as this one are less likely to occur. However, it is important to keep in mind the lessons learned from these past experiences when moving forward in leading teams and organizations, particularly when engaging with other cultures, nationalities, coalitions, multinationals, religions, etc. It is not solely the ability to speak another language, but also the knowledge of the customs and cultures in which one is interacting that leads to success in multinational missions. The inclusion of native-speakers who are well versed in the values and customs of a culture on this mission was essential in maintaining the peace between the U.S. and Honduran military, as well as conveying the material in a manner that could be readily utilized by the Hondurans.

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

Conclusion The importance of cross-cultural competence is just as vital for the success of the U.S. military, as it is for business. Currently, the military operates in complex and uncertain environments facing a diversity of threats and adversaries. To serve the American people and protect enduring interests, there has been an increased focus on rebalancing region/language specific skills and cross-cultural competence. Given such, there is a concentrated effort to increase 3C research by industry and the military to ensure continued mission success.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What are the major problems in this case in terms of cross national cooperation and coordination? Prior to the mission: a) Failure to consider alternatives to the traditional way of doing things regarding the qualifications of personnel selected for the mission b) Disregard for the opinions and suggestions of (out-group or subordinate) others Related to the mission: a) Lack of language skills by both the Honduran and U.S. military. While the Honduran military could speak rudimentary English, the U.S. military members should have been fluent in Spanish to properly convey the training. b) The U.S. military’s ethnocentric assumptions (i.e., assuming the Honduran military were fluent enough to be instructed in English) c) The U.S. military’s unawareness of host-country traditions and culturally appropriate communication d) Insecurity of Honduran military in voicing concerns. Despite the previous failure of the training due to language barriers and failures in communication, the Honduran military did not want to appear ignorant or anger the U.S. military forces by voicing these concerns. This speaks to the power differential and pressures felt by the Honduran military to conform to the expectations of the U.S. military, even at the expense of achieving the goals of the mission.

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

2. Describe the international implications toward the United States in terms of economical, political, and security concerns if this same scenario were taking place with the Afghan military forces currently being trained. a) The U.S. military needs to be culturally sensitive to the needs of the host nations. Whenever possible, training and other transactions should be made available in the host-country’s native language (either using a translator or a bilingual U.S. military member) to demonstrate respect for the host-country as well as be perceived as a sincere effort in dealing with the locals. b) Also, having open channels of communication is essential to pointing out potential weaknesses in the system. This is one of the components that that was lacking from the interactions between the U.S. and Honduran military in this case study. Integrating the host-country’s personnel whenever possible is a first step towards achieving this, as well as indicating that the mission is collaboration rather than domination of the host-country. This would also increase acceptance of decisions and changes made by the U.S. military forces. 3. What lessons does this case teach that can be applied to any global organization? a) Do not assume that your way is the only way or the right way. Seek the opinions and suggestions of others, both within your organization and with natives of the country with whom you are doing business. Garnering as many diverse ideas and suggestions leads to more creative solutions to problems. b) When an organizational culture is very strong, it may be difficult for “out-group” members to voice their concerns or opinions. This may lead to costly problems that could have been avoided at an earlier time. c) Remember: “When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman When designing training, products, etc., consider the audience first and put forth the effort to have materials translated into the native language of the host-country, even if English is considered the international language of business; and check for cultural appropriateness.

34. The Culture of the U.S. Air Force

4. Given the many U.S. military installations across the globe and the values of structure, rank, and chain of command, what should be included in training for cross-cultural competence? Members should be trained on what is culturally appropriate with regards to both formal and informal (e.g., joking) communication and interactions with the local population. Also, consider the hierarchical structure of the host-country. Depending on the culture, it may be considered rude for a lower ranking/status individual to speak informally to someone of higher rank/status, even in informal settings.

Bibliography Our 21st century total force. Retrieved August 7, 2012 from http:://www.defenseculture.org/Home/index.cfm

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

FIGHTING FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: WOMEN’S CHANGING ROLES IN THE U.S. MILITARY Joseph R. Bongiovi University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Goals •

To understand the challenges to women’s equality of opportunity in organizations and particularly in traditionally masculine organizations

•

To understand the role of women in the U.S. military, a substantial and symbolic institution in our society, and how this role has changed over time

•

To gain an appreciation for environmental and institutional factors that shape the process of gender relations in the military, as well as in other organizations

•

To review factors that enhance or inhibit equality of opportunity for women

Outline I.

Introduction A.

Military has been a male dominated institution

Women’s roles in the military have expanded due to

Personnel needs

Changing social norms

Proven performance

Further expansion of women’s roles is inhibited by 1.

Entrenched cultural biases

Male ambivalence towards sexual harassment and assault

Lack of access to high prestige and high profile combat jobs

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

II. Theories on the Role of Gender in Organizations A. Progress has been made both for and by women in U.S. society, but 1.

Women lack equal representation in highest status positions

Women receive less than 80% of male pay on average

B. Diverse theories seeking to explain these conflicting experiences 1. “Legal-rational” organizations remove inefficient discrimination 2.

Organizations themselves are inherently gendered

Labor market segregation

Role enactment

Sexual harassment and assault

“Hegemonic masculinity”

Deeply embedded and socially constructed aspects of U.S. society

C. It is likely that these mechanisms are present simultaneously III. Growing Representation and Importance of Women in the U.S. Military A. Early female service 1.

Began on the eve of WWI

2. Growing to 350,000 in active service during WWII 3. Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 limited women to no more than 2% of the military and rank no higher than Colonel (Lieutenant Colonel on a permanent basis) 4. In the USSR, Israel, and other countries, women had broader roles B. Expanded service for women in the armed forces 1. All-volunteer military in 1973 2. Admission to service academies in 1976 3. Participation reached 10% in 1985 4. Participation reached 15% in 2004

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

IV. Mechanisms for Inclusion A. Institutional and normative changes in society 1.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

3. Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 B. After the end of conscription 1. August 1973: Army was 19%, Marine Corps 17%, below quota 2. Army increased eligible occupations from 139 to 436 (out of 484) 3. Army doubled the number of women 4. Air Force doubled the number of jobs available to women 5.

Air Force increased from 7,000 in 1968 to 17,000 in 1973

November 1973: the military met enlistment goals

7. Separate Women’s Corps merged into regular military in 1978 C First Gulf War 1. Demonstrated effectiveness of women in the military 2. More than 40,000 women deployed to the Persian Gulf 3. Services open combat aviation positions to women in 1993 4. Occupations supporting ground combat units open in 1994 5. Congress allows women on surface combat ships in 1994 D. Women again demonstrate capabilities in Iraq and Afghanistan 1. Nature and duration of war required broader female engagement 2. More than 280,000 women participated in those wars 3. Women suffered at least 150 fatalities and 800 injuries V. Continued Progress or a “Brass” Ceiling? A. Women excluded from high prestige combat roles in many branches until 2013 1. In practice, many women are in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan but don’t get “credit” for it

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

2. Women serve in aviation, air defense, military police, engineering, logistics, transport, and medical roles 3. Women are “attached” to civil engagement, engineering, explosive disposal, medical, and military police teams on front line Marine, Army, and Special Operations combat units 4. In CIA, female paramilitary operatives fight, kill, and die in operations in Afghanistan and other combat locations 5. Women serve in all roles on Navy ships, aircraft and submarines B. Women prohibited from being flag officers until the late 1960s 1. Female flag officers were not promoted until 1970 2. Only 11 female flag officers by 1994, none above two stars 3. By 2011, there were 71 female flag officers 4. By 2012, there were two female four star generals 5. Female flag officers from 1.2% in 1994 to 7.3% in 2011 C. In spite of all the progress, female rank attainment lags 1. Total female participation has stagnated at about 14.5% 2. Women have experienced only marginal improvement in rank 3. Females occupy lower ranks in greater percentages than males 4. Female junior non commissioned officers (NCOs) are only 78.2% as likely as their male counterparts to become senior NCOs 5. Female company grade officers (Lieutenants and Captains) are only 75.6% as likely as their male counterparts to become field grade officers (Majors, Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels, and their Navy equivalents) 6. Female field grade officers are only 55.2% as likely as their male counterparts to become flag officers (Generals and Admirals) VI. Mechanisms for Exclusion A. Organizational culture of “hegemonic masculinity” B. Sexual harassment and assault

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

1. 21 to 23% female service members reported sexual harassment in 2010 2. 2% of women and 38% of men indicate unit members can get away with harassment and assault 3. Female harassment and assault rates in the military are more than five times that in civilian workplaces in 2010 C. Women excluded from high prestige combat arms and special operations until 2013 1. Women blocked from more than 220,000 positions 2. 34% of Army positions closed to women 3. 32% of Marine Corps positions closed to women 4. 12% of Navy positions closed to women 5. 1% of Air Force positions closed to women 6. Most closed positions comprised of high prestige and promotion combat arms, special operations, and co-located positions 7. 19% of men but only 3% of women serve in combat arms 8. But 24% of women since 1990 deployed to combat zones 9. Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) in 1989 recommended that women be allowed into all military fields, including combat 10. Former flag officers authoring a 2011 Congressional report called on the military to eliminate combat exclusion policies for women and create a level playing field for all service members 11. End of automatic restriction for women in ground combat signed by Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in January 2013. Branches given until May 15 to submit integration plan, as well as identify occupations that will continue to be excluded.

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

Baldwin et al v Panetta et al and Hegar et al v Panetta

In May 2012, two female Army Reservists, Sergeant Major Jane P. Baldwin and Colonel Ellen L. Haring, sued the Department of Defense and the United States Army in Federal Court. They contend that women have been serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the military circumventing its own regulations by “attaching” women to combat units instead of “assigning” them. The practical implications are not keeping women out of harm’s way, but are keeping them from high prestige and high promotion combat arms assignments. The plaintiffs argue that this policy based only on gender violates equal protection under the law and is unconstitutional as it restricts their opportunities for career advancement, higher earnings and pensions (Associated Press, 2012 a; The New York Times, 2012). On November 27, 2012 the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of female officers and NCOs against Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arguing that the ban on women in ground combat units was unconstitutional, outdated and ineffective. The plaintiffs included Major Mary Jennings Hegar of the California Air National Guard who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor and Purple Heart after her helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan; Marine Captain Alexandra Zoe Bedell who commanded female engagement teams with ground combat units in Afghanistan; Marine Lieutenant Colleen Farrell who served in engagement teams in combat in Afghanistan; and Staff Sergeant Jennifer Hunt a civil affairs specialist in the Army Reserves. (Beard, 2012; Dao, 2012b; Doyle, 2012; Hlad, 2012). Postscript: In January 2013, the Department of Defense instituted an administrative order requiring the branches to submit integration plans to end automatic ground combat exclusions for women. These plans included identification and justification for occupations and jobs to remain excluded as well as when and how women could apply for combat jobs, and under what standards. As of the publication of this Volume, these suits remained in effect, most likely until it is clear that the implementation will provide women full opportunities for equal participation. The role of these lawsuits in encouraging movement towards change will continue to be an important point of discussion and debate regarding this issue.

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

VI. Mechanisms for Exclusion continued D. Family factors 1. Women in military less likely than male counterparts (48% versus 58%) to be married, but similar to the marriage rate of their age and gender of the overall population (46%) 2. Almost half (48%) of married women are married to another service member (versus 7% of military men), exacerbating career and deployment pressures on family for military women 3. 12% of female service members are single parents (4% of men) 4. More than 100,000 service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, about half, are mothers 5. Among deployed mothers, most were the primary caregivers and one third single mothers 6. Family issues have a disproportionately negative impact on opportunities for women 7. Female and male veterans experience family problems at similar levels (50% and 48% respectively) after leaving the military V.

Conclusion A. Substantial progress by women in the military since early 1970s 1. Changing social norms and institutional mechanisms 2. Positive performance of women in the military 3. End “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” B Many obstacles for women in the military remain 1. Women are only 14.5% of the military 2. Women are even less well represented in higher ranks

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

3. Women have been excluded from high prestige and high promotion assignments though “attached” to these same units in combat, (though the January 2013 administrative order shows promise) 4. Masculine culture militates against women 5. Military unable to stop rampant sexual harassment and assault 6. Lack of family support and flexibility constitute further barriers C. Complex and ambiguous relationship between women and the military has made it one of the last and most important remaining battlegrounds for gender equality in U.S. society 1. Progress made, but substantial barriers to overcome 2. Mechanisms enhancing equality primarily from outside 3. Pervasive obstacles are primarily within the military 4. Evidence that pressure has to come from outside 5. Because of its institutional and symbolic importance in this battle, it cannot be left unattended by those committed to fuller gender equality Teaching Tip Because notions of masculinity and the military are so deeply ingrained in society, it might be helpful to walk students through other barriers to women or racial minorities that existed previously but that we would consider ridiculous today. For instance, a U.S. Army War College Study published in 1925 claimed that African Americans were physically, mentally and morally unfit for combat. Until the 1960s, it was illegal for women to run marathons as it was considered to be physically unhealthy for them. Women were barred from being in police and fire departments, allegedly because they lacked the qualifications, until legal action forced those departments to validate their bona fides occupational qualifications (BFOQ), after which women were able to serve.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Why might gender be a particularly important issue in government organizations like the military? The military, as other government agencies, are public, rather than private. As such, they reflect and represent the core values of our society. They are symbols to others of how they should behave. They are accountable to citizens. The

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

military plays an important role in the nation’s past and present. It accounts for the largest portion of government expenditures. The Department of Defense is the world’s largest employer. The high profile and prestige of the military make its decisions and behavior particularly important. 2. How is the military similar to, or different from, other institutions and organizations in regard to structure and culture? The military has often been considered what Ervin Goffman referred to as a “total institution.” It is a hierarchical organization at the service of the country and its citizens. Members are expected to make great personal and professional sacrifices, as well as to comply with orders. The military is expected to both reflect the values of the nation, but at the same time to stand apart with higher expectations and demands. Unlike many other employers, it prescribes personal behavior. For instance, adultery is a violation of military law. Another difference is the masculine nature of the historical military culture. Because the first 150 years of U.S. military history officially prohibited women from playing any role whatsoever, it was imprinted as a masculine organization. Furthermore, it was considered to be an important test of “manhood” and “rite of passage” from being a boy to being a man. This was particularly true in times of war and conscription. When conscription has been in effect, male service has been considered to be synonymous with meeting citizenship responsibilities. 3. What factors enhance progress for women in the military? Perhaps the most important factor is the changing role of women in our society. Before women were allowed to join the military, they also had limited roles in society. As that changed, it was harder to justify limiting the role of women in the military. As the military professionalized as an “all volunteer” force, it has increasingly taken on labor market aspects. Women have been dramatically increasing their role in the labor force to the point where it has become an expected norm that also makes a compelling case for increasing participation for women in the military. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to discriminate against women. That has become a deeply accepted value that has an effect on the military as well. Title IX required equal access for women in sports in all educational organizations receiving federal funding. This increased the norm for participation of women in sports as well as dramatically improved female physical fitness, an important military requirement.

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

Women today earn 60% of bachelor and master degrees and a majority of PhDs. In an organization such as the military, with high educational requirements, female service members are increasingly important. With the end of conscription, women have been needed to meet personnel requirements. This has increased with the demands of war over the past two decades. With less than 25% of 18- 24 year olds meeting the requirements for service, qualified women are essential. Women have proven themselves over and over since joining the military. There is literally not a single role that they have been exposed to in which they have not been overwhelmingly successful. Most recently, this has been the case in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Proving themselves in the most difficult circumstances has been an important factor in women’s expanded roles. Finally, the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell” had a positive effect for several reasons. Most directly, it opened the door for service by gay women. Additionally, all women were more affected by the policy prohibiting gays from serving openly. Since women serving in the military was uncharacteristic of traditional gender roles, they were often accused of being gay, which could lead to discharge. Finally, allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military forced the military to come to grips with a greater diversity of understandings of gender roles and behaviors. 4. What factors inhibit progress for women in the military? There is a strong masculine culture in the military, creating a deeply ingrained bias against women and restricting acceptance on a daily basis. Service members tend to have relatively conservative social and political beliefs, further exacerbating the situation. Partially as a result of this perspective, until 2013, women were not allowed to participate in the highest prestige combat arms roles from which service members are most rapidly promoted. This is in spite of the fact that women have been successful in every role in which they have been allowed to participate. Additionally, women have participated in combat roles in practice, but without receiving the credit required for recognition and rapid promotion. With the change in the automatic exclusion, there is now a possibility that these practices will be reversed, but the details of the integration plan as well as the occupations that will continue to be excluded will continue to be an issue for women’s career opportunities for some time to come. In almost any endeavor, individuals are most successful in a safe and healthy work environment. The military is no different. Unfortunately, women are much more likely to be subjected to harassment and assault in the military than outside

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

of it. This is even more perplexing given the “total institution” aspects of the military. The military is a highly demanding environment that puts strains on all family members and their personal lives, both for men and for women. These issues bear an even larger burden for women, however, given the greater familial responsibilities that they tend to face, as well as the fact that military women are more likely to be single parents and/or married to a military spouse. 5. Why is the issue of harassment and assault of women in the military different from harassment and assault in civilian life? As noted earlier, the military is a “total institution” and controls the lives of its members almost more than any other institution. Women cannot just “walk away” from a threatening situation the way they might in other endeavors. They are often in extreme or isolated locations. They are expected to follow orders and adhere to authority, making it harder to say no or to complain or report an issue. They also rely on that same chain of command to address any problems that they have and may not have access to another avenue. Women are less likely to have another woman in her “chain of command” and the majority of her peers, and even subordinates are likely to be men as well. All of this presents an environment in which the likelihood and nature of harassment and assault differ from those outside of the military. 6. Why might it be more difficult to reduce harassment and assault of women in the military than it is in civilian life? Given that the military culture is highly masculine and perpetuates the notion that women are weak or subordinate, it creates a frame that might make changing interaction between men and women more difficult. The notion of “male bonding” and the prevalence of a male-only chain of command also make it more difficult to address harassment and assault. Women often have a small representation in many units, making it harder to find support. The same is true when units are in remote locations, separated from third party support or other services. 7. How might the end of the automatic ground combat exclusion affect opportunities for women in the military? The end of the automatic ground combat exclusion is certainly good news for those who believe that exclusion of more than 230,000 of the most important and highest prestige jobs from women has inhibited their career opportunities. It is

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

good news even for those who simply believe that everyone should have an equal opportunity. The challenge will be when and how the policy is implemented. The services were given until May 15, 2013 to submit their integration plans, as well as to identify occupations and jobs that will continue to exclude women. The important part of the policy is that branches now have to justify exclusion. However, that does not mean that all jobs will be open to women. Other issues include the standards and requirements for the jobs. While there is a great deal of discussion about not lowering the standards, there is less regarding what the appropriate standards should be. Women were excluded in practice from many police and fire jobs until the departments were forced to justify their bona fides occupational qualifications (BFOQs) based on the actual requirements of the job, rather than standards that favored men over women without any job based defensible justification. Those changes have opened up nearly all police and fire jobs to women, allowing them to reach the highest levels of their respective departments. Another challenge will be the ongoing culture of “hegemonic masculinity” within the military, strongest in the combat arms branches. As long as service members have a belief that women cannot and should not participate as equals to men, and act on those beliefs, the change of policy will have little effect. Finally, issues of harassment and assault will continue to define whether women are able to compete on a level playing field that is both healthy and safe for them. Being integrated into combat arms may expose them to greater risk. Alternatively, more women trained and practiced in the rigors of combat may force potential predators to think twice.

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

Diversity on the Web There are a number of very good sources regarding the challenges facing women in the military. Four of the most informative are listed below. Review each of these and identify at least one significant challenge that is an obstacle for women in the military. Identify one potential solution that addresses that problem. •

Women in the Services at http://dacowits.defense.gov

•

Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) at http://www.sapr.mil

•

The PEW Center report on women in the military at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/12/22/women-in-the-u-s-militarygrowing-share-distinctive-profile/

•

The New York Times series on “Women at Arms” at http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/us/series/women_at_arms/index.html

Writing Assignment The Marine Corps has had the lowest participation rate for female service members of all of the branches of the armed forces. As Marine Corps Commandant General James G. Amos stated, "Change doesn't come easy to the United States Marine Corps." Nevertheless, with pressure growing to acknowledge the contributions that female Marines have made to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Amos initiated an experiment allowing two female officers to attend the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Basic Course in September and 45 female officers and non-commissioned officers to be permanently assigned to combat engineer, artillery and tank battalions for the first time. "I need to get past hyperbole and get past intuition and instincts, and I need to get facts," Amos said (Baldor, 2012). The two female Marines who volunteered for the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Basic Course failed to meet the upper body strength standards. While some saw this as evidence that women are not qualified for combat assignments (O’Hanlon, 2012), others considered this to be evidence of arbitrary and capricious standards not related to the job requirements that biased selection in favor of men over women (Holland, 2012) in spite of evidence that female Marines attached to combat units met or exceeded the physical standards (Bumiller, 2010a; 2010b).

35. Fighting for Equal Opportunity: Women’s Changing Roles in the U.S. Military

Read through the following news articles on this issue and write a two page paper addressing the following issues, as well as any others you think are important to these questions: •

Are the Marines upholding bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs) necessary for effective combat services? Why or why not?

•

Does this “test” meet the standard that General Amos set of getting “past intuition and instinct… to get facts?” Why or why not? What else might be required in order to do that?

Be sure to use evidence from the news sources cited below and/or other references in making your argument. Starting Sources: Holland, D.S. (2012, November 19). Women marines need endurance more than strength. The Wall Street Journal. O’Hanlon, M. (2012, November 13). A challenge for female marines; The grueling infantry office course was too much for the women who volunteered. The Wall Street Journal. Bumiller, E. (2010 a, May 29). In camouflage or veil, a fragile bond. The New York Times. Bumiller, E. (2010 b, October 2). For female marines, tea comes with bullets. The New York Times.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

CHOOSING THE BOARD: CHARTING THE COURSE WITH COMPETING PRIORITIES M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Teaching Tips This exercise might be conducted at any time during the semester or term to point out how many dimensions of diversity can compete with each other. It may be used in a online, hybrid, or traditional classroom setting. Point out that the decisions to be made and the problems faced in choosing the board are the same as those when choosing members of a very important committee or panel or team.

Additional (optional) assignments included at the end of these instructions are: Additional Assignment 1: Optional Diversity Analysis of student diversity ratings Provides a chart to examine diversity patterns in student diversity ratings Additional Assignment 2: Strategic Plan Goals 2-7 Introduces consideration of remaining six Strategic Plan goals using a student-completed chart to make potential impact ratings Additional Assignment 3: Consequences of Diversifying Examines the consequences of the choices made for appointments to the Board

PART ONE: Diversification of the Board Assignment (from the text) Pre Class Instructions Assign the Diversity Exercise in the text to be completed individually before class. Options: The answers to the Exercise (i.e., the ratings students make) can either be treated as a written assignment followed by class discussion or simply as class discussion.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Instructions Goal 1: Diversifying the Board. There are eight nominees for the four vacant Board seats. Read their descriptions and rank order them from highest to lowest (with one being the highest) in terms of their suitability for joining the Board. Explain why you rank them this way. Diversity Choices The selection problem posed in this exercise reflects the multiple criteria for choosing Board members that often exist for both public and private boards and for important teams and committees in organizations. Student ranks will differ as will their reasons for making them. Stress that there are no “correct” or “incorrect” ranks. There are many reasons for assigning particular ranks. The first four nominees on students’ ranked lists reflect their best choices for the four Board seats. Before discussing the ranks assigned to the candidates, however, consider reviewing with the students which aspect(s) of diversity each nominee would bring to the Board. Consider for example: II. Drake Covington II • Diversity characteristic: age • His skills might help the hospital and he would probably be more acceptable to the existing Board than another young “outsider” since his uncle is on the Board. His personality, however, might work against him and be divisive on the Board. Layla Amini • Diversity characteristics: age, gender, ethnicity • Her age, gender, and ethnicity may work against her in the eyes of the Board. Her traditional and conservative views would likely be compatible with the Board, but supporting old Board policies likely will not help the hospital. Her influential political tie might help the hospital, but also might be resented by Board members who may feel they “earned” their places on the Board and resent political pressure being used to gain a seat. Carmen Diaz • Diversity characteristics: age, gender, ethnicity • Her initiative may aid the hospital in finding and implementing solutions, but may not necessarily be appreciated by current Board members.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Charles Wong • Diversity characteristics: age, ethnicity • His management expertise may be just what the hospital needs and his “team player” approach should ease his acceptance by the Board. His Union ties could affect the tenor of the Board however, which may fear or resent union involvement on one hand or on the other, welcome an avenue of direct contact with the union. Mr. Wong’s first name suggests some “Americanization,” so he may be only partially Chinese or perhaps Americanborn of Chinese ancestry. Also, note that he works out of his home which is near the hospital. This suggests the possibility that the hospital might be located within or adjacent to a Chinese community in which case it could make good public relations to appoint someone from the local community. Peter Skylar • Diversity characteristics: none obvious • He has knowledge that could aid the hospital. His ties to the regulatory agency may be useful to the hospital, but may also be greeted with suspicion or even resented by Board members. His individualistic style will likely not make it easy for him to “fit” into the Board. Sue Novenski • Diversity characteristics: gender, social class • Her personal collaborative style may well endear her to the Board. Her (presumed) lack of wealth could be embarrassing for her if she can’t make large financial contributions to the hospital and could also increase a tendency for the older wealthy Board members to not take her very seriously. Katherine Dobbs Courtney • Diversity characteristics: gender, social class • She is “one of them” – she is likely around the same age, is wealthy, and her husband served on the Board. Of all the female nominees, she is probably the most acceptable to (within the comfort zone of) the Board. She is, however, an outspoken loner, so her style may help the hospital, but may not be pleasing to the Board. Lamarr Leroy Woods • Diversity characteristic: race • His conservative approach, socio-economic level, and personality could mesh well with the character of the current Board but may not provide the change needed to help the hospital.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Discussion Notes After discussing the pros and cons of each nominee, examine the rankings made by the class. One way to determine how much consensus exists is to tally the number of times each nominee appears in the top four ranks assigned by class members. How important is it to diversify the Board? Selection of any four of the eight nominees will automatically provide some diversity, e.g., if only the four oldest nominees were chosen, then some gender and ethnic diversity will occur; if only the four males were chosen, then some age and some work style diversity will occur. Some students may think “outside the box” and suggest increasing the Board size or placing four nominees on the Board and hiring some or all of the others as consultants to get the hospital past the management and fiscal crises, to satisfy public demands for diversifying, and/or to satisfy the various political influences impinging upon the hospital. Appearances can be deceiving. It might be pointed out that on the surface a Board nominee might appear to be selected for one reason when in fact the real reason is quite different. Consider Drake Covington II, for example. He might seem to be chosen because of the influence of his uncle, when in fact, it could be because he might be able to provide some desperately needed skills and/or possibly unusual new approaches. The reasons why certain nominees were top-rated leads to a discussion of the factors or criteria that might be used to make the choices. Such factors include: Age. The current Board is described as industrialists “who have known each other for years.” By implication, the Board members are senior in age. Placing younger members on the Board would diversify it in terms of age and provide contrasting perspectives. However, the down side is that one much younger person would create a minority situation and potentially an intimidating one while several younger Board members could create a young vs. old division.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Gender. The current Board is all male. Adding a female(s) would provide some gender diversity. Ask students what might happen if just one woman were added. Would it matter which woman, i.e., whether that woman were Sue Novenski, Layla Amini, Carmen Diaz, or Katherine Dobbs Courtney? Why? Ethnicity. Nothing is stated about the ethnicity of the current Board. It is likely that since all members are upper class industrialists, most if not all, are white and possibly Euro-white. From their names, it appears that several of the nominees might be identifiable ethnically, however. In particular, note that some of the nominees may be ethnically mixed, such as Charles Wong and Sue Novenski, who have Anglo first names and ethnic last names while other nominees have completely Anglo or ethnic names. Should some or all four nominees with ethnic names be added to the Board to provide ethnic diversity? Social Class. Current Board members are all upper class, but not all of the nominees appear to be. While diversifying the Board in socio-economic terms may be desirable, there are potential problems. First and foremost, governing Boards have fiscal responsibility for their institutions and this could create an awkward and embarrassing situation for some new members. Many people are not familiar with financial statements such as balance sheets and income statements and are totally lost when faced with them. Financial reports are so much a part of Board decision-making that knowing how to interpret them is vital. A further problem is that placing less affluent members on nonprofit and community Boards could be embarrassing to them if they cannot make the substantial contributions to the organization that other Board members can make and that may be expected. Political Influence. Nominees were put forth by different sources. Each of these sources represents a form or source of stakeholder influence that could affect the hospital’s future. Should political influence be a factor in selection? If so, to what extent? Why? Conservatism and Personal Style. Current Board members are all conservative. Unfortunately, their policies have not been effective in ameliorating the present financial and managerial situation and may have abetted it or even created it, so it can be argued that changes in policies and actions are urgently needed. Some of the nominees are team players and conciliatory in nature and likely could do much toward making the “new” Board function smoothly. On the other hand, some very major (even radical) changes in fiscal and managerial policies are needed to put the hospital on a sound basis. Seemingly, the innovators, idea people, and self-starters among the nominees might be just the people to introduce new policies and put the hospital back on track.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Expertise. The hospital clearly needs financial and managerial expertise. Some nominees appear to have such expertise. Should they be on the Board for this reason alone, or should consultants be hired for financial and managerial expertise and new Board members selected for other reasons?

Writing Assignment Regardless of which four nominees are appointed, replacing one-third of the Board members all at once will mean a radical change for this board. This is a source of concern for the Board members and a serious concern of the hospital CEO who deals frequently with the Board. What might be done to ease the transition for the Board itself and for the CEO?

Teaching Tips for Writing Assignment To ease the transition, some “adjustment techniques” that students might name include: Board Techniques. A mentoring system pairing new and old Board members; a session with hospital financial staff to explain financial statements; an orientation to all aspects of hospital operations and management; a hospital tour; a cocktail party or social event to introduce new members socially in a non-business setting with old Board members personally inviting new members; mixed committees of old and new members; etc. are possibilities. For less affluent members, professional expertise or skill may be substituted for monetary donations without embarrassment for such members and this needs to be stressed to them. Hospital CEO Techniques. One-on-one get-acquainted luncheons with each new member and some form of orientation by the CEO for new members, etc. are among the possibilities. Techniques or events that increase the out-ofBoard-meeting contact between the CEO and the new members are needed.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Additional Assignment 1: Diversity Analysis This exercise does not appear in the text. Give students the Diversity Handout on the following page of this manual and instruct them to complete Assignment questions A thru E independently. Summarize the discussion of nominees and the reasons for their selection by discussing student responses to questions A through D on the handout. A. What patterns emerge in your choices? Were all of your choices the same on any dimension(s)? Explain. Students will vary on the patterns emerging from their ratings. B. How diversified would you say your choices are? Did you consciously or unconsciously make choices on the basis of any particular dimension of diversity? Explain. Student answers will vary. C. If all four of your choices were selected for the Board, how diversified could your complete Board be? Student answers will vary. D. The Diversity chart above tallies multiple facets of diversity, making it easier to compare nominees. Are there other diversity characteristics that might also be considered? Explain. Questions A thru D all concern how diversified the student-selected complete Boards are. Emphasize that such choices are rarely clear-cut; there are almost always competing priorities and student-selected Boards will differ. E. What problems can you foresee with the diversity (or lack of diversity) on your new (complete) Board? Boards of public and nonprofit organizations are generally expected to represent all stakeholders. Boards of for-profit organizations might not be under the same constraints, but are often subject to public pressure to diversify. The current hospital Board membership is homogeneous in gender, social class, opposition to change and by implication, age and ethnicity/race. In short, the current Board represents only a small segment of the hospital’s and the community’s stakeholders.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Diversity Handout Diversity Analysis On the chart below, draw a line completely around each of your TOP FOUR nominees and their characteristics (or highlight the entire line of information) that you chose to join the Board. Diversity Chart ……………………… .

Gender

Style Team Individ.

MinonMinority . nority .

Age 20s 30s 40s 50s

. Drake Covington II

Male

Charles Wong

Male

Peter Skylar

Male

Lamarr Leroy Woods

Male

Layla Amini

Female

Carmen Diaz

Female

Sue Novenski

Female

X X

30s X

20s 30s X

40s 50s.

Katherine Dobbs Courtney Female

20s

40s

50s

………………………………………………………………………………

A. What patterns emerge in your choices? Were all of your choices the same on any dimension(s)? Explain. B. How diversified would you say your choices are? Did you consciously or unconsciously make choices on the basis of any particular dimension of diversity? Explain. C. If all four of your choices were selected for the Board, how diversified could your complete Board be? D. The Diversity Chart above summarizes multiple facets of diversity, making it easier to compare nominees. Are there other diversity characteristics that might also be considered? Explain. E. What problems can you foresee with the diversity (or lack of diversity) on your new (complete) Board?

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Additional Assignment 2: Strategic Plan Goals 2 - 7 This assignment/exercise is not in the text. Diversifying the Board is only one of the goals of the Strategic Plan. There are six (6) additional goals to be considered in selecting new Board members. Strong consideration must be given to the skills, experience, and other requirements needed to help implement these goals. Give students the Potential Impact Chart (handout) on the next page. The columns in this chart correspond to Strategic Plan Goals Numbers 2 through 7. Teaching Tip It should be stressed that sometimes you have to pass over considerations of diversity in order to get essential or critical skills for the job/position/project. After students have rated each nominee, give them the Predicted Impact Handout and instruct them to transfer their rating to this summary chart. Strategic Plan Goals Numbers 2 through 7 2. Improved fiscal reporting and management 3. Improved morale within the hospital 4. Increased communication between the Board and the hospital staff 5. Closer relationships between the hospital and the outside community 6. Closer relationships between the hospital and regulatory and funding agencies 7. Improved relationships within the Board

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Potential Impact Chart Summary charts are very helpful when candidates or nominees are compared on multiple criteria. The ratings in the summary chart below are predictions or expectations you make on the basis of what you know about the nominees and the Strategic Plan goals. On the chart below, rate each of the candidates on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = low, 5 = high) in terms of their potential to impact or contribute to each of the Strategic Plan Goals. Sum the ratings for each nominee in the margin to the right of the chart.

………………………

FiscalF Rep & Mgt

HospitalH Board-Hosp Hosp-Comm Hosp-Agency Board Morale Community. Relations Relations Relations

Relat Drake Covington II Charles Wong Peter Skylar Lamarr Leroy Woods

. Layla Amini Carmen Diaz Sue Novenski Katherine Dobbs Courtney

A. Examine your ratings totals for the nominees and rank order them in the margin to the right of the chart from greatest to least potential (1 = the greatest potential impact). Did your impact ranks differ from your diversity ranks? Explain. B. Examine your Diversity ranks and your Potential Impact ranks. Make FOUR FINAL choices for the Board seats. 1.

…………………………………………….……………..

3. ………………………………………………………………..

2. …………………………….……………………………….

4. …………………………….…………………………………

C. Which criteria (ranks) were most important in your final decision – your diversity considerations or some or all of the other Strategic Plan goals? Explain.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Additional Assignment 3: Consequences of Diversifying A.

Are there any criteria (diversity strategies or goals) that are not as well covered by your top four candidates as you might have liked (e.g., age, hospital-community relations, etc)? Explain.

If your four final choices are appointed to the Board, how might the hospital or Board address these weaknesses? Suddenly diversifying this Board could meet with resistance from current members and from the hospital CEO who is not accustomed to dealing with such diversity on the Board. Since diversifying probably means diversifying on multiple dimensions all at the same time – and in a large segment of the Board at that – this is a lot of change to cope with for both the Board and the hospital CEO. Possible consequences of a radical change on the Board include creating conflict (open resistance and shadow behind-the-scenes resistance) and power struggles that could erupt depending on the personalities of the parties involved and on the transition policies employed.

Teaching Tips In light of the class discussions regarding the factors to be considered in making the choices, further assignments (written or group discussion) might be made to: a) develop a plan or prioritize criteria for Board selection. b) reconsider how the Development Committee should ease the transition. This exercise might be related to the McIntosh article (#7) on privilege and to the Parker article (#8) on differences and conflict. This is also an opportunity to revisit Fahy’s article (#30) on social class, e.g., How might social and/or cultural capital impact new Board members’ performance? Board Nominations. Boards do not advertise for Board members. Membership is by invitation – by who you know. The average person is rarely invited to sit on Boards. Although the eight nominees differ from each other on many dimensions; all were in circumstances where they knew someone influential and thereby gained the privilege of

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

being considered for Board membership. Ask students to examine the kind of social capital, i.e., sources of nominations of the eight nominees. Nominees

Nominators

Drake Covington II Layla Amini Carmen Diaz Charles Wong Peter Skylar Sue Novenski Katherine Dobbs Courtney Lamarr Leroy Woods

uncle on the Board cousin, a state senator group of doctors hospital union state regulatory agency patient advisory committee mayor hospital CEO

Current Board Members. Consider too, the other eight men already on the Board and the male privileges they enjoy. Note: Not everyone is familiar with boards and the question may arise as to why someone would want to be on a board of trustees or a board of directors. Board members of nonprofit or public agencies generally are not paid. Service on these Boards is considered a social or public service and board members may be expected to contribute money and/or expertise to the organization. There are benefits however, to sitting on nonprofit or public boards – benefits such as prestige, public recognition and networking opportunities with community leaders. Board members of for-profit organizations are paid and sometimes very well for very little work. According to Brooker (2002) …One part of the equation that hasn’t changed over the decades is the reward side. It’s all there—the prestige, the networking, and of course the nice retainer. According to executive-search firm Spencer Stuart, some 5,500 people serve on the boards of companies in the S&P 500. They get paid an average $37,000 a year and make an additional $1,200 per meeting. Big companies like Citigroup and Coca-Cola pay $125,000 a year. In return, directors are expected to spend 100 to 150 hours on company business. That’s not a bad deal. But that hourly rate can drop precipitously when something goes wrong. In the wake of recent corporate scandals, board members have found themselves on the hot seat publicly – sometimes facing a great deal of work and sometimes being the object of lawsuits.

36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities

Sources Brooker, K. (2002). Director. [Electronic version]. Fortune, 145, no. 10, 113-115. Orlikoff, J. (1997). The Seven Deadly Sins of Ineffective Governance. [Electronic version]. Healthcare Forum Journal, 40, no. 4, 38-42. “White” Names Give Job Seekers an Edge. In Rothenberg, Paula. Race, Class and Gender in the United States, An Integrated Study. (6th ed., p 226). New York: Worth.

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

APPEARANCE AND WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To foster understanding of the effects of appearance and weight discrimination

•

To examine the law regarding appearance and weight discrimination

•

To examine relationships among weight, gender, race, and age dimensions of diversity

Pedagogy This article is appropriate for graduate and undergraduate classes in diversity management, ethics, human resource management, and social responsibilities courses. Outline of Key Points I. Appearance A. Workplace B. Appearance Standards C. Appearance Law II. Weight A. Weight Standards B. Is Fat Albert Overweight or Obese? C. Weight Law 1. Obesity and Disability 2. Medicare D. Weight Ties to Wages, Gender, Race, and Age III. Conclusion

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

Global Note ……………………………………………………………….World Wide Between 1980 and 2010, obesity doubled in every region of the world. Today, half a billion people (12 percent of the world’s population) are obese. Boekma, 2012

Calculating the Bio Medical Index To approximate your BMI, divide your weight in pounds by the square of your height in inches and multiply the answer by 703. For an updated, more precise measurement, use the web calculator that bases your BMI upon your weight and height, and takes your gender and age into account (Halls.MD, 2011). Individuals fall into one of five categories, based on their BMI values: Diagnosis

Body Mass Index

Underweight

18.4 or less

Normal

18.5 – 24.9

Overweight

25.0 – 29.9

Obese

30.0 – 39.9

Morbidly Obese

40.0 and over (Facing serious health problems)

Best Practices The Los Angeles Police Department relaxed its limitations on fat (22 percent for men and 30 percent for women) to attract new recruits. The new recruits came, but so did their fat. The department now has a full time dietician working with everyone. _____ The Consigli Construction Company of Milford, Massachusetts designed a wellness program to fit its competitive company culture. It includes gym memberships, in-house weight competitions, nutritious snacks, and group exercises. Employees completing blood pressure and cholesterol testing can win up to $400 in reduced insurance premiums.

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What are the pros and cons of an airline implementing a policy that heavier customers need to buy a second seat? Pros Among the arguments students might make for such a policy are increased revenue, (i.e., if the plane isn’t full, requiring large people to buy two seats increases revenue. Heavy people who occupy a single seat increase fuel costs). Obese people using two seats adds to the comfort level of other passengers and addresses their complaints of being squashed, unable to see the TV screen, resenting paying extra for over-weight luggage while overweight passengers don’t pay extra for their poundage, etc. Cons Arguments against such a policy include resentment from the obese passengers. They complain that airline seats are narrower than they used to be (too narrow many passengers feel) and that pregnant women aren’t charged for two seats. Flights that aren’t full have extra seats they can use without discomforting other passengers. They resent the increased expense that may be coupled with the added insult of not receiving extra frequent flier miles. The bad publicity and embarrassment leads some obese travelers to boycott the airline. Airlines face the difficult task of implementing the policy i.e., of deciding when a passenger is obese or not. Since weight often is related to race, ethnicity, gender, and age, questions of discrimination arise. The question really boils down to whether passengers are paying for 18 inches of seating space or whether they are paying to be transported from one location to another. 2. What can organizations do to counteract the high costs of employees who are obese? Employers are creating programs to promote good health. At some companies, employees are given bonuses, health insurance discounts, and other incentives for exercising regularly, joining weight reduction programs like Weight Watchers and following recommended diets. Other companies offer gym time, weight loss contests, dieticians, and health coaches, and promote walkathons and fitness competitions.

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

3. Should television networks and stations set appearance and weight standards for news reporters, newscasters, weather forecasters, etc.? Why or why not? Should these standards be different for males and females? There will likely be differences of opinion on setting appearance and weight standards for news people. Ethical Position On one hand, the ethical argument might be that there should be no discrimination – weight and appearance should not be factors in hiring for these positions. Business Position On the other hand, network programs are in competition with each other for viewers and the public has definite preferences (and prejudices) in terms of weight and appearance characteristics – and will tend to watch those news people whose appearance they like the best. Gender Standards that differ for males and females are illegal under federal law. Discriminatory weight standards for males and females are fairly easy to identify, but those for appearance in general are likely to be more difficult to prove.

Writing Assignment Number One Hiring obese employees does increase organizational costs. Investigate these costs and write a report that details how much obesity increases costs. Starting Sources

Bell, M. & McLaughlin, M. (2006). Outcomes of appearance and obesity in organizations. In Konrad, A. Prasad, P. & Pringle, J. (Eds.) of Handbook of workplace diversity. pp 461-462. Mason, Ohio: Thomson South-Western. Minerd, J (2007, April 24). Obese employees weigh heavily on bottom line. Medpage Today. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from www.medpagetoday.com/Pediataics/Obesity/tb/5490. Leopold, R. (2004, August 2). Reining in the rising cost of obesity. Managed Healthcare Executive. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from www.managedhealthcareesecutive.com/mhe/articleDetail.jsp?id=134273.

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

Writing Assignment Number Two Investigate various “wellness program models” used by organizations. Write a report describing the costs and benefits of these models and identify the features that are important to the success of wellness programs regardless of the model used. Starting sources Hanna, L. (2011, August 4). Guidelines for wellness programs. http://employerLINC.com/2011/08. Massachusetts Department of Public Health (2013). A model wellness guide (draft) http://www.mass.gov (Search: A model wellness guide in the search box) Shemkus, S. (2013, March 3). Wellness programs pay off in the workplace. Boston Globe. P.p. G1, 6.

Global Notes……………………………………………………….…….….…Sweden A female job applicant at the Volvo car company was rejected because she was 3 cm (1.18 inches) short of the company-required height of 163 cm (64.17 inches). With one-fourth of the Swedish female workforce falling below this minimum height and only 1 to 2 percent of the males being as short, the Swedish Labour Court found the requirement to be discriminatory and ordered damages paid to the female plaintiff. …………….……………………………………….…………………………….China Applicants for managerial positions in the China National Packing Import and Export Corporation, a large organization operating in 68 countries, are very thoroughly investigated through interviews, testing and background investigations extending from their school days through their most recent employment. The main employment requirements however, are university degrees, age under 35 years, and minimum height of 1.70 meters (5 feet 5 inches) for men and 1.60 meters (almost 5 feet 3 inches) for women. Why is there a height requirement for managers? The company’s HR explained that managers reflect the company’s image and so they should be tall, fit, and good looking. Brainine, 2011

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

D Diversity on the Web When business discriminates against “customers of size,” there are costs to good will for the business as well as costs to the customers themselves. 1. Research the crash of US Airways Express 5481 on Jan 8, 2003 shortly after take-off from the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. Note: Notice the youth of the pilot (age = 25) as well as the weight issue. Wald, M. (May 13, 2003, Section A, column 1). Weight estimates on air passengers will be increased. http://www.nytimes.com New flight risk: Obesity? (January 30, 2003, News, p. 12A) http://www.usatoday.com 2. Research the implications of a policy that people have to declare their weight before boarding a plane. Warren, M. (2004, November 6, News, p.1). Cost of fat air passengers takes off. The Daily Telegraph, London. Retrieved September 5, 2007 from www.telegraph.co.uk/news/index.html. Southwest Airlines forces larger passengers to buy two tickets www.cswd.org/docs/airlineseating.html. Southwest Airlines’ policy concerning overweight travelers www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1343085. Smith, A. (2006, December 8). Should overweight consumers pay extra for services from Southwest Airlines & other businesses? www.associatedcontent.com/article/95247/should_overweight_ consumers_pay_extra.htm.

37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace

Points of Law When obesity is not a disability, there is no federal legal protection against discrimination. Under ADA law, obesity is an impairment and employees who qualify as morbidly obese are allowed to request reasonable accommodation from their employers which may include (but is not limited to) making facilities readily accessible, job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant position.

Did you know ..............................................about the Beautiful People Dating Websites? There are a number of “Beautiful People” dating websites. Members are voted in if they are judged to be beautiful enough. BeautifulPeople.net, for instance, is a large one with 9,634 U.S. members.

38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate

FAIRFAX METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL: THE CANDIDATE M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita Goals •

To examine the issues of weight and youth discrimination

•

To illustrate legal and social issues in hiring decisions

•

To consider personnel decisions such as selection from multiple perspectives: management, Boards of Trustees, human resources, candidates, staff, patients

Summary Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital is a moderately-sized teaching hospital seeking to diversify its staff – a need identified by several accrediting agencies. As still another accreditation visit looms, Fairfax must replace the head of the nursing unit, a department in urgent need of modernizing. The Search Committee is interviewing a remarkably qualified candidate named Dr. Saryn Soysa. Dr. Soysa, originally from Sri Lanka, has been educated in U.S. universities. She is a very pleasant, very heavyset, young woman. At 32, she is very young for a Director of Nursing position. The Search Committee is very impressed with her credentials, but clearly concerned about her age (youth) and her weight. The HR Manager fears that the hospital CEO will share these concerns. The HR Manager faces an ethical decision and a business decision as he decides whether or not to hire her.

Teaching Tip An interesting way to start the class on the topic of weight and appearance is to go to the website below for the Susan Boyle video. If you have any difficulties with this link, just search for “Susan Boyle,” but be sure to select a version where she just sings without any introduction. Then, either minimize the computer projection in the classroom, so that students cannot see the video or ask students to close their eyes and just listen to the singer. While Susan has a remarkable voice, her age, weight, and appearance are often surprising to students who expect a young attractive vocalist. Next, ask students to write down words that describe the person that they just heard, i.e., how old is she, what does she look like, etc.? Surprisingly, many younger students have not heard of Susan Boyle and will not recognize her voice. She is often described as young and beautiful, etc.

38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate

Ask the class to share their answers aloud. Then replay the video. Introducing the topics of weight and appearance in this manner will give context to the discussion of weight and appearance in the Fairfax case. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fS4v5_T5PA&feature=related Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Generate a list of possible actions the HR manager might take. Among the actions Jorge might take are: -hiring Saryn -not hiring Saryn and hiring one of the other candidates -not hiring anyone and reopening the search -creating a company policy regarding appearance -hiring Saryn and meeting with the staff (supervisees) to prepare them -having the finalists interviewed by more people -discussing the situation with the hospital CEO before hiring anyone 2. Which action(s) would you suggest as the most appropriate for the HR manager? Why? There is no single correct answer to this question and opinions may differ depending on whether the student is primarily focused on ethical concerns or on business concerns or attempts to bridge both. It may be useful to revisit this question after students answer the remaining questions that are designed to explore considerations that may not be immediately apparent. 3. Are there legal issues here? Explain. (See article #37, Appearance and Weight Discrimination Issues in the Workplace in the text.) Age. Students may respond that age is a legal issue in this case because it is a protected characteristic. They may even note that although it is legal to discriminate when a characteristic such as age is a BFOQ (bona fide occupational qualification), there is no apparent BFOQ in this case and therefore discriminating on the basis of Saryn’s age is a legal violation. What students may not realize is that there are no federal laws protecting those under the age of 40 from age discrimination, although there may be sate or local laws. Since Saryn is 32, age may not be a legal issue in this case. Weight and appearance. These are not federally protected characteristics and do not become federal legal issues unless they are not uniformly applied to every one, i.e., they cannot be a cover for discrimination against one of the protected characteristics. Weight discrimination is illegal in at least one state and some cities, however, and therefore becomes a legal issue in those locations. 4. If Jorge hires Saryn, what message is he sending to the hospital staff? If he doesn’t hire her, what message is he sending? If Jorge hires Saryn, he is sending the message that people will not be discriminated against on the basis of weight and age; rather, it is qualifications that are important. IV - 71 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate

If Jorge does not hire Saryn, he is sending the opposite message to the hospital staff. Jorge may also be sending a message to the Search Committee. The final recommendation from the Search Committee is not included in this case description, but whatever that recommendation, Jorge’s decision to hire Saryn or not will imply support (or lack of support) for their recommendation (opinion). 5. If Jorge hires Saryn, what problems is she likely to face? What problems will Jorge likely face? Saryn’s problems may arise from several sources: From the staff, there may be resentment, especially if there were in-house candidates for the job. Also, older nursing staff may resent reporting to a younger, less experienced supervisor. Staff may dislike Saryn’s weight and her higher level of education. From the public, patients, CEO and Board of Directors, there may be prejudice against Saryn’s weight and age. Both youth and obesity carry a stigma implying less competence and intelligence. From the job itself, Saryn also faces the problems of getting staff to work with her, initiating changes and modern practices, and preparing for the upcoming accreditation visit (on very short notice.) Jorge’s problems may also arise from multiple sources: From the search committee, may come resentment if they did not recommend hiring Saryn. From the CEO and Board of Directors, there may be concerns about his judgment in hiring someone so young and so overweight. From the staff, Jorge also faces the possibility of problems with motivating them a) to work with Saryn, b) to accept change, and c) to prepare for the accreditation visit. 6. What resources does Saryn have for dealing with the problems? What resources does Jorge have for dealing with the problems? Saryn has a number of personal resources upon which she may draw. She brings to the position personality and administrative skills as well as high intelligence. She undoubtedly has past experience with dealing with weight and age prejudice and from her references it appears that she found effective ways of coping with these prejudices. The situation she faces with an impending accreditation visit provides an immediate and important task that she can use to focus and unite the nursing staff. As the Human Resources Director, Jorge can prepare Saryn for any negative comments she may receive from the nurses and other employees. Jorge can also prepare the nurses and other employees for her arrival. If the hospital does not have an official policy regarding diversity, Jorge can initiate the development of one.

38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate

Additional Assignments (not in text) 1. Research the business costs and considerations in decisions involving weight. 2. How will weight affect future business and ethical decisions? Research how much the average American weighs and the upward trend(s) of weight in males and females. Starting sources: Colliver, V. (2007, April 24). Study finds obesity takes an economic toll on workers, firms. San Francisco Chronicle. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article. Marcum, K. (2007, July 25). All in a day’s workout. Worcester Telegram & Gazette. p.D1. www:telegram.com/business. Smith, A. (2006, December 8). Should overweight consumers pay extra for services from Southwest airlines and other businesses? www.associatedcontent.com/article/95247. Yi, D. (2007, March 12). For many employees, fitness has its prize. Los Angeles Times. www.latimes.com/business.

38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate

Diversity on the Web Social Costs There are considerable social costs including stigma, prejudice, and discrimination, for those who are obese. 1.

Research these costs noting the interrelationships of obesity, gender, age, race, and social class.

2. How do those factors impact Saryn right now? If she is hired, how might they affect her in the future? www.obesityresearch.org

[2001, v.9, p.788]

www.nytimes.com

[click:

a) December 2, 2006 b) Business c) Darlin, Damon]

3. This case primarily involves the factors of weight and youth. Go to the following website and take the IAT test for weight (i.e., “Fat-Thin”). Also take the IAT test for Age (“Young-Old”) and compare the two results. 4. There are those who feel that the bias against weight is stronger than the bias against race. Take the IAT test for race and the one for skin-tone and compare these results against those from your tests for weight and age. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit

39. Section IV. Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION IV

If social class can have a pervasive effect on one’s life experiences, how could one’s social class impact other aspects of primary and secondary diversity such as age, parental status, and military experience, etc.?

Assume that you are a mentor to an employee who came from a low class background. She is bright and has career potential. However, you recognize that some elements of her behavior such as the way she speaks, her dress, her manners, and her communication patterns will prevent her from advancing to the next level in your organization. How could you help her?

The Fairfax case is very unique because it illustrates how younger workers, who are not legally protected from age discrimination, can experience negative stereotypes. What can they do on their jobs to try to offset the negative perceptions that some people have about young workers?

The selections made in the Choosing the Board exercise should result in a more diverse group. Thinking back to the article The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Differences and Conflict, what types of positive and negative conflicts could result? How could these be reduced or avoided by effective diversity leadership?

Today, many veterans returning from military service in the conflicts in the middle-east are returning with severe physical and mental challenges. Even those without these issues are experiencing higher unemployment rates than non-military people. How can military training and experience be translated into a workplace asset for both groups?

SECTION V

MANAGING DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL, LEGAL, MEDIA, AND MARKETING ISSUES

40. The Ethics of Workplace Diversity

THE ETHICS OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY Jeanne McNett Northeastern University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Key Points •

Ethics is a process. When diversity is also seen as a process, its ethical dimensions become more obvious.

•

Ethical theories may be categorized into three groups: deontological (duty), teleological (ends), and caring.

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Ethical approaches to diversity in the workplace are most likely to be found in the teleological theories of utilitarianism and distributive justice.

•

Diversity in the workplace can be practical and have an ethical foundation at the same time.

Outline of Key Points I. Economic arguments for diversity A. Market-driven, increasingly due to globalization B. Diversity broadens span of communication abilities C. Non-traditional workforce tends toward increased creativity D. Applications of resources-based theory of the firm E. Economic/pragmatic approach differs from ethical approach II. Categories of ethical theories A. Deontological category of ethical theories (Kant) and their application to diversity B. Teleological category of ethical theories (utilitarianism and distributive justice) and their application to diversity C. Caring theories and their application to diversity D. Particular and universal application of theories

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III. Business pragmatism and ethical approaches: we can do well and do good IV. Twelve questions to begin the diversity ethics discussion

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Describe an approach to a business diversity program that would be pragmatic and ethical. Using the pragmatic-ethical matrix, the approach would probably be found in Quadrant I, ethical and pragmatic, and is likely to be a teleological approach, perhaps utilitarian or based on ideas of distributive justice. Such an approach would have to exhibit consideration or concern for the process and the people involved in the process in order to be considered ethical, as well as for the business-related outcomes. An example of an approach to workplace diversity that is both pragmatic and ethical would be a management skills training program targeted at populations underrepresented in the organization (because their skills are needed) that also establishes mentoring relationships with senior managers and support activities that involve people across the organization. Other examples may be found in Ben & Jerry’s intentional process of obtaining ingredients from suppliers who are developing their business efforts in under-developed environments (urban poor in the U.S. and farmers in developing countries) and at The Body Shop. There are many such business efforts on the local scene that do not attract public attention. Teaching Tip Note: The question below could be used as a basis for students to conduct interviews in local businesses. 2. What are some possible explanations for the hesitancy to discuss ethics in the workplace? This question goes beyond the specific material in the article and asks the student to apply one of the article’s assertions (that discussion is an effective approach to diversity) to her/his own experience or assumptions about business ethics. One reason that we find hesitancy to discuss ethics is that often people assume that ethics is an aspect of religion and doesn’t belong in the business environment. In fact, ethical values may be taught by religions, but a discussion of ethics and diversity can address those values, not the religion. Another reason the ethics of diversity may not be discussed in the workplace may have to do with peoples’ discomfort with discussing differences.

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Such discomfort is often described as not wanting to hurt others’ feelings. There are many other reasons ethics of diversity discussions are avoided in the workplace, including not wanting to be seen as critical of the status quo or critical of management, not wanting to be the first to bring up a discussion that may be controversial, and so on. The point here is for the student to realize that a discussion of the ethics of diversity is possible and a good place to start would be with Laura Nash’s questions. 3. This discussion’s definition of diversity rests on a valuing of differences across many groups of people. Explain why valuing (the process) is what should serve as the foundation for diversity and not the results. Approaching diversity as a process rather than as a goal or an endpoint suggests that the values that lead to diversity are important – values such as openness to change, tolerance for ambiguity, willingness to hold off on giving meaning until you have more cues are really a way of processing meaning. Using a quota or a results count, we could achieve the ends possibly without some of the benefits of diversity. Diversity happens to everyone in the organization, not only to the groups understood to be diverse; it is a way of thinking that can accrue great benefits to the organization. A head count, in contrast, could be achieved by a targeted hiring goal, and might not lead to new ways of thinking throughout the organization. 4. Which of the final 12 discussion areas would be most difficult for you as a manager to discuss in the organization with your colleagues? Why? Many of these questions go to the universal problem in management decisionmaking: there is never enough data to make an error-proof decision. Also, the idea of looking into the future may be difficult for some students, as well as the need to handle the hostility that may surface by engaging affected parties in a dialogue. The critical intent of this question is to encourage students to think about how they would manage these discussions in practical terms.

Resources Brady, Neil. (1996). Ethical universals in international business. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Verlag. Kochan, T., Bezrukova, K. et al. (2003). The effects of diversity on business performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network. Human Resources Management 42 (1) 3-21. Singer, Peter. (2002). One World: The ethics of globalization. New Haven CT: Yale University Press.

40. The Ethics of Workplace Diversity

Additional Assignments (not in text) 1. Interview someone who works in an organization about a decision he or she recently made related to diversity that may or may not have had ethical content. Explore the basis of this decision. How would you categorize it in terms of its economic and ethical characteristics? 2. Identify a member of an organization who would be considered responsible for diversity in this organization. Interview this person to explore how she or he understands the role of diversity in the organization. How does the organization unleash the value of diversity? Analyze his or her responses in ethical terms. 3. Interview a member of an organization that seems to miss getting value or a business advantage from diversity. Ask him or her to explore how the organization thinks about diversity and whether the apparent lack of diversity is a concern. How would you analyze the data you collect in ethical terms?

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Diversity on the Web 1. Investigate the inclusion (or lack of inclusion) of diversity/discrimination in the ethical codes of businesses. You can begin by searching for the words “diversity” or “discrimination” in the codes, but note that diversity concerns may be covered by words other than these, e.g., “ respecting the rights and privileges of all workers regardless of race, gender …” 2. Compare the codes of ethics for businesses with those of another type of organization such as a non-profit or a government agency in terms of the inclusion of diversity or nondiscrimination policies. 3. Compare and contrast the codes of two competing companies within the same industry, e.g., the Marriott and the Hilton hotels in the hospitality industry. ______ Sample Codes of Business Ethics The following website, compiled by the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at the Illinois Institute of Technology, contains hundreds of codes of ethics from corporations, professional societies, academic institutions, and government agencies. The codes are organized into 25 professional categories such as arts, business, communications, etc. The codes can be searched for key words. http://ethics.iit.edu/codes/coe.html The Your Code of Ethics website, created by Irwin Berent, is a clearinghouse for “codes of ethics, oaths, pledges and other forms of verbal commitment, statements of purpose, or declared standards of conduct.” This site is organized into categories including three categories of business association codes: General, Management and Sales or Selling as well as ‘Companies’ (U.S.) codes.” http://www.yourcodeofethics.com The Business Ethics website by Sharon Stoerger lists business codes of ethics alphabetically by company name. http://www.web-miner.com/busethics.htm

40. The Ethics of Workplace Diversity

Teaching Tips for Diversity on the Web Assignments 1. Investigate the inclusion (or lack of inclusion) of diversity/discrimination in the ethical codes of businesses. You can begin by searching for the words “diversity” or “discrimination” in the codes, but note that diversity concerns may be covered by words other than these (e.g., “ respecting the rights and privileges of all workers regardless of race, gender…”). The codes vary tremendously in terms of inclusion of diversity or discrimination concerns. •

Some codes make no mention of diversity or discrimination directly or indirectly.

•

Some businesses have multiple codes such as Journal Communications, Inc. which reports separate codes for Board Members, Employees and Financial Executives as well as Corporate Governance Guidelines.

2. Compare and contrast the codes of two competing companies within the same industry (e.g., the Marriott and the Hilton hotels in the hospitality industry). In addition to the sources listed on the first page, codes for some corporations may be found on their websites. Ethics codes for Hilton: http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/88/88577/ corpgov/codeofethics_013004.pdf

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

ETHICS AND DIVERSITY CASES: LEGAL APPLICATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To examine actual cases and situations in terms of how they may be judged ethically as well as legally

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To examine the ethical implications of actions that may be viewed as beneficial from one perspective, but not from another

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To examine backlash and reverse discrimination

Summary The managers of today have gone far beyond consideration of workers in terms of single diversity dimensions. Managers deal daily with multiple identities: a worker who is not just older but who is older, female, and black, or a worker who is male and AsianAmerican with a visual disability. The judicial system, however, still deals in single dimensions. Discrimination charges and lawsuits are not filed in terms of composites or multiple dimensions; they are filed in terms of age or gender or race or religion or disability or other single dimension of diversity.

Teaching Tips •

Cases and Situations exercises are suitable for individual, group, or online assignments.

•

A useful reference for class discussion on how managers might avoid lawsuits is the following website: Cole, Y. (2007, Special Issue). Ten Ways to Avoid Discrimination Lawsuits. DiversityInc. Retrieved May 19, 2007 from http://www.diversityinc.com

•

Additional diversity cases can be found on the following website: http://www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Lawlawsuits/Lawsuitsregulatoryaction/

Click on “Lawsuits: Selected cases.” This website contains overseas and U.S. discrimination lawsuits filed against American corporations such as Nike, Union Carbide/DOW, IBM, Exxon Mobile, etc.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Discussion Questions and Answers to Cases and Situations 1. For each case or situation, consider the ethical implications from your perspective. What do you personally think should be the outcome or resolution? Personal Opinion. Expect differing opinions. The cases and situations described in the exercise all involve ethical issues for which there may be multiple perspectives. A “vote” may be taken in those situations where there are opinions on both sides. For in-class discussion, the arguments for and against proposed solutions may be listed separately on the board. There are, of course, no “right” or “wrong” answers or opinions. Note that ethical and legal questions arise regarding what constitutes discrimination and what an employer’s obligations are when an employee has a disability. Consider the guidance offered below in making your judgments.

Legal Considerations Pretext Analysis. A key to analyzing almost any discrimination case is determining whether an employer’s given reason for taking action against an employee is the real reason, or a lie that covers up intentional discrimination. This is known as a pretext analysis. Under ADA, employers have the legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities to enable them to perform their jobs. Employers are not required to provide personal accommodations such as hearing aids and wheel chairs. Employers should be especially vigilant in defining and articulating essential job functions, and documenting the risks associated with an employee’s failure to perform such functions. Spoilation refers to the destruction, alteration or withholding of evidence. It results in the courts assessing penalties or even preventing the party from presenting evidence at all because if some of the evidence is “spoiled,” then all of it is suspect.

2. Investigate the resolution or current status of each case or situation. What was the rationale? Why was this outcome reached? Status. The resolution or current status of each situation is presented as of the time of this writing. In the case of lawsuits, it is wise to remind students of the guidance

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

provided by the legal considerations given in the text (and on the preceding mage of this manual) and noted in the legal status of the cases. Optional Assignments (not in text) 1. How might cases and situations be analyzed in terms of formal theories of ethics? Jeanne McNett has provided ethics commentaries for a number of cases and situations found in the text as well as for a number of optional cases provided here in this manual. Ethics Commentary. These commentaries are presented separately for each case. They suggest possible ethical foundations for the actions described in the case, referring to the three categories of ethical theories in Exhibit 1 of the article on ethics. They are only a beginning, and many other possibilities for understanding the ethical dimension of an action exist. Where the ethical foundation could be particular, that application is mentioned. Otherwise, it is universal. Remember, though, that decisions may have been made and actions taken without any ethical consideration. 2. For additional exploration of legal situations involving diversity, assign the additional cases and situations (beyond those in the text) that are provided later in this article. You may wish to have students research legal and out-of-court outcomes occurring after this text has gone to press.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

CASES AND SITUATIONS Ethics Commentaries are supplied by Jeanne McNett, author of The Ethics of Workplace Diversity article found in the Understanding and Managing Diversity text.

1. EEOC v Sears Roebuck Diversity Issue: Disability Accommodation A former Sears service technician was injured on the job resulting in a permanent disability. Even though he asked many times to return to work, Sears did not provide accommodations and fired him when his disability leave expired. Legal Status The EEOC resolved this class action lawsuit by awarding $6.2 million plus “significant relief” to the technician in its largest monetary award ever in a single EEOC ADA suit. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2009, September 29). Sears Roebuck to pay $6.2 million for disability bias. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.eeoc.gov.

2. Universal Studios Diversity Issue: Amputation Disability or Rider Safety? Two amputees, one with both forearms amputated and one with both legs amputated, were prevented from riding the roller coaster at a Universal Studios SeaWorld theme park. In 2012, operators of the Revenge of the Mummy ride told the first man that he couldn’t ride the roller coaster because he didn’t have hands to grip the safety bars. Later that same year, both men were denied rides because a new policy required that riders have at least one hand and one leg. Eriq Gardner. (2012, July 11). Amputees Sue Universal Studios Over Access to Roller Coaster. In The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.Hollywoodreporter.com.

Legal Status No resolution reported.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

3. Fitness Chain Kid’s Club v Tot Disability Diversity Issue: Tot Autism Disability or Safety? A three-year-old was playing with toys in front of a slide in the Kid’s Club section of a fitness club. When a staff member asked him to move away from in front of the slide, he refused. Informed by his parents that the tot was autistic, the staff member told them that had the staff known the child was autistic, he would not have been allowed to play in the Kid’s Club. Legal Status The fitness center immediately revised its policies and began training to prevent similar events in the future. A new card check system was planned to inform staff members of children with special needs and monitor staffing levels. The national office notified all employees on how to attend to autistic children. The complaint was not litigated. Maciel, K. & Schwartz, J. (2012, July 2). Fitness Club Responds to ADA Claim from Child with Special Needs with Updated Policies and Procedures. Epstein Becker Green. In Hospitality Labor and Employment Law blog. Retrieved February 23, 2013, from http://www.hospitality and employment law blog.

4. Miller v Illinois Department of Transportation Diversity Issue: Acrophobia Disability Darrell Miller was a highway maintainer on a bridge crew. Most of his work could be done on the ground or in a “snooper bucket.” He was terminated because his acrophobia (fear of heights) restricted his work to no more than 25 feet off the ground. His employer had a history of swapping duties to accommodate the strengths and weaknesses of employees, but fired this worker for failure to meet essential functions of the job. The supervisor stated that they did not grant requests. Legal Status The case was decided in favor of the plaintiff with the court noting a “failure to engage in the interactive process” and the absence of any real undue hardship on the part of the Department of Transportation to deny the accommodation request. Find Law. United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Miller v Illinois Department of Transportation. No. 09-3143-2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013 from, http://caselaw.findlaw.com.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

5. Mammone v President & Fellows of Harvard College Diversity Issue: Mental Illness Disability Michael Mammone was a museum receptionist at Harvard with bi-polar disorder. He worked for seven years with no problem, but then his behavior changed. He began singing and dancing in the reception area, conducted loud conversations and phone calls and established a website denouncing the low pay at Harvard. He later began wearing East Indian dress with necklaces, rings and bracelets and refused to stop using his personal laptop while on duty. He refused to meet with his supervisor to whom he used ‘abusive, threatening and sexually derogatory language’ and refused police instructions to leave the premises. After receiving disability benefits from Harvard for six months, he was terminated. Mammone charged Harvard with disability discrimination. Weintraub, B. (2006, May 15). University Wins Anti-Discrimination Suit. In The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved February 23, 2013 from http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=513483.

Ethics Commentary From a deontological perspective, we could argue that his employers at Harvard have a duty to tolerate his differences, not because of their effect, which we do not know, but based on the belief that people should not be a means to an end, but rather, should be treated with dignity, as individuals. From a teleological perspective, Mammone’s behavior could be seen possibly as adding to the environment of the library. It might add to the greater good by creating a personalized atmosphere where people feel comfortable. His supervisor could also be seen as having a responsibility, along with HR, to help him make decisions that would support his health. A caring perspective would lead to basic care for other humans, and in the particular case, a duty of care in the relationship between Mammone and his colleagues. The resolution of this issue appears to have moved quickly to the legal environment. Legal Status The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Harvard’s favor. (No. SJC09609, May 12, 2006.) According to the Court, the standard of conduct is not lower for those with disabilities than for those without disabilities. Mammone’s mental illness affected his work, therefore he was not a ‘qualified handicapped person’ and not protected by discrimination laws.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

6. Football Referee Diversity Issue: Visual Disability When Big Ten football official James Filson lost an eye, he informed the head of Big Ten Officiating and was told to continue working. He officiated games for six years including two Orange Bowl games until the Commissioner of the Big Ten learned about his vision. He was then terminated. He sued for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Berkow, I. (2006, October 8). One-eyed Referee Flags the Big Ten Over Firing. In The New York Times. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.newyorktimes.com.

Legal Status Mr. Filson was offered the position of technical advisor, but turned it down because he wanted to be a field judge. The case was filed in the District Court in Chicago, but settled out of court with an agreement stipulating that neither side can discuss the terms of the settlement. He no longer officiates football, but continues to referee basketball for small colleges and high schools. Note: It is reported that at least two other men with only one eye have officiated highlevel sports. Cypers, S. (2007, November 20). Filson still misses the game. http://sporrs.espn.go.com Retrieved November 8, 2013.

7. National Federation of the Blind v Penn State University Diversity Issue: Visual Disability The complaint charges that the technology at Penn State University (e.g., course management software, library catalog, website for its Office for Disability Services) is not usable by those who are blind and further that technology allowing professors to connect their laptops to a podium and display content on a screen cannot be operated by blind faculty without assistance from a sighted person, etc. Goldsein, D. (2011, October 11). NFB, Penn State Resolve Technology Access Complaint. In Disability Law. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://disabiitylaw.blogspot.

Legal Status Under the terms of the settlement, the university will continue to implement plans to make all electronic and information technology systems based on its campuses (including classroom technology, course management systems, websites, library resources, banking services, etc.) fully accessible to blind students, faculty, and staff.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Penn State also agreed to: a) conduct a full accessibility audit by 2/15/12; b) develop an Electronic and Information Technology Policy Statement; c) implement training, instruction, and support across the campus, d) purchase or recommend only electronic information technology that provides the same programs, benefits, and services to blind individuals as to those without disabilities, “except when it is technically not feasible to do so.” Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.educause.edu/blogs/jcun

8. EEOC v Boh Brothers Construction Co. Diversity Issue: Gender (Male) Stereotyping A supervisor thought a male ironworker on a construction project acted too “feminine” and not “rough enough for an ironworker.” He leveled abusive comments and sexual taunts at the man and exposed himself to him. After the ironworker complained, he was transferred to a lower-paying job that was slated for lay-off and then was laid off. The company had no anti-harassment policy nor did it provide training to supervisors on preventing harassment. Legal Status A Louisiana jury awarded the ironworker $451,000. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2011, March 29). EEOC Obtains $451,000 Jury Verdict Against Boh Brothers Construction Co. for Male-on-Male Sexual Harassment. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://www.eeoc.gov.

9. Creed v Family Express Diversity Issue: Transgender Discrimination Christopher applied for a job as a male presenting a masculine appearance, although he had already begun a gender change transition. After employment, he continued with the transition, changing to feminine attire with nail polish, mascara, eyebrow trimming, longer hair and finally using the name Amber. She/he continued to wear the company mandated unisex uniform of polo shirt and slacks. After more than 50 customer complaints, the employer demanded that Amber come to work dressed as a man and finally fired her/him. She alleged gender discrimination. Leonard, A. (2009, January). Retail Employer Can Fire Transgender Employee for Violating “Dress Code.” Leonard Link. New York Law School. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://newyorklawschool.typepad.com .

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Legal Status Federal District Judge Robert L. Miller issued two rather confusing rulings: 1. Discrimination based on gender expression is protected; discrimination based on gender identity is not. This appears to mean that crossdressers who do not claim any sexual change are protected; but transsexuals who claim sex change are not. 2. An employer cannot discriminate based on sex stereotype, but can impose a dress code that enacts sex stereotypes. An employer’s dress code that is a pretext for sex stereotyping is illegal.

10. Wildflower Inn v Baker-Linsley Diversity Issue: Sexual Orientation (same-sex couples) In Lyndonville, Vt., the Wildflower Inn refused to book the wedding reception of a lesbian couple. The refusal was made by an employee, acting without the owners’ knowledge, whose email stated that the Innkeepers did not host gay receptions at the facility. The inn’s lawyer stated that the inn did not have a policy of discriminating against same-sex couples. American Civil Liberties Union. (2012, August 23). Baker and Linsley v Wildflower Inn. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://www.aclu.org

Legal Status The American Civil Liberties Union reports that the Inn agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the Vermont Human Rights Commission and place $20,000 in a charitable trust. The Inn decided to cease holding any more wedding receptions. November 24, 2012. Vt Inn settles suit over gay reception Worcester Telegram & Gazette A10.

11. Talavera v Shah (USAID, Wash. DC) Diversity Issue: Sexual Harassment A federal employee filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment from a contractor when, in spite of her excellent evaluations, she was passed over for a promotion because “another candidate had a ‘superior interview’.” The interviewing supervisor had destroyed all interview notes, however. Legal Status The court decided for the plaintiff. The principle of “spoilation” was applied and the court ruled that it was reasonable to infer that the notes were destroyed to hide

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

evidence of either discrimination or pretext, which undermined the department’s defense. Garland’s Digest Case Summaries March 28-April 1 2011 Cases. Talavera v. Shah. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http:garlands-digest.com.

12. University of Toledo Diversity Issue: Sexual Orientation Discrimination or Freedom of Speech? A top human resources official at the University of Toledo wrote a newspaper article challenging the idea that gay people deserve the same civil rights protections as members of racial minority groups. The university fired the HR official. Legal Status A federal appeals court decided in favor of the university and upheld its firing of the Human Resources official. Blake, E. (2012, February 27). Federal Court Dismisses Suit Against UT. In Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://www.toledoblade.com.

13. Pickler v Ford Dealership Diversity Issue: Pregnancy Discrimination or Worker Safety? Marilyn Pickler was working for the Berge Ford auto dealership. A week after she told a manager that she was pregnant, she was fired on the grounds that it would not be safe for her to drive (which was a part of her job). Work Place Fairness Court Cases in the News. State: AZ. (2004, June 16). Berge Ford Pays 470,000 in Discrimination Costs. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://workplacefairness.com.

Legal Status The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against the Ford dealership and won $70,000 for her with the dealership agreeing to provide employees with more training in pregnancy discrimination. Yanis, J. (n.d.) Mesa, Ariz. Ford dealership settles pregnancy lawsuit. The tribune, mesa, ariz knight ridder/tribune business news. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.highbeam.com.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

14. University and Community College System of Nevada v Farmer Diversity Issue: Race and Gender Discrimination Yvette Farmer, a white female, was a finalist for a position in the sociology department at the University of Nevada at Reno. The university hired an AfricanAmerican male instead, paying him more than the posted salary range. One year later, the white female applicant was offered a position at $7,000 less than the black male received when he was hired the year before. The female sued, arguing violations of the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act. The university argued that since only one (1) percent of its faculty members were black, it followed a “minority bonus program” whereby a department could hire an additional faculty member if it first hired a minority faculty member. AAUP. (2005). University and Affirmative Action Update. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/protectrights/legal/topics/aff-ac-update.htm.

Ethics Commentary A deontological approach to this complex issue might suggest that a basic human duty is to treat others as individuals and not numbers or groups. If the duty is to regard other humans as individuals, then the creating of classes (based on gender, race, age, sexual preference, etc.) could be seen as problematic. Another tactic within this general approach is to claim that the duty lies with aid for the disadvantaged. A teleological approach might argue for the action that creates the greatest good, in this case, the greatest social good. If ability is the key factor, then an ethical claim could be made that ability would need to be identified and measured and fostered across all social constituencies. Legal Status A jury awarded Yvette Farmer $40,000 in damages for violations of the equal pay act. The university appealed the verdict, was denied a hearing before the district court and took its case to Nevada’s Supreme Court. There was sharp disagreement among the justices; Chief Justice Thomas Steffen however, ruled in favor of the university. The U.S Supreme Court then declined to hear the case. The ruling in favor of the university stands. Muska, D. (n.d.) The supreme court upholds UNR’s racial spoils system. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://NSA.NPRI.org

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

15. New York and New Jersey v Arbitron Diversity Issue: Minority Discrimination New York and New Jersey sued Arbitron for civil rights violations with its new Portable People Meters (PPMs). PPMs measure radio station program ratings. The states filed the lawsuits because they believed the PPMs were not being distributed to people from traditionally underrepresented groups. Attorneys general of New York, New Jersey Sue Arbitron over PPM Issues. (2013, February 24). In Target Market News from Radio Ink. Retrieved February 24, 2013 from http://www.targetmarketnews.

Legal Status The case has been settled with Arbitron agreeing to 1) pay $200,000 to settle the case in New York plus $60,000 in costs, 2) pay $130,000 for investigative costs, 3) put $100,000 toward a joint project between the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and the Spanish Radio Association to promote minority radio in New York, and 4) committing to new quality assurance targets with set deadlines for securing accreditation for PPM from the Media Rating Council in New York and Philadelphia. Arbitron settles PPM cases in New York and New Jersey. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www.research-live.com.

16. FedEx Diversity Issue: Ethnic Discrimination Ishmail Alijev, a Turkish political refuge from Russia and now a U.S. citizen, worked for GNB Trucking Company in a Salt Lake City suburb for five years. GNB provides uniformed drivers for FedEx trucks. An Iowa weigh station warned Ishmail’s company (but did not issue a citation) about his Russian accent. GNB said he was an excellent employee and wanted to keep him, but was told by a FedEx manager (who did not speak to Alijev) to terminate him. Ishmail’s offer to demonstrate his speech to high level company officials was declined. He filed suit. Rumboy, D. (2012, November 27). Utah Truck Driver Claims FedEx Fired Him Due to Russian Accent. In Desert News. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://www.desertnews.com.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Legal Status Alijev has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit seeking money for lost wages and punitive damages. Reports are that he is now acting as an independent truck driver. Schwartz, T. 2012. (December 29). FedEx driver fired over accent? Ishmail files discrimination lawsuit. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://blog.zap2it.com.

17. Smith v Lockheed-Martin Corp (11th Cr, 2011) Diversity Issue: Reverse Race Discrimination Lockheed-Martin has a “zero tolerance” policy forbidding anyone from engaging in harassment against a legally-protected status such as race. Anthony Mitten, a white supervisor, was fired for violating this policy and for improper-computer-use policies after he received and forwarded an email entitled, “Why There Are No Black NASCAR Drivers.” The email contained derogatory stereotypes of Blacks. Black employees, however, were not fired, but were only suspended for a short time when they used company email to circulate a derogatory characterization of white men (“How to Dance Like A White Guy”) during the same time. Anthony Mitten sued, claiming racially discriminatory termination. Mollica, P. (2011, July 1). Daily developments in EEO Law. Smith v Lockheed-Martin Corp, No. 09-15428 (11 Cir, June 10, 2011), In Outten & Bolden blog. Retrieved February 3, 2013.

Legal Status The white employee won this discrimination lawsuit. The court found “an appearance of racial disparity” in the imposing of discipline for virtually the same infraction.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Removing Expensive Labor: Forced Retirement Cases 18 and 19 examine the practice of removing expensive labor costs from the payroll by forcing retirement. They examine two different practices intended to accomplish the same end: a) mandating retirement of older workers; and b) forcing payroll labor into contract labor.

18. Sidley Austin Brown & Wood v EEOC Diversity Issue: Age Discrimination (thru forced retirement) Sidley, a giant Chicago-based international law firm with 1500 lawyers practicing on three continents, has used a mandatory retirement policy to involuntarily retire partners since 1978. Further, it demoted 32 partners thereby forcing them out also. The EEOC filed a class action suit charging that Sidley selected partners for expulsion from the firm on the basis of their age. “The New York Bar Association recently criticized mandatory retirement programs for older attorneys saying that the requirements effectively cheat the public out of competent counselors with a wide body of experience. ” Wilkins, D. (2007). Partner, Shmartner! EEOC v. Sidley Austin Brown & Wood. In 120 Harv. L. Rev. 1264 (2007). Retrieved February 12, 2013, from www.harvard law review.org.

Ethics Commentary One of the ethical justifications for such action could be duty: a duty to younger people in the firm to keep upward mobility a realistic prospect. Such an argument would arise from a deontological approach. Another theoretical basis for such action could be that retiring senior partners creates the greatest good for the greatest number. This would be a teleological approach. A caring argument is difficult to imagine, since the action, forced retirement, seems the opposite of caring. Legal Status The case has been resolved. Sidley did not admit to any wrongdoing, but 1) consented to pay $ 27.5 million for discrimination against the 32 partners, 2) agreed to end its mandatory retirement policy for lawyers based on age, and 3) agreed that its “partners” were actually employees and therefore protected by discrimination laws. Retrieved November 8, 2012 from www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20060217

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

19. Allstate Insurance Diversity Issue: Age Discrimination (thru demotion to contract work) In 1999, Allstate fired 6,400 home and auto insurance agents of which 90% were over age 40. Allstate offered to rehire them as independent contractors with slightly higher pay but without their expensive health and pension benefits, providing they waived their rights to sue Allstate for age or any other discrimination. Allstate also imposed a one-year freeze on rehiring former sales agents in other positions. This procedure was repeated with 650 life insurance agents, 80% of whom are over 40. A class-action suit was filed by employees who were joined by EEOC. Allstate counter sued for fraud. Sachs, S. (2002, May 22). Not in Good Hands. In The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=214776. Appelson, G. (2007, May 14). Baby Boomers Battle Bias. In Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4798277.html.

Ethics Commentary On the face of it, this appears to be an attempt by Allstate to reconfigure its business model to reduce workforce costs. Such an approach could be justified on ethical grounds as part of their duty (deontological approach) to the shareholders of the company. If this duty is motivated by creating an end (greater profit), then a teleological approach may be seen to be at the foundation of this action. Caring doesn’t readily suggest itself. Legal Status Allstate lost and must pay $4.5 million to approximately 90 older former employees, in addition to “significant remedial relief.” The order provides for discrimination prevention training, posting of notices, reporting and monitoring and other relief designed to educate Allstate managers in order to prevent future violations of the ADEA. Retrieved June 11, 2011 from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/9-11-09a/cfn.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Removing Expensive Labor: Outsourcing Case 20 examines the practice of removing labor by transferring American jobs to countries where labor is cheaper. There are both positive and negative effects of this practice. “Full time jobs become contract work without benefits, and then vanish overseas.” Reingold, J. (2004, April). Into Thin Air. In Fast Company. Retrieved February 23, 2013, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/81/offshore.html.

“In the absence of a public policy that tells me what to do… I have no choice as corporate manager, nor do my colleagues… [but to make decisions] that very often involve moves of jobs into other countries.” Andrew Grove (former Intel CEO) quoted in Reingold, J. (2004, April). Into Thin Air. In Fast Company. Retrieved February 23, 2013 from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/81/offshore.html.

20. WatchMark Corp. (now WatchMark-Comnitel) Diversity Issue: Off-shoring (outsourcing jobs overseas) WatchMark (a software company) terminated 60 people and sent their jobs to India. Some of the terminated workers were asked to stay and train their Indian replacements with the clear understanding that their severance pay and unemployment benefits were contingent upon them doing so. Ethical dilemma: Cost savings and benefits to economy (increased productivity, lower prices and greater demand for American products) versus downward mobility and suffering of displaced workers. Reingold, J. (2004, April). Into Thin Air. In Fast Company. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/81/offshore.html.

Off-shoring is rapidly increasing. It has been common in manufacturing for a long time, but now service jobs are being outsourced in record numbers. Some companies such as Fast Company magazine and Careerplanner.com produce lists of jobs “and their relative vulnerability.” Ethics Commentary This company is in an extremely volatile sector of the market and the demand for employees is high. It also operates with venture capital investors. The ethical issue here might be seen as the need to be globally competitive in order to retain investors, or die or get acquired. So the justification for outsourcing would be based on duty to the venture capital partners (deontology). It could also be based on the need to reduce costs to create more good (by continued existence) for more people. Such a justification would be teleological. Legal Status As of this writing, no lawsuits have been filed.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

21. Bhatt v The University of Vermont Diversity Issue: Tourette Disability Discrimination Dr. Rajan D. Bhatt falsified an evaluation for a surgery rotation and at the hearing, claimed it was an isolated incident. It was learned however, that he had falsified other evaluations too, and falsified a diploma as well. At the next hearing dealing with these other forgeries, he claimed they were due to Tourette’s syndrome and a related obsessive-behavior disorder. The university dismissed him. He sought treatment and later requested that his medical condition be re-evaluated by the university. His application was denied and he sued the university under the ADA charging the university had not accommodated his disability. Cheney, K. (2008, June 17). Developments in Vermont law. What Accommodations Must A College Give A Liar? In VT-World. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.vt-world.com. More Law Lexapedia. (2008, May 30). Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.morelaw.com.

Legal Status The Supreme Court of Vermont upheld the university, noting that the request for accommodation came far too late as it came after his dismissal. The court noted further that the defendant wants the university to ignore all his misconduct and reinstate him, which is something the ADA is not intended to remedy. Lexapedia. More Law Case: 2008/ VT 76. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://morelaw.com .

22. Hughes v the City of Bethlehem et al. Diversity Issues: Gender and Physical Disability Discrimination Catherine Hughes, a diabetic employee from the City of Bethlehem called in sick for two days when she was actually in Las Vegas having her lips and eyebrows permanently tattooed. Her deception was reported and when questioned, she lied, saying that she wasn’t in Las Vegas, but had been in her sickbed at her boyfriend’s home. She was terminated for dishonesty after an investigation uncovered her deception. She sued stating she was terminated because of her gender and diabetes and that she was retaliated against for seeking an accommodation under ADA. HR Specialist: Pennsylvania Employment Law (2009, January 18). OK to Fire Employee Who Lies About FMLA Absence. Retrieved February 20, 2013 from www.businessmanagementdaily.com/6970/No 07-2349.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Legal Status The District Court granted summary judgment in favor of the city. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reviewed the record and concluded that Hughes failed to show gender-based discrimination and agreed with the District Court that the city did not discriminate. United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit No. 07-2319. Retrieved November 8, 2013 from http://www2.ca3.vscourts.gov.

Discussion Question A wealthy and frequent guest arrived at a small and very posh golf resort for an extended stay. He was accompanied by a dozen important business associates. He immediately informed the hotel management that there was to be no service for any of his guests made directly by African-Americans – no waiters, no housekeepers, nor other service personnel. He was adamant on this point. As the general manager of the hotel, what would you do if: a) the wealthy guest were American? Explain. b) the wealthy guest were Middle Eastern? Explain.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Writing Assignment The court decisions on two landmark cases severely erode the rights of workers to sue employers who engage in gender discrimination (Lilly Ledbetter case) and age discrimination (Jack Gross case). Subsequent legal action changed the impact of the verdicts. Ledbetter v Goodyear Tire and Rubber Lilly Ledbetter was the only woman among the 16 supervisors at the same management level. She worked at Goodyear over 19 years and learned late in her tenure there that all the males (even those with less seniority) earned more than she did, and that her salary was as much as 40 percent lower than the salaries of the males. Gross v FBL Financial Services In June 2003, Farm Bureau Financial Group merged with Kansas Farm Bureau and offered all employees who were over age 50 with a specified number of years of employment, a buyout. In Iowa, virtually every claims supervisor over 50 was demoted. Jack Gross, aged 54, with 13 consecutive years of top performance reviews, was demoted. The company claimed it was a “reorganization,” not a demotion. Research these cases and write a paper that explains: 1. the court rulings in each case, 2. subsequent legal actions, and 3. the implications for workers.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Diversity on the Web Global Considerations Research the following questions: 1. Do U.S. anti-discrimination laws apply to workers at U.S.-owned companies operating in other countries? 2. Do U.S. anti-discrimination laws apply to foreign companies operating in the U.S.? 3. The U.S. has child labor laws prohibiting exploitation of children in the workplace, yet many large American corporations have been exposed producing and/or marketing products made overseas by child sweatshop labor. Can these corporations be prosecuted for violations of U.S. child labor laws? Starting sources: Berkowitz, P.M. & Rosenberg, E.J. (2009, August 7). Overseas Employees and U.S. Laws: Recent Developments. In Nixon Peabody Thought Leadership/Alerts. http://www. Nixonpeabody.com. Lowe, D.A. (n.d.). Employment Rights of American Workers Abroad. In Rudy, Exelrod & Zieff. http://apps.americanbar.org. Mok, K. (2010, June 2). Are These Unethical Fashion Brands Hiding in Your Closet? In Treehugger. http://www.treehugger.com. Nuri, S. (2013). Lists of Brands That Use Sweatshops. In eHowMoney. http://www.ehow.com/ (Type title in search box.)

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Additional Cases (not in text)

1. Brown v City of Salem Diversity Issue: Sleep Apnea Disability Brown, a 911 emergency dispatcher for almost 25 years, was diagnosed with sleep apnea (involuntary short sleeps) 10 years ago. The city excused him from night duty and gave him a fan in accordance with his doctor’s recommendation. In 2003, he was terminated at least in part because he still fell asleep while on duty. Brown sued. The issue is whether or not there is a causal relationship between the termination and the disability. Satterwhite, R. (2007, March 9). Thin Line Between Misconduct and Disability. Suits in the Workplace. Retrieved May 18, 2007 from http://suitsintheworkplace.com/blogs/.

Ethics Commentary One deontological approach to this situation is to claim that Brown has a duty to his employer, the city and the wider population the city government represents, to be able to perform his job regardless of the outcome. The city appears to have tried to meet a duty to Brown by relieving him of night duty. A teleological approach might consider the ends or outcomes of Brown’s falling asleep while responsible for the 911 lines. The harm caused to others might be significant. The greatest good argument would suggest Brown not work the 911 lines. A caring approach could also explain the city’s treatment of Brown in that he was relieved of night duty. Such relief could have come from genuine compassion and care. Legal Status The City’s motion for summary judgment was denied; Brown can sue. The court noted that “conduct resulting from the disability is considered to be part of the disability and that termination based on that conduct is unlawful.”  

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

Walgreens Drug Stores v State of Illinois Diversity Issue: Religion Walgreens policy allowed pharmacists to decline to dispense birth control prescriptions as long as there was another pharmacist in the store or one nearby to do so. In April 2005, Illinois passed a law requiring all pharmacists to fill all prescriptions. A follow-up letter from the governor indicated that pharmacists refusing to comply would subject their employers to heavy penalties. In September 2005, disciplinary actions against the pharmacies, including Walgreens, began. Walgreens suspended noncomplying pharmacists, offering to help those in southern Illinois to get licensed in Missouri. The pharmacists declined to relocate to Missouri. Suspended Illinois pharmacists and Walgreens both sued the state. Michels, L. (2006, Sept. 25). Conflict Over Contraception. Suits in the Workplace. Retrieved May 18, 2007 from http://suitsintheworkplace.com/blogs/archive/2006/09.aspx.

Ethics Commentary Does a pharmacist have a duty to follow a physician’s directions for patient prescriptions, or does his/her duty also involve his/her judgment (in this case, based on religious belief) about the physician’s directions? The ethical judgment of where the pharmacist’s duty lies is a deontological one. A teleological approach might reason that moral behavior such as that supported by religious belief is a desired end and should be encouraged, that such reasoning could lead to a better world. (Of course, such a claim could also be refuted by pointing out what moral chaos might ensue if any crackpot belief that claimed religious status were accepted.) Another teleological approach to ethically reasoning this situation could be to claim that physician’s orders have greater reliability (scientific knowledge) than do pharmacist’s belief systems. A caring approach might claim that the pharmacist who refuses to provide women with birth control pills is caring for the patient in a way the physician is not. The claim could also be made that the pharmacist is caring for himself/herself and her belief system over that of the patient, a kind of arrogance. Legal Status States may make laws that conflict with individual religious requirements, but Walgreens’ complaint is in litigation since the Court found that the state failed to provide pharmacies with a way to accommodate the religious objections.

41. Ethics and Diversity Cases: Legal Applications in the Workplace

3. Domino’s Pizza, Inc. Diversity Issue: Worker Safety or Social Class/Ethnic Discrimination Dominos refused to deliver pizza to a home in a high crime area in San Francisco. Like other pizza chains, they practiced redlining – they coded neighborhoods as red (high crime areas where they would not deliver pizza), yellow (customers must come out to street to get pizza from the delivery car) or green (delivery to home) areas. Red areas were almost always high-minority areas. A customer in a red area claimed discrimination. Dominos claimed that their delivery policy was for the protection of their drivers as several pizza delivery people had been murdered and delivery people had been robbed and assaulted. The New York Times (1996, July 14). San Francisco Tells Pizza Shops to Hold the Excuses. The New York Times. Retrieved May 19, 2007 from http://query.nytimes.com.

Ethics Commentary This interesting situation places the company’s duty towards its drivers (a deontological particular application) against the duty to the world outside the company (universal application). Clearly, San Francisco weighed on the universal side. Given this ruling, we could argue that the company now has a duty to train its drivers in safety procedures. This is a particularist application. The action in San Francisco also can be explained by a teleological approach to the ethical issue: delivering pizzas to everyone creates the greatest good. If Dominos could decide to which people it would sell and deliver, it would be treating some people unfairly because they could not obtain pizzas the way other citizens could. (Perhaps the duty here is a civic one related to law enforcement: all citizens should be able to be safe in their neighborhoods.) The caring approach to ethics suggests that no group of people should be degraded, if redlining a delivery area is seen as degrading. Note that if the argument leaned over a bit into unfairness, it would be a teleological approach. Legal Status Domino’s has a fairly extensive Delivery Area Security Procedures Manual posted on the web. It states (in all capitals) that, “FACTORS SUCH AS RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, SEX, AGE, OR ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC PROTECTED BY LAW, and SHALL NEVER BE LEGITIMATE CONSIDERATIONS IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO LIMIT DELIVERY SERVICE.” It further states: “Safety of employees must continue to be the top priority” and provides detailed policies and procedures for determining if an area is reasonably safe. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/housing/documents/dominos_manual.htm.

42. How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity

HOW CANADA PROMOTES WORKPLACE DIVERSITY Marc S. Mentzer University of Saskatchewan

Goals •

To create awareness that issues of workplace diversity are not limited to the U.S.

•

To introduce the workplace diversity policies in Canada, a nation similar to the U.S. and yet having a very distinct history and a very different approach to diversity management

•

To present the concept of employment equity and organizational policies leading to the attainment of employment equity

Key Points •

Laws passed by the Canadian federal government regarding workplace fairness apply only to certain federally-regulated industries (banking, airlines, and certain others). Otherwise, it’s only provincial/territorial laws that affect employers.

•

The Canadian Human Rights Act bans direct and indirect discrimination.

•

The Canadian Human Rights Act requires “pay equity” (comparable worth).

•

The Canadian Employment Equity Acts of 1986 and 1995 require employers to engage in proactive practices regarding women and minorities, roughly similar to the U.S. concept of Affirmative Action.

•

The Canadian Employment Equity Act specifies four “protected groups” that are to be the target of practices in the spirit of Affirmative Action: women, Aboriginal peoples, people with disabilities, and visible minorities. In other words, of the various types of discrimination covered by the Canadian Human Rights Act, these four specific types of discrimination have been singled out for special protection in the Canadian Employment Equity Act.

•

Each province/territory has a law roughly equivalent to the Canadian Human Rights Act, forbidding direct and indirect discrimination. Some (not all) provinces also have legislation requiring pay equity (i.e., comparable worth).

42. How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. How does the power of the Canadian federal government in relation to the provinces differ from the power of the United States federal government in relation to the states? The situation is different in each country because each has its own constitution. Generally speaking, the Canadian federal government’s power is weaker. In Canada, only companies in federally-regulated industries (banking, telecommunications, airlines, and certain others) are affected by federal legislation, while the rest are affected only by the laws of the provinces in which they operate. In matters of employment rights legislation, the power of the U.S. federal government is far greater. 2. If a U.S.-based retail chain has stores throughout Canada, which laws apply − those of the United States, those of the Canadian federal government, or those of each province? The laws that would apply are those of each province in which the company operates. Its Toronto store would come under Ontario law, its Montreal store would come under Quebec law, and so on. Canadian federal law is irrelevant because retailing is not a federally-regulated industry. U.S. law does not apply in Canada. 3. What is the difference between employment equity and pay equity? Employment equity is roughly similar to the U.S. concept of Affirmative Action: this is when employers behave in a proactive manner to increase the representation of women and minority employees and to ensure that the organization has an atmosphere in which women and minorities feel comfortable. On the other hand, pay equity is identical to the U.S. concept of comparable worth. This is when employers ensure that predominantly-female occupations are paid the same as predominantlymale occupations of equal importance. For example, let’s take the case of an airline in Canada. Employment equity would be oriented toward getting more women and minorities in high-paying jobs like that of pilot. Pay equity would be oriented toward making sure the secretaries and flight attendants aren’t paid less than those in predominantly-male occupations of equal importance. 4. How does the Canadian constitution affect Affirmative Action-type programs? The Canadian constitution states that while discrimination is forbidden, exceptions to the non-discrimination rule are permitted to aid a disadvantaged group. This constitutional clause, which has no counterpart in the U.S. Constitution, makes it impossible for anyone to win a so-called “reverse discrimination” lawsuit in Canada. The situation under the U.S. Constitution is very different, because U.S. court decisions have led to a rolling back of certain types of Affirmative Action programs involving quotas or point systems.

42. How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity

5. (a) Present an argument that it is easier for employers to comply with diversity legislation in Canada than it is in the United States. There are many ways of approaching this question and an argument could be made for either side. First, Canada does not have the lingering bitterness associated with the history of slavery, which might make it easier for Canadian racial groups to work together in the workplace. Second, some of the groups comprising “visible minorities,” such as Chinese Canadians, are already well-integrated into the economic mainstream. (However, note that some ethnic groups in the visible minority category are not well-off.) Students might develop other arguments, pro or con, as well. (b) Present an argument that it is harder for employers to comply with diversity legislation in Canada than in the United States. First, one could argue that it’s easier for U.S. employers because they don’t have comparable worth (pay equity) legislation. Second, a Canadian employer with multiprovincial operations, such as a retailer or restaurant chain, has to tailor its policies to obey the laws of each territory/province in which it operates. This assumes the employer is not in a federally regulated industry such as broadcasting or banking. Students might develop other arguments, pro or con, as well.

Other Resources The website of the Canadian Human Rights Commission is a good starting point: http://www.ccdp-chrc.gc.ca. Within the above website, the webpage dedicated to employment equity is: http://www.ccdp-chrc.gc.ca/employment_equity/default-eng.aspx. Of the various provinces, Ontario and Quebec have the strictest pay equity (comparable worth) legislation, covering both private and public sector employers. The Ontario government website has extensive advice on how to ensure that pay scales are in compliance with the province’s pay equity law: http://www.payequity.gov.on.ca. Quebec government website on pay equity: http://www.ces.gouv.qc.ca/english.asp.

42. How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity

Points of Law Summary of key diversity legislation in Canada’s federal jurisdiction: Charter of Rights and Freedoms: This is part of the Canadian constitution and is roughly parallel to the U.S. Bill of Rights. Canadian Human Rights Act: This forbids direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and certain other grounds. Canadian Employment Equity Act: This requires employers to engage in proactive measures to increase the representation of four specific groups: Women, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. Of the groups covered under the Canadian Human Rights Act, the federal government has selected these four groups for additional legal attention under the Employment Equity Act.

Diversity on the Web Choose a Canadian bank from the list below and look at its website to see what is presented regarding employment equity or diversity. Next, choose a U.S. bank and look at what its website says regarding diversity. To what extent do differences between the two websites relate to differences between Canada and the United States? In some cases, it will be necessary to do a web search within the bank’s website for the keywords “diversity” or “employment equity.” To get started, here are some websites of Canadian banks: http://rbc.com/canada.html http://td.com http://cibc.com http://scotiabank.com http://bmo.com

42. How Canada Promotes Workplace Diversity

Writing Assignment Choose one province or territory, look up the website of its human rights commission or tribunal, and discuss what types of cases or complaints dominate the work of that commission or tribunal. In some instances, there will be a section of the website labeled “Decisions.” Are the issues addressed by your chosen organization different than one would expect from a similar enforcement agency in the United States? The following websites are particularly well designed: British Columbia:

http://www.bchrt.bc.ca

Newfoundland and Labrador:

http://www.justice.gov.nl.ca/hrc/

Ontario:

http://www.ohrc.on.ca

Quebec (clickable button converts the

http://www.cdpdj.qc.ca

web page into English):

Saskatchewan:

http://www.shrc.gov.sk.ca

Yukon:

http://www.yhrc.yk.ca

43. A Report on the Current Health of the Media

A REPORT ON THE CURRENT HEALTH OF THE MEDIA M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To examine how media both foster and reflect cultural stereotypes and values

• To examine media discrimination patterns in the audiences they target

Outline I. Media Accessibility A Print Media B. Broadcast Media C. Electronic Media D. Targeted (Ethnic and Segment) Media II. Mass Media Messaging A. The Producers of Mass Media Messages B. News Broadcasting C. Content: Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination III. Messaging A. Personal Messaging B. Social Messaging IV. Business A. Marketing B. Hiring C. Internal Corporate use

43. A Report on the Current Health of the Media

Discussion Questions and Answers

1. The FCC has recently issued new rules for protecting the neutrality of the content of the Internet. Investigate these rules and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this policy. Starting source: Davis, C. (2011, January 3). FCC net neutrality rules meet criticism. Worcester Business Journal. www.wbjournal.com. p.12. New rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission (“Open Internet Order for Net Neutrality”, dated December 21, 2010) require broadband Internet providers to: 1) disclose basic information about management practices and services; 2) not block legal content; and 3) stay neutral and not discriminate (i.e., not give some users preferential treatment). The new regulations are controversial. Critics complain that they are too weak and only add to previous complaints that the FCC waters down affirmative action regulations. They cite the failure to require stations to make public data on their minority staffing and hiring” and research by Hispanic and Latino groups document deeply-felt, community concerns about the lack of racial-ethnic diversity in staffing in Spanish-language television and in programming (lax monitoring of obscene and pornographic material in Spanish-language radio). Controversy also stems from the application of the new rules. Some view the rules as weak since they do not apply to wireless or mobile broadband and do not deal with payment for priority such as the case of Netflix paying for better service. Countering these negatives however, are arguments that too much government regulation is not good; it could deter innovation.

2. The major requirements for evaluating the social health of mass media are described in the text article. How would you complete a “Report Card” on the social health of the media in terms of these requirements? Explain. Student answers will differ, but will contain considerable overlap. Sometimes very ingenious and innovative ideas come forth.

43. A Report on the Current Health of the Media

3. Is it legal for employers to monitor the email and other communications their employees send? Starting sources: Spykerman, M. (n.d.). Is email monitoring legal? Red earth. http://www.policypatrol.com. Nolo. (n.d.) Monitoring employee communications. Learn the rules on email, voicemail, telephone conversations and Internet use. http://www. nolo.com. Nolo. (n.d.). Email monitoring: Can your employer read your messages? http://www.nolo.com. Owings, K. (n.d.). Legality of email monitoring. EHow money. http://www.ehow.com/facts_6901953_legality-email-monioring.html. Employers monitor employee communications because they don’t want them surfing X-rated sites, sending offensive email, calling in bets at the races, giving away trade secrets, engaging in illegal conduct at work and using company communications to harass co-workers. A large survey found that more than a quarter of the terminations for email use were due to violations of company policy, inappropriate language, too much personal use, and breaches of confidential information. Whether an employer has the right to monitor employee email depends on factors such as whether the organization is in the public or private sector, and what state it is in. Federal law prohibits employers from intercepting wire, oral, or electronic communications. Phone. Business calls with customers or clients are okay to monitor, but not personal calls. Email. Courts generally support employers reading employee email messages so long as there is a valid business purpose. Email is not private if an employee uses a work account, network, or equipment owned by the employer. Signing onto a personal web-based account on an employer’s device or network connection doesn’t necessarily prevent monitoring. Maryland state law forbids employers requiring personal identifiers for social media, however, i.e., employers cannot force employees to reveal their social media passwords. Internet. Employers can keep track of the internet sites visited by their workers. Audiotaping and Videotaping. Federal law appears to allow any person involved in a conversation to tape it without the other person’s knowledge or permission – as long as the recording is not made for the purpose of committing a crime. Some states however, do require that all persons involved in the conversation must consent.

43. A Report on the Current Health of the Media

Additional Sources: East, N. 2013. (October 30). Employer monitoring and employee email. Ehow money. http://www. Ehow.com. Stroup H. (n.d.) Work life and home life. The changing face of privacy. http://www.idtheft.about.com/od/Privacy/a/Work.

4. Will video-conferencing and text messaging replace face-to-face meetings? Examine the arguments on both sides of this debate. Starting sources: Kahai, S. (2010, May 6). Is video conferencing a good substitute for face-toface meetings? http://www.leadingvirtually.com Cassim, B. (2009, March 12). Face-to-face conference vs. video conference. Continent exchange. http://application101blogspot.com Avanta. (2011, September 9). Video conferencing vs. face-to-face meetings. Avanta. http://www.avanata.com.uk Nugent, K. (2010, January 8). New global markets keep businesses flying. Worcester Telegram & Gazette. pp. B12,13. http://www.telegram.com/article/20100108/1002 Student answers will vary; most will agree that video conferencing, text messaging, and face-to-face meetings will all continue to be both useful and used as they have different strengths and weaknesses making each a better choice in some situations and for some purposes. Some of the major considerations that may be raised include: Video-conferencing: Advantages & strengths Video-conferencing and text messaging provide the advantages of time effectiveness (reduced travel time and time away from the job), of cost effectiveness (travel, local transportation, accommodations, etc.), and of reduced environmental impact (less emissions from planes, taxis, buses, etc.). These advantages are especially important for global firms). Additional advantages include shortening the time used for making decisions resulting in shorter time to market, providing alternative tools such as online surveys, and archiving capabilities (recording and playback). With video conferencing, a speaker can be asked to speed up, slow down, and repeat information. Face-to-face Meetings: Advantages & strengths Face-to-face interchange has strengths in terms of interactive activities such as networking and brain-storming, conduciveness to learning provided by an environment away from the office, and richer experience in getting to know someone

43. A Report on the Current Health of the Media

(i.e., in building relationships, bonds, and trust). Additional strengths are apparent for some types of projects such as in engineering when drawings and blue prints are involved and need face-to-face interaction. There are cultural advantages too; some cultures don’t like and/or won’t use video conferencing or text messaging (especially so in cultures for which personal relationships and trust must be built before business is considered). Note that attending conferences, trade shows, conventions, etc. are face-to-face meetings. Observers report that people now go to these events to connect and network rather than to search for technical information and product specs. Today’s attendees use digital tools to line up additional meetings even as the event progresses. Additional Considerations Video conferencing and face-to-face meetings differ in what people pay attention to. They involve different kinds of information processing which may mean they differ in value for different people. Video conferencing involves great cognitive processing – identifying who is speaking, detecting movement, coordinating eye contact, turntaking and conversation processing – i.e., expending greater effort in evaluating information from the speaker.

Writing Assignment Select a group, such as an ethnic group, social class, government, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, obesity, public officials, businessmen, etc. 1. Conduct your own examination on how one media characterizes them. 2. Write a two to three page paper on your findings. Be sure to include how you arrived at your findings (i.e., your methodology). Hint: The Media Exercise article that follows provides instructions on how this might be done.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity

EXERCISES IN MEDIA DIVERSITY M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University Professor Emerita

Pedagogy These exercises are designed as outside-of-class field assignments with in-class discussion of the results. They can be adapted for online classes and most could be conducted as group projects. They can easily become writing assignments.

Instructions The media assignments are suitable for individuals or groups. There are a number of assignments that can easily be expanded for larger classes. For example, prime time TV exercises can be conducted on programs on different days of the week; different students can explore different newspapers, different sets of video games, etc.

Option 1 Students can work on assignments within a particular medium (e.g., prime time, Saturday morning, daytime television) and then assemble their findings in class for a more comprehensive perspective of that medium.

Option 2 Students can work on assignments from a cross-section of media and then share findings for a broader picture of the industry as a whole. Note: It is suggested that instructors contact publishers and radio and TV channels for sample media kits if these cannot be found online.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity

Exercises The following exercises provide opportunities to examine media messages. Recording Forms to aid students in making observations are on succeeding pages. Note that each form serves more than one assignment. Multiple copies of each form will be needed for each student or group. The instructions in the text to students are below. 1. Electronic Media: Prime Time TV Watch prime time television, selecting option a) or option b) from the following options. Record the information (role, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation and behaviors) about the principal and secondary characters on the Recording Form. You will need several copies of the Recording Form for each program. Be sure to use separate forms for each program. Option a): Watch two hours of prime time TV drama (6-11 p.m.). Option b): Watch three different prime time crime dramas (6-11 p.m.). After making your observations, answer the following questions: 1) What audiences do you think each program targets? Why? 2) What stereotypes and cultural messages do you think the programs send? Explain. 3) What audience do you think the commercials target? Why? 4) What stereotypes and cultural messages do you think the commercials send? Explain.

2. Print Media: Mass Circulation Newspapers Examine a single issue of a mass circulation daily or Sunday newspaper and record your observations of the ethnicity, gender, social class, age, sexual orientation and tone (i.e., positive, negative, neutral) of the commentary in either option a) the newspaper stories or option b) the features, on the Recording Form. You will need several copies of the form. Option a): Newspaper stories. Option b): Features including wedding, engagement, anniversary and death notices, financial reporting, clothing, travel articles, etc. After recording your observations, answer the following questions: 1) Are the groups treated in proportion to their numbers in the population? Explain. Give examples. 2) Do you think the groups are treated equally in tone (i.e., positive, negative, neutral)? Explain. Give examples.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity 3) What audience do you think they may target? Explain. Give examples. 4) What stereotypes do you think they may foster? Explain. Give examples.

3. Print Media: Magazines Visit a library or bookstore. Select three magazines, one from each of the following columns. Use the Recording Form for your observations of the ethnicity, gender, social class, age, sexual orientation and the tone of the commentary. You will need several copies of the Recording Form for each magazine. Cosmopolitan Good Housekeeping InStyle Marie Clair Martha Stewart Living Shape Women’s Day

Brides Maxim Vanity Fair Seventeen Sports Illustrated Travel & Leisure People

Business Week Bicycling Jet Real Simple Time Money TV Guide

After recording your observations, analyze the media messages and answer the following questions for each magazine: 1) What group(s) (gender, class, race/ethnicity, age, social class, sexual orientation, etc.) does each magazine seem to target? Explain. Give examples. 2) What messages (cultural values, stereotypes, etc.) does each magazine seem to convey? Explain. Give examples. 3) What group(s) (gender, class, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, etc.) do the advertisements in each magazine seem to target? Explain. Give examples. 4) What messages (cultural values, stereotypes, etc.) do the advertisements in each magazine seem to convey? Explain. Give examples.

4. Other Cultural Products (additional assignments not included in text) Transmission of cultural expectations for both genders begins at birth and continues throughout childhood. Verify this by making observations of one the following cultural products. Your instructor will supply Recording Forms to aid you in making your observations. You will need several copies of the Recording Form. a)

Baby cards. Visit a store selling baby cards and record the gender differences in color, design and message. Use separate Recording Forms for male and female cards. Do not use cards from the Internet.

Toys. Visit a large toy store and record gender and racial differences in color, design and message. Use separate Recording Forms for male and female genderspecific toys.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity c)

Comic books. Examine three different comic books and record social identity information such as gender and race about the principal and secondary characters. Use separate Recording Forms for each comic book.

Children’s books or elementary school textbooks. Visit a library or elementary school bookstore and examine the textbooks used in a single grade, or examine subject textbooks (e.g., social science) for several grades. Record your observations about the characters on separate Recording Forms for each book.

Electronic games. Examine three different video games, noting information about the principal and secondary characters. Use separate Recording Forms for each game.

After recording your observations, answer the questions: 1)

What stereotypes and cultural messages do you think are being sent? Explain. Give examples.

How are ethnic and racial groups represented? As leading characters? As villains? Heroes? What are the gender roles? Explain. Give examples.

Additional Assignments (not included in text) 1. Anatomy of an English Language Newspaper Select one newspaper. One person will examine each of the following parts of the paper for a single day or issue. Other individuals will examine the paper on different days. Use Recording Forms to record observations. i) comic strips ii) advertising iii) letters to the editors iv) features v) news stories vi) photographs Next, assemble group members to combine their observations into a “profile” of the newspaper. 2. Anatomy of Foreign Language Newspapers If possible, dissect foreign language newspapers in the same fashion as the English language newspapers above. 3. Magazine with a Focused Target Market Select an unusual magazine (such as gardening, handyman, or travel over 50) and analyze it to determine which segment of society it targets in terms of race/ethnicity, age, social class, gender, etc.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity 4. Television Select TV networks targeting special groups such as the Home and Garden channel or ESPN and compare their programming messages and advertising to those of mass TV.

Discussion Notes Regardless of the assignments selected, a good way to open discussion is to focus on the stereotypes. First, ask students to report on the stereotypes they uncover. Then check their observations against the stereotypes reported in the text concerning youth, businessmen, Arabs, Italian-Americans, public officials, gender, social class, children, and nonwhites. If observations are concentrated within a single medium, then discussion can focus on in-depth analysis of that medium. If observations are made across the various media and/or cultural products, discussion can then focus on the pervasiveness of media influence.

Teaching Tip These assignments can be related back to Bowman’s Increasing Multicultural Understanding: Uncovering Stereotypes exercise found in this text. Point out to students the relationships between these media messages and the sources of their stereotypes as revealed in the Bowman exercise.

44. Exercises in Media Diversity RECORDING FORM FOR PRIME TIME DRAMA AND COMMERCIALS

Program…………………………………………...….. Day …………….Time……….……. Network………….………..

Character* _ . .

Drama (check):

Role

. Gender

____Crime

____ Non-crime

Race/Ethnicity

……….….…..…… ……….…………. ………… ………………..…

Observed Behavior:

*Use separate sheets for each character.

Social Group ……………….….

44. Exercises in Media Diversity RECORDING FORM FOR NEWSPAPER STORIES and FEATURES and MAGAZINES

(check):

Magazine____ Newspaper____

(check):

Stories____

Features _____

Name……………………………………………………..……. Date………………….………

Tone of Commentary (check) Positive Neutral Negative Circle appropriate category:

African-American Asian-American Latino White Unspecified Other (please specify) Circle:

Female Male Circle:

Upper class Middle class Lower class

Use separate sheets for each story or feature.

Comments______

44. Exercises in Media Diversity RECORDING FORM

(check)

No.*

Baby cards____

Toys____

(check)

Male____

_______ Message

Female____

Other**_____

*Minimum of 15 cards or toys **Note color, design and/or anything else that sends a gender message

44. Exercises in Media Diversity RECORDING FORM FOR COMIC BOOKS AND ELECTRONIC GAMES

(check)

Comic Book_____

Electronic Game_____

Date: …………………… Book or Game Name…………………………………………….

Key:

V = Violence A = Action/Aggressiveness D = Decision-making

L = Leadership E = Ethnicity/Race O = Other diversity

Place a check in the appropriate column each time that behavior occurs Character* Dominant/ Name Secondary

Male/ Female

*Use separate sheets for each character

45. New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets

NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES: CHANGING CONSUMER MARKETS M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To increase awareness of the effects of population and demographic changes

•

To present an overview of the marketplace of the future

•

To explore the nature and trends of major minority markets

Outline I.

The New Consumer Marketplace

II. Asian Americans A. Asian American Profile B. Asian Americans from India C. Asian American Consumer Market D. Asian American Trends III. Black/African Americans A. Black/African American Profile B. Black/African American Consumer Market C. Black/African American Trends IV. Hispanic/Latino Americans A. Hispanic/Latino American Profile B. Hispanic/Latino American Market Segments C. Hispanic/Latino American Consumer Market D. Hispanic/Latino American Trends V.

Native Americans A. Native American Profile B. Native American Consumer Market

45. New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets C. Mature American Consumer Market D. Mature American Trends VII. LGBT Americans (The Gay Market) A. LGBT American Profile B. LGBT American Consumer Market C. LGBT American Trends VIII. Americans with Disabilities A. Americans with Disabilities Profile B. Americans with Disabilities Consumer Market C. Americans with Disabilities Trends IX. American Women A. American Women Profile B. American Women Market Segments C. American Women Consumer Markets D. American Women Trends X.

Summary

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Which of the diverse consumer markets mentioned in this article has the best future potential for sales of a) sports cars, b) new technology, and c) energy drinks? Why? This is a more complex question than it might appear on the surface. While a case could be developed for many of the consumers in this article, consider the following factors in the answers: a) Sports Cars •

Although some members of the Asian-American market do purchase luxury cars, sports cars may be considered as an extravagance except by members from the younger generation.

•

“Upwardly mobile” African Americans may tend towards this purchase.

•

Remember that mature Americans control 70% of the disposable income and that the Baby Boomers are just coming into this segment enabling many mature consumers to purchase that “once in a lifetime” sports car.

•

Women who are now more apt to work outside of the home account for 85% of all consumer purchases cannot be overlooked here, either.

b) New Technology •

Asian-Americans (including Asian-Indians) have the highest educational level of the ethnic groups discussed in this article, a rapidly growing buying power and are strong adopters of technology.

45. New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets •

African American and Hispanic consumers are heavy Internet users.

•

While younger consumers seem to gravitate towards the latest technology for communication, more mature consumers are the fastest growing segment for actual Internet purchases,

•

The LGBT market is also highly tech savvy; consumers with disabilities spend an average of 20 hours a week on the internet and often find this a more convenient way to shop.

c) Energy Drinks •

Students may think that energy drinks are more apt to be purchased by young sportsminded consumers, this market segment may already be over saturated.

•

The question asks specifically about future potential sales. Any of these markets has substantial potential as long as the product characteristics and benefits are targeted towards the specific needs of a market segment and the promotional campaign is skillfully developed.

•

Challenge students to think about potential energy drink products that meet the needs of a less traditional market such as the mature market segment (certain vitamins added, etc.), a female market (low calorie with extra calcium, etc.), the Hispanic market (different tropical flavors that appeal to this market), etc.

2. Make a business case for diversity argument for translating your company’s U.S. website into a foreign language if you are selling a) life insurance, b) designer shoes, c) computer technology services. In your answer, be sure to select a specific language that matches the consumer demand for each product. A business case for diversity argument always involves making diversity work for the benefit of the company. You first need to know the demographics of your target market, their income levels, and something about their values. For example: a) Life insurance – languages that appeal to family-based cultures like Spanish and Portuguese may be appropriate language choices. b) Designer shoes – may appeal to affluent segments some of whom many speak English like those from India, but offering languages associated with high couture like French and Italian may add to the status appeal of this product. c) Computer technology services – offering a range of Asian languages may appeal to the more affluent Asian consumer, but also offering Spanish because it is so popular may be an additional option. Whenever foreign language translations are used in marketing promotions, it is vital to have the material correctly translated to avoid problems and embarrassing mistakes.

45. New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets

3. How could individualism and collectivism impact consumer buying decisions? Consumers from more individualistic cultures tend to make their buying decisions alone or with only one other person, with the exception of major life purchases like a wedding gown, or a home. Consumers from more collective cultures may have a tendency to involve more people in the buying process, even for less costly and more frequently purchased goods. Such group-based decisions can take more time for a consensus and may require the approval of others with higher status such as parents and grandparents. One large bank actually changed its policy of allowing only two names on checks and checking accounts to accommodate Asian-Indian customers who wanted numerous family names imprinted on each check.

4. What marketing opportunities do consumers in the Baby Boomer age cohort present? The youngest Baby Boomers are just turning 65 and this age cohort is large, healthy, athletic, and interested in spending money to retain their appearance.

5. Besides income, how does social class impact buying decisions for products and services? People from different social classes have different values, aspirations, and priorities. Examples could include but are not limited to: lower class members may aspire to appear wealthier by buying and wearing designer brand jeans and athletic shoes; middle class members may be inspired to buy to keep up appearances by spending on cars, and home and yard improvements. The wealthiest classes may consider private schools and a country club membership as necessary purchases, etc.

Teaching Tips An additional interesting class discussion could involve asking students what stereotypes about Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, mature consumers, LGBTs, people with disabilities, and female consumers impact marketing efforts targeted at this population.

45. New Business Opportunities: Changing Consumer Markets

Diversity on the Web In June 2010, The Coca-Cola Company launched a “first-ever, fully-integrated marketing campaign created exclusively for U.S. Hispanic consumer(s)” called POWERADE Latino. This Spanish-language advertising campaign was timed to coincide with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Visit the websites below and evaluate this campaign in terms of what you now know about the U.S. Hispanic/Latino community. Sources: http://www.us.powerade.com http://www.arrobanews.com/powerade Witeck & Combs Communications (n.d). http://www.witeckcombs.com http://www.terry.uga.edu/selig (Click on Publications, then click on the Multicultural Economy, then click on Executive Summary.)

Global Note………………………………………………………….World Wide The United Nations estimates that in 2012, there were 316,000 centenarians in the world. Centenarians are the fastest growing population in the world.

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam

POINTS OF LAW: THE BAR EXAM M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To assess knowledge of basic discrimination laws and regulations

•

To promote discussion and application of discrimination laws and regulations

•

To examine employer legal responsibility in diversity issues

Instructor Notes An enormous amount of litigation arises from discrimination issues. This is a complex area as there are federal, state and local laws pertaining to diversity. It is important for managers to have some knowledge of the areas to which these laws apply and to understand that the laws themselves frequently change and are subject to (court) interpretation. This exercise may be used in several ways. It may be: •

given at the course start to provide a baseline indication of how familiar students are with some major diversity laws.

•

given at the course end to provide information on how much students know when they complete the course.

•

given both at the start and the end to measure “value added,” (i.e., determine how much students have gained in this knowledge during the course).

•

used as a basis for class discussion or assigned as an out-of-class exercise for individuals or teams to search out the answers. Further details about the laws may be found in the source articles in the text.

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam Answers to The Bar Exam Questions 1.

You manage the Canadian branch of an American company. What employment discrimination laws must you follow? You must obey the laws of the Canadian province in which your branch is located. If your company is in an industry that is federally regulated in Canada (broadcasting, telecommunications, banking, railroads, airlines, shipping, other transport across provincial lines and uranium mining), then you must also follow the Canadian Human Rights Act regulations. Source: #42. Mentzer, M. How Canada promotes workplace diversity.

As the owner of a small company employing 60 people, if any of your employees adopt children, do you have to provide adoption leave? Yes, under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993. You must provide a minimum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave. You are not required to do this if your company has fewer than 50 employees, however. Source: #22. Farough, S. The paradox of male privilege: Toward a gender democracy & democratic manhood.

You are the manager in a retail store and you are concerned about the appearance of employees who meet customers. Can you impose a dress or appearance code, i.e., require that they not wear nose rings, have visible tattoos, etc? Generally, federal law does not prohibit appearance policies providing they do not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, national origin or covered disability. Union contracts however, may prohibit or regulate dress codes. Source: #37. Allard, M. J. Appearance and Weight Discrimination Issues in the Workplace.

Are you required to provide benefits such as health insurance for same-sex partners of your employees? It depends on the laws in the state and municipality in which your business is located as well as the policies of your company. Note that state and municipal laws change frequently in this regard.

Faced with a bad economy, you are forced to lay off a substantial number of workers. To avoid being accused of discrimination, what must you ensure? A disproportionately large number of workers in any protected category, especially older workers, must not be laid off. Source: #41. Allard, M. J. Ethics and Diversity; Legal Applications in the Workplace.

Your local labor pool contains a large number of immigrants. If you hire illegals, what may happen? Your business may be raided and the illegal immigrants deported and you may be prosecuted resulting in huge fines and/or jail time. Source: #15. Allard, M J. Immigration Patterns: The Transition Process

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam Note: The following may not be covered in the text. 7.

As part of your company’s health program, you would like to have the name of each employee’s doctor and a list of their medications in case of a personal or workplace emergency. Can you require employees to provide this information? Can you request it? You may neither require nor request information of medications taken under the Disabilities Act. You may wish to request as emergency contact information the name and telephone number of one person as well as the employee’s doctor’s name and telephone number. Source: St. Martin, A., Maingault. A. & Neal, V. (2005, July). Emergency contacts FMLA leave teenage employees. HRMagazine.

Your Vice President is pregnant. Are you required to provide maternity leave and benefits for her? Not necessarily. According to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, you must treat pregnancy in the same manner as you treat other temporary disabilities in terms of leave and benefits. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2008, September 8). Facts about pregnancy discrimination. www.eeocgov/facts/fs_preg.html .

You want to hire some teenagers to work at your company. Is there a limit on how many hours they can work? Yes. Except for certain jobs such as working for a parent or as a newspaper carrier, children under 14 cannot be employed when school is in session. If employed, 14 and 15 year olds cannot work more than three hours per day and 18 hours per week. During holidays and school breaks, they can work up to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week, but only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 through Labor Day, the permissible hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Older teen-agers, 16 and 17 years, are not restricted from working during school hours, but are limited in the number of hours worked. The exceptions are for agricultural employment and student learners and apprentices, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1999. Source: St. Martin, A., Maingault. A. & Neal, V. (2005, July). Emergency contacts FMLA leave teenage employees. HRMagazine.

10.

You are the manager of a nonprofit organization employing 100 people. After demoting one of your 55 year old employees for excessive absences, she files a claim citing age bias. What do you have to prove and what does she have to prove? In an age bias case, an employee has to prove age was the only reason he or she was fired, demoted, or suffered some sort of setback (Supreme Court decision). “The court held that under ADEA, age can’t merely be one of various factors that resulted in an adverse employment action.” Congress may enact a law to change this. Source: Gross, J. (2010, September). The need to fight age bias. In the know. aarp.org/bulletin p32.

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam 11.

Your employee of five years began exhibiting bizarre behavior in the workplace last year. It was discovered that he was using drugs illegally. At that time, he claimed he would stop using them. His behavior then returned to normal until a few weeks ago, when he began acting strangely again. Can you insist he be tested for drugs? Yes. A test for drugs is not considered a medical examination under ADA. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.8. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

12.

Your employee in the previous question insists that he has a disability and the drugs are a necessary accommodation under the Americans with Disability Act. Must you agree to allow this, i.e., is this employee protected under ADA? No. Individuals engaged in the illegal use of drugs are specifically excluded from actions taken by an employer on the basis of their drug use. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.8. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

13.

If your employee is an alcoholic, is she considered to be a person with a disability and therefore protected by the ADA? You may be required to provide an accommodation if the employee can perform the essential duties of the job. You can, however, discipline or discharge an alcoholic if the use of alcohol impairs his or her job performance. You can also prohibit the use of alcohol in the workplace and you can require that employees not be under the influence of alcohol while on the job. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.8. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

14.

A woman applying for a job requiring foreign language translation skills has a qualifying disability. Another applicant without a disability has better foreign language skills, however. Must you hire the woman with the disability? No. You are free to hire the most qualified applicant. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.3. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

15.

A job applicant has a child with a disability. Your company is extremely busy and you are convinced that the applicant will need to take much time off caring for this child. Can you refuse to hire this person for this reason? No. The ADA law prohibits employers from discrimination against employees who have an “association” with someone with a disability. Source: Questions and answers about the Americans with disabilities act. (2011, February). http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/association.ada.html.

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam

16.

If you do hire this parent, is this parent entitled to a reasonable accommodation? No. This person is not entitled to reasonable accommodations Source: Questions and answers about the Americans with disabilities act. (2011, February). http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/association.ada.html.

17.

In two weeks, there will be an election and many of your employees expect to vote. Does the law allow employees time off to vote? Probably. “The laws of nearly every state allow time off from work to vote….The amount of time off that must be given to an employee can depend on their schedule and might permit the employer to not give additional time off for voting.” “To check the specific requirements where your business is located, your state labor department website is a good resource for the rules in your state.” Source: Roth, T. (2010, November 1). Time off to vote: Employer responsibilities. www.reuters.com/article/idUS237754918620101012.

18.

If your employees do take time off to vote during work hours, must you pay them for this time? Maybe. The laws vary considerably from state to state in terms of benefits such as paid time-off to vote. Check your state labor department website. Source: Roth, T. (2010, November 1). Time off to vote: Employer responsibilities. www.reuters.com/article/idUS237754918620101012.

19.

Are you required to grant a religious accommodation to your employee who wishes to go on week-long religious retreats several times a year during the busiest time of your business? Maybe. You must engage in an interactive manner with this employee; however, you need not grant his request if doing so relieves the employee of the duty to perform the essential functions of his or her job. This can be difficult for an employer to prove in court. Source: Los Angeles Employment Attorneys. Labor and Employment Law. (2011, November 11). Retrieved June 3, 2013 from www.vedderprice.com.

20.

After a series of poor and expensive hiring choices, you want to update your hiring practices to include personality and pre-employment tests. Is it legal to do this? Pre-employment tests are legal – within limits. The ADA allows drug testing, physical skills testing, and various kinds of aptitude, psychological or personality testing. Clinical tests such as the MMPI are NOT legal as their purpose is to reveal mental illness. Tests that can be construed as discriminatory to a protected class of people such as racial and ethnic groups are NOT legal. Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bar the use of neural test or selection procedures that are not job-related. Source: Los Angeles Employment Attorneys. Labor and Employment Law. (2011, November 11). Retrieved June 3, 2013 from www.vedderprice.com.

46. Points of Law: The Bar Exam

Additional Questions (not in the text) 1.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal act. As a manager in a large state agency, does this act apply to you? Yes, “It applies to all state and local governments, their departments and agencies and any instrumentalities or special purpose districts of State or local governments.” Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.12. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

As the owner of a small business employing 12 people, does the ADA act apply to you? No, it covers employers with 15 or more employees. There may be state or local requirements in your area, however. Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. (2008) Americans with Disabilities Act Questions and Answers. p.2. www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm.

47. Chick-Fil-A and the Media

CHICK-FIL-A AND THE MEDIA Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To understand that LGBTs are still discriminated against in society

•

To illustrate the lack of federal legal protection for LGBTs

•

To examine the role of social media in influencing public opinion

Case Synopsis The family-owned, Southern-based Chick-fil-A restaurant chain has long supported conservative Christian causes through WinShape, its foundation. Chick-fil-A is privately owned and has a corporate culture heavily influenced by the personal values of its founder and the Cathy family. In 2012, anti-gay marriage comments made by its CEO Dan Cathy on the radio and in the press set off a media frenzy that pitted anti-gay marriage supporters against the gay community. Celebrities, politicians, advocacy groups, and interested parties used Twitter, blogs, and other forms of social media to either support Cathy’s statements as freedom of speech and religion, or to criticize him as discriminating against the gays. In the defense of the corporation, former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, used Facebook to organize a successful Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day that boosted sales an average of 29.9% per store. Since the corporation did not fire or fail to promote its LGBT workers on the basis of their sexual orientation, or refuse to serve LGBT customers, there was no legal recourse. However, the Chick-fil-A Corporation has a growth strategy and as it starts to expand into other parts of the country, its core values and support for conservative causes may result in additional controversy.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Compare and contrast Cracker Barrel and Chick-fil-A. How are these two situations similar and how are they different? Similarities: Both organizations are family-type restaurant chains with a growth strategy and strong Southern roots and values. Both became involved in a public controversy over LGBTs and both were subjected to planned boycotts and protests that were unsuccessful. Differences: While Cracker Barrel is publicly traded and must answer to its stockholders, Chick-fil-A is still privately owned by the Cathy family. This enables them to legally funnel

47. Chick-Fil-A and the Media profits into their private foundation, WinShape, and to distribute these funds to favored causes that match their conservative values. While both organizations were subjected to public scrutiny for their actions, at the time of the Cracker Barrel incident, there were no social media outlets. Consequently, many people, including customers who might have boycotted the restaurants if they knew about the firing of the LGBT employees, were not as aware of Cracker Barrel’s actions. Since the Chick-fil-A incident happened in 2012, Facebook, Twitter, and pro and anti-gay marriage blogs played a major role in creating public awareness on both sides of the issue. (See question #2.) Additionally, Cracker Barrel actually fired LGBT employees and this action was legal in the states where they were operating at the time. In contrast, Chick-fil-A never fired any LGBT employees. 2. Do you think that the owners’ personal values should influence which social causes a corporation supports? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary here and may be influenced by their personal feelings and religious beliefs about LGBTs and gay marriage. If there are some answers that reflect prejudice, it may help to reframe this question by substituting social class as the issue. For example, would their answers change if this corporation valued supporting the arts and refused to fund requests for homeless shelters and feeding the needy, etc., in favor of donating to art museums, ballet companies and symphony orchestras, etc?

3. What role did social media like Twitter, blogs, and Facebook play in this case? Because so many forms of social media were available at the time of the Chick-fil-A incidents, information was quickly and widely disseminated. As a result, ordinary people had the same opportunities as celebrities and politicians to weigh in on the situation. A good example of the power of social media here is how easily and effectively the Appreciation Day event was organized through Facebook.

4. Why was the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day event so successful and the Cracker Barrel pro-gay boycott not as successful? Although there is no definitive answer to this question, there are many possibilities including the following: •

The availability of social media in spreading the word and gaining support for the Chickfil-A Corporation did not exist when Cracker Barrel fired the employees. Even today, many people are still unaware of the Cracker Barrel incident.

•

People who do not support same sex marriage for religious or personal reasons may feel that this is more of a free speech and/or religious freedom issue than workplace civil rights issue. Cracker Barrel at the time of the firings was only operating in states that had no laws protecting LGBTs in the workplace from being fired for their sexual orientation. In 2013, there still are no U.S. federal laws that provide legal protection for gays in the workplace.

47. Chick-Fil-A and the Media •

Whether we like to recognize it or not, for many reasons, there is still considerable prejudice against LGBTs in society. Consequently, many people supported Chick-fil-A by purchasing food on the Appreciation Day and did not support gays by boycotting Cracker Barrel.

5. Could Chick-fil-A be sued for discriminating against LGBT employees and/or customers? No, because Chick-fil-A did not fire, demote or refuse to hire any LGBT employees or refuse to serve any LGBT customers. The privately owned company can distribute its profits as it sees fit and Dan Cathy’s personal statements, as one-sided as they were, are guaranteed under the freedoms of speech and religion of the U.S. Constitution. Consequently, no laws were violated. However, the public could have put considerable economic pressure on the corporation by boycotting the restaurants, but that did not happen.

6. Use the McNett article The Ethics of Workplace Diversity to evaluate the ethics of the Chick-fil-A corporation’s philanthropic donations by applying the deontological, teleological, and caring theories to their strategy for philanthropic contributions. Three Categories of Ethical Theories

Deontoloy (Faith)

Teleology (Hope)

Caring (Charity)

Universal application (all times, all places)

Universal duty: universal principles, The Way

Universal ends: Character ethic, utilitarianism, other -isms

Universal care: love for humanity

Particular Application (depends on context)

Particular duties: situation ethic, case by case approach

Particular ends: self-actualization

Particular care: personal relationships

Chick-fil-A’s own ethics are strongly in the deontological camp. They practice their faith principles in their daily conduct of business. Of course, they are somewhat selective. At Chick-fil-A, most workers receive only minimum wages. As for their philanthropic donations, they conform to an ontological approach. The problem is that this, based on a particular reading and interpretation of the bible, does not support homosexuality and appears to be homophobic. Their giving appears to be on a case-by-case basis, with certain criteria applied. Is selectivity unethical? Using a deontological approach, such selectivity (others might call it discrimination) would constitute funding “The Way.” If they contribute to organizations whose goals are to change gay people to straight, then, in their terms, their ethical approach would also be teleological,

47. Chick-Fil-A and the Media since they would be trying to influence change, to reform behavior to be in conformity with Chick-fil-A’s belief in what is good and true, right and best. A caring ethical position suggests love for humanity. It appears that Chick-fil-A’s philanthropy illustrates love for some humanity. Is their behavior ethically objectionable? It would be difficult to assert this using a deontological approach, unless we were to reject its basis, which is their understanding of the bible. Using a caring ethical theory would suggest that Chick-fil-A does not care in a universal way for all. At least, that is what their philanthropic contributions suggest.

Diversity on the Web Go to YouTube.com and search for “Chick-fil-A’s President responds to Gay Comments” and “Chick-fil-A’s Appreciation Day Sparks Nationwide Turnout.” Watch these videos. What do they teach you about society’s acceptance of LGBTs today? Search the Chick-fil-A corporate website (http://www.chick-fil-a.com) for the company’s mission statement and diversity policies. What did you learn?

48. Section III. Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION V

1. How do a) Canadian and b) American diversity legislation fit or not fit with the three theoretical ethical perspectives (deontological, teleological and caring) discussed in the McNett article? Justify your answer. 2. In your opinion, what federal diversity legislation that does not currently exist in the U.S. should be enacted? Why? Was your opinion influenced by reading about other countries, especially Canada’s diversity legislation in this text? 3. Given the high growth rate of the young Hispanic population, and the decline in traditional college-age, non-Hispanic white population, develop a marketing plan for your college or university to improve its recruitment of Hispanic students. 4. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of your college or university’s website as a recruitment tool for each of the following groups to which your institution currently does or potentially could market. a) 18-23 year old, day college students b) evening college, older working adults c) graduate students Provide a grade from A to F and your reasons for this grade for each of these three market segments. Justify your answer in terms of how well the website addresses its message to meet the different needs of these distinct populations.

SECTION VI

MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DIVERSITY: CURRENT ISSUES

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

WHAT DO ORGANIZATIONS DO TO MANAGE DIVERSITY? EXAMINING CORPORATE LEADERSHIP, MENTORING, EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS, SUPPLIER RESPONSIBILITY, TRAINING, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To examine the roles that Board members and Chief Diversity Officers play as leaders of diversity initiatives

•

To explain the importance of mentoring and sponsoring to diverse employees

•

To consider the role of employee resource groups as assets to both organizations and employees

•

To learn which types of diversity training are the most effective

•

To understand the importance of supplier diversity programs

•

To analyze corporate social responsibility and philanthropy initiatives

Outline of Key Points I.

Diversity leadership A. Corporate level leadership provides vision and resources B. CEO must value diversity C. Board should be diverse and support diversity 1. Board membership in U.S. is homogeneous a. May be harder to recruit diverse members b. Networking and social capital issues c. Board needs specific skills 2. Diverse board members need support 3. Different styles need to be valued D. Chief Diversity Officers (CDO) 1. Responsible for strategic diversity leadership 2. Should report to CEO or a vice-president

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

II. Programmatic diversity initiatives A. Mentoring and Sponsorships 1. Mentoring programs – developmental but not always well done or enough 2. Sponsorships – add advocacy to mentoring relationships B. Affinity groups/employee resource groups (ERGs) 1. Provide organizational communities for diverse individuals a. Affinity groups focus on socialization and mentoring b. ERGs also utilize employees as a business resource i. Product development ii. Recruitment of diverse employees iii. Marketing advice for diverse consumers iv. Can be a competitive advantage in global and diverse markets 2. Originated in the 1960s at Xerox 3. Can increase morale 4. Require guidelines and open membership 5. Examples: Eli Lilly, Ford, Aetna 6. Benefits both organization and employers C. Diversity training 1. Early training was based on legal content and focused on race and gender 2. Now training is broader in terms of social identity groups and linked to organizational strategy 3. Example: Sodexo D. Supplier diversity programs – buying from diverse business owners 1. Help develop minority and women owned small businesses a. Tier I – direct contractors b. Tier II – sell to Tier I 2. Often involves more than purchasing a. Training and development b. Example: AT&T program 3. To be Tier I & Tier II requires certification by independent agencies

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

E. Corporate social responsibility & philanthropy 1. Charitable giving to organizations whose missions include serving diverse populations 2. Employees can often volunteer on company time 3. Often linked to corporate mission 4. Provides tax breaks and positive public relations

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Why is corporate and board involvement so crucial to the business case for diversity? The business case for diversity means that having a diverse workforce can and should benefit the organization in some way (e.g., new creative ideas, lower employee turnover, development of products for diverse markets, understanding languages and cultures for global competitiveness, etc.). Diversity will only become an operational value if there is the corporate and board leadership to make this happen. Managers do what the organization values to keep their jobs and to get ahead. If the corporate officers and the board are not willing to adapt to the needs of more diverse workers, clients and customers, and to provide the financial resources for new programs, etc. it will not happen.

2. Besides the legal considerations, why does locating the responsibility for diversity initiatives in Human Resources limit the effectiveness of diversity initiatives in an organization? When organizations assign the responsibility for diversity initiatives to the Human Resources department, (sometimes referred to as diversity in a box), the tendency is to focus the work more on the numbers of diverse people and avoiding lawsuits. In most companies, Human Resources is a staff department without line, i.e., direct authority. In addition, if diversity is important enough to an organization, it needs a distinct identity and sufficient financial and people resources to accomplish its goals.

3. How can corporate boards that want more diverse members, recruit good candidates? Board membership is often as much about who you know as it is about what you know. So, to diversify a board, first, it must be made clear to the members that the board is looking for diversity. Second, each member should be responsible for identifying possible good candidates by networking through his company, community organizations and his other memberships to find the best candidates. In

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

no case should someone who is unqualified be appointed because of gender, race, etc. That will only set the person up for failure. Once a few diverse candidates are on the board, they can broaden the board’s network even further.

4. How can an organization minimize backlash and conflict about ERG membership? ERGs can be perceived as exclusionary by outsiders. To avoid this, ERGs should be clear about their missions and goals, share progress with non-members, and be open to any person with an interest. For example, an African American ERG should welcome a white woman who is married to an African American man. She may be able to contribute valuable insights and also learn from the discussion. It is particularly important that white men, who usually have more power in organizations, feel that membership in an ERG is open to them. With multiple social identities, a white man might be interested in a generational ERG, or one for caregivers, parents, etc. If ERGs are considered as “secret” societies, they will not be productive and may actually be counterproductive.

5. How can an effective supplier diversity program support the business case for diversity? The business case for diversity is all about maximizing the advantages that diversity can bring to an organization. Through interaction with women and minority suppliers, organizations have access to new ideas, new markets, and a diversity of viewpoints. These suppliers can also be a source of networking for recruiting diverse board members. 6. Thinking as a consumer, does an organization’s social responsibility and corporate philanthropy make a difference in your buying decisions? Why or why not? Answers here will vary, but the good publicity that results from these associations, can be a positive influence on consumers. Notice that these relationships are often used in promotional campaigns.

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

Writing Assignment Find an individual who serves on a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees (a nonprofit) and interview this person about board membership. Try to learn the answers to the following questions: 1. How was he or she selected? 2. Did he or she know someone on the Board? 3. Does he or she have a particular expertise that the Board needed (lawyer, accountant, civil engineer, etc?) 4. Does he or she know how future board members are selected? 5. How are members of this board diverse or not diverse? 6. If this is a for-profit corporation: What is his or her compensation for serving as a Board member? If this is a non-profit Board: What are the expectations for financial contributions? 7. Has recruiting diverse members to the Board been an initiative? 8. What types of diversity did the Board seek? If so, how was this done and was it successful? Why or why not? 9. If there are diverse members, do they participate fully in Board discussions? Remembering that this is only one individual’s perception and that his or her position may have some bias: a) Analyze the material from this interview and write a two to three page essay that evaluates this Board from the perspective of diversity. b) Answer one of the following questions: If the Board is diverse now, how does the board’s diversity link to the organization’s mission and the business case for diversity? OR, if this Board is not diverse, how could a more diverse board potentially improve the link between the mission and the company’s business case for diversity?

49. What Do Organizations Do to Manage Diversity?

Diversity on the Web For examples of supplier diversity programs benefiting business owners, the local communities in terms of job creation, and the organizations for which they provide services, go to http://makingittv.com. Click on “Tweets with Business Tips & Featured Entrepreneurs with Free Streaming Videos.” Then, click on “entrepreneur success stories.” Select “The Power of Partnerships” episode #512, which features Linda Stone, an Asian American female entrepreneur, and “Frontier Electronics Systems,” episode #511, which presents the story of Peggy Shreve, a female Native American business owner who is a supplier to Boeing Aircraft.

50. Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done

WORK-LIFE BALANCE ISSUES: CHANGING WHEN AND HOW WORK GETS DONE Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals • To understand how the changing composition and values of today’s workforce impact traditional work schedules •

To present a business case for a more flexible workplace

•

To illustrate successful business models for work-life balance issues for parents, caregivers and mature workers

Outline of Key Points I.

Diverse workers need more flexible work schedules A. To care for children B. To act as caregivers for elderly and those with handicaps C. To work past retirement age

II. Legislation A. More progressive in other countries B. U.S. Family Medical Leave Act – only provides for unpaid leave III. Business case for work-life balance A. Helps to attract employees B. Decreases stress, burnout, and unplanned absences C. Workers feel using flexible work options can hurt career progress D. Resentment from co-workers IV. Work-life balance: parental roles and care giving A. Increase in number of working parents B. Care of elderly and disabled family members V. Work-life balance: flexible work models A. Accenture – self-funded sabbaticals B. Continental Airlines – work from home and rotating shifts C. Raytheon – flexible hours D. AstraZeneca – job sharing and part-time schedules E. I-800 Contacts – telecommuting options

50. Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done

VI. Work-life balance: mature workers A. Many do not want to totally retire 1. Due to financial needs 2. Have healthier lifestyles B. Limited number of companies who tap into this resource 1. Prejudice and stereotypes about older workers 2. Fear of age discrimination lawsuits 3. Outdated ERISA and IRS legislation C. Redefining retirement 1. Retirement in stages – working retirement a. Part-time and flexible schedules b. Phased retirement with current employer 2. Business case for older workers a. Mercy Healthcare – weekend and rotating assignments b. The Vita Needle Company – most of their workers are past retirement age c. CVS/Caremark – Snowbirds program meets consumer demand in warm climates in peak seasons d. L.L. Bean – hires back retirees for seasonal work e. Monsanto – hires their retirees, part-time, or as needed f. The Aerospace Corporation – hires skilled workforce back for special projects D. Innovative ideas – 10 til 2 E. Innovative ideas are needed to achieve work-life balance and more flexible work arrangements VII. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967) Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Analyze the need for work-life balance in terms of the forces promoting and the forces resisting these types of programs. Answers will vary according to students’ experiences and perceptions but possible answers could include: Forces Promoting – increasing numbers of working two-parent families and working single parents; improved technology; shortages of workers in the medical, scientific, technical, and engineering fields; improved worker retention; decreased absenteeism; increased worker motivation; increasingly large numbers of Baby Boomers who are

50. Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done

healthy and may not have the money or desire to retire; need for efficiencies such as experienced staff only when needed at times of seasonal and peak demand; cost savings from having part-time employees or people working from home; etc. Forces Resisting – resentment from other workers; unions that may resist these programs; outdated legislation; pensions based on a worker’s highest years of salary; managers who distrust the productivity of their telecommuting employees; stereotypes about the productivity of parents or older workers; outsourcing of jobs to other countries for cheaper labor, etc.

2. It is mentioned in the reading that even when organizations offer work-life balance plans, some workers, especially men, often do not feel that they can use them. Why might men feel this way more than women? In our masculine culture (refer to the Farough article here), care-giving is still considered a feminine role. Courts routinely give custody of children to women. Even working women are still responsible for more of the housework. Consequently, some managers may suggest that a male worker should expect his wife to cover these responsibilities. Male workers may worry that their careers may suffer if they take time off for family responsibilities. In time, this may lessen because many younger workers (Generations X and Y) have a more egalitarian philosophy about childrearing and care-giving responsibilities.

3. What might the presence or absence of flexible work programs suggest to you about the corporate culture and values of an organization? The presence of flexible plans could suggest that an organization is proactive about change and adapting to its environment. These are the companies that value and encourage innovative thinking and are proactive rather than reactive. Such a culture will be more apt to reward creativity and encourage moderate risk taking. The absence of flexible work programs can suggest an unwillingness to adapt to change in terms of the demographics of the new workforce, and a lack of recognition of the cost saving advantages of such programs. Such cultures tend to be more bureaucratic and value structured, and follow the chain of command. At best, when an organization does what it always did, it will get the results it always got. There can be a high cost to stagnation in a changing global environment.

4. Apply the concept of the business case for diversity to offering more flexible work arrangements for caregivers. The business case clearly outlines the employee and organizational “costs” of workers having to “call in sick,” leave early, or be distracted by care-giving responsibilities. Family emergencies are particularly disruptive in the workplace.

50. Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done

Over 21% of all U.S. households provide some type of care for elder relatives or a person with a handicap, and this represents an annual productivity loss of $17.1 billion. The personal and organizational costs here are too high to ignore.

5. In spite of people living longer and healthier lives, stereotypes about older workers being hard to manage and slow to adapt to new technologies still persist. How do the media contribute to and reinforce these perceptions? Too often on television and in films, mature people are still portrayed as bumbling, forgetful, silly, and ignorant about technology. This is an opportunity to ask students for current examples of programs and movies that reinforce this stereotype. In news articles, both in print and on the web, the stories about accidents involving older drivers are often written in ways that suggest their age was the cause of such accidents. For example, a recent accident in Connecticut in which an 84 year old woman was killed was reported in such a way that it “appeared” that she did not see the oncoming car. A later police and insurance investigation revealed that the middleaged driver who hit her car was distracted because he was texting, but that update was never published.

6. The organizations profiled in this article are quite different and represent a range from small businesses, to huge corporations. What might they all have in common that has enabled them to be innovative about their programs for older workers? This question illustrates that such innovative ways of structuring work can be successful in any industry: manufacturing, service, medical, etc. What they have in common is the leadership of managers who are willing to try new ways of restructuring work and be proactive about the changing needs of today’s workforce.

50. Work-Life Balance Issues: Changing When and How the Work Gets Done

Writing Assignment Go to the website below and read the “Measuring the Impact of Workplace Flexibility” study. Then write a two-page memo to a past or present employer that presents a suggestion for implementing some flexible work arrangement for parents, caregivers, older workers, etc. currently not offered by that organization. Adapting ideas from this report, develop a “business case” that stresses the measurable benefits that this particular organization could derive from this new flexible work arrangement that you are proposing. Your answer should take into consideration the demographics of your local area and the size, mission, and resources of this organization. http://bc.edu/cwf. Click on “publications.” Then, click on “Measuring the Impact of Workplace Flexibility.”

Diversity on the Web Go to slideshow.net. Search for the report, “Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion” (November, 2005). This report details many arguments for increasing flexibility in terms of the way that work is done. Select one company mentioned in this report as having a flexible way of scheduling work. Go to that company’s website and attempt to find additional information on this plan. You may have to be creative in trying to find this material but be persistent. What does what you found or didn’t find indicate about the implementation of this plan?

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

THE SIX SIGMA CASE: PROMOTION AT WESTERN COMPANY Rana Haq Laurentian University, Canada

Goals •

To provide an example of the types of work-life balance issues and stressors that parents face in today’s workforce

•

To illustrate the complexity of the decisions that managers must make on a daily basis

•

To learn about the Six Sigma program and its requirements

Case Synopsis Peter Toubin, a Master Six Sigma Blackbelt, was recently promoted to the Vice President of Marketing, position at the corporate headquarters of Western Company in Vancouver, British Columbia. Peter was surprised to receive a request from Sarah Cunningham, Marketing Manager, for a special promotion to her sponsor company, after completing only one year of her required two-year Six Sigma contract. The only existing precedence was a three-month-early contract release. Peter knew his decision would have major companywide implications.

Pedagogy and Teaching Plan Students should be instructed to step into Peter’s shoes and analyze the problem and its impact on: a) the company, b) the Six Sigma program requirements, c) the work-life balance policy, d) Sarah, and e) his career. The best way to do this is to start by clearly defining the decision criteria, by developing and evaluating at least three realistic alternatives and then generating a list of their pros and cons. Lastly, students should select an action plan and implementation process. The recommended approach is to tie the case discussion and the theoretical concepts together to show the direct application of these concepts within the case study. Students can also be directed to do further research on other companies Six Sigma and work-life balance programs.

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

Guidelines for discussing the case: • • • • • •

Discuss the Six Sigma program and its implications Review work-life balance and stress management issues in the workplace Discuss what would be reasonable accommodations for Sarah Discuss her motivation and job satisfaction Discuss alternatives that Peter could suggest Select an alternative and discuss its implementation

Sarah: Came back from maternity leave in January; has two young children at home; current job requires a lot of travel across Canada. Peter Toubin: New to his current job and felt he needed to do some research before making this decision. Sarah’s Old Manager: Felt Sarah should not come back to her old position because he wanted her to have more responsibility. Knew some people’s expectations were too high coming out of the Six Sigma program and could become disappointed. Sarah’s Current Manager in the Six Sigma Program: Wants her to continue; does not want her to leave. The Open Position’s Manager: Felt Sarah was not the only one who could do this job; were other applicants; felt Sarah would be a candidate but not the only one. The Six Sigma Worldwide Corporate Program Director: Said it would not be acceptable for Sarah to leave the program; sets a precedent for others; wants to protect the integrity of the process. The HR Manager: More flexible and supportive; wants to let her go to the new job.

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

Postscript Students are always eager to know: “What really happened in this case?” They may be encouraged to discuss what the consequences of Peter’s decision would be for each individual and the organization. Peter explained all of the factors that were considered in making the decision. In the end, he said no because it was too early and she did not meet the criteria. Peter knew that she was disappointed, but he also was confident that she would be okay. “She’s a professional and she’s ambitious! I think that she will make it work.” Sarah said that she understood but was disappointed. She said that she would continue to do a good job. She did feel that her relationship with Peter had to be mended and asked how she could best do that. So she was advised to reaffirm her commitment. She felt comfortable with the decision process, that it was open and fair, even if it was not the decision she wanted. She was secure in that she still had another year in the program. Since a Six Sigma objective is never to go back to the old job at the end of the two years, she was struggling with the uncertainty of another suitable position opening up for her next year when she would become sort of a free agent.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Discuss the pros and cons of each of Peter’s four alternatives. Can you think of additional creative alternatives? Peter’s decision criteria could include: • • • • •

Retaining a valuable employee Preserving the credibility and status of the Six Sigma Program Being flexible, guided by the company’s work-life balance policy Being fair and equitable in his decision Maintaining the morale and career opportunities for potential Six Sigma leadership training candidates

Peter’s Decision Alternatives: Decision 1. Grant Sarah’s request. First, review Western Company’s Six Sigma Program Objectives, using Exhibit 1 in the text, and determine the pros and cons of allowing the request in Sarah’s case, assessing to what extent the program needs would be met or compromised. Decision 2. Deny Sarah’s request. Do not allow Sarah’s request if the cons overrule the pros in this case.

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

Decision 3. Compromise Consult stakeholders to review the precedence issue and find a time-related compromise solution in consultation with Sarah: •

The Human Resources manager

•

The Six Sigma leader in the U.S., who oversees the worldwide program

•

The Six Sigma manager from the business currently sponsoring Sarah

•

The manager from the business unit that has the open position

•

The manager from Sarah’s old position where she may have to return if there is no re-entry position for her next year

Decision 4. Suggest to Sarah that she further explore Western’s Work-Life programs to find a way to balance her family and work obligations by assessing her Work-Life Balance and Stress options: •

Work/life balance Policy (Resource Centre, Alternative Work Arrangement, Childcare) - Flexible work time – let Sarah decide when to begin/end her workday - Job sharing – splitting a job between two people - Teleworking – working from home with a computer connection to the office - Personal leave – paid or unpaid time off - Childcare support onsite – less time and worry for parents, allows time with children during breaks

•

Remove some of the stress - Give Sarah more control over her work and work environment - Work breaks, days off, vacation - Sarah needs to actively remove her own stressors at home

•

Withdraw from the stress - Permanent job transfer that better fits competencies and values - Temporary withdrawal is the most frequent way employees manage stress (e.g., vacations, leaves, sabbaticals)

•

Receive social support -Supportive leadership, mentoring, join a family related EGR, social gatherings

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

2. As Peter Toubin, what would be your decision and why? Provide a justification/rationale for this decision and outline a step by step process for implementing it. Peter will have to consider Motivation Theories & Job Satisfaction as these relate to Sarah Cunningham. One theory that could be applied here is Satisfaction and Work Behaviour’s Exit-Voice-Loyalty-Neglect (EVLN) model. It predicts four ways in which Sarah Cunningham may respond to the dissatisfaction: Exit: She may leave the situation by resigning from the organization or transferring out. Voice: She may be positive and constructive in her approach by trying to negotiate the request with Peter, or may be confrontational (e.g., filing a complaint or engaging in behaviours to draw attention from others). Loyalty: Enduring and waiting for the problem to be resolved Neglect: Passive activities with negative outcomes (e.g., reducing work effort, increasing absenteeism) Peter’s Action Plan and Contingency Plan: Given that Peter is fairly new to his position, he would benefit from consulting some of the stakeholders in the company and reviewing the special considerations under which the earlier concession was made. Since Peter himself is a graduate of the Six Sigma program at the company, he would have special insights into the value of completing the leadership training contract, both for the company and the individual. In addition, he would have to be cognizant of the precedence and implications his decision would have on the consistent and fair application of the company policies across their local, national and international operations. He would have to respond to Sarah by indicating the seriousness of her request and time necessary for consultation. He should indicate a timeline and set up a face-toface appointment to discuss this further. He will have to be prepared for her response and arguments in support of her request and offer the rationale for his decision, making sure that he does not alienate or demoralize her. He will also have to review the objectives of the Six Sigma program with Sarah in light of her nomination/selection for the prestigious leadership training opportunity and special circumstances. Your decision should, in principle, not be any different if this were a male employee asking to get out of a similar situation based on his childcare obligations. You should

51. The Six Sigma Case: Promotion at Western Company

essentially be using the same process with the needs of the male employee balanced with the needs of the Six Sigma program as well as consultation with the key stakeholders in the organization. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. As a contingency plan, Peter may suggest a future opportunity that Sarah would be considered for in order to ensure her career development and promotion prospects within the company. 3. Would your decision be different if this were a male employee asking to get out of a similar childcare obligation? Why or why not? Although society still considers child care to be more a female than a male responsibility, in principle, gender should not make a difference. If it does, this raises an additional class discussion topic. 4. If Peter allows Sarah to take the new position and not complete the second year of the Six Sigma program, could this affect his future career at Western? Why or why not? Peter’s allowing Sarah to take the new position and not complete the second year of the Six Sigma program would likely not affect his future career at Western because he does have the discretionary authority for decision making in the best interest of the employee balanced with the needs of the organizations and its Six Sigma program. This would be especially true if he demonstrates due diligence and appropriate consultation with the key stakeholders in the decision-making process. Diversity on the Web Step 1: Learn more about the Six Sigma program by visiting the link below. Research the websites of five different companies and note their similarities and differences. Step 2: Based on your research, write a one page analysis answering the following three questions. Use your research findings in formulating your answers. a) What is the importance of leadership in Six Sigma programs? b) Why is the selection of potential candidates critical in implementing Six Sigma programs? c) What are the key success factors for implementing successful Six Sigma programs? http://www.isixsigma.com/industries/

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARDS A CRITICAL EXAMINATION M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita Goals •

To explore the various types of diversity awards

•

To examine the meaning of diversity awards

•

To determine the criteria for selecting diversity winners

•

To critically examine selection processes in choosing organizations to honor

Outline INTRODUCTION SECTION I. JUDGING THE AWARDS A. Selecting the Winners . . . The Criteria and their Weights B. Selecting the Winners . . . Collecting Applicant Data 1. Type of Information 2. Gathering the Information 3. Information Sources C. Selecting the Winners . . . the Applicant Pool 1. Becoming a Contender 2. How Many Contenders? D. Selecting the Winners . . . the Judging Process 1. Blindfolds vs. Open-eyes 2. Transparency 3. Final Determination E. Results and Outcomes 1. 2. 3. 4.

Interpretation The Prize Best Practices The Awards

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Note: The numbers below (1 – 12) refer to the numbers assigned to each of the 12 awards described in the text. For example, the third award described in the text is entitled Applause Awards. SECTION II. COMPREHENSIVE DIVERSITY AWARDS 1. Top 50 Companies for Diversity® ….……………………...………… (DiversityInc) SECTION III. DIVERSITY INNOVATION AWARDS 2. International Innovation in Diversity Awards…. (Profiles in Diversity Journal) 3. Applause Awards ……….……….…(WBC: Women’s Business Enterprise Council) SECTION IV. SPECIAL INTEREST AWARDS: RACE AND ETHNICITY 4. Best Companies Awards ………………………….…………..……… (Asia Society) 5. 40 Best Companies for Diversity…...…………….…. (Black Enterprise Magazine) 6. The NAACP Opportunity and Diversity Report Card …..………… .(NAACP) 7. 50 Best Companies of the Year ……………………….….. (Latina Style Magazine) SECTION V. SPECIAL INTEREST AWARDS: AGE, DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER 8. Best Employers for Workers Over 50……………...………..… (AARP & SHRM) 9. Top 10 Companies for People with Disabilities®……………...…. (DiversityInc) 10. Corporate Equality Index for Workplace Equality Innovation…………….. …………………………………….……………. (Human Rights Campaign Foundation) 11. 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers……...… (Working Mother Magazine) 12. Catalyst ………………………………………….………....……………..….. (Catalyst) SECTION VI. THE DECISION TO APPLY A. Costs and Risks B. Benefits to the Organization 1. Business Case for Diversity 2. Human Capital Benefits C. The Pressures of Changing Demographics

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

1. The Minority Work Force 2. The Minority Consumer Force SECTION VIII. THE AWARDS IN PERSPECTIVE A. Quality Controls . . . Noteworthy Selection Practices B. Questions to Consider

Teaching Tips Partial Text Assignments: In lieu of reading about all of the awards, Instructors may wish to assign only particular sections of the article such as the Race and Ethnicity or the Decision to Apply sections to accompany discussion of those topics. Additional Discussion Points: It can be instructive to explore the financing underlying the awards and the possible effect the form of financing may have on the selection of the winners. • With the possible exception of awards made through online voting by employees, award sponsorship is expensive whether selection is done in-house or by an outside agency. For some awards, financing will be apparent from the article in this text, as some sponsors charge an application fee. • Awards are generally presented at dinners. Catalyst posts hefty charges and requires dinner attendance (see text) presumably to cover award sponsorship costs. • The names of the annual meeting sponsors usually appear on their websites -names that may overlap with the list of winners. Website sponsors are also named online. SEIU reports that “out of the twenty ‘site sponsors’ whose company logos are prominently displayed on the DiversityInc website, all but four of them received DiversityInc awards in 2010 alone – and nine appear in the ‘top ten’ category.” (http:/www.seiu.org/2010/04/ click: Behind Sodexho’s “Awards” Sodexo and DiversityInc.) • Note that membership in an association is an official requirement for applying for some awards, thereby potentially restricting the pool of applicants and possibly funding the award selection costs. • Other countries also have diversity awards. For example, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers are included in the Best Employers Around the World study. (http://was2.hewitt.com/best employers/pages/index.htm)

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. DiversityInc’s list of Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees® requires that any company named to this list must have a CEI (Corporate Equality Index) rating of 100 percent, thus linking this list to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation corporate ratings. Do you think this is a good practice? Explain. This is an opinion question, so student answers will vary. Some will think that linking to the CEI rating is a quality assurance measure or confirmation for DiversityInc; others will see the linking as spoiling the independence of the awards.

2. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, and religion. Affinity and resource groups are common for all of these (except for religion) in organizations winning diversity awards. For example, only 10 percent of the 401 companies in the 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies competition have religious resource groups. Why do you think this is the case? This is an opinion question, so student answers will vary. According to DiversityInc, the reasons for so few religious affinity groups include being scared of “polarizing one group against the other, appearing exclusive instead of inclusive, and allowing an anti-LGBT backlash.” (http://diversityinc.com/department/265/diversity-religion) General Motors states, “We do not allow any groups on the basis of religion or politics, so we are not discriminating against your party or your religion…” (Quoted in Millman, J. 2007, July/August. The Truth about employee-resource groups. DiversityInc. p.92) 3. The garment industry targets a diverse consumer market. If you were to create a diversity award for this industry, a) What would be your mission? b) What criteria might you consider in making this award and why might you select these criteria? Answers should be concerned with both a) inclusiveness within a diverse workforce and b) diverse consumer markets.

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

4. In some companies, the human resources director selects the minority workers who respond to the employee survey from the award sponsor. Evaluate this practice. Answers will vary. Some may feel that the human resources director may know which workers would best reflect the opinions of most of the members of that minority group. Others may point out the potential for bias by selecting individuals most favorable toward company diversity policy. 5. If you were a potential employee, such as a working mother or an Asian man, and you saw an award for your group on a company’s website: a) prior to a job interview at that company, what would you ask a friend of yours who works at the company and why? Answers will vary, but will likely center on: what kind of programs the company has and how well they work; what the weaknesses and limitations are as well as the strengths of the program; whether your friend feels included (i.e., a real part of the company); what he or she likes best and least about the company and its “climate;” and whether people in other parts of the company feel the same way or have the same experiences; etc. b) What questions could you then ask in a job interview concerning whether this company actually implements the policies? Based on what the friend said, the questions will probably focus on the program weaknesses – for example, are there many members of the working mothers (or Asian) group? If not, why not? How many have been promoted? How many people actually have flexible scheduling (or whatever program is in place)? c) Why should these questions differ from each other? Official company policy and actual practice often differ. Actual practice may also differ from one location to another.

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Writing Assignment Select a diversity category not covered in the text and design an original diversity award for organizations in your category. Specify: a) Name of the award and type (i.e., list, profile, award, etc.) b) Purpose of the award c) Eligible organizations d) Criteria (clearly related to the purpose of the award) e) Selection process Starting Sources: * Section I. Judging the Awards (from the text article) * CEI methods/sources for checking the self-reports of the organizations it rates . . . * Considerations and Quality Controls (from the text article)

Instructor Note on the Writing Assignment: You may wish to make this a small group assignment.

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Additional Writing Assignments not included in the text (2) Writing Assignment Below are organizations that won diversity awards only to have discrimination lawsuits filed against them. Select two of them. a) Briefly describe each case. b) How could you explain this apparent contradiction of winning diversity awards and also being sued for discrimination at the same time? Starting Sources: Kodak http://.adversity.net/kodak/default.htm http://fiance.yahoo.com/news/Judge-OKs-Kodaks-settlement-apf-2502795686.html

search engine: Kodak diversity awards search engine: Kodak diversity lawsuits

Sodexo http://cleanupsodexo.org/2010/04 (Five Years After Landmark Class Action …) http://cleanupsodexo.org/2010/01 (Diversity-Experts-More-smoke-and-Mirrors) search engine: Sodexo diversity awards search engine: Sodexo diversity lawsuits WalMart http://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/release/10-1-10c.cfm http://www.nationalreview.com (search box: April 29, 2010 the class action lawsuit) http://retailindustry.aboutcom (search box: despite massive sex discrimination class) http:blogs.forbes.com/work-in-progress/2010/04/27 (Wal-Mart faces the largest sex discrimination lawsuit in the U.S. history.)

Xerox http://www.highbeam.com/Daily+Record+(Rochester%2c+NY)publications.aspx www.xeroxcareers.com/docs_Diversity_Awards-Accolades search engine: Xerox settles discrimination suit

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Writing Assignment THE AMERICAN WORKER SPEAKS Most diversity awards rest upon management reports of organizational diversity programs and initiatives. In contrast, NUL (National Urban League) conducted a large-scale study of employees in 2003-2004. Among other findings, it reported that workers were generally favorable to diversity, but only about 30 percent felt their company had effective initiatives. DiversityInc criticized the methodology in the NUL study. In 2009, NUL reported the findings from a second study. 1. Discuss the findings of the two studies. 2. Evaluate the methodology in the latest NUL study.

Sources NUL 2005 and 2009 studies: Diversity practices that work, the American worker speaks http:/www.nul.org Search box: The American worker speaks DiversityInc criticism: Frankel, Barbara. (2006). What’s wrong with the Urban League’s Diversity Study? (Internet search by title.)

52. Diversity and Inclusion Awards: A Critical Examination

Diversity on the Web There are multiple diversity awards for some of the special interest groups. Below are some of them. Choose two categories below. How similar are the awards and their winners within each category? How might you explain any differences? A. Executive Women * Top 10 Companies for Executive Women® (DiversityInc) http://www.diversityinc.com/article (click “The 2010 DiversityInc Lists” [L column]; then click link to “The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women ®”.

* Top 50 Companies for Executive Women (Nat’l Ass’n for Female Executives (Working Mother Magazine) http://www..wmmsurveys.com

* Catalyst

(Catalyst)

http://www.catalyst.org Award”)

(click “Catalyst Award”; then click “Apply for the Catalyst

B. Blacks * Top 10 Companies for Blacks® (DiversityInc) http://www.diversityinc.com/

* 40 Best Companies for Diversity (Black Enterprise Magazine) http://blackenterprise.com/diversity/diversity-list-2009

C. Asians * 100 Best Employers for Asian Americans (Goldsea Asian American Poll) http://goldsea.com/Poll/employers.html * Best Companies Awards (Asia society) http://sites.asiasociety.org/diversityforum/awards

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

ONE WORKPLACE BULLY IS ONE TOO MANY: THE FOUR FACES OF WORKPLACE BULLYING Andra Gumbus, Sacred Heart University

Goals •

To understand the behaviors of workplace bullies

•

To recognize how diversity effects bullying

•

To understand the role of the victim of bullying

•

To recognize the role of the organization and corporate culture in fostering bullying

•

To provide the legal framework for workplace bullying

Summary This article addresses the problem of workplace bullying and why it is prevalent in the U.S. today. Bullying is defined, behaviors of bullies are described and characteristics of victims are reviewed. Workplace harassment is distinguished from sexual harassment and is profiled on three dimensions: the bully, the victim, and the organization. Bullying results from a complex interplay of all three components and should be attacked from all three perspectives in order to reduce and eliminate it from our workplaces. Responses are needed from the organization with clear policies and procedures to combat bullying since there are no laws against it in the U.S. The article provides information on the current state of legislation and the Healthy Workplace Bill designed to prevent bullying. Traditional organizational responses to harassment are reviewed and additional suggestions provided to create a positive culture at work that values diversity.

Pedagogy This article can be used in undergraduate or graduate courses in management, diversity management, human resources management, organizational behavior or ethics. The topic of workplace bullying is applicable to discussions of styles of management, corporate culture, gender and age differences, and recruiting and retaining talent. Workplace

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

bullying can be applied to models of leadership, managerial style, motivation, diversity, communication and organizational culture. When teaching this topic in the classroom, expect emotions to rise as students speak about their personal experiences with bullying. Often this occurred in the schoolyard or on the Internet. Students will also speak of witnessing or knowing victims even if they personally have not been bullied. After allowing students to vent, it is helpful to turn the discussion to what students can do to empower themselves when faced with bullying. Web Resources (http://www.workplacebullying.org) (http://www.insidecounsel.com) (http://www.newworkplaceinstitute.org) http://www.haltabuse.org/resources/stats/2006Statistics http://www.cyberbullying.us/resources

Outline I. Bullying in today’s workplace A. Statistics from WBI Survey, 2007 B. Bullying is increasing II. Bullying and diversity A. The effects of gender on bullying B. The effects of age on bullying III. Face One: Bullying defined A. Eight categories of bullying B. Tactics used by bullies IV. Face Two: The bully A. Stereotypes of bullies B. Bullies and power abuse V. Face Three: The human victims A. Stereotypes of victims B. Victims as alpha males/females C. Physical and emotional effects of bullying on the victim

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

VI. Face Four: Organizations as victims A. Organizational factors that support bullying B. Corporate policies and cultures against bullying VII. Coping with bullying A. Hirschman’s four strategies B. Advice to victims and courses of action VIII. Traditional responses are not enough A. EAP progress B. Training IX. Rx for the future A. Strategies for the organization to reduce bullying B. Strategies to help victims react to bullying X.

Concluding remarks

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. In the 21st century, both diversity and bullying have increased in the workplace. Do you see any connections between these two trends? Please explain your answer. Students may argue either side of this question and offer comments to support a connection between bullying and diversity or they may not see a connection. Either position requires defending their opinion on the interrelationship of these two trends. With the increase of diversity in the workplace comes the need to tolerate differences and value diversity of age, race, gender, culture, educational levels, learning styles, communication preferences, and many other ways that we differ from one another. Although this benefits organizations from a creative perspective, and diverse employees mirror diverse global customers, which is also positive, differences can cause conflict and communication problems in the workplace. Understanding and valuing differences requires education and awareness of how we differ, and places a burden on getting to know our coworkers and appreciate how they are different from us. However, in tight economic times where organizations have cut layers and downsized to cut costs and remain competitive, stress can increase and lead to bullying of employees to demand higher levels of productivity. Managers under stress can micromanage and place unrealistic demands on their subordinates. Stressed managers may transfer the stress onto employees by issuing threats, and/or humiliating, or demeaning employees.

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

2. What does the presence or absence of anti-bullying policies suggest to you about the corporate culture and values of an organization? Bullying is accepted in cultures that have inept leadership, lack of training, improper supervision, and poor work design, all resulting in low morale. A culture that tolerates incivility and disrespect would not have an explicit policy against bullying. Cultures that focus on strictly bottom line results and hire aggressive individuals that use fear to dominate others would lack policies on appropriate behavior at work. A culture that adopts clear zero tolerance policies against bullying suggests a strong corporate culture that defines values and respects individual differences. A culture with clear policies suggests a workplace that tolerates mistakes and practices fair treatment of employees and can expect lower turnover and absenteeism, fewer injuries, and higher morale and satisfaction with work. Organizations can adopt a zero tolerance policy for workplace harassment and make clear reporting mechanisms available for the victim. The policy should outline acceptable and unacceptable behaviors with clear ramifications for noncompliance. Complaints should be tracked and trended so action can be taken if patterns persist. Situations should be investigated and discipline applied to the bully if warranted. The organization should provide training for managers and employees to raise awareness. Employee assistance programs can be provided to aid the victim but effectiveness is rare.

3. What does the lack of effective bullying legislation in the U.S. suggest about American culture? Our history of individualism and capitalism may contribute to the lack of legislation on workplace bullying. Some have suggested that our work culture values profits over people and business results over personal health. Aggression has been viewed as a success factor in the workplace and top management is usually immune from bullying and does not suffer personal consequences from bullying. Organizations often shift the blame to the victim or reward the bully for their results regardless of how they achieved them. Worker protection in general has been eroded with the decline of unions and the trend toward deregulation. Others argue that management reserves the right to run the business as they see fit and assign work as needed based on managerial prerogatives to discipline and evaluate.

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

4. Have you ever been bullied or witnessed an incident of bullying either at school or in the workplace? Describe the incident. How did you react and why? What might you do differently after reading this article? Answers to this question will vary based on the individual who may have experienced or witnessed a bullying event. Reactions will vary from doing nothing to reporting it to the police and everything in between. Hopefully, after reading this article, students will be able to articulate strategies for the organization for adopting a zero tolerance policy and a culture that does not tolerate bullying. Students should also discuss what victims can do using various strategies to cope with being a target. Students should also refer to possible legislative courses of action such as OSHA, IIED, or Civil Rights Act protection. Victims can report the bully to management or HR and can seek counsel from mentors and independent third parties for advice. Some cope with bullying by leaving the organization or transferring away from the bully. Some wait it out, hoping for improvement, while others emotionally disengage from work allowing motivation and productivity to decline. All of these strategies hurt the individual and the organization suffers. 5. Is it possible for an employee to bully his or her boss? Why or why not? Bosses can be victimized by bullies, particularly those who are alpha males or females with power among the employees. When bosses are bullied, they are the victims and are placed in an out-group that jeopardizes their professional status. Victims are isolated and not given enough information to do their jobs. Keeping important information from the boss can certainly derail a manager or cause the victim to look bad in front of superiors. Victims are set up to fail, not given credit for success, and reminded of their failures. Bullies mistreat their targets using public humiliation and aggression to emotionally and physically harm their victims. They employ malicious gossip, intimidation, and unfair criticism. This gossiping about the boss can also be detrimental to their supervisory careers. There is no single profile of a victim. We do not often think of victims as managers or bosses, but victims can be very successful, confident, and competent individuals or they can be powerless and nonassertive employees. A stereotype of victims consists of low self esteem, passive, low status, and unconnected individuals who pose an easy target for intimidation. But it is just that: a stereotype. Some victims are predisposed to negativity and submissiveness and have defeatist attitudes while others are the alpha male or female who rival the bully. If an employee wants their manager’s job, he or she can employ bullying tactics to guarantee that his or her manager fails to meet goals.

53. One Workplace Bully is One Too Many: The Four Faces of Workplace Bullying

Writing Assignment Visit the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) website below and prepare a report on what you learn about workplace bullying from this website. Include the frequency of bullying, whether bullying is gender neutral, the relationship of bully to the victim, remedies for victims, and tactics used by bullies. Why do you think that the U.S. is so far behind Europe in developing legislation against bullying? What can organizations do to prevent bullying? What do you think would help to reduce workplace bullying? www.workplacebullyinginstitute.org

Diversity on the Web Search for a video on YouTube that is about Bullying in the workplace and write a review that critically examines the positive and negative aspects of the video, as a critic would do in a movie review. Join a bullying blog and write a comment on the blog from either a victim’s perspective (if you have been a victim of bullying) or that of a witness to bullying.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

A CASE OF HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION, OR BULLYING? YOU DECIDE … Andra Gumbus Sacred Heart University

Goals •

To understand the roles that age and gender differences can play in bullying

•

To recognize bullying, workplace harassment, and their consequences

•

To understand how power and politics in the workplace can lead to performance problems and potential career derailment

•

To illustrate the complexity of making good career decisions

Case Synopsis Students read the case about Joy from three perspectives: hers; Assistant Vice President Susan Cartwright’s, her manager; and Nancy Fitzgerald’s, the university’s Human Resources Specialist. Issues such as workplace bullying, age and gender bias, career decisions, power/politics, diversity, and unjust termination are addressed in this case. Did Joy make poor career decisions that brought on the inevitable termination or was she the victim of workplace harassment, discrimination, or bullying? Joy was a high achieving, seasoned, female executive who always excelled in both the academic and professional arenas. She completed her PhD and worked consistently in ever increasing roles of responsibility in academia. She had no children, married late in life, and treated her work as a primary focus. Joy made decisions based on advancing her career. Some of these sacrificed her personal life to advance her career, such as living separately from her spouse on more than one occasion.

Pedagogy This case can be used in undergraduate and graduate Diversity Management, Business Ethics, Human Resource Management, and Social Responsibilities courses. It is applicable to topics such as gender and age discrimination, corporate culture, harassment, diversity, power/politics, mentoring, and recruitment and selection. This case was written as a companion piece to the article “One Workplace Bully Is One Too Many…” and it is suggested that both the article and the case be assigned as readings prior to class.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

About Joy’s Story Joy’s story is a true situation that was told to the author during extensive interviews and discussions. The names and locations have been disguised to ensure confidentiality. Student reactions often include a lack of awareness about the consequences of bullying and a heightened sense of proper workplace behavior for themselves and others. Students are particularly interested to learn what the experts had to say and find it interesting to read the differences in opinion and to compare these with their own. Instructors should stress that there is no typical profile of a bully or a victim. Although Joy was a female in a subordinate role, she was not as timid an individual as many believe targets to be. She was a strong-willed, experienced manager. Instructors should dispel and discuss stereotypes of bullies and victims, and discuss the many ways in which Joy does not fit the stereotype of a typical victim. Ask students why they feel certain people are bullied and others are not.

Optional In-Class Activities 1. Who Is at Fault? Joy’s story, although common, is complex with many factors contributing to her eventual demise. Ask students to each rank order the players listed below in terms of who they feel is most responsible for Joy’s predicament and explain why. The individual rankings and the reasons can then be shared in groups of 5 to 6 students. This should generate discussion and defense of various opinions on culpability in this situation. Who is at fault, or is it a combination of factors such as power, age, gender, corporate culture, structure, personal values, professional values, and personalities? Directions: Rank order the following individuals according to who is the most responsible for Joy’s current situation (1 = most, 6 = least). Defend your rankings. •

Joy Patterson

•

Joe Bradley, Special Assistant

•

Dean

•

Nancy Fitzgerald, University Human Resource department representative

•

Vice President

•

Susan Cartright, Assistant Vice President

•

President of the University

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

2. The Expert Opinions The three expert opinions that follow indicate differences in perspectives about how the situation was handled and what should have been done. These opinions were purposely placed on separate pages so they can be copied and shared with students who can agree or disagree with each expert and compare how their own opinions are similar or different. Instructional Options: a) The class can be broken into groups and each group assigned one of the expert opinions to review and discuss with the entire class. b) The class can be broken into groups to do a point/counterpoint debate on whether they agree with each of the expert opinions. c) Students can be assigned to write their own expert opinion as a homework assignment.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

EXPERT REACTION #1 ……………………………… VP of Human Resource Development of a Major International Pharmaceutical Company To discuss whether the termination was justified or not, objective performance measures have to be considered. I’m not sure if Joy was successful in bringing in the $5 million, which is the only objective performance measure mentioned. If she did meet that objective, then she would have a case against her employer. Given the employer’s apparent lack of attention to detail, it is doubtful that a documented job description existed. This would help to clarify her mission, reporting relationships, and the scope of her authority – all of which were vague. Regarding the alienation of the alumni group, it would seem impossible to alienate all of them, although perhaps some of them with similar interests might be alienated. Not getting along with others can ‘kill’ someone at work. Joy was bullied by her AVP as well as by her own (in) subordinate, and she couldn’t seem to get any support from management. It seemed that no one stood to benefit by her success in her role (apparently, the university does not count), and it was not clear what benefit Joy’s antagonists stood to gain at her expense. What is clear is that she did not have anyone who was vested in her success. Joy apparently assumed that the politics of the previous job were universal to all employers. It is unclear whether she walked into a political crucible or if she just rubbed people ‘the wrong way’. With all the warnings she got, she should have asked a lot more questions. For example, she should have asked more about the organization’s structure and/or her specific duties. Apparently, she had been with her former employer long enough that her survival instincts were rusty. The ‘hiring manager’ IS responsible for the success of the people he or she hires and it reflects poorly on his/her judgment to pick someone who fails. In many organizations, all interviewers caucus to discuss a candidate before an offer is extended. HR often facilitates these meetings so they will not have to fire someone later. This saves the efforts and expenses associated with firing and refilling the position. There was scant evidence to support that these practices were not followed by the university, nor did Joy appropriately do her own due diligence. Sadistic bullies won’t waste their time on someone who refuses to play victim for them – they will move on to new candidates. Joy did little to break the harassing game, when she actually could have taken actions earlier, such as going to HR to file a complaint, consulting a lawyer , getting some information from co-workers, looking for champions in high places, documenting the episodes of bullying, and playing ‘defense’ over issues like which pieces of work were really hers.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

EXPERT REACTION #2 ………………………………………………….. Christopher York, J.D. Assistant Professor Management, Sacred Heart University Joy found herself in three very stressful situations and any single stressor might have destabilized a weaker person’s physical or mental health. First, her personal life was undergoing significant changes with the death of her father, a newly needy mother, and a husband on the cusp of retirement and unable to move with her. Then, there was the position requiring relocation and accepted primarily because the money was good. Even though her peer group grapevine flashed a big yellow light about the new job, Joy asked herself, “How hard can it be?” Once on-site, Joy was enmeshed in a management horror story with an emotionally distant chain-of-command and inexperienced and manipulative younger immediate supervisor. There was no administrative support to help achieve an almost impossible goal – raise five million dollars in four months. Joy’s health did deteriorate – no thanks to an unsupportive physician and the young AVP supervisor’s behavior that crossed the line from insensitivity and immaturity toward Joy. She was publically criticized, privately she was screamed at, and her work was devalued or, if well done, attributed to another staffer. Humiliation at the hands of her supervisory chain appears to have been a daily if not hourly occurrence. This case exemplifies the human cost of work environments made toxic by bullying behavior. Such environments are not limited to some gritty shop floor with a drunken foreman hurling obscenities nor are they limited in professional circles to a stressed-out surgeon screaming at his nurse. Joy thought she was dealing with emotionally intelligent professionals who would welcome her expertise in a common effort to raise funds for their college. Instead, she was sucked into the quicksand of nonexistent management talent at all levels in the hierarchy, combined with an insecure boss whose behavior epitomized work-site bullying. What could have been done to normalize this situation? 1)

Joy must share some of the blame for ignoring the grapevine and failing to complete an in-depth due diligence. Let that be a lesson to all of us.

2) The President was not in control of his development staff as demonstrated by his assistant being able to usurp the power of the Dean and conspire with the AVP to undermine Joy by bullying her into submission. The President must exercise some discipline over those who represent his office. Good management dictates that a professional’s experience and training be given significant weight in the planning and execution of major strategic initiatives. 3)

The AVP should have been reassigned once her inability to manage projects and personnel became apparent. If evidence of continual bullying was known, then the VP was obliged to seek counseling for the AVP and her victims. The VP and special assistant ganged up on Joy with the AVP and ostracized her during an alumni fund raising event. The VP was, therefore, complicit in the bullying behavior of the AVP – his direct report. This alone should be sufficient to terminate the VP for cause.

4) There are sufficient hints of an organizational culture with no infrastructure to channel the flow of management power to places where it is required. The place reeks of inefficiency and minimal team cohesion. My solution would be to clean house. The trustees should launch a search for a President/Change Agent. A complete management overhaul should follow the and there should be a revised Policy Manual’s with a strong prohibition against bullying.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

EXPERT REACTION #3 …………………………………………..…..…. Nancy A. Haas, President, Haas Consulting Services, LLC Joy had several warning signs that she discounted: the university’s reputation for not fulfilling verbal agreements; warnings from friends and colleagues, and her own intuition. In addition, she knew she would be adding additional stress to her personal situation by commuting between cities, and caring for her recently widowed mother. When starting a new position and learning a new organizational culture, these factors can place unnecessary stress on what is supposed to be a great experience. There are many unknowns to interviewing and accepting a new position. Although the interviewee may be fully qualified for the position, the interviewer will question and observe the candidate to confirm that this person will be a good addition to the organization. At the same time, the candidate should also question and observe the interviewers to assess if the organization is a good fit for them. It is not unusual for an interviewer either by design or by omission to neglect to introduce the candidate to their future department co-workers and/or organizational peers. It is totally appropriate for the candidate to request such an introduction when an offer is imminent. This being said, candidates do not always take this initiative and once on board, they are presented with situations that may have prevented them from accepting the position in the first place. There is no doubt that the organizational and reporting structure should have been discussed during the interview process. However, sometimes organizational structures can change once an employee is brought on board. It seems the latter is the case here. The ‘special assistant’ and Joy were not fully aware of their duties and responsibilities to each other, as well as to the Dean. The addition of an assistant vice president further complicated the situation. A position description is a key element of any job because it should clearly state job responsibilities and duties. In this situation, it would have defined the responsibilities and reporting structure for Joy’s position, would have facilitated the separation of duties between Joy and the special assistant and laid out the department objectives and goals, with the employee’s responsibility for meeting them. Not having this clarity put Joy at a disadvantage. The actions of the Assistant Vice President were clearly inappropriate. Her inexperience in managing people is not an excuse for ‘yelling’ at an employee in public, not obtaining facts relating to employee issues, and for changing and distributing documents without notifying the originator. These actions, done on a consistent basis, may be considered supervisor harassment, and can place the employee in a hostile work environment. There is no evidence that Joy spoke with any other managers within the organization or from HR who had the authority to address these issues. It is always best to contact human resources as soon as these situations occur. Had Joy done this, she may have been able to either to prevent this inappropriate management activity from continuing or bringing it to the attention of the local Equal Employment Opportunity Commission field office. When Joy was ‘terminated’, HR was present. It is apparent that the management team provided HR with information that supported the unprofessional termination. Joy’s side of the story was not considered. If she had contacted HR, an investigation could have looked into the details of the situation. The termination was based on issues that should have been addressed by management with Joy.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

Theoretical Linkages Researchers have hypothesized about why women do not always support other women in the workplace and have offered many explanations for this lack of support from senior level women. Is it the need to repeat the struggle and an attitude of “I suffered so you will too?” Is it fear of replacement after working so hard to get to the top? Is it fear of stereotyping a female as only being able to relate to other females? “Mentors… provide both psychosocial functions, such as role modeling, acceptance and affirmation, as well as career functions, such as sponsorship, coaching and networking.” (Schlegel, 2000) Joy did not have a mentor in her new job and was not supported by management at the university. She did not seek out powerful allies nor consult with HR or others who could have helped her navigate her situation. Although Joy used her networks during the job interview process, she did not establish a network of allies at her new job that could have helped her. Networks provide power to the individual through association with determinants of power, i.e., positions in the network and the amount of dependence on the network (Burt, 1992). A dependent power relationship exists when those with less power are dependent upon those with power to gain access, information, opportunity for jobs, or favors. The asymmetry of the power relationship is clearly marked by those on the “inside” who have power by virtue of their position, reputation, and relationship with those in the network, and those who are “outside” and depend on the network to move them forward in their career. (Gumbus and Lussier, 2003). Joy experienced power plays with the AVP and assistant and was ostracized at work, such as the time she was humiliated by her supervisor in front of the university president. Annually, Adler (2009) has tracked Fortune 500 companies in the same industries that promote women and compared their performance to those that do not. In 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, the results were consistent in proving that companies that promote women outperformed the industry median on three measures: profits (34%), assets (18%), and equity (69%). Despite these statistics, women are not present in the executive suite in strong numbers and we can attribute some of this to lack of mentoring, aggressive strategies like bullying, lack of support from other women and not hiring females into powerful jobs. Joy was both older and more experienced than her female supervisor and this may have been threatening to Susan. Additionally, the assistant clearly had referent power based on his relationship with the president. As a staff member, he misused that power and made Joy dependent on him for information about donors. The goals of the organization had to be met and the assistant inappropriately abused his power over Joy knowing that the goals of fundraising were not being met. The control of information is a common power tactic and he exemplified this by keeping Joy out of the loop on the progress of fundraising and donor contacts. He exerted his power over her in group settings by revealing information in a public forum that should have been disclosed privately. As such, the assistant was in a subordinate role

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

but was withholding important information that was valued by his manager as a way of preventing Joy from meeting her goals. It appears that he was intentionally working toward his own goals of personal advancement and sabotaging the work of another in order to get ahead.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Analyze the case from the various perspectives of the stakeholders such as Joy, her manager Susan, and the university as represented by Nancy in HR. What are the perspectives of each stakeholder? From Joy’s perspective: •

She received mixed messages on what were her job responsibilities (e.g., alumni work).

•

She was an experienced, successful professional who had never encountered such a toxic work environment while trying to handle personally issues such as a commuting marriage, a newly widowed elderly parent living far-away, and rheumatoid arthritis.

•

She encountered the “old boy’s network” working with the President’s Special Assistant Joe as well as other political obstacles.

•

Her manager Susan’s inappropriate yelling, screaming, and reprimanding her in public intimidated Joy. Susan further edited critical documents that Joy wrote; then sent them on (with incorrect information) without Joy’s knowledge. The AVP incorrectly accused Joy of not doing her job on several occasions.

•

The VP and Dean were inattentive to the work environment for Joy.

•

At an alumni fund-raising event, she was ostracized by the AVP, VP, and President’s Special Assistant.

From her manager’s perspective (Assistant VP Susan Cartright), Joy… •

Did not complete requested weekly reports.

•

Responded only to public reprimands.

•

Did not edit documents properly.

•

Did not handle activities the way she (Susan) wanted things done.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

•

Did not list gift donors appropriately for the President.

•

Was generally disobedient and therefore could not get along with others.

From HR representative Nancy Fitzgerald’s perspective, Joy … •

Did not follow the directions of the President’s Special Assistant.

•

Alienated alumni group members.

•

Was not a fit with the University because of her “inability to get along with others.”

•

Did not take appropriate steps to seek assistance from HR.

2. What could have happened to resolve this situation before Joy claimed a “hostile work environment?” Joy could have . . . •

Demanded a clear job description with responsibilities and goals prioritized and expected deliverables with deadlines, especially regarding a development program and campaign.

•

Clarified (who and what resources were available to accomplish her goals or, if not realistic, request modification of goals, deliverables, and deadlines on an ongoing basis) before accepting the position.

•

Monitored her behavior in terms of how she reacted to continual conflicting and demanding requests from the President’s Assistant & AVP.

•

Spoken up before it was too late and raised concerns, issues, and barriers starting with her direct manager. If that didn’t work, discuss the situation with HR in terms of professional and emotional/physical issues. Together, create a plan that could later include talking to the President.

Assistant Vice-President and manager Susan Cartright could have: •

Been more of a mentor to Joy, helping her navigate the organizational culture. Susan also missed an opportunity to learn from Joy’s vast experience.

•

Created alternative goals or work schedules and talked about these issues privately with Joy when there were obstacles to accomplishing goals.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

•

Identified work process obstacles and barriers to getting the work done and offer resources.

The university as her employer could, and should, have instituted and enforced the following: •

Appropriate policies and complaint procedures

•

Holding the AVP to her responsibility of accomplishing the goals of the development campaign

•

Providing resources for employees to handle personal as well as managerial problems

3. If you were Joy, and realized after six months that you were in trouble at your new job, what would you do? Students’ answers will vary because of individual perspectives, but they can first be encouraged to think about this answer three ways: a. In terms of myself – Is there anything about this treatment of me by Susan that I deserved or that offered me a significant opportunity to learn more about how to be a success at my job? b. In terms of the job – Is there an opportunity to use my skills for equivalent pay anywhere else in this organization and, if not, am I so desperate for income that I cannot afford to risk a new job search? c. In terms of the risks of staying or leaving – There are risks in staying, such as stress-induced deteriorating health, troubled relationships, and poor on-the-job performance; and there are risks in leaving such as prolonged unemployment, reduced income at a new job, another toxic environment, and damage to my reputation. Ultimately, students should see that Joy should have gone to Human Resources to discuss the situation and get advice on what to do. She could have sought advice from an independent professional trained to help people in distress sort through their issues and arrive at workable solutions. She could have found someone – a trained employment counselor, an executive coach, or psychologist to discuss the situation and explore alternatives.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

4. What characteristics and observable behaviors enable Joy to be a target? What characteristics and observable behaviors empower her? Victims of bullying are commonly non assertive, suffer from low self esteem and are often isolated at work. However, victims can also be attractive, confident, successful and more popular than the bully. They may also have high standards and be recognized as high achievers that are competent and stand up for themselves and others. Bullies are not always aggressive and can operate quietly and may be jealous of their target and lack confidence in their ability to do their own jobs. While Joy did not fit the typical profile of a victim, she did exhibit many of the symptoms of stress and anxiety commonly experienced by victims of workplace harassment. She became depressed and unmotivated which was out of character for her. She had been a confident, happy, and positive person before the bullying but became lethargic and dreaded going to work during the bullying. Joy had a tendency to see the bright side, which can blind victims and encourage rationalizations to reduce negativity or unpleasant situations in the workplace. Joy was empowered by an assertive personality. She was a fighter and a survivor who drew upon her 30-year background and her experience of being a successful manager. 5. Describe Susan Cartwright’s behavior in terms of the characteristics and observable behaviors of a bully that she exhibits? The accompanying article on bullying provides information helpful in responding to this question and should be read and consulted in order to identify characteristics and observable behaviors of bullies. Researchers have categorized bullying into broad groups of behaviors such as stigmatizing or placing the victim in an out group; using victims as scapegoats in such a way as to potentially jeopardize their professional status; harassing someone with less power; increasing work pressure and work load beyond what others are expected to produce; isolating victims by withholding information and career advances, or separating the victim physically or emotionally from the group; repeating reminders of failures, setting the victim up to fail, or not giving the victim credit for success; and, finally, physically harming or abusing the victim, resulting in mental or physical health problems and chronic conditions. It appears that Susan exhibited many of these behaviors, although she did not physically harm or abuse Joy. Susan publicly ignored Joy, criticized her work, and humiliated Joy in front of superiors in meetings. The most prevalent bullying behaviors are unfair criticism, intimidation, unpleasant personal remarks, public humiliation, malicious gossip, being ignored, threats, ganging up, physical attacks, and hiding or taking personal property. Susan frequently criticized, humiliated, and intimidated Joy in public forums. She privately criticized reports and nitpicked details of Joy’s work.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

6. What options might the HR Manager, Nancy, have had if this situation had been brought to her attention earlier, before it got out of hand? The epilogue provides the actual solution adopted by the organization, but other options would have been available to Nancy, if she had been brought in earlier. Employee exposure to stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction can produce anger, depression, and aggression at work. This intensifies if employees perceive that management tolerates or does nothing to change the toxic culture with a policy against incivility or by punishing bullies. In essence, the organization is supporting the abusive actions by doing nothing to prevent or stop them. In this case, Nancy could have provided a compassionate ear and offered advice on alternative solutions for Joy. She could have suggested a transfer within the university, a confrontation with Susan, or if all else failed, she could have advised Joy to leave. Human Resources needed to get multiple perspectives on the situation by interviewing other employees reporting to Susan to verify her management style. HR already had input from Susan about her complaints against Joy. That is only one side of the story. Getting a more rounded view would be more objective. Nancy could have drafted and proposed a company policy that clearly states zero tolerance for workplace bullying and outlines a course of action for victims to follow. She could have organized education and training programs on how to avoid workplace harassment. As the Human Resource manager, she could amend the performance appraisal system to include positive employee relations as a category of the manager’s evaluation, or institute a 360-degree evaluation process so Human Resources gets a more rounded and balanced appraisal of management skills from peers and subordinates as well as superiors.

7. In a court of law, do you think that a jury would find the University guilty? In your opinion, did Joy have a claim? The definition of hostile work environment includes behaviors that unreasonably interfere with the individual’s job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. To be categorized as hostile work environment, it must be offensive to a reasonable person and can be a repeated behavior or a single outrageous act. The hostile actions are unwelcome and unwanted with a result of making the victim of harassment feel uncomfortable or unsafe. If we use these parameters, it may be said that yes, Joy had a harassment claim. However, this is subjective and we cannot leave Joy out of the equation. Joy had a role in her own demise and was under the delusion that this was a better job. Students should be encouraged to address what role she played and what she could have done differently to avoid the situation.

54. A Case of Harassment, Discrimination, or Bullying?

References Adler, Roy. The Consistent Correlation between Women Executives and High Profitability. Miller-McClure. March-April, 2009, 33-35. Branch, S. Ramsay, S. Barker, M. Managers in the Firing Line: Contributing Factors to Workplace Bullying by Staff – an Interview Study. Journal of Management and Organization. Lyndfield: Sept 2007. Vol. 13 , 3, 264 – 282. Burt, R.S. (1992) Structural holes: the social structure of competition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Gumbus, A and Lussier, R. (2003). Development: Enhancing your networking skills, Clinical Leadership & Management Review, Jan/Feb 2003. Easily, L. and Jagatic, K. (2003). By any other name: American perspectives on workplace bullying. In S. Einarsen et al (Eds.) Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International perspectives in research and practice. 31 – 61. London: Taylor Francis. Namie, G.: 2007, ‘The Challenge of Workplace Bullying’, Employment Relations Today 34 (2), 43-51. Namie, Gary and Namie, Ruth. Workplace Bullying: How to Address America’s Silent Epidemic. Employee Rights and Employment Policy Journal. Vol 8, No 2 (2004) Neuman, J. (2009, Jan. 13). Injustice, stress and bullying can be expensive. Retrieved January 13, 2009, from www.bullyinginstitute.org/research/res/neuman. Salin, D. (2003) Bullying and Organizational Politics in Competitive and Rapidly Changing Work Environments. International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 4: 35 – 46. Schlegel, M (2000). Women mentoring women, Monitor on Psychology, Vol 31, 10, http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov00/mentoring.html. Retrieved 12/16/04. Tracy, S. Lutgen-Sandvik, Alberts, and J.2006: Nightmares, demons and slaves: Exploring the painful metaphors of workplace bullying. Management Communication Quarterly, V. 20, No. 2, pp. 148-185.

55. The Path to Inclusion: The Business Case for Diversity at Ocean Spray

THE PATH TO INCLUSION: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY AT OCEAN SPRAY Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To illustrate how an organization can profit from the diversity of its employees by striving for inclusion

•

To demonstrate that diversity can become an asset to achieving organizational success

•

To provide an example of a well managed diversity program

Case synopsis Ocean Spray, the world’s largest producer of cranberries, is an example of an organization that has leveraged the power of diversity by implementing policies and practices that promote employee inclusion. As a result, the organization has benefited by being able to utilize diversity to achieve its business objectives of growth through new product development and expansion into global markets.

Pedagogy This case should be used toward the end of the course because it ties together many themes from the text, such as moving beyond diversity by the numbers, capitalizing on diversity in terms of problem solving and creativity, and illustrating that if managed well, diversity can make significant contributions to the profitability of a business.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. How does an inclusion strategy for diversity differ from a valuing differences strategy? Valuing diversity is more divisive because it emphasizes how people differ in terms of some social identity such as ethnicity, race, etc. Sometimes this approach includes accommodations for those differences that cause conflict with workers from other

55. The Path to Inclusion: The Business Case for Diversity at Ocean Spray

groups. It is easy for an organization to state that it “values differences,” but in reality, this philosophy usually results in superficial changes such as international food type events that do not lead to modifications in how people think about differences or how the organization does business. In contrast, inclusion emphasizes that although people may differ in terms of their social identities, like age and religion, they also share some common identities. So the goal here is to build on commonalities while benefiting from differences in terms of creating an atmosphere where all can contribute freely to organizational development and change. This only happens when employees feel that they are accepted for who they are, rather than feeling that they have to suppress their differences to fit into an organization.

2. Why is this case a good example of the business case for diversity? Just having diverse employees does not necessarily help an organization achieve its business goals or benefit financially from diversity. The business case for diversity means that diversity has become a competitive advantage that helps the business achieve its goals. At Ocean Spray, there is a freedom to be who you are, i.e., a feeling of inclusion. There are numerous examples of how diversity is implemented as a competitive advantage in this case, such as product development, understanding ethnic markets, sharing of cultural information for global markets, etc. 3. Having read this case, if you were applying for a job at Ocean Spray’s corporate headquarters, what questions might you ask in the interview? Students’ answers will vary.

4. What does this case teach you about leadership and diversity? Diversity change efforts do not work without the political, moral, and financial support of the corporate officers. At Ocean Spray, the CEO was clearly a champion for diversity. Lacking strong leadership, diversity management often becomes a problem to be solved to avoid lawsuits rather than a business asset for creativity and problem solving. Without corporate support, other managers may not take diversity seriously and may view it as more of an obstacle than a benefit. This attitude is quickly understood by diverse employees and it may affect an organization’s ability to recruit and retain the best diverse employees.

55. The Path to Inclusion: The Business Case for Diversity at Ocean Spray

Best Practices at Ocean Spray: The Sparking Change Challenge This event was created to encourage all employees to share their best ideas with a wider audience than just their direct managers through the Sparking Change Challenge. Employees form teams of 2-4 members. The teams present their innovative ideas for cost savings, marketing, or product innovations, etc. to a panel of senior leaders via a 5-10 minute video or slideshow. The team with the best idea receives a $5,000 prize, the second best wins $3,000 and the third wins $2,000. This past year there were 58 submissions.

Diversity on the Web Go to oceanspray.com/Who-Are/Careers/Our-Philosophy.aspx. Here you will find a list and definitions of Ocean Spray’s three core values that drive its culture: respect, ownership and innovation. From reading this case, how are these values operationalized at Ocean Spray?

Additional Resources Albritton, A. and Schubert, S. (2006). Business case for diversity & inclusion. Retrieved from www.diversity-matters.net. Miller, F.A. and Katz, J.H. (2002). The Inclusion Breakthrough. San Francisco: BerrettKoehler.

56. Section VI. Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION VI

1. In this section, you read about programs that some organizations have developed, like employee resource groups, supplier diversity programs, etc. All of these require corporate support and financial resources. If you were a manager at a very small organization that did not have these financial resources, or at one that did not actively support diversity initiatives, what could you as an individual do to help your diverse employees feel more included? 2. In terms of the change model (unfreezing, change, and refreezing), what internal and external forces might resist each of the following: instituting mandatory diversity training for all employees; appointing a Chief Diversity Officer; initiating applications for diversity awards; or establishing a phased retirement program? 3. Develop a list of five criteria for a CEO assuming that he/she has effective diversity management and inclusion as a strategic goal. Now that this course is coming to a close, select any one of the managers in a case from this text. Evaluate this manager on your established criteria for diversity. Based on your evaluation, give this person a grade ranging from A to F for his/her diversity management. Justify your grade based on your criteria. 4. Select one of the diversity awards from the Allard article. Write new criteria for selecting the winner(s) of this award that improve the validity and value of receiving this award. 5. Using readings from throughout the semester, explain why there may be more workplace bullying today than there has been in the past. Does the increased diversity in today’s workplace create more opportunities for bullying? Why or why not?

SECTION VII

CAPSTONE EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING DIVERSITY

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

CREATING A CASE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE DIVERSITY

Carol P. Harvey Suffolk University Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Goals •

To offer a capstone learning experience based on student-conducted secondary research that provides them with an opportunity to integrate and apply the concepts learned in this course

•

To learn how to research, write, and conduct a discussion of a diversity case that illustrates some current diversity management issue

•

To provide an opportunity for critical thinking and discussion either in class or online

Introduction While many students may have had the experience of reading and analyzing cases, few have actually researched and written a case. While the Diversity Audit project provides an opportunity for students to conduct primary research for their capstone experience, this assignment is intended to provide a similar critical thinking experience that utilizes secondary research for courses where primary research may not be as feasible.

Pedagogy/Project Instructions Begin by reviewing the details of the assignment and its accompanying rubric which details what represents producing sub-standard, meeting standards, and exceeding standards-level work. The case When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style is intended to be used as an example of the type of case students are required to write for this assignment.

1. Research Students may complain that they don’t know how to locate a suitable subject for the case. Suggest that they begin by exploring websites like DiversityInc.com (free access if one has an “edu” address, but it does require registration), The Wall Street Journal (if your

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

library has a subscription), diversityexecutive.com, diversitycelebration.com, etc. for initial ideas. To get individuals to buy-in to the team project, each student should conduct his/her own individual research to locate a suitable topic or two and then bring these ideas to the group for discussion. This starts the project off on the right path by getting everyone involved and by not allowing social loafers to sit back and wait for the more ambitious students to do the work for them. This also works best if you require each student to submit in writing their two possible ideas for cases with the accompanying source(s). Be clear that you will be collecting these. When students have to pass these in, even though these ideas will not be graded, they are more motivated to search for a suitable topic. Once a group selects a topic, then, students should deepen the search through the use of databases such as ABI Inform, Business Source Premier, etc. Check with your librarian to see what business databases your institution subscribes to and inform the students. Local newspapers from the city where the case occurred can also be a rich source of information. It is imperative that students utilize databases and not just websites to research this case. There is a lesson in research to be learned here – that not everything can be located by simply typing a term into a search bar. If you do not allow the use of Wikipedia, be sure to make this clear to the class. Remind them that the team will have to produce a bibliography detailing all sources and (if possible) you will be checking for plagiarism through Turnitin or some other similar software.

2. Writing The writing assignment consists of the case with a bibliography, and a separate set of five to six discussion questions that require higher levels of critical thinking. Impress upon students that writing is a process, i.e., a good product requires many revisions. After students have gathered their data, but before they begin the actual writing, the teams need to determine what the problem/decision is, and think about how to integrate this into the case. The teams should also brainstorm some alternative solutions along with pros and cons for each possible solution. One technique that often helps students to manage the data is to have them develop a time-line that details when the issue originated and what events led up to this being a problem. When the team is ready to write the case, the order should be: a hook to get the reader’s attention; some short relevant context about the industry, organization, etc.; the core of the problem with sufficient details to generate alternative decisions; and a conclusion that relates back to the opening hook. What actually happened should not be included in the case.

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

The team should submit the bibliography and thoughtful discussion questions based on higher levels of critical thinking to the instructor separate from the actual case.

3. Class Discussion This will vary according to the delivery method for the course. For in-class discussions, you should establish a time limit and hold student teams to it. Usually 20-30 minutes is sufficient. Caution them about spending too much time summarizing the case. They should assume that the class has read the case several times. The point of the discussion is to encourage critical thinking by generating multiple perspectives on how to solve the problem and considering the pros and cons of each. For online classes, post a specific schedule (day and time) that details when you will post the case and its discussion questions. Then establish a timeline for the rest of the class to publish their answers. Encourage the presenting team to comment frequently (perhaps each team member can be responsible for answering a day’s posts for example) to keep the discussion lively.

4. Postscript Instructors are usually reluctant to reveal what decision was actually made in a case because it implies that this was the only right answer. However, after the discussion, it is appropriate for the presenting team to disclose the true name of the company and reveal what actually happened. Just remind the rest of the class, that there still is no one” best” answer. This is just the one that the individual or organization selected. Note: An alternative approach to using this as a capstone project is to assign the case preparation to smaller teams of two to three students and to have each team present a case related to each major topic in the course as the semester progresses. For example, when covering racism, after discussing the McIntosh, McNickles, and Dunlap articles, have a team that has been assigned to write on racism conduct a class discussion of their case that involves something related to race. This will help to synthesize the readings with reality.

Additional Resources on the Case Method Barnes, L.B. Christensen, C.R. & Hansen, A.J. (1993). Teaching and the Case Method: Text, Cases and Readings, 3rd edition, Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Ellet, W. (2007). The Case Study Handbook: How to Read Discuss and Write Persuasively about Cases. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishers.

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

Naumes, W. and Naumes, M. (2011). The Art and Craft of Case Writing, 3rd edition. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe Publishers. Smith, R. A. (2010). Professors’ use of case discussion leadership at Harvard and Darden MBA programs: Characteristics of a successful case discussion. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, vol. 14, 2, 13-30. Vega, G. (2013). The Case Writing Workbook: A Self-guided Workshop. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe Publishers.

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

RUBRIC FOR EVALUATING DIVERSITY CASE PROJECT

Does Not Meet Expectations

Meets Expectations

Exceeds Expectations

Case

Poorly written with many spelling and/or grammatical Errors; content inadequately researched; lacking sufficient sources.

Writing is adequate; a few spelling and/or grammatical errors; content is sufficient and properly cited.

Case is very well organized; practically no spelling or grammatical errors; extensive & properly documented sources.

Questions

Questions mostly require only recall of case details.

Some but not all questions require higher levels of critical thinking such as application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation

Questions are thoughtfully developed and all require higher levels of critical thinking such as analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation.

Class Discussion

Uneven participation by team members; discussion is flat and uninteresting; class is minimally involved.

Good discussion with participation of the whole team and the class.

Discussion is lively and interesting with a high level of class discussion.

Online Discussion

Team does not evenly participate in discussion; team members do not respond in a timely manner, discussion is flat and does not stimulate higher levels of thinking.

Most team members participate in discussion on a timely basis; and insert new ideas and follow up questions as appropriate.

All team members are active and respond on a timely basis with questions and comments that take the discussion to higher levels of critical thinking such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation of course material.

58. Creating Diversity Awareness: Video Project Rubric

CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS: A VIDEO PROJECT Cary J. LeBlanc Assumption College

Goals •

To provide a capstone learning experience for this course

•

To understand that barriers to inclusion are real and still exist in the form of blocking mechanisms

•

To learn how to break down barriers to inclusion

•

To learn how to work on a team

Overview of the Project This capstone group project is designed to integrate video media as a creative expression, explanation, and interpretation of ways that individuals and organizations limit diversity and, as a result, block inclusion. As our society, and more specifically our workplaces, become more diverse, organizations will face numerous challenges to developing effective, innovative, and sustainable business practices that include all voices. Efforts to be more diverse can be blocked by individual perceptions, biases, and stereotypes as well as by organizational cultures. Student groups will select a topic from a primary (race, gender, ethnicity, age, physical and mental challenges, and sexual orientation) or secondary dimension of diversity (social class, first language, etc.). The group will use technology to create a five-minute original video that increases awareness, promotes inclusion, and may motivate viewers to change their perspective about some facet of diversity. The student groups will show this video to the class and conduct a discussion of their chosen topic.

1. Introduction This project will typically identify negative perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors that can be attributed to individuals or groups of people. For example, racism has been socially constructed to prevent people of color from having equal opportunities. While it can be argued that blatant racism is becoming relatively rare, it still exists in subtle ways and particularly as institutional racism that is embedded within systems, such as healthcare

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

and education. Because most people remember more of what they see than what they read or hear, it is hoped that through this video, students will understand how personal and organizational values still influence our perceptions and attributions. It is the intent of this project to illustrate how blocking mechanism(s) exist in explicit yet subtle ways. More often than not, inclusivity is blocked because of our personal lack of awareness or because of organizational systems and practices that privilege certain groups. By conducting research and producing an instructional video, students should gain a deeper understanding of blocking mechanisms and how these limit and/or prevent inclusion. This document will provide the basis for the complete project. Therefore, careful attention should be paid to the group reaching consensus on this definition of the blocking mechanism, for it will drive all aspects of the video creation.

2. Developing a Storyboard After students select, define, and research their topic, the next step is to develop a storyboard that outlines the key elements, or scenes, of the video. This storyboard can contain sketches, images, descriptions of segments, or specific scenes that will be used to depict the particular block to Inclusion. The initial storyboard is relatively general but more detailed scenes usually will emerge as the project progresses. A few storyboard templates will be provided.

3. Storyboard Review Each student group should meet with the instructor to review their initial storyboard. At this meeting, the group should explain the overall intent and message of their video. The group should be prepared to discuss their creative approach and how they will use the video to capture and present their original interpretation of a block to Inclusion. At this meeting, the instructor should be sure that the definition created in the research step is well integrated into the storyboard. A key question to ask is, “Will the groups’ creative approach help them to achieve what they want to communicate as stated in their definition?”

4. Equipment & Filming Once the storyboard has been reviewed and discussed with the instructor, filming may commence. This project has been designed so that it can be done effectively with the sole use of smartphone video technology. Using iPhones and other similar smartphones with video capture, students will film primary elements/scenes of the project. The raw footage will then be downloaded to a personal computer with video making software. Certainly, students may have access and are encouraged to use more professional equipment.

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

However, these more sophisticated technologies may hinder the project because of the learning curve needed to use them effectively. It is expected that most, if not all, of the video will be original material, although there may be the need for existing materials to be used. If so, the use of photos, video clips, music, and other copyright protected material, not in the public domain, must be appropriately cited and all copyright laws followed. All sources used must be listed in the credits as well as in the written documentation and bibliography provided to the instructor along with the video. One student should take the lead technical role, usually someone who has previous experience creating a video such as connecting hardware and software, along with video editing. The latter usually being the most labor intensive. 5. Initial Screening Two weeks prior to the formal presentation of the video to classmates and/or external judges, each student group should meet with the instructor and present their completed (or nearly completed) video. The intent of this screening is for the group to evaluate by how well the video has integrated their Block to Inclusivity definition into the video. This also provides the instructor an opportunity to critique the project, so the group can make changes and improve the video, if necessary. 6. Presentation Each group will have a prepared DVD of their video to bring to the presentation to the class. The order of the presentation should be: a) the introduction of the team and the topic; b) the showing of the video presentation; and c) questions and/or a brief class discussion.

7. Grading Use the rubric provided in the text to present additional feedback and to grade the project.

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

Storyboard for Video Projects Group/Project Name____________________________________________ Date________ Use the following to help you create your storyboard for your video.

1. Briefly describe the story you are going to tell. Give the main idea in one statement. Include who is going to be involved with your production and the roles they are going to play.

2. Fill in the chart below. For each numbered step of your story, fill in a new shot. Be sure to include your title slides, beginning, and credits at end. Each change of shot would be a new shot number. 3. What are the location(s) for shooting?

Shot #

Description

Shot type: Close-up or wide

Visual clues to help communicate the idea – sketch out the shot

57. Creating a Case to Better Understand and Manage Diversity

Useful websites include:

www.msstate.edu/create/howto/storyboard www.videomaker.com/article/2313-how-to-create-a-storyboard

58. Creating Diversity Awareness: Video Project Rubric

Creating Diversity Awareness Video Project Rubric This project’s intent is to fully illustrate a “challenge to diversity,” and in doing so raise awareness, if not action. Excellent

Video Introduction Theme

Satisfactory

The video immediately draws viewers in. The challenge to diversity that will be explored is very clearly defined. The introduction creates a compelling reason why the viewer will want to watch, learn and care about the challenge to diversity theme being presented.

The introduction provides a definition of the challenge to diversity that will get viewer interested enough to keep watching. The theme is clearly presented.

Fair The introduction leaves viewers confused and not knowing exactly what challenge to diversity the video will be exploring. Overall, the theme of the video is unclear.

The challenge to diversity is well illustrated, using multiple creative ways to show how people Video Core - Challenge experience the issue. Narrative is well rehearsed Experienced/Demonstrated and easy to understand. Issue is represented as current and relevant.

The challenge to diversity is displayed adequately, and example(s) used are succinct. Viewer knows how the challenge is experienced.

Illustration of the challenge to diversity is confusing and leaves viewer unsure as to how it is experienced.

Video Conclusion Awareness to Advocate

Video ends with a very clear look back at the challenge to diversity. Restates how the challenge was illuminated, and leaves viewer compelled to take some action. Possibly creating advocates to help bring awareness and solutions to the issue.

The video reminds viewer what the challenge to diversity issue is, and creates a full level of awareness. Video message is effective enough so viewer could explain it to others.

Video does not conclude with a clear review of the challenge to diversity issue and leaves viewer unsure of what they should do about the issue.

Video Organization and Presentation

There is very clear evidence of care taken in the production of the video. All parts are well organized and audio/video is high quality and utilizes creative techniques to convey issue. Pace and technical aspects are all very well composed. Overall duration is very effective, not too short, not too long.

Video is well organized, and uses limited, yet effective, techniques in production. Overall quality is good and composition enhances understanding. Duration is within 5 to 8 minute timeframe.

Video lacks organization. Pieces seem out-of-place and technical components are lacking. Duration is either not within 5 to 8 minute timeframe, or more or less time needed.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

EVALUATING DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT: CONDUCTING A DIVERSITY AUDIT Carol P. Harvey Assumption College Professor Emerita

Goals •

To provide a capstone learning experience for students that enables them to see how the theory and cases studied during the semester apply in the real world

•

To allow students to improve their critical thinking skills by developing and applying criteria to the evaluation of an organization’s diversity initiatives

•

To provide students with an opportunity to compare and assess the relative levels of leadership commitment and resource allocation that organizations have to implementing and managing diversity programs

•

To help students to learn about the dynamics of working on a team

• To showcase the unique ways that organizations can manage diversity by finding productive ways that diversity can impact their missions and to illustrate how other organizations may be limiting their diversity initiatives to legal compliance

Time Required This is a capstone team-learning project designed to be completed over the course of the semester. Introduce the assignment early in the semester by assembling teams and explaining the instructions for the assignment and answering students’ questions.

Option Although instructors may choose to have students present their findings without writing the paper, do not omit the class presentations. Much of the learning from this assignment comes from comparing the results from one group’s organization with another. After hearing several presentations, students often pick up on trends such as diversity by the numbers, valuing diversity only in terms of the diverse customers it may generate, lack of systemic organizational change, etc.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Instructions Early in the semester, divide the class into teams of 4-6 members depending on the size of the class. If there is minimal obvious diversity in the class, teams can be assigned alphabetically by last name. When there is a more diverse student body, the instructor may choose to group the students in teams that maximize their opportunity to learn to work in diverse groups. Another alternative is to simply do it by random selection by putting all of the names in a hat and drawing names (first five are team #1, etc). However, it is preferable to distribute a sheet that lists the “skills” needed to complete the project (writing, organizing, researching, interviewing, preparing PowerPoint slides, etc.) and then asking students to rank themselves on a scale of #1 to #5 with #1 being their strongest skill and #5 being their weakest. You may want to assemble the teams as functional work teams with a strong writer, researcher, etc. on each team. Allowing students to self-select teams can result in subgroups, within the team, etc. The instructor should explain his/her expectations for the assignment in detail. Begin by discussing the goals of this learning experience. Then work through the steps in the “Evaluating Diversity in the Real World: Conducting a Diversity Audit” assignment found in the text. The following notes that correspond to the titles and numbers 1-7 in the student instructions in the text may help you. Some instructors use peer evaluation forms that allow each member of the team to evaluate every other member’s contributions to the project in terms of effort, cooperation, productivity, quality of the work produced, etc. If you use such a system, now is a good time to explain this requirement to the class.

1. Finding an organization willing to work with the group Allow the class as a whole to brainstorm ways that student groups can get an organization to cooperate with them. Since their jobs, internships, friends, and parents’ connections may provide easier access to a contact within an organization, this provides a learning opportunity to point out how being “privileged” through “social networks” and social capital makes resources available to some and not to others. Initially, students may worry about finding a company to work with them. However, this has not proved to be a problem. Many organizations, even those with few proactive diversity policies, are eager to talk about their efforts. Encourage students to use different types of organizations: large and small, non-profit and for profit, etc. Discourage or forbid students from using their own college. Making contacts and going out into the real world to see how less familiar organizations operate are essential parts of the learning experience. It is often helpful at the end of the class, when this assignment is explained, to stop a few minutes early to allow the student groups to exchange phone and email contact information or to set up their first meeting. The major problem to avoid at this stage is student procrastination. One way to do this is to list a date on the syllabus when each student group has to tell the class what organization they will be auditing and a little about the organization (type of business, why they selected this particular organization, etc.). Remind them that the process of contacting and gaining access to an

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

organization is much like the process of getting a job interview – persistence and manners pay off.

2. Conducting Secondary Research Explain that secondary research is internal and external material gathered for another purpose. Examples include corporate websites, annual reports, census data, newspaper articles, reports of court cases, industry newsletters, employee handbooks, etc. While these will not perfectly match the requirements of this assignment, they may provide useful background to understanding the organization’s power structure, values, culture and industry, policies, etc. For example, annual reports (if available) are designed as stockholder information pieces. However, they often show photographs of the members of the board of trustees and/or senior staff which helps students to determine if there diversity at the highest levels of power in the organization and corporate value statements that reveal much about the espoused culture of the organization. If students are auditing a large corporation, be sure that they use library databases for secondary research. Legal data bases and newspaper databases often provide helpful material. Point out to the students that organizations vary a great deal in the amount and type of information they choose to keep confidential and what they are comfortable sharing with outsiders. Note: In the electronic age, students often mistakenly think that the Internet is the source of all the information that they need. Caution students that an organization’s webpage is the public face that it chooses to reveal. Student groups have found major contradictions between the information that they learned on visits and through published source compared to the information on an organization’s website. If your class has done the Internet audit exercise in the text, they will be more aware of this and more critical of the information on the organization’s own website.

3. Preparing to Visit the Organization Secondary data often provides the foundation for many of the questions asked at the actual visit. For this reason, all members of the team should be very familiar with published material on this organization. It is important that each group develop their own appropriate questions and criteria for the organization that they are planning to visit. However, it may be helpful to review some basic principles of effective question development and interviewing (i.e., Avoiding yes/no type questions in favor of “how,” “why,” “could you provide an example of how your organization…” etc.) Ask easy to answer less challenging questions at the beginning of the interview, and work up to the more probing questions later, etc. To explain how to develop criteria for diversity management, tell the students that we all develop criteria, or standards whether conscious or unconscious, that we use to evaluate people, places, ideas and experiences. An effective way to communicate this is to conduct a brief discussion of the “criteria” or standards that students use to evaluate a familiar experience such as a movie. Ask, “How do you explain why you liked or didn’t like a particular movie?” Students will give answers such as, “It was too violent” (criteria = not excessively violent), “It made me laugh” VII - 17 Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

(criteria = funny), “I really like one of the stars” (criteria = liking the actor), “I loved the music” (criteria = good music), etc. This can lead to a discussion of the conscious and unconscious criteria that we develop to evaluate the worth of things. Next, brainstorm as a class some potential criteria that a student team could use to evaluate the diversity efforts of an organization. Initially, students may think of the make-up of the board of trustees, and upper management (i.e., are they really diverse in obvious demographic ways?). Later, they develop more creative criteria. For example, •

Is the organization inclusive of many types of difference and is diversity linked to the organizational mission? (Criteria = evidence of inclusive practices and policies and a mission statement that reflects the contribution that diversity makes to the organization.)

•

What causes and charities does the organization support? (Criteria = social responsibility efforts that support diverse groups not just the pet charities of upper-management.)

•

What are the organizational values and how are these manifested? (Criteria = the organization “walks the talk” in terms of operational zing these values into their policies and practices or are the values only espoused?)

•

Do their benefits and work scheduling practices recognize the needs of diverse employees? (e.g., cafeteria plans, spousal health insurance for gay and lesbian employees, day care, flextime, job sharing, phased retirement programs, etc.)

•

What is the content and scope of diversity training efforts, etc? Who gets trained? Who conducts the training? How long does it last? Is it ongoing? How are its outcomes measured? (Criteria = all levels of employees receive meaningful, measurable, ongoing diversity training?)

•

What is the organization’s motivation/reason for having diversity initiatives? (Criteria = AA/EEO such as avoiding sexual harassment lawsuits; the personal beliefs of a strong leader; recognition of the need to have employees who relate to and understand target customers, thinking that it is the right thing to do, etc.)

•

Does the organization have an effective supplier diversity program? (Criteria = a supplier diversity program that benefits women and minority owned businesses.)

•

Who is responsible for implementing diversity programs? (Criteria = having an involved CEO, a diverse Board and a CDO who reports to someone on the corporate level.)

•

Does the organization have an ERG program? (Criteria = employee resource groups that are well organized, accomplish their goals and assess their programs?)

•

Has the organization won any significant awards for their diversity programs? (Criteria = awards earned for successful diversity policies and practices.)

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Remind the students that they need to relate what they learn about and what they see at their organization to the semester’s readings, particularly the theoretical pieces. Stress to the class that the most valuable learning will come from their small group discussions after they have gathered their primary and secondary data. This is when the students must measure the company’s performance against their previously established criteria.

4. Visiting the Organization/Conducting Primary Research

Realistically, students’ busy academic, work and athletic schedules sometimes make it impossible for every member of the group to visit the organization together. However, those who can’t attend do miss a valuable part of the learning experience. For example, one student group visited the headquarters of a large manufacturer whose diversity efforts were reported as examples of “best practices” in several periodicals. So, the students were looking for validation of the importance of diversity to this organization. The person in charge of the whole diversity program appeared to be one notch above the secretarial level and had an office in a hallway! This alerted the students to ask questions and evaluate the situation. They discovered that its diversity efforts were valid but the contact was merely located in a temporary place while her office was being redecorated. Since they do represent the college/university, it is also helpful to remind students to dress and act professionally on their visit, to be prompt for their appointment, to ask how long they have for the interview(s) and to send a written thank you note later.

5. Post-Visit Activity This discussion is the heart of the diversity audit because now students need to evaluate what they know from secondary sources, what they saw on the visit and what they learned through the interviews. Here the groups also have the opportunity to add additional criteria that they did not think of before visiting the organization and conducting the interviews but that they now realize are obvious oversights. For example, a group may find that an organization is very diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. However, on visiting the company, they learn that turnover and lack of innovation are serious problems. Although the company had visible demographic diversity, it did little to use the power of diversity to generate new ideas or address the systemic needs for training employees in terms of teamwork and intercultural communication. One team audited an organization whose benefits and human resource policies did not support the needs of the religious diversity of their employees. Although the company had many Indian, Middle-Eastern, and Asian employees, the company observed the traditional Christian and public holidays and had no floating holidays that could be used on other religious occasions by its many Muslim and Buddhist employees. The cafeteria featured no vegetarian dishes and employees sat together in their own ethnic groups. Vacation time couldn’t be accrued and had to be taken in the year that it was earned. This resulted in employees from India and the Far East taking unpaid leaves to extend vacations with their distant relatives or to observe their religious practices. There was a total lack of recognition that to capitalize on the positive aspects of diversity, an organization has to do more than just recruit diverse employees.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Another group had not established any criteria for communication. When they visited the organization’s website, they discovered that it featured photographs of its all white, middle-aged male management team. In addition, even though these were individual not a group photograph, every man wore a white shirt, no jacket and a similar tie! They looked like clones. In the interview, managers told the student team that they were willing to hire women and minorities but had trouble recruiting them. Any diverse employee who checked out the website first might be turned off early in the recruitment process!

6. Written Report and/or Presentation The written report should be crisp and well-written. This is why the suggested length is 12-14 pages of text plus exhibits and a bibliography. There is an outline provided in the text article. Allowing the report to be longer may encourage a lot of company history and summary rather than analysis and evaluation. Sometimes an organization will ask for a copy of the students’ report. This is a decision that each instructor should make based on his/her own preferences, the abilities of the class and the complex issue of using students (particularly undergraduates) as unpaid consultants. Based on experience, students do a more balanced assessment auditing an organization and a better job when they know that the material will not be read by anyone at the organization. Sometimes a good compromise is for the students to meet with their contact and review only the recommendation section.

7. Presentation The actual presentation can be done during the last week of class or during the final exam period. In both the report and the presentation, it is important that the focus be on evaluating the organization against the group’s criteria rather than on a long organizational history. Groups are also encouraged to develop a list of recommended actions. For example, in the two examples cited above, the students suggested: reviewing holiday and vacation scheduling policies; conducting a survey on the cafeteria; providing diversity training; and recommended that since web pages are often a first source of information for job applicants, reviewing its contents and, layout in terms of their appeal to a diverse applicant pool is a must. After presenting their audit, the team should stop and ask the class to “grade” the organization in terms of its diversity management. This technique insures that the entire class pays attention to other groups’ presentations and adds an element of “fun” to the class. Once students have shown by raising their hands how many gave the organization an A, A-, B+…F, the presenting team should reveal its “grade” and rational for the evaluation. The following Diversity Audit Evaluation sheet can be completed by the instructor and copies returned to each member of the team for feedback.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Teaching Tips Mini Project. “Evaluating Organizational Commitment to Diversity by Auditing Websites” (Diversity on the Web assignment) can be used as a mini project that allows student groups to work together on a small project before conducting the longer, more involved, diversity audit. If this is an online class, papers can be posted as an attachment to a discussion board. Students can then discuss the different results on the discussion board. Writing Assignment Assessing Group Diversity, Process, and Conflict Resolution During the completion of this group project, you have had the opportunity to interact with students who may be different from you in some less visible ways. In addition to visible social identity group differences, such as race, and gender, often, differences in terms of personality, time management, leadership styles, values, etc. can cause conflict in terms of the quality, satisfaction and completion of group projects both in classes and in the workplace. Since you are finishing a course on “diversity” management, this is a good time to assess the issues of productivity, individual difference and conflict resolution in terms of this work group. Using the project journal that you have kept during the semester, write a 4-5 page paper that analyzes your group’s performance in terms of the group process, i.e., how effectively this group worked together. In your paper, be sure to answer the following questions but do NOT use any actual names of group members: •

What were the primary differences in terms of working style that helped or hindered this group from accomplishing their objectives for this project?

•

How did the group effectively or ineffectively deal with these differences?

•

Did someone assume a leadership role? Was the leadership style effective or ineffective? Why?

•

If there were conflicts or conflict avoidance in this group, apply Parker’s article, “The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Differences and Conflict” to evaluate the resolution or lack of resolution of the conflicts.

•

In retrospect, what could the group have done differently to produce a more effective project? What could the group have done differently to do it more efficiently?

•

What have you learned from this assignment about diversity that can also be applied to productively managing the differences that can be “invisible” in the workplace?

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Diversity on the Web Evaluating Organizational Commitment to Diversity by Auditing Websites In the twenty-first century, websites are an important channel of communication between organizations and their external stakeholders. If an organization is serious about its commitment to diversity, one would expect that this would be reflected in the design, content, and graphics of the website. Potential employees, customers, suppliers, etc. often turn first to a website before initiating interaction with an organization. If diversity is really integral to the mission and values of an organization, information on diversity should be easily accessible, informative, and well integrated into the website. Your instructor will select an industry such as healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing government, education, sports, etc. or specific websites that members of the class will use for this assignment. Then, prepare a report on the following: 1. Evaluate how accessible diversity related material is on this website. Is there a direct link from the home page? What type of results does entering the term “diversity” in a search box yield? Or do you have to explore on your own? Sometimes searching under “careers” or “press releases” may produce some diversity related results. On some websites, students will have to explore deeply into web pages to find material related to diversity. What does this say about the organization’s commitment to diversity? 2.

Evaluate the usefulness of the diversity information to potential employees, customers, and suppliers. Is the diversity material related to the organization’s business case for diversity, core values, mission, etc. the way that the organization does business? How current is the diversity-related material? For a good example explore Hewlett Packard’s website at: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/diversity/

Evaluate the appropriateness of the photographs and graphic material that relates to diversity. Some websites will feature photographs of diverse employees and customers, yet not link this material to the verbal content. Some reuse the same pictures on different pages, etc. On the Hewlett Packard website, notice the photos they use and the diversity value chain graphic available at: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/diversity/value.html

Using the website that you were assigned for this project, assume that you are a) a potential employee, b) a potential customer, and c) a potential supplier or subcontractor. What perceptions might you have about this organization’s commitment to diversity based solely on the website? Looking at this website, do you think that it encourages or discourages diverse employees to apply for jobs in this organization? Why or why not?

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

What internal management issues can affect the prominence that diversity gets or doesn’t get on an organization’s website?

Are there any diversity awards listed on the website? If so, review the criteria and selection process as presented in the Allard article on awards or if the award is not mentioned in that article. Evaluate the value of the award through the sponsoring organization’s website.

If students report their findings to the class, they can briefly demonstrate the best and worst features of the websites and the following question may then be used for class discussion: Assume that you are a (female, over 55, racial minority, person with a physical challenge, gay or lesbian, etc.) job applicant and you have read ads for job openings for which you are fully qualified in all of the companies presented in class. What perceptions might you have of each company before you even walk in the door? Would you still apply? Why or why not?

Teaching Tip An evaluation form for the audit project follows. Simply cut and paste this form as a Word document. You can space the five criteria to allow room for your comments as needed.

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

DIVERSITY AUDIT EVALUATION Group Members ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Name of the Organization ________________________________________________________________ 1. QUALITY OF SECONDARY RESEARCH

2. QUALTIY OF GROUP’S CRITERIA

3. HOW WELL DID THE GROUP EVALUATE THIS ORGANIZATION AGAINST THE STATED CRITERIA?

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

4. COMMENTS ON THE QUALITY OF THE PAPER

5. COMMENTS ON THE GROUP’S PRESENTATION

Group Grade _________________

59. Evaluating Diversity Management: Conducting a Diversity Audit

Joyce D. McNickles

DIVERSITY AUDIT RUBRIC

McNickles & Associates

Background

Organization, industry and interviewee information: extremely well-written. All information is relevant. 20 points

Organization, industry and interviewee information: extremely well-written. Most information is relevant. 16 points

Organization, industry and interviewee information: extremely well-written. Not all information is clear. Some relevant information is missing. 12 points

Organization, industry and interviewee information: extremely well-written. Very little information is relevant. 8 points

Diversity Criteria

Criteria for diversity for an organization of this type: comprehensive, clear, and wellwritten description, with rationale supported by many citations from course readings.

Criteria for diversity for an organization of this type: mostly complete, clear, and well-written with rationale supported by some citations from course readings.

Criteria for diversity for an organization of this type: partly complete, not consistently clear. Rationale not clearly described and/or not supported with citations from course readings. 12 points

Criteria for diversity for an organization of this type: very unclear description of criteria with weak rationale and unsupported with citations from course readings.

Explanation of why organization does/does not meet each criterion: somewhat clear, but not detailed. Evaluation identifies strengths and weaknesses reflecting findings from both primary & secondary sources for some, but not all criteria.

Explanation of why organization does/does not meet each criterion: unclear evaluation with strengths and weaknesses not clearly identified; no reflection of findings from both primary and secondary sources for criteria.

16 points

20 points

Evaluation

Explanation of why organization does /does not meet each criterion: clear, detailed evaluations with both strengths and weaknesses identified and reflecting findings from both primary and secondary sources in relation to all criteria. 20 points

Explanation of why organization does/does not meet each criterion: clear, evaluations identify strengths and weaknesses reflecting findings from both primary & secondary sources in relation to all criteria. 16 points

8 points

12 points

Recommendations and Summary

Writing Quality

Summary and steps for improving diversity: clear and specific with rationale for all recommendations supported with many citations from course readings. 20 points

Writing: clear, concise, and wellorganized with appropriate headings and sub-headings. Excellent grammar, spelling, and punctuation. APA guidelines followed for citing sources. 20 points

Summary and steps for improving diversity: clear and specific with rationale for most recommendations supported with many citations from course readings.

Summary and steps for improving diversity: unclear summary and steps or no rationale for recommendations. 8 points

16 points

Summary and steps for improving diversity: steps not always supported with rationale; somewhat unclear and/or not always supported with relevant citations from course readings. 12 points

Writing: clear, concise, and wellorganized with appropriate headings and sub-headings. Few grammatical errors. APA guidelines followed fairly well for citing sources.

Writing: lacks clarity, conciseness, and organization. Contains grammatical errors. APA guidelines not followed well for citing sources. 12 points

Writing: unfocused, rambling, or contains serious errors. Poorly organized. APA guidelines not used for citing sources. 8 points

16 points

Section VII. Integrative Questions

INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION VII

1. Name two readings, cases or exercises from this text that challenged or changed your previously held beliefs about workplace diversity. For each one, explain why this material was effective in teaching you about diversity. 2. Retake the I Am… exercise. If your answers have changed, what has changed and why do you think that has happened? If your answers have not changed, why do you think that is the case? 3. Social media and technology are rapidly changing our world. How does social media technology effect workplace diversity? Does it help or hinder those who are less privileged? Why? 4. During this course, did you discover any prejudices that you did not previously recognize you held? During this course, did you discover any privileges that you did not previously recognize you had? If so, how will having this information make you a better manager in the future? 5. How does achieving an improved level of understanding about differences benefit both individuals and organizations in the workplace? How can achieving an improved level of understanding about differences benefit individuals in terms their personal lives?

SECTION VIII ADDITIONAL CASES From previous texts

61.

The UBS Diversity Case Arlene O. DeWitt

62.

Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement Egidio A. Diodati

The U.S. Air Force Academy Case Egidio A. Diodati

64.

Briarwood Industries Carol P. Harvey

65.

The Best Buy Case: Committed to the Inclusion of People with Disabilities David P. Harvey

66.

Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way M. E. (Pete) Murphy

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

THE UBS DIVERSITY CASE Arlene O. DeWitt Assumption College

Look out, Wall Street. The professional women of high finance are fighting back and attacking the entrenched male-dominated culture and glass ceilings that have long characterized this industry. Female professionals are going after the very thing that their financial firms value most – money - by winning sexual discrimination lawsuits. While many financial firms realized the marketing advantages of matching culturally diverse employees with global customers of similar ethnicities, these same firms failed to capitalize on the advantages that a well-managed and motivated professional female workforce offers to the marketplace. A case in point was the lawsuit of Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC, the financial, investment and banking services company that resulted from the merger of the United Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation in 1998. In 2005, Laura Zubulake, a top-ranked equities trader sued UBS AG for gender discrimination, failure to promote her and for retaliation while working at her firm’s offices in Stamford, CT and Manhattan from 1999 to 2000. She won this case and was awarded $29.27 million in damages: $2,241.90 million in back pay, $6,863 million in front pay and $20,169 million in punitive damages (Lexis Nexis, 2007, 9). This was one of the largest awards to a single plaintiff in a discrimination lawsuit. This sends a message not just to Wall Street, but to everybody. The message is that all senior women on Wall Street are not afraid to stand up and speak out when they feel they are being treated differently,” says Ms. Zubulake (Porter, 2005). ‘It’s not a culture that changes overnight,’ Zubulake continues. ‘It’s going to take time. I’m sure there are lots of other firms out there saying, ‘This can’t happen to us.…You’re going to see more and more of these cases’ (Zambito, 2006). UBS History and Organizational Culture UBS AG was formed from the 1998 merger of the Union Bank of Switzerland and the Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC). The resulting financial giant became the second largest bank in Europe, after Deutsche Bank AG, and one of the tenth largest financial institutions in the world. In 2000, UBS acquired the U.S. Paine Webber Group Inc. to become the world’s largest wealth management firm. Headquartered in Switzerland, the organization employs approximately 64,000 people in over 50 countries with 37% of its employees in the Americas, 37% in Switzerland, 16% in Europe and 10% in Asia Pacific (UBS, Who, 2008). UBS has a major presence in the U.S. located in New York City, Weehawken, NJ, and Stamford, CT. The corporation is divided into three business units:

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

Wealth Management, Global Asset Management and Investment Banking (UBS, 2010). The UBS brand of wealth and asset management and investment banking is valued at $4.4 billion, making it the 72nd most valuable brand in the world. Current gender distribution by employee category is heavily male-dominated, especially at its upper management levels, as shown in Exhibit 1. Exhibit 1. Gender Distribution by Employee Category1 Male

Female

Total

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Officers

25,590

77.9

7,241

22.1

32,831

Non-Officers

19,944

50.2

19,760

49.8

39,704

Total

45,534

62.8

27,001

37.2

72,535

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1

Calculated on the basis that a person (working full-time or part-time) is considered one headcount in this table only. This accounts for the total UBS end-2005 employee number of 72,535 in this table. Normally, UBS expresses employee numbers in terms of full-time equivalents (FTEs), which is measured as a percentage of the standard hours normally worked by permanent full-time staff. When calculated according to FTEs, the end-2005 total is 69,569 (UBS Workforce, 2010). It is significant to note that Simmons Associates, a highly respected international consulting firm focused on issues related to global diversity leadership and inclusion management, targets German executives for diversity and inclusion training because of this country’s having a history of leading a homogeneous workforce while having a diverse external customer base. Simmons Associates states on their website: Companies whose focus in on the higher-end consumer, who is often older, white and male, face less pressure to diversify. Success comes from treating it like a business issue and holding people accountable. Companies focusing on the higher-end investor don’t always have as strong a business case to push it because of the demographics (Diversity, 2010). Tanya Hinton, president and chief executive officer of Diversified Search Services of Chicago, states: “You want to see people who look like you” (Trends, 2010).

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

Demographics of Professional Women in Finance Drive Gender Diversity Lawsuits Women held 37% of the jobs in the securities workforce in 2003 and racial minorities made up 18.3% of the securities industry workforce in 2003, according to the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Report on Diversity Strategy, Development and Demographics. Approximately 27% of the securities industry’s executive management positions were held by women or minorities in 2003 and 15% of branch managers were either women or minorities. The proportion of women or minority managing directors rose from 17% to 20% (Trends, 2010). Lance LaVergne, Vice President of Human Capital Management at Goldman Sachs and manager of the firm’s U.S. diversity efforts, says: The focus on many diversity efforts is on gender, mainly because women are both a larger demographic and more evolved politically and organizationally than Blacks and Hispanics. There are more women in the organization than any other minority group. They have critical mass (Trends, 2010). A lot of different things are coming together,” reports Attorney Wayne N. Outten of Outten and Golden who represented female plaintiffs in sexual discrimination cases. “There are a large number of women going to business schools who are running into the glass ceiling. There will be others – more and more women are saying – I don’t have to put up with this” (Porter, 2005). A 2005 Harvard Business Review article reported that in a survey of 2,443 women, nearly four in ten highly qualified women left work voluntarily at some point in their careers; i.e., they were not forced out for any other reasons by their firms (Trends, 2010). The financial industry is still and dominated by white males who fill the bulk of the most powerful and highest-paying jobs in the industry. EEOC data shows that: men make-up more than two-thirds of the officials and managers in the securities industry; white men fill four out of five executive management positions and comprise more than 70% of investment bankers, traders and brokers (McGeehan, 2004). A 2010 study conducted by Catalyst Inc, a non-profit focused on workplace diversity, found that women occupy only 16.8% of executive officer positions and only 2.5% of chief executive officers positions in financial companies. This is especially significant because the number of women who joined the industry in the 1970’s and 80’s and are now older (over age 55) has grown by 56% since 1999, outpacing a 34% increase in similar-aged men. It is evident that longevity does not necessarily equate to advancement (Stock, 2010). Quite the contrary is true as seen in the class-action lawsuit filed in 2010 by five former managing directors and analysts who were laid off from Citigroup in November 2008.

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

The women charge Citigroup with “recessionary discrimination” in denying women employees equal terms and conditions of employment that it provides to similarly situated and sometimes less qualified male employees, in their cut back of a tenth of their workforce in 2008 (Ali, 2010). Since 2000, the number of young women between the ages of 20-35 working in the financial industry has dropped by 16.5% or 315,000, while the number of men in that age range increased by 7.3% or 93,000. Analysts suggest a variety of reasons for this decline: women bore the blunt of layoffs in the late 90’s and recessions, technology and computers have replaced entry level and junior positions, more men are being hired for entry level and junior positions and women, in general, are not as attracted to jobs in the finance industry given recent volatility in the markets and scrutiny on compensation (Stock, 2010). The Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC Case, 2005 Laura Zubulake was a top-ranked equities trader who sold Asian equities to institutional investors and earned about $650,000 per year. In her complaint against UBS, she said she was passed over for the job of manager of the Asian Equities Sales Desk in the U.S. and that the position was given to Matthew Chapin (Porter, 2005). Ms. Zubulake, who was 40, said Mr. Chapin proceeded to undermine her by belittling her and ridiculing her in front of her co-workers, excluding her from some outings, making sexist remarks and denying her important accounts. She alleged that her boss singled her out for public verbal abuse about her age and looks and said that she was not attractive or young enough to handle her accounts. Zubulake’s case was bolstered by a former UBS sales assistant’s testimony that she heard Chapin call Zubulake “old and ugly” and that he made sexual insinuations about women at work (White, 2005). Ms. Zubulake also alleged that her department, on two occasions, took her clients to adult entertainment clubs and excluded her from the outings (Boyd, 2005). She said her mistreatment extended to the repositioning of her desk in the Manhattan office across the aisle from the rest of her colleagues into the area of lower-level desk assistants (Porter, 2005). A year later, in August 2001, Ms. Zubulake filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and in October of that year, Mr. Chapin sent her a letter stating her employment was terminated. Ms. Zubulake then sued UBS for gender discrimination, failure to promote and retaliation (Porter, 2005). Her lawyer, James Hubbard of Liddle and Robinson, said the three-year lawsuit was a routine gender-discrimination case with a lot of he-said, she-said and circumstantial evidence to prove Ms. Zubulake’s claims. Evidence of co-workers’ trips with clients to strip clubs was admitted into court proceedings because women might not want to attend

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

such outings and Ms. Zubulake alleged discriminatory treatment that included purposeful exclusion from client outings (LexisNexis, 2005). In addition, plaintiff Zubulake was allowed to introduce evidence of alleged acts of discrimination directed at a sales associate, Peggy Yeh, by Mr. Chapin. These acts included: (1) use of the expressions “chicks” and “yellow fever” when referring to Asian women; (2) asking whether Yeh planned to wear a one-piece or two-piece bathing suit on vacation; (3) asking whether Yeh had any “weekend exploits;” (4) stating his beliefs that extramarital affairs between consenting adults are acceptable and (5) suggesting that Yeh use her feminine charms to improve client relationships (LexisNexis, 2005). At trial, UBS said Ms. Zubulake herself was the problem, not gender discrimination. Officials testified during the three-week trial that Zubulake undermined colleagues, had problems getting along with associates and was insubordinate to Mr. Chapin. UBS argued that the two types of discrimination were different: (1) the sexual harassment experienced by Yeh was because of Chapin’s attraction to her; and (2) the alleged treatment of Ms. Zubulake by Chapin was because she is a woman. But the court ruled that there was a common thread – both resulted from Mr. Chapin’s reaction to individuals based on their gender and degraded individuals because of their sex in different ways (Lexis Nexis, 2005). When the court ordered UBS to re-construct e-mails from its backup computer system, it proved that relevant e-mails were deleted and even falsified. Mr. Chapin claimed that Ms. Zubulake’s colleagues and co-workers sent him e-memos and e-complaints about her. The back-up tapes proved that in at least one case, Mr. Chapin took an e-mail and falsified the language and then sent it to his superiors. Other e-mails from Mr. Chapin to Ms. Zubulake proved her retaliation claim (White, 2005). At the conclusion of the trial, Zubulake’s lawyer, James Hubbard, said, “The jury saw what her life would be like after this and gave her a real head start on starting over.” He also conceded that Wall Street traditionally shuns those who litigate against it. “There’s a lot of history and tradition in the way” (Boyd, 2005). Barbara Gatfield, an executive recruiter at Gatfield-Greenwich, agrees: Firms often hire perspective employees who have had private arbitrations over salary disputes with former employers, but would draw the line on someone involved in public litigation. Anything that draws attention to how they make their money is going to be a big problem (Boyd, 2005). In resounding dispute, the official UBS reply to the Zubulake case was: We are disappointed with the verdict rendered by the jury. We regard the amount as excessive and will now move to set aside the verdict. UBS is committed to its diversity efforts and will continue to ensure that it has an open and diverse work environment (Porter, 2005).

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

The Trend: Other Sexual Discrimination Lawsuits Against Wall Street During the same period as the Zabulake v. UBS lawsuit, a series of class action sexual discrimination cases were brought by female professionals against other Wall Street houses and financial firms. In 2004, Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $54 million to settle a sexual discrimination lawsuit brought by former bond seller Allison Schieffelin on behalf of herself and approximately 300 other female employees (Porter, 2005). The women claimed discriminatory promotion practices, being subjected to breast-shaped cakes, hearing lewd comments and being invited to events that featured strippers. Morgan Stanley denied any wrong doing in the case, but it later fired a research analyst and three salesmen for taking a client to an Arizona strip club after a company-sponsored conference (Boyd, 2005). Smith Barney, a brokerage unit of Citigroup, Inc, was ordered to pay $3.2 million to four current and former female employees who sued the company for sex discrimination in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, CA. The women sought class-action status for 5,000 female brokers alleging that male branch managers routinely passed over female brokers when assigning the most lucrative accounts and gave them poorer offices, less training and sales support. Citigroup tried to dismiss the allegations as being “entirely without merit” (Facts, 2005). Despite the success of these sexual discrimination lawsuits, “complaints – even salacious suits, continue to occur – up and down the Street, from trading operations to investment banking.” says Theodore Eppenstein, a securities lawyer for Eppenstein & Eppenstein, NY. He asserts that he gets the same amount of calls from people with discrimination claims as he did five years ago. “Just recently, I had a woman call saying she was fired from a major firm because she wouldn’t have sex with her boss. I don’t see any change and these claims are pretty consistent” (Touryalai, 2006). David Thomas, a Harvard professor, sums it up by saying, “ If you look at any of the top 20 brokerage houses, they have a pretty poor record in diversity. This portion of the financial services lags about 20 years behind the rest of corporate America” (Touryalai, 2006). Linda Friedman, a partner at Stowell & Friedman in Chicago, backs up Thomas’ claim: The industry has failed…Ten years ago I would have said Wall Street is behind 30 years. Today I say it is 10 years behind. Some might call that progress, but it’s not fast enough…Firms are much more cooperative about resolving claims than ever before, and they realize they are just as vulnerable as the rest of corporate America to discrimination suits. They used to stick their fingers in our faces and tell us there was no problem with the way things are. They had the support of the NASD and NYSE, and knew getting a jury to hear our cases was a long shot. If there was no fear back then, there is certainly fear today (Touryalai, 2006).

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Case Text

What Drives UBS’ Diversity Strategy and Leadership? “Diversity is one of our core values,” states Robert Wolf, president and chief operating officer of UBS Investment Bank. In order to maintain our position as a leading global financial services firm, we constantly strive to ensure our workforce represents the diverse clients we serve. Having employees from a broad mix of cultures, all working together as a team, helps us to identify and develop new market opportunities and strengthen relationships with clients (UBS Investment, 2010). Examining UBS’ recent and current diversity management strategies, there are examples of cultural diversity based on geographic/ethnic customer bases. For example, when UBS took control of Beijing Securities in China in 2006, it was the first foreign investment firm to run a Chinese securities company and the first foreign business with a license to trade shares and manage assets and wealth on China’s mainland. What is even more impressive in this venture is that UBS only held a 20% share. UBS sold 21 of their 27 Beijing Securities branches to another company (Merchants Securities) and even persuaded their customers to use these offices. “At first we couldn’t understand why UBS wanted to turn clients away,” explained Li Kai, a staff member at Beijing Securities. “Those were good quality clients who can bring a good return. Later we realized that those operating branches would serve as a ‘shell’ for UBS – a platform to develop high-end customers (Wei, 2006). Shell Game: 1) a swindling game in which a small ball is placed under one of three nutshells or cones, the spectators being challenged to place a bet on the location of the ball, and being deceived by the sleight of hand of the operator 2) any game or scheme in which the customers are victimized (Webster, 1983). Another example of a market-driven diversity strategy was shown in July 2010 when UBS appointed Joseph Yam, a prominent former Hong Kong banker, to its board in “a move reflecting the growing importance of the Swiss bank’s Asian business that analysts said also may help to deepen trust in the bank’s top echelon.” UBS Chairman Kaspar Villigar announced Yam’s appointment by saying, “Joseph’s presence will significantly expand the geographic diversity of the board and provide powerful additional impetus to the growth of our already market-leading investment-bank and wealth-management businesses in Asia Pacific” (Mijuk, 2010). UBS Cultural Diversity vs. Gender Diversity Strategies If UBS’ corporate “diversity” strategy is solely based on a profit motive to secure culturally diverse customers around the globe, why does its strategy not include gender diversity - or the profit potential of targeting wealthy women as investors?

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Women are becoming an increasingly powerful and formidable force in owning and managing wealth. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) valued female global wealth at $20 trillion in 2010 (Wilkinson, 2010) and estimates women’s share of wealth in financial management will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent through 2014, to $29 trillion. Women in the U.S. and Canada controlled 33 percent of wealth in 2009, or about $9 trillion and BCG estimates it will grow to $11.7 trillion by 2014. BCG states the reasons for women’s wealth growth are: a growing presence of women in the workforce; their greater involvement in managing family finances and the greater incidence of inherited wealth due to women’s longevity (Gleeson, 2010). The global distribution of women’s wealth reveals trends on which UBS could capitalize. Forty-six percent of the UK’s millionaires are female and this is predicted to rise by 53% in 2020 according to BCG. These women include author JK Rowling and Christina Green, wife of Topshop founder (Wilkinson, 2010). Female investors at Forex, a UK subsidiary of Gain Capital foreign exchange services , increased by 50 percent in 2009 in a predominantly white-male client base (Foley, 2010). Women in the Middle East controlled 22 percent, or $500 billion, of the region’s total assets under management in 2009. Women in Saudi Arabia, the world’ s largest exporter of crude oil, are estimated to be sitting on $11.9 billion in cash. The World Bank estimated in 2007 that one-third of women-owned businesses in the United Arab Emirates generated over $100,000 a year compared to 12 percent of American womenowned companies (Reuters, 2010). The UBS Strategic Diversity Response Mona Lau, Global Head of Diversity for UBS, sees two trends in the industry: “For diversity to take, business leaders have to be involved. It’s a key to success.” She refers to this concept as having “a champion in the senior executive suite.” Secondly, she sees diversity and multiculturalism taking hold as global concepts and acknowledges that at higher levels, executives say, diversity is spreading more slowly because of a relatively shallow pool of women and minority staff members to draw from. So, while companies are actively seeking recent minority graduates for the entry levels, they’re also trying to strengthen their retention efforts through employee networks, surveys to measure real (and perceived) progress, and mentoring programs designed to help employees navigate the organization and achieve the visibility often necessary for advancement (Trends, 2010). Ms. Lau’s comment on the “shallow pool” of women and minorities begs the question. Or, could there be a male-dominated, macho culture at UBS ? Their bottom line is the profit motive which is funded and secured by their “culturally diverse” customers around the globe. It’s called the “diversity dividend” or the ability of organizations to capture and “capitalize on diversity and extract the value to the business that can be gained from … developing business opportunities that arise from this difference” (Diversity, 2010).

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Beyond the necessity for UBS, a foreign company operating in the U.S., to comply with legal requirements, diversity at financial institutions has emerged as a practical business opportunity that enhances the bottom line in a world in which the ownership of wealth is increasingly diverse. However, in their strategic diversity planning, UBS has not yet focused on the profit potential of the rising global wealth of women to the same extent that they have focused on the wealth of culturally diverse investors. Their first strategic step would be to redefine their organizational culture and promotional practices to assure equity for women.

Points of Law Foreign companies, employing workers within the U.S., are subject to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Title VII applies to a foreign employer when it discriminates within the United States. See, e.g., Ward v. W & R Voortman, 685 F. Supp. 231, 233 (M.D. Ala. 1988) (any company, foreign or domestic, that elects to do business in this country falls within Title VII's reach). By employing individuals within the United States, a foreign employer invokes the benefits and protections of U.S. law. As a result, the employer should reasonably anticipate being subjected to the Title VII enforcement process should any charge of discrimination arise directly from the business the employer does in the United States. (Commission Decision No. 84-2, supra). Discussion Questions 1. What socio/economic changes over the past 25 years may indicate that women as investors might be an untapped target market? 2. How could a women’s network or affinity group (ERG) have been utilized at UBS to prevent these gender discrimination lawsuits? 3. Given the fact that there are not a lot of women in upper management positions at UBS, what are the issues with implementing an effective mentoring program? 4. Analyze the UBS organizational culture using Edgar Schein’s model of levels of culture: artifacts, espoused values and basic underlying assumptions.

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5. What are some workplace situations in this case that could demonstrate valid sexual harassment claims? Diversity on the Web Visit the following website, www.corporateleavers.org, “The Cost of Employee Turnover due to Failed Diversity Initiatives in the Workplace: The Corporate Leavers Survey 2007”, Korn/Ferry International. Analyze this report for key findings and structural requirements of diversity programs, and then compare/contrast with UBS’ new diversity model and make recommendations.

Bibliography Ali, Sam. (2010, October 15) Citigroup accused of gender bias. Retrieved October 16, 2010, from http://www.diversityinc.com/article/8078/Citigroup-Accused-of-GenderBias Boyd, Roderick (2005, April 19) Woman who sued UBS aims to get back on wall street, The New York Sun, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://www.nysun.com/business/woman-who-sued-ubs-aims-to-get-back-on-thestreet Civil Rights; News in Brief (2005, May 5) Facts on File World News Digest, 311D2. Diversity and inclusion training for Germany, cross cultural and global skills from Simmons Associates, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://www.simmonsassoc.com/html/germanyleadership2020print.html Diversity working – about, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://www.diversityworking.com/employerZone/diversityManagement EEOC, Retrieved October 15, 2010 from http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/extraterritorial-vii-ada.html. Foley, Jane. (2010, March 8) Women on course to control larger proportion of wealth Retrieved October 30, 2010 from http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debateuk/2010/02/03/women-on-course-to-control-larger Gleason, Jerry. (2010, August 25) Women investors want more from advisors, report finds Retrieved October 30, 1010 from http://registeredrep.com/newsletters/wealthmanagement/women_want_more_fromadvisors

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LexisNexis, Freddie H. Cook, Sylvester L. Fleming, JR. and Timothy J. Gandy, on behalf of themselves and all other similarly situated persons, Plaintiffs – against- UBS Financial Services, Inc, Defendant, March 21, 2006, 1-6. LexisNexis, Zabulake v.UBS Warburg LLC, Case in Brief, LexisNexis, Reed Elsevier Inc, 2007, 1-23. LexisNexis, Zabulake v.UBS Warburg LLC, Case text, LexisNexis, Reed Elsevier Inc, 2007, 1-9. McGeehan, Patrick (2004, July 4) MARKET PLACE; Discrimination on Wall Street? The numbers tell the story, The New York Times. Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/14/business/market-placediscrimination-on-thestreet-the-numbers-tell-the-story Mijuk,Goran. (2010, July 24) UBS turns to Hong Kong’s Yam, The Wall Street Journal, B3. Ng, Grace. (2008, March 17) Making career comeback easier for former execs; UBSSMU course lets them update knowledge and strategies before re-entering workforce, The Straits Times, Singapore. Pederson, Jay P. (2003) International Directory of Company Histories, St. James Press: Thomas/Gale, 52, 352-359. Porter, Eduardio. (2005, April 7) UBS ordered to pay $29 million in sex bias lawsuit, The New York Times, 4. Reuters. (2010, October 27) Mideast banks funds seek to tap women’s wealth. Retrieved October 30, 2010 from http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=22819 Solis, Diane (2005, June 14) Diversity slowly seeps into corporate America, The Dallas Morning News, Business and Financial News Section. Stock, Kyle. (2010, Sept 20) Women on Wall Street declining, Wall Street Journal, C1, C3. Trends in diversity: industry chases same minority talent, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://news.efinancialcareers.com/NEWS_ITEM/newsltemld-5780 Touryakai, Halan. (2006, March 1) Our diversity problem, registered red: the source for professionals, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://registeredrep.com/mag/finance_diversity_problem.

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UBS Investment Bank, Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion, Retrieved August 1, 2010 from UBS Who we are, Retrieved July 15, 2010, from http:\\ubs.com/1/e/about/our profile.html. UBS The UBS workforce, Retrieved July 15, 2010 from http://ubs.com/1/e/investors/annual_reporting 2005/handbook/0012/0014.html. Webster, Noah. 1983. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Ed, New York: New World Dictionaries/Simon and Schuster, 1672. Wei, Tang. (2006, December 19) UBS takeover a serious makeover, Beijing Review.com.cn. White, Natalie. (2005, May 21) Wall Street firm hit with $29 million discrimination award, St Louis Daily & St. Louis Countian. Wilkinson, Tara Loader. (2010, October 25) Women on the rise as wealth managers, Financial News. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2010-10-25/women-on-the-rise-as-wealthmanagers. Zambito, Thomas (2006, January 15) Wall St. women fight back, Daily News, 30.

_____ Arlene O. DeWitt is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Communication and Marketing at Assumption College, Worcester, MA.

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Instructor’s Notes

THE UBS DIVERSITY CASE Arlene O. DeWitt Assumption College

Goals •

To examine the relationship between corporate culture and gender discrimination

• To illustrate the costs of inadequate diversity management • To demonstrate opportunities for marketing to diverse markets

Synopsis This case analyzes the gender discrimination, failure to promote, and retaliation lawsuit of Laura Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC financial, investment and banking services (2005). This case resulted in one of the largest awards (over $29 million) to a single plaintiff in a discrimination lawsuit. The suit underscores the lack of gender diversity management and the resulting loss of strategic profitability and the diversity dividend at Wall Street financial firms. This case analyzes the lawsuit within the context of: • the pervasive and entrenched, male-dominated and glass-ceiling culture at UBS and at other financial firms, such as Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley, which also resulted in extremely costly lawsuit losses • a 2010 study of the demographics, decreasing numbers, and lack of women at the corporate level in the financial industry • the discrimination studies of financial industry analysts and lawyers • the impressive statistics on the growing and powerful number of women who own and manage global wealth However, this case also examines how UBS successfully manages and promotes cultural diversity within its ranks because it recognizes the strategic marketing and profitability advantages of matching culturally diverse employees with global customers of similar ethnicities. This case concludes that UBS will continue to incur lawsuits and be unable to capitalize on and extract the value of diversity for their business – or achieve the diversity dividend – until they redefine their organizational culture and assure equity for women and recognize the rising global wealth of women as potential investors.

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Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What socio/economic changes over the past twenty-five years may indicate women as investors might be an untapped target market? Students may select countries or regions of the world to focus their research on the increase of the wealth of women. For example, women in the U.S. and Canada controlled 33 percent of the wealth in 2009, or about $9 trillion. Estimates are for growth to $11.7 trillion by 2014. Global estimates are that women’s share of wealth will rise at a compound rate of 8% through 2014, to $29 trillion. Socio/economic changes include: a growing number of women in the workforce, their greater involvement in managing family finances and the greater incidence of inherited wealth due to women’s longevity. 2. How could a women’s network or affinity group (ERG) have been utilized at UBS to prevent these gender discrimination lawsuits? Network, affinity groups, or ERG groups have clearly defined purposes, structure, and visibility within and external to the organization. The first step is to establish goals such as: personal/career development, career ladders, recruitment, retention, business development, etc. The second step is to determine an appropriate structure such as governing rules, membership, etc. The third step is to focus on visibility and impact within the organization such as the role the group will play in change initiatives and the overall communication strategy that will be used to impact organizational culture and goals. An ERG would have provided Laura Zubulake with an institutionally recognized group to promote equality for women, to expose gender inequity issues within the organizational structure and culture, to advocate for change and to leverage authority in strategic decisions made by the male-dominated, upper level management team. 3. Given the fact that there are not a lot of women in upper management positions at UBS, what are the issues with implementing an effective mentoring program? The fact that males dominate the upper level management is the reason to institute mentoring programs. It is impossible to have effective gender diversity unless management at all levels of the organization genuinely understands and “buys into” diversity. Extensive gender diversity training of management at all levels is needed. Programs designed for female professionals could include: career development and retraining programs, formal mentoring initiatives, work life balance programs such as competitive childcare leave, flextime, e-commuting and in-house daycare.

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4. Analyze the UBS organizational culture using Edgar Schein’s model of levels of culture: artifacts, espoused and operational values and basic underlying assumptions. Students can research UBS, which has an informative website (www.ubs.com). They then apply their research to the Schein model of organizational culture: Artifacts visible organizational structures (such as the organization chart) and processes, Espoused Values – strategies, goals, philosophies, and Basic Underlying Values – unconscious, taken-for-granted beliefs, perceptions, thoughts and feelings. Ask students to comment on anything they find on the Web site that suggests a conflict between the espoused and operational values of the organization. 5. What are some workplace situations in this case that could demonstrate valid sexual harassment claims? Sexual harassment in the workplace falls into one or more of three categories: Quid pro quo sexual harassment: Quid quo pro means “this for that” or when a job benefit is directly tied to an employee submitting to unwelcome sexual advances. Examples include: raises, promotions, professional opportunities such as clients served or geographic locations, travel benefits, etc. Hostile environment sexual harassment: This occurs when an employee is subjected to comments of a sexual nature, unwelcome physical contact or offensive sexual materials on a regular basis at work. A single, isolated incident does not usually constitute hostile environment sexual harassment unless it is extremely outrageous or egregious. The key here is repetition. Examples include sexually explicit verbal abuse or comments and/or physical contact on a regular basis. Retaliation: This occurs when an employee suffers a negative action after she or he has made a claim or reported sexual harassment, filed a grievance, assisted someone else with a complaint or participated in discrimination prevention activities. Negative actions may include: being fired, demotion, suspension, denial of promotion, poor evaluation, unfavorable job assignment, etc. Students’ answers will vary but should illustrate examples that fall into each of these categories.

61. The UBS Diversity Case - Instructor’s Notes

Diversity on the Web Visit the following website, www.corporateleavers.org, “The Cost of Employee Turnover due to Failed Diversity Initiatives in the Workplace: The Corporate Leavers Survey 2007,” Korn/Ferry International. Analyze this report for key findings and structural requirements of diversity programs, and then compare/contrast this with UBS’ new diversity model and make recommendations.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

BELIEVABILITY: A CASE OF DIVERSITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Egidio A. Diodati Assumption College

Here I sit, waiting to see the Chief. Waiting to see if any of those jerks are going to get what is coming to them and waiting to see just what is my fate. When this started, I was pretty much all I wanted to be—a uniformed patrol officer on a city police department. Now I am facing the possibility of disciplinary action. My name is Janet Cruz and I am a 24-year-old Hispanic woman, who grew up like a lot of others in this city. My neighbourhood was pretty diverse but I can’t say that I ever felt any outright hostility to me personally. When I was in high school, my mom would say, “Stay with your own kind,” When she did not like someone I was dating or hanging out with. You know, I dated just about anybody I wanted and it worked out or it didn’t. To me most people are just people. In my high school, they had this junior police cadet program, and I knew once I saw it that being a cop was for me. Maybe it was the uniform, or the drilling, or taking care of each other—but as far as I was concerned, it was all good. After high school, I joined the National Guard to pay for college. There was no way mom could afford that. I made sure that I was in a military police unit. The state university had a campus in the city with a major in Criminal Justice. So, I enrolled there. It was nearby and I could live with my mom to save money. All of these exposures to the “police” business left me with some valuable beliefs. First of all, this is a job about doing the right thing and helping people. Second, officers did not just work together; it was closer than that. It was a family that took care of each other—or at least I thought it was that way. It really thrilled me that I had scored highly enough on the competitive entrance examination and got an appointment to the “Academy” the very first time I took the examination. When the academy started, the following weeks of training seemed to affirm much of what I had felt about police work with one exception. One of the sessions at the academy was given by someone who was not on the instructional staff, the Union Chief Steward. Although he was in the uniform of a patrol officer, he was sterner, older, heavier, and generally less neatly dressed than the other instructors. The class was told that the union represented the brotherhood of officers (collectively and individually) to the command staff made up of “superior officers.” He said, “Our job is to represent all officers fairly, equally, and to the best of our ability.” I think that unfortunately I may have placed too much faith in that statement.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

After I finished my probationary period, I think I began to fit pretty well into the ranks. Sure, lots of guys came on to me, but I’m grown up and I dealt with it. I got to know Jack MacKenzie while working in Precinct Three, a tough section known as “the mile.” He was a patrol officer and the steward of the precinct union local: everybody seemed to like him. We began to date. You know, I actually thought that he was a very funny guy and he told me that I was “cute.” It worked for a while at least. It took me about three months to figure out that he was just too high maintenance. He wanted me to move in but when we spent too much time in his apartment, I noticed that it was all about him, his accomplishments, and his family. I never got much airtime. It must have been a power thing. Another thing that I noticed was that, after a few drinks, he began to make references to minorities that made me uncomfortable. One night we went out for dinner and I broke up with him. I started with the, “It’s me not you.” thing, since I knew I had to leave room for his precious ego. I finished with the, “time apart” suggestion. It seemed to have gone fairly well. A bit later, a couple of guys on my shift mentioned that they had heard he broke up with me. I did not get into it. It was just not worth it. When a couple of overtime details got canceled, I figured it was just bad luck. The overtime list was maintained by the union, and I could have filed a grievance, but it would have meant getting MacKenzie involved. When my backup was slower than usual, I chalked it up to a busy night. It occurred to me that Jack might just be behind this stuff, but I figured if I made anything out of it, things would just get worse Well, here I sit 11 months later, at risk of losing my job, and I either see a pattern or am letting my imagination run away with me. Nevertheless, I see Jack MacKenzie as a major part of my recent twist of fate. About a month ago, a flyer was put in each officer’s mail slot by the union and posted on the union bulletin board. It encouraged all officers to attend a political rally for one of the candidates for governor in the upcoming election. The union was going to rent a bus, and I could swear it said something about refreshments on the bus. I was going to be available and asked a couple of people if they were going and they said yes. So, I figured it might be fun. On the day of the rally, my shift ended about 4 P.M. and I had just enough time to get home to shower, before getting back to get on the union bus going to the rally. As usual, I carried my badge and personal service weapon with me when I left the house. I spotted Paul Wilson, one of the guys from my precinct who said he was going. We talked for a couple of minutes and walked to the bus. Paul is a great guy with a great family. He is always showing pictures of his wife and kids and is very easygoing. Paul is African American and he helped to found the minority officers association. As we walked toward the bus, I spotted MacKenzie and two other union shop stewards standing near some coolers at the back entrance to the bus. The other two guys were named Dalton and Taggert. I had seen them at a union meeting a couple of months earlier.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

Paul and I sat near the front, about two seats behind the driver and began to talk with some of the people sitting up there. The noise level went up as MacKenzie and company entered through the back door. He yelled from the back to the driver to, “get going.” I had seen him with a few drinks in him before, and he did seem like he had a few in him already. The rally was about a 45-minute drive, and although the noise level did go up, it was not bad. I could hear his voice in the back telling jokes and hear people laughing. Because one of the coolers was up near us in the front, I had a couple of beers. After we got to where the rally was and went in, I heard that MacKenzie and couple of guys went across the street to a local pub. The rally went till about 10:30. After that, a group of us (Paul and a couple of other guys from my precinct) went over to the pub to get a sandwich and a beer. I could see MacKenzie gesturing in my direction, with the others around him laughing. About midnight, we all went back to the bus. I sat up near the front again because I was hoping to get some sleep on the way back and because I did not trust what MacKenzie or his crew might be up to doing. It was getting loud in the back of the bus. They were still drinking. It was then that I began to hear his voice mentioning my name. Things like, “Yeh, Cruz was my Monica Lewinsky. It got worse but Paul Wilson said, “Just ignore them. They’re drunk and they’re just being jerks.” The comments continued with things like (I’m not sure but I think it was MacKenzie who said it.) that he had a “cruz” missile. I kept my back to them but I’m sure I also heard Taggert and Dalton’s voices with some comments. You know what was really awful? Nobody spoke up to tell them to back off or that they were out of line. I really expected more. Then it got worse. First, one then another of the three would ask for oral sex saying, “Hey Monica, how about it?” Even though there were two other women on the bus, I just knew that they were talking to me. After a bit, it quieted down for a while and I thought it was over. I was sitting in a seat on the aisle and I started to drift off when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw MacKenzie standing over my right shoulder exposing himself with his pants open and I think he said something like, “You know that I am better than Wilson, how about it?” That’s when I yelled for the driver to pull over and I got out. I heard a couple of voices tell the driver to, “Let the spic bitch go.” The bus pulled away and I was left standing there. Just when I thought that things could not get any worse, a guy jumped out of doorway and said, “How much baby?” I guess he thought I was a hooker. I tried to walk away and then he pushed me against the building. That’s when I drew my personal service weapon, put him on the ground and started to scream for help. Pretty soon, the local police came. Would you believe that they drew their weapons, put me on the ground in cuffs, and then searched me?

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

As I told the local PD’s watch commander the story, I could sense two things. First, he did not seem to believe me. Second, he was getting angrier by the minute. “So,” he says,” I guess it’s not against procedure in your department to drink while carrying your personal service weapon.” Obviously, it was. It was then that I said, “Look, that son of a bitch MacKenzie is lucky that I didn’t shoot him. About a half hour later, he came back to tell me, “O.K. honey, here is what we all have agreed to and you really don’t have much say in it. So, listen up. We have agreed not looking at charges here in our jurisdiction. We are going to let your own department deal with you. You will be transported back to your department’s headquarters building. There you will be turned over to your own Internal Affairs people, who are just waiting with baited breath to speak with you.” The ride back was not bad until it hit me that my riding in back made me look like a criminal. Lt. Bruce, head of IAB, met me and brought me directly to an interrogation room and left me alone. The wall opposite where I was sitting had a good-size mirror. I wondered who was on the other side. It wasn’t feeling much like family now. God, I was tired, angry, and damn near tears. Deputy Chief Miceli, a gruff and physically intimidating individual, entered the room and immediately began with some of his famous up close and personal straight talk—with none of the expletives deleted. He was clear that the Chief was going to end my career if I was not forthcoming with the IAB investigators. But, you know what? He just might do it anyway so the old boys in the department could cover their collective behinds. He then took my badge and gun and told me that I was suspended pending investigation. As he left, he wordlessly passed Lt. Bruce who was coming into the room. Waiving his finger just inches from my face, he began, “Look Cruz, you’re in some pretty deep trouble. Just because the other department is not filing criminal charges, it doesn’t mean that this thing is over. Far from it, honey! Do you understand me? I want the whole story, right from the start. If I even think that you have left something out, you are going to be leaving this room in cuffs. Understand? You can ask for your union representative, but something tells me that they are probably not coming out from under the rock for you. You can ask for a lawyer, but we all know what that is going to look like, don’t we?” He ceremoniously pushed the button on the tape recorder and said, “O.K. honey, take it from the top.” So, I went on to give Lt. Bruce chapter and verse on how it had happened. The interview was punctuated with a couple of questions that did not make me feel all that comfortable. “How much did you have to drink?” “Are you aware of the policy on off duty drinking while carrying personal firearms?” “Did you do anything to encourage this behavior?” I was ordered to have no contact with anyone on the bus until further notice and to go home until further notified. The next day, I did hear through the rumor mill that MacKenzie, Taggert, and Dalton had also been suspended but that the union was making real fuss about it, threatening a no confidence vote in the Chief.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

About a week later I was summoned to a meeting in the Chief’s office. At the head of the table was the Chief, with Lt. Bruce on his right, and Miceli took the seat to his left. The Chief began, “Cruz, have a seat. MacKenzie claims that this is all made up by you because you are upset that he broke up with you. I’m not sure how much credibility to place in that statement. The results of the internal affairs investigation were severely hamstrung by the union. They would not provide a list of members on the bus and told all members not to give any information to us. They are telling the rank and file that we are just trying to break the union to put us in a good position for the upcoming contract negotiations. We are going to place a lot of weight on your statement. You are being returned to duty after a three-day loss of pay for conduct unbecoming an officer because you admitted to drinking when armed. MacKenzie is being terminated. Taggert and Dalton will be suspended without pay for three months. You should know that the union will probably grieve this and perhaps bring it to the state review board and they can act on it, if they see fit, including reversing it.” Now that, I thought, was a fair result. Now here I sit, waiting outside the Chief’s office yet one more time. The union hired a law firm and brought the whole case to the state review board, and they have apparently made a ruling. After the door opens, again I find myself sitting opposite the Chief, Deputy Miceli, and Lt. Bruce. The Chief does not look happy but begins, “The state review board has come up with a finding after reviewing our reports and recommendations and looking at sworn statements provided by a number of officers who say that they were on the bus that night. The finding is that, although no one actually says MacKenzie exposed himself to you, he was abusive to you. They have upheld his termination. There was not enough evidence to support the suspensions of Taggert and Dalton, so their suspensions have been reversed with back pay. Several of the statements indicate that they saw you in several exchanges with one or more people in the back of the bus. That is in direct contradiction with your sworn statement. The review board finds that you have lied on a sworn statement and should be held responsible. As a result, you are being suspended for a month without pay. In addition, it might be a good idea if you were reassigned. We are sending you to be a school safety officer for a while.” Discussion Questions 1. Describe the corporate culture of this police department as you see it. 2. Was Janet Cruz treated fairly? Why or why not? 3. What role did the union play in this situation? What are the ramifications for other female officers? 4. Compare the earlier recommendation of the chief with the later recommendation of the state review board. Whose interests were served? Why do you think that the recommendations were so different? 5. Given the state of affairs at the end of the case, what recommendation would you make to Janet Cruz? Why?

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

BELIEVABILITY A CASE IN DIVERSITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Egidio A. Diodati Assumption College

Goals •

To demonstrate the complexity of resolving sexual harassment claims

•

To provide an example of a unique organizational culture – the police brotherhood

•

To illustrate the realities of being different in the workplace in terms of social identity groupings

Overview The case is a fictionalized and embellished version of a situation that took place in a large city in the northeastern United States. On one level, it deals with the residual turmoil from a broken relationship, which results in a woman officer allegedly being harassed to the point of having to take some pretty severe action (supposedly drawing her service weapon on a civilian). This Hispanic woman officer files a complaint against her former boyfriend alleging sexual harassment on a union bus trip to and from a political rally. At the onset, the simple fact that they were formerly a couple seems to cloud one’s perception about what might have actually occurred. In addition, the fact that one of the alleged offenders is the president of the union local organization makes it much more difficult for the administration to act without a strong case. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Describe the corporate culture of this police department as you see it. Students may use various approaches when responding to this question. Words like prejudiced, unfair, sexist and hostile may come into play depending on the perspective and/or sensitivity that the student brings to the analysis. After a brief period, the instructor could give an overview of Dutch researcher Geert Hofstede’s work on cultural differences. Suggestion: Ask students to apply Schein’s value schema to this police department. (Schein’s model of culture is discussed in the Introduction to the text.) Hofstede coordinated surveys of over 160,000 managers worldwide and found five dimensions of culture that formed the basis of work-related attitudes. Although Hofstede is usually applied to national cultures, applying his dimensions to the organizational culture produces some interesting observations.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Case Text

A. Individualism vs. Collectivism

In cultures where individualism dominates, people belong to loose social frameworks, but their primary concern is for themselves and their immediate families. They believe that individuals should make decisions. Cultures characterized by collectivism are tightly knit social frameworks in which the individual members depend strongly on extended families or clans. Group consensual decisions are more valued. B. High Power Distance vs. Low Power Distance

This examines the degree to which people accept the unequal distribution of power. In cultures with a high power distance, bosses are afforded more power simply because they are bosses. Titles are used, formality is the rule, and authority is seldom bypassed. Power holders are entitled to their privileges, and managers and employees see one another as fundamentally different kinds of people. In cultures with low power distances people believe that inequality in society should be minimized. People at various power levels are less threatened by, or more willing, to trust one another. C. Uncertainty Avoidance Some cultures tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty, whereas others do not tolerate these conditions as well. Cultures with high uncertainty avoidance are concerned with security and tend to avoid conflict. People have a need for consensus. The inherent uncertainty in the world is like a threat against which people in such cultures constantly struggle. Cultures with low uncertainty avoidance are more tolerant of ambiguity. People are more willing to take risks and more tolerant of individual differences. Conflict is seen as constructive, and people accept dissenting points of view. D. Masculinity vs. Femininity

In cultures that are characterized by masculinity, assertiveness and materialism are valued. Men are expected to be assertive, tough, and decisive. Performance is what counts and achievement is admired. Women should be nurturing, modest, and tender. In cultures that are characterized by femininity, relationships and concern for others are emphasized. Men and women are both to assume assertive and nurturing roles. E. Time Orientation

Some cultures have a long-term orientation, where some others have a shortterm orientation. These time horizons for decision-making govern goal setting and planning (strategic vs. operational).

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Instructor’s Notes

In applying Hofstede’s framework to this case, one comes away with several cultural factors unique to law enforcement-type organizations which could have had a strong impact on Officer Cruz and her relationship to the organization. First, and probably most significant, is the power distance inherent in this type of organization. Law enforcement agencies are paramilitary in nature: use a military-type rank structure; wear military-type uniforms, and generally expect unquestioning obedience to a supervisor’s orders. Individuals who fail to adhere to these cultural norms are generally punished more severely by the group. Many are forced out of the profession altogether. The norm of conformity is heavily enforced. Other cultural factors can be seen as contributing to Officer Cruz’s predicament. In terms of Masculinity vs. Femininity, the United States is generally considered to be more in balance or neutral but leaning toward the masculine characteristics described above. The law enforcement profession generally reflects the broad cultural values in this area. Assertive behavior is valued and rewarded. Yet, women who display these tendencies are thought to be “manish.” Women officers who conform to the feminine model are viewed as weak or “tentative.” 2. Was Janet Cruz treated fairly? Why or why not? Without too much analysis, one might come quickly to the conclusion that she had been unfairly treated. There really is not a question about that. A case can however be made for her taking greater responsibility in this situation. Should she have dated this individual? Should she have been carrying her personal service weapon when she knew there was a distinct possibility that she might be drinking alcohol? Was there an alternative to getting off the bus that night? She was clearly a bit naïve about much of this. She was victimized by the power distance inherent in this culture on several levels Early on, her romantic relationship with a more senior police officer (in time, not rank) put her in a difficult position in terms of autonomy. Not only did he have seniority, but he also held a leadership position in the union organization where Cruz was a member. 3. What role did the union play in this situation? What are the ramifications for other female officers? The mission of most labor unions is to represent and protect its members generally from abuses of management – in this case, senior officers. In labor contracts, management rights and the union’s rights are stated as unambiguously as possible. From the start, even if one of its own local leaders were not involved, and even if it had not been a union organized trip, the union could not be expected to have championed Cruz’s cause. The union seeks the greater good for the broadest base within the union and Cruz was not a valued constituency.

62. Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement – Instructor’s Notes

4. Compare the earlier recommendations of the chief with the later recommendations of The State Review Board. Whose interests were served? Why do you think that the recommendations were different? Whatever the Chief’s motivation, his punitive actions in this case were appropriate in that they applied a proportional negative consequence to the actions of the individuals who had harassed Cruz. But it was probably his motives (being rid of union troublemakers) that caused the state review board to overturn much of what the Chief did. Nevertheless, his actions were appropriate to the infraction, at least seemingly equitable. The review board (a loose collection of political appointees) acted on evidence presented by the union that was not made available to the Chief’s staff during their investigation. It does not matter that some of it may have been fiction created by the union leadership to protect union members. The review board is appointed by politicians and the labor unions in the state represent a great number of votes during elections. The possible reasons for the board’s actions are many, none of which appear to be seeking equity for Cruz. 5. Given the state of affairs at the end of the case, what recommendation would you make to Janet Cruz? Why? With this question, there is the temptation on the part of many students to say that Cruz should fight for her job and position in the organization. The culture of this organization needs to change. That may take years. True organizational cultural change can take decades to happen. That may not be the case here but it will take some time. If she stays, she is in for a long, lonely road to retirement and will probably end up in a culturally ostracized assignment, e.g., school officer, property officer, quartermaster, or (if she is lucky) an assignment in Internal Affairs. One recommendation would be for her to stay in the profession, but to attempt to be hired by another department or agency where she can start her career anew.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY: CULTURE AND DIVERSITY ISSUES Egidio A. Diodati Assumption College

Overview This case provides an introduction to the diversity-related incidents occurring recently at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Because of the military culture of this organization, change efforts, as well as gender and religious issues, present unique challenges to effective management. Background of the Organization The United States Air Force, originally known as the Army Air Corps, was part of the Department of the Army until after World War II. Because the educational requirements particular to Air Force officers could not be met by the other service academies, the Air Corp became a separate organization. The first U.S. Air Force Academy class entered in July of 1955 at a temporary location, Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado, and moved to the current location in 1958. Women, called the “80’s ladies” entered the academy in July of 1976 as part of the class of 1980. (United States Air Force Academy Public Affairs Office, June 2005, p. 3). Today the core curriculum at the Academy includes courses in science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. The most popular majors include management, astronautical engineering, international affairs, political science, history, behavioral science, civil engineering, electrical engineering, and engineering mechanics (United States Air Force Academy, Public Affairs Office, June, 2005 p.1). Women currently represent 17.9% of the total 4,381 cadets. This is a fairly consistent number with the population of women at the academy ranging from 18.5% for the class of 2006 to 17.0% for the class of 2009. Female representation at the Academy parallels that of the Air Force in general. Carl Builder of the Rand organization reports that, “due to the large number of support personnel needed to run the . . . Air Force, this service has gone farther than any other service in integrating women into its ranks. Nearly 20% of all Air Force personnel are women. Also, 99.7% of its jobs are open to women” (Zeigler & Gunderson, 2005, p. 10). Acceptance rates for women are roughly two percent lower than for males. The attrition rate for women seems to be fairly consistent with that of men, varying from less than one percent (0.1%) to 4.3%.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

Military Culture Military culture has been described as “the prevailing values, philosophies, customs, traditions, and structures that collectively, over time, have created shared individual expectations within the institution about appropriate attitudes, personal beliefs, and behaviors”(Zeigler & Gunderson, 2005, p. 8). While studies indicate that a strong traditional organizational culture can produce dysfunctional blind spots in thinking and limits on innovation, these values can also become “a stimulus for wonderful selfless action” (Zeigler & Gunderson, 2005, p. 9). The relative importance of personnel concerns is perhaps best expressed by Carl Builder, a RAND analyst and expert on military culture. He suggests that the Air Force worships at the altar of technology…and would gladly sacrifice personnel to have the budget strength to stay on the cutting edge of technology. The unique facets generally attributed to the military culture are:

Discipline - the quality that keeps soldiers from panicking in the face of danger. This value is culturally enforced with “punishment and repetitive drill, and enhanced with unit cohesion and strong leadership”.

Professional ethos - a set of normative self-understandings which ….define the profession’s corporate identify, code of conduct, …. and social worth.”

Ceremony and etiquette - salutes, parades, uniforms, and medals. These help form a common identity among members.

Cohesion and esprit de corps is the shared sense of identify among military personnel at the unit or branch level. (Zeigler & Gunderson, 2005, p. 8)

Differing theoretical frameworks provide differing approaches to understanding Air Force Academy culture. Ziegler & Gunderson’s framework views the postmodern military as characterized by five organizational changes: •

Increasing impenetrability of civilian and military spheres structurally and culturally

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

•

Diminution within the military services based on branch of service, rank, and combat versus non-combat support roles, etc.

•

A shift in purpose from fighting wars against a clearly identifiable opponent to missions that are not ‘military’ in the traditional sense

•

Military forces being used in internationally authorized missions

• Military forces themselves becoming international in nature. In their research Ziegler & Gunderson (2005, p. 3, 4) report on a unique facet of military culture: Of the four possible “feminisms” (liberal feminism, cultural feminism, radical feminism, and postmodern feminism), military organizations generally are less threatened by and prefer the liberal feminism view, which essentially construes equality as sameness. Cultural feminism, on the other hand, has the perspective of equality as a recognition of difference. Radical feminism seeks to destroy the hierarchy of gender and has a view of equality as anti-subordination. The Postmodern feminism approach is the general rejection of paradigmatic approaches (2005, p. 4). As a comment on propensity for change, research shows that most bureaucracies, including the military, are not only resistant to change, but they are designed not to change. This dread of innovation by military bureaucracies is due to the nature of the job that the armed forces perform. To them, change equals increased risk of death and destruction. These organizations will innovate: only when they have failed; when pressured from the outside, and when they seek to expand (Zeigler & Gunderson, 2005, p. 7). Geerte Hofstede’s work on international cultural differences produces a framework that applies a number of dimensions to profile cultural differences within the Air Force Academy culture. Power Distance is the extent to which less powerful members of organizations accept and expect that power is distributed equally or unequally. Inequality or equality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality are fundamental to the organization and all are aware of and act in accordance with these power distance relationships. Individualism/Collectivism is the degree to which people are influenced or not influenced by their group memberships. On the individualistic side, organizational ties between individuals are loose: everyone is

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivistic side, people are integrated into strong, cohesive organizational groups that continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. Masculinity/femininity refers to the degree the dominant culture values assertiveness compared to cultures that value caring for others and the quality of life. Uncertainty avoidance deals with an organization’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Long-term versus short-term contrasts a perception that values persistence in achieving long-term goals with one that focuses on living for the present. (http://feweb.uvt.nl/center/hofstede/page3.htm)

Although Hofstede’s five dimensions were developed for analyses of national cultures, applying them to militaristic cultures indicate that militaristic cultures tend to: • accept greater power distances between leaders and followers • reinforce collectivistic behaviors • value the masculine traits of assertiveness and competitiveness more than the feminine traits of nurturing and collaboration • avoid uncertainty, generally showing more discomfort in unstructured situations • espouse the long-term values of respect for tradition, fulfillment of social obligations, and protecting one’s image

The First of the Major Academy Problems: Sexual Assaults In early 1993, the first set of rape allegations by women cadets and graduates surfaced. In response to these allegations and in an attempt to prevent further problems, the academy embarked on a number of new policies and initiatives. First, they set up a “Center for Character Development” to promote ethical conduct, establishing a twenty- four hour rape hot line, and issuing a policy to “ensure a climate exists that is free of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and assault of any kind.”

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

The Second of the Major Problems: More Sexual Assaults Ten years later, on January 2, 2003, the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, several U.S. Senators and Congressmen, and major media outlets received an anonymous email asserting, that “there was a significant sexual assault problem at the U.S. Air Force Academy and that it had been ignored by the Academy’s leadership.” One of the recipients, Sen.Wayne Allard, told the Washington Post, “It seems like when a woman reports a rape case that the wheels get set in motion that she gets forced out of the Academy. And not always is there a similar thing happening to a man.” (Cooperman, 2005) The 2003 investigation by the Air Force revealed that nearly all of the women, who came forward in 2003 to say they were assaulted by fellow cadets in the previous decade, alleged that they were punished, ignored, and/or ostracized by the commander when they spoke out. This subculture manifested itself through an unhealthy disregard for regulations and the law, including prohibitions regarding alcohol consumption, sexual harassment and assault, resulting in cadet order and discipline significantly below the level expected at a premier military institution funded at taxpayer expense (Air Force Print News, September 15, 2005). Twelve percent of the women who graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2003 reported that they were victims of rape or attempted rape while at the academy. Sexual predation was mainly directed toward freshmen and sophomore women who were under twenty-one and who were blackmailed after accepting alcohol from upper class cadets. Women who complained were generally pushed out of the academy, ostensibly for alcohol abuse and fraternization – which led to the situation in which the rapes occurred. However, the occurrence of rape at the academy was not necessarily disproportionate to that found at other colleges and universities (Air Force Print News, 2005). Beginning in the spring semester of 2003, new leadership at the academy began making “sweeping changes” to the culture and environment to correct these problems. The Commandant of Cadets was quoted as saying, “If there is the perception of a problem in the wing, we’ve tried to take that head on. I will not tolerate retribution against a victim” (USAF Office of Special investigations, 2004). These reported changes included new sexual assault reporting procedures instituted as part of an “Agenda for Change” program. Victims of sexual assault could have confidential counseling and medical care without triggering the disciplinary process and military commanders would receive notice of a request for help but not know the identity of the victim (Report of the Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the US. Air Force Academy, 2003).

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

In a March 26, 2005 memo to the Secretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets recommended that the commanders at the Academy at the time of the alleged incidents, who were found responsible by the Air Force Inspector General’s investigation and a parallel congressional investigation, not be prosecuted. He justified his recommendation with the words, “they had acted in good faith and were not intentionally or willfully derelict in their duties” in dealing with the sexual assault issue. Moreover, any mistakes or misjudgments that some of them may have made are mitigated by the complexity of the issues they faced, the necessity of policy tradeoffs and compromises, and the difficulty of measuring program effectiveness. Their record of missed warning signs is disturbing but these officers acted in good faith to discharge their responsibilities…by taking bold steps to deter sexual assaults and implement effective reporting procedures. (Wikipedia: Air Force Academy Sexual Assault Scandal p. 2) The memo went to Congress over the Easter weekend when Congress was in recess. Several members did register belated dismay over the document. The Miles Foundation, a group representing victims’ rights, expressed concern over the inadequacy of the government’s response. The Third of the Major Academy Problems: Religious Intolerance On April 28, 2003, the Executive Director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sent to Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld a fourteen page report which severely criticized the U.S. Air Force Academy for “instances of religious discrimination and the promotion of evangelical Christianity” at the school. The first paragraph of the report addresses the overall severity of the problem, as they saw it. We have investigated these complaints and come to the conclusion that the policies and practices constitute egregious, systematic, and legally actionable violations of the Establishment. Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution” (April 28, 2005, p. 1) The report claims to be based upon reports from current and former cadets, with some confirmation from Academy faculty and administration, members of the Chaplain’s Office, that upper-class cadets frequently pressure cadets to attend chapel and to take religious instruction. (April 28, 2005, p. 1) The fourteen-page report was broken down into sections that addressed: Coerced Religious Practices, Pervasiveness of the Problem, Official Discrimination against NonChristians and Non–Religious Cadets, Inadequate Remedial Measures, and Effect on

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

Religious Discrimination at the U.S. Air Force Academy. In each area the report went into very specific detail to amplify the nature and scope of the problem. Under Coerced Religious Practices, a number of critical incidents were detailed. In the first of these, a Protestant chaplain reportedly exhorted cadets attending chapel one Sunday to return to their housing and proselytize cadets who had not attended the service with the penalty for failure being to “burn in the fires of hell” (p. 9). Outside observers confirmed reports that chaplains regularly encouraged cadets to convert other cadets to evangelical Christianity (p. 2). Another complaint was that there were numerous instances in which prayer was a part of mandatory official events at the academy. A mandatory meeting of all cadets during Basic Cadet Training was opened with a prayer, as were regular meals in the Cadet Dining Room, awards ceremonies and mandatory military-event training dinners. Other forms of coercion in the report included a number of faculty members who introduced themselves to their classes as born-again Christians and who encouraged their students to become born again during the semester. In one instance, an instructor reportedly ordered students to pray before they were permitted to begin the final examination for the course. In another example, the academy newspaper published 2003 Christmas greetings with three hundred names listed from various academic departments. These individuals declared their joint “belief that Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the world-there is salvation in no one else” (p. 4). The names included six tenured academic department heads, nine permanent professors, the then-Dean of the Faculty, the current Dean of the Faculty, the Vice-Dean of the Faculty, the Academy’s Director of Athletics, the Academy’s Head Football Coach, and other members of the faculty and staff. In another example, the Office of Cadet Chaplains sponsored a Christian-themed program related to The Passion of the Christ by placing a sign on each plate in the Cadet Dining Hall indicating that “This is an officially sponsored U.S. Air Force Academy event.” There were numerous reports of non-Christian cadets being subjected to harassment by upper class cadets who often used religious epithets. Under Pervasiveness of the Problem, it was noted that “Violations…are not merely aberrant acts by a few rogue individuals, but instead are reflections of systematic and pervasive religious bias and intolerance at the highest levels of the command structure” (p. 7). In the report, these general allegations were followed by specific examples including: *

a number of incidents in which the Commandant of Cadets officially endorsed evangelical Christianity – his own faith, on one occasion, he wrote that cadets “are first accountable to God” (p. 7).

the Commandant of Cadets instructing cadets that whenever he used the phrase “Airpower,” they should respond with

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

“Rock, Sir!”- invoking the parable from Matthew 7:24-29; Luke 6:46-49 (p. 6). *

that faculty and staff also contributed though such widespread practices as faculty proselytizing in the classroom and directives from academy chaplains to proselytize other cadets (p. 7).

the conduct of the Head Football Coach which included the placing of a large banner in the locker room that read “I am a Christian first and last. I am a member of team Jesus Christ!” (p. 8) Other than one minor counseling session, the coach has never been disciplined.

Under Official Discrimination Against Non-Christian and Non-Religious Cadets, the report detailed a number of problem areas. First, it mentioned the situation where Christian Cadets were given “non-chargeable” passes to attend religious services or religious study sessions. These passes were not counted against the cadet’s leave time. However, cadets who celebrate the Sabbath on other days of the week are not able to obtain such passes. There were reports of Saturday Sabbath worshipers who were denied passes due to mandatory attendance at football games, parades, etc. To make the situation a bit more binding, the Academy makes it a practice never to schedule events on Sundays due to potential conflict with Christian worship services. (p. 9) Moreover, the report states that Academy officials have discriminated against nonreligious students by denying them privileges that are routinely available to religious cadets. One example specifically mentioned was the Academy Commandant authorizing cadets to hang crosses and other religious symbols in their dorm rooms while Academy regulations specifically prohibit such a display. (p. 9) When one atheist cadet complained to the Academy’s MEO Office (similar to the EEO office in other organizations) the officer in charge first denied his complaint and then attempted to convince him to become a Catholic (p.10). The Air Force Response The response from the Air Force was seemingly of substance. First, the Acting Secretary of the Air Force directed the establishment of a cross-functional team to examine the issue of the religious climate at the Air Force Academy. Included in the composition of the team was Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff (only recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for Values and Vision to Air Force Leadership) and Ms. Shirley A. Martinez, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Equal Opportunity. In the Executive Summary Section of the final report, there is the statement that “The HQ USAF team found a religious climate that does not involve overt religious discrimination, but a failure to fully accommodate all members’ needs and a lack of awareness over where the line is drawn between permissible and impermissible expressions of belief.” In an attempt to describe just how limited the problem was, the Air Force report attempted

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

to minimize the fifty-five complaints, which formed the basis of the earlier report by the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, with the statement that they were “in reality a collection of observations and events reported by about thirteen people, and purported to have taken place over a four year period” (U.S. Air Force News Service Press Release, May 4, 2005). The official Air Force investigation produced nine findings, which it documented with examples based on interviews and surveys from various constituencies at the Academy. Finding #1. “…there was a perception of religious intolerance among some at the Academy.” This was identified through surveys of cadets, faculty, and administrators. Finding #2. Although there are standing DOD, Air Force, and Academy policies regarding religious accommodation, religious discrimination, and members’ rights of expression, the report claims there, “is no guidance indicating the specific appropriate parameters for either the free exercise or the establishment of religion.” It goes on to say, “….there are no relevant materials on culture and religion in the curriculum for new Air Force commanders. Finding #3. Although the Academy had initiated a new program to enhance the climate of respect for individuals or different belief systems, the program is “not adequate, by itself, to address the issue of religious respect for the Academy community.” Finding #4. Cadets, faculty, and staff expressed concern about inappropriate bias toward a predominant religion and a perception of intolerance of other views. These concerns were focused in the following six examples: •

Senior faculty and staff regularly made public expressions of faith that others believed to be “inappropriately influential or coercive.” As a result, some (cadets, faculty, & staff) expressed concern about the impact of religious affiliation on their career advancement. These included mandatory prayers at official functions and in sports locker rooms. A number of faculty members and coaches considered it their duty to profess their faith and to discuss it in their classrooms “in furtherance of developing cadet’s spirituality.” (p.36)

•

A number of cadets used printed flyers and the cafeteria public announcement system to advertise “religious events.

•

Some cadets have experienced religious slurs and disparaging remarks from other cadets.

•

Some faculty and staff paid for their names to be included on a holiday

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

announcement with an overtly Christian message in the campus newspaper. •

The Commandant of Cadets, at a voluntary Christian retreat, led cadets in a “challenge and response cheer” regarding Jesus. He later led a group of mixed faith cadets in the same cheer. Some found it to be offensive.

•

The Head Football Coach at the Academy placed a banner on the wall of the team locker room with an overtly Christian message. Some cadets, faculty, and staff found this to be inappropriate.

Finding #5. Internal control mechanisms to address cadet and staff complaints and assess trends were functioning but not thoroughly integrated into Academy life. Cadets seemed unclear on when or how to use them. Finding #6. The Academy “does not give appropriate consideration to the diverse religious practices of cadets of minority faiths.” This heightens the perception that “individuals not of the Christian faith are not being treated fairly.” Finding #7. The process of granting religious accommodation requests to cadets is not standardized across the Academy. Finding #8. Kosher meals are not always available to Jewish cadets as part of their religious observance. Finding #9. The Academy’s Chaplain’s Office sponsors programs for religious education for eighteen groups that meet on Monday evening. Many of these are conducted by outsiders who are given security badges to get on base. Some cadets, faculty, and staff expressed concern that this unlimited access to cadets “could be perceived as an institutional bias towards religious groups” (Headquarters, U.S Air Force, 2005). Recommendations The official Air Force Report recommended the following as remedies to the religious intolerance allegations and findings: 1.

A policy should be developed regarding religious expression. It should provide specific guidelines to those who must exercise judgment in the area of religious expression.

2. The organization should “reemphasize policy…. regarding appropriate endorsement and advertising of…..groups of which Air Force members may be part.”

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

3. The organization should “reemphasize policy ….regarding oversight of unofficial groups that operate on Air Force bases and have access to Air Force Personnel.” 4. The organization will “reemphasize the requirement….to address issues of religious accommodation….when planning, scheduling, and preparing for operations.” 5. The organization will develop a policy “that integrates cultural awareness and respect….to ….operating Air Force Units at home or deployed.” 6. The organization will “expand its character development program that promotes increased awareness of and respect for diverse cultures and beliefs”1 throughout the Academy’s curriculum. 7. The organization must ensure a single point of contact “for determining what statutorily established complaint mechanism is appropriate for”2 complaints of this nature. 8. The organization will continue its use of “internal controls to assess climate and implement corrective action.” 9. The organization will “create opportunities for cadets to discuss and learn about issues of religion and spirituality.” Conclusion The case presents, via a chronology of recent events at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a series of three problems that have been reported in the media. The factual presentation is a function of research exploring a number of sources including media reports, press statements, reports from private organizations, and official U.S. government reports. In addition, the case contains an appropriate amount of topical cultural organizational development research that is pertinent to this and many organizations being analyzed. Discussion Questions 1. Describe the culture of the Air Force Academy as presented in this case in terms of its similarity and differences to other academic institutions. 2. List the personal and organizational forces that contribute to resistance to change at the Air Force Academy.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

3. Are the three major problems in this case, the 1993 sexual assaults, 2003 sexual assaults, and 2005 religious intolerance related in any way? If so, how? 4. Evaluate the changes that the Academy made after the 1993 sexual assault scandal. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. 5. Evaluate the changes that the Academy made after the 2003 sexual assault scandal. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. 6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the changes made after the 2005 religious intolerance complaints. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. 7. Given the unique military culture of this organization, what recommendations would you suggest at this point in time? Bibliography Air Force Print News. (September 15, 2005). Officials release academy sexual-assault I.G. reports. (www.af.mil/news/story-print.asp?ID=123009362) Americans for the Separation of Church and State. (April, 2005). Report of Americans for Separation of Church and State on Religious Coercion and Endorsement of Religion in the United States Air Force Academy. Baldwin, C. C. (April 29, 2005). A Rich Heritage of Religious Freedom and Respect. Washington: Air Force Print News. Cooperman, A. (May 4, 2005). Air Force Announces Task Force. Washington Post: p. A03. DOD Press Release. (April 28, 2005). Watchdog Group Asks Rumsfeld, Air Force Officials, to Correct Problems. Washington. Dominquez, M. (June 22, 2005). U. S. Air Force Report on the Religious Climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy. (www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2005/tr200506223104.html) Feldman, N. (2005). Divided by God: America’s Church-State Problem-And What We Should Do About It. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. Gentile, M. (April 29, 2005). Air Force Focuses on Religious Respect. Washington: Air Force Print News.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Case Text

Headquarters, United States Air Force. (June, 2005). The Report of the Headquarters Review Group Concerning the Religious Climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Washington. Hofstede, G. (n.d). A summary about my ideas about national culture differences. http//feweb.uvt.nl/center/hofstede/page3.htm Lopez, C. T. (June 8, 2005). Air Force Appoints Task Force to Address Religious Climate At the United States Air Force Academy. Washington: Air Force Print News. Lopez, C. T. (June 22, 2005). Report: Academy Grapples with Religion in the Public Forum. Washington: Air Force Print News. Lopez, C. T. (June 27, 2005). Air Force Advisor Chosen for Values, Vision. Washington: Air Force Print News. Lumpkin, J. J. (June 23, 2005). Intolerance at the Air Force Academy. Boston: Boston Globe Newspaper. Mount, M. (May 5, 2005). Air Force Probes Religious Bias Charges at Academy. Washington: CNN Washington Bureau. Report of the Panel to Review Sexual Misconduct Allegations at the US. Air Force Academy. (Sept 23, 2003). (Fowler Report) http://www.defenselink.mil/news/sep2003/d20030922usafareport.pdf United States Air Force Academy, Public Affairs Office. (June, 2005). U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet, United States Air Force Academy, p. 3. United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. (September, 2004). Report on Sexual Assault Allegations. Washington. U.S. Air Force News Service Press Release. (April 4, 2005). Air Force Appoints Task Force to Address Religious Climate at the United States Air Force Academy. Washington. Wikipedia Article. (June, 2005). Air Force Academy Sexual Assault Scandal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/united_states_air_force_academy Zeigler, S. & Gunderson, G. (2005). MOVING BEYOND G.I. JANE, Women and the U.S. Military. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, Inc.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY: CULTURE AND DIVERSITY ISSUES Egidio A. Diodati Assumption College

Goals •

To give students an appreciation of the cultural forces within an organization that may drive member relationships and resulting actions

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To help students to understand the differences between organizational cultures and how these differences require a greater range of tolerance in working within such a culture

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To help students to understand the complexity and longer time frames sometimes required to affect meaningful cultural/organization change

Case Summary The case presents, via a chronology of recent events at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a series of three problems widely reported in the media. The factual presentation is a function of research that examined a number of sources including media reports, press statements, reports from private organizations, and official U.S. government documents. The case presents the events and opinions of various parties. In the description of the Air Force organizational culture, there are two relevant theories that the student may use in completing the case analysis. Optionally, the instructor may use these as a basis for discussion in order to give the students the necessary background for the case.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Describe the culture of the Air Force Academy as presented in this case in terms of its similarity and differences to other academic institutions. The organizational culture section of the case is intended to provide frameworks to use in developing an understanding of the Air Force Academy’s unique culture. The definition of culture found here can be used to analyze the culture of any organization. However, the Air Force Academy as a military academy is a “strong

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

traditional institution” and as such can “produce dysfunctional blind spots” as well as provide “a stimulus for wonderful selfless action.” It is these blind spots that may have a causal role in the problems illustrated in the case. Interestingly enough, Carl Builder’s statistics indicate that “nearly 20% of all Air Force personnel are women” and that 99.7% of all jobs in the Air Force are open to women, may indicate that the Air Force may be more progressive in gender integration than the other branches of the military-or even some non-military organizations. Like the Air Force Academy, many academic environments could be described as strongly traditional. They too may have the same blind spots and/or benefits as military organizations. Although the culture may be different, often it is every bit as strong. Any number of examples may come to mind from the Ivy League schools through liberal universities to community colleges. The Academy’s culture is clearly consistent with Ziegler & Gunderson’s four unique facets of military culture: • Discipline is strongly enforced with a goal of “enhanced unit cohesion and strong leadership.” • Professional ethos exists through codes of conduct that establish a professional identity. • Common identity is established and maintained via uniforms, ceremony, etiquette, etc. • A strong esprit de corps is the goal of many of the activities. The elements mentioned above (discipline, etc.) define the significant differences between the Air Force Academy and other more traditional academic environments. The goals of unit cohesion, strong professional identity, and strong esprit de corps are not as strong in many non-military environmental cultures. The absence of these values would tend to allow for a greater diversity of ideas and tolerance of differences. Of the possible “feminisms” presented in Ziegler and Gunderson’s research, it seems that the academy best exemplifies the liberal feminism, which essentially construes equality as sameness. Further, this organization is not only resistant to change but is actually designed, as are most military organizations, not to change easily. As the case points out, to military organizations, change equals increased risk of death and destruction. It appears that the Air Force in general and the Academy specifically, will only change when pressured from the outside. An examination of the Academy’s culture using Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture would indicate the following results:

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

•

An environment of high power distances where it is generally accepted that power need not be equal and great deference must be given to greater rank and seniority.

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A collectivist culture, where people are integrated into strong, cohesive groups and where members are protected in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.

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A masculine culture where the male values of assertiveness and competitiveness dominates.

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A relatively short-term orientation culture where values like respect for tradition, fulfilling “social” obligations, and protecting one’s image is of great importance.

2. List the personal and organizational forces that contribute to resistance to change at the Air Force Academy. Personal resistance factors might include: a. b. c. d. e. f.

failure to recognize the need for change a misunderstanding of the purpose, process, and outcomes of change fear of the unknown fear of insecurity or loss of status any threats to existing social relationships reluctance to give up old routines or habits.

Organizational resistance factors might include: a. b. c. d. e.

a reward system that reinforces the old ways of doing things threats to the existing balance of power inter-group conflicts that inhibit cooperation incompatibility of the change process and organizational culture, and heavy investment in previous decisions and courses of action.

3. Are the three major problems in this case - the 1993 sexual assaults, the 2003 sexual assaults, and the 2005 religious intolerance - related in any way? If so, how? Clearly, due to the overwhelming similarity of events the first two problems are necessarily related. Both of these involved the abuse of power by upperclassmen and the inequitable treatment of the female victims by the command structure in place at the time. Linkage of the two earlier (sexual assault) problems to the third problem (religious intolerance) does indicate connection on a number of levels. First, it is clear that one of the cultural factors causal to the religious intolerance situation was the power

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

distance in the organizational culture. The “abusers,” i.e., agents, were individuals whose organizational position allowed them significant power over the less powerful targets. This factor is common to both the sexual assault issues and the religious intolerance issue. A second factor, which may have had a lesser impact on the sexual assault problems, but seems to have a more significant impact on the religious intolerance issue, is the organization’s low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. In organizations with low tolerance for uncertainly, there can be significant problems with simultaneously accepting multiple and possibly conflicting beliefs. 4. Evaluate the changes that the Academy made after the 1993 sexual assault scandal. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. The changes put in place after the 1993 sexual assault scandals lacked effectiveness. The mere fact that there were almost identical allegations in 2003 is a clear signal that the Academy failed to make the appropriate cultural changes. Moreover, the lesson must be learned here is that permanent behavioral changes in members of a group or within an organization must come from significant cultural changes. The recommendations included: • Setting up a Center for Character Development to promote ethical conduct, • Establishing a twenty-four hour rape hot line • Issuing a policy that stated to “ensure a climate exists that is free of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and assault of any kind.” The 2003 complaints would indicate that these recommendations were ineffective in their implementation. While these may be good public relations and contribute to a perception of change, the recommendations did not accomplish significant organizational change. 5. Evaluate the changes that the Academy made after the 2003 sexual assault scandal. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. The new changes include: Instituting new sexual assault reporting procedures where victims are given full confidentiality in counseling and medical care-without triggering the possibility of the Academy’s disciplinary process. These are clear and concrete short-term efforts by the administration to deal with the specific issues. If well implemented, these changes will take the fear of recrimination out of making an allegation. However, these changes do not effectively deal with the organizational cultural bases of these behaviors.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

Factors such as, large power distance, gender role expectations, strong cultural values that give way to groupthink, etc. remain the same and fail to deal with the root causes on a strategic level. 6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the changes made after the 2005 religious intolerance complaints. Explain the reasons for your evaluation. A review of the Academy’s proposed “Recommendations” detailed in the case allows for an up-close view of these changes. The first proposals are to develop a policy regarding religious expression that contains specific guidelines for those who exercise judgment in this area. This recommendation, apart from the others, seems to have the potential for a minimal impact unless it becomes part of a regularly conducted training program and/or sensitivity session on diversity at the Academy. The next two recommendations involve re-emphasizing existing policies: appropriate endorsement and advertisement of groups in which Air Force members may participate and the oversight of unofficial groups operating on Air Force bases. One may question the potential effectiveness of these proposed changes. Re-stating existing failed policies may have little effect on the organization and its cultural norms and values. The next proposed change, is to re-emphasize the requirement that addresses issues of religious accommodation when planning and executing Air Force operations. On the policy level, this is a good beginning. However, it lacks specifics implementation guidelines for individual or group actions from the strategic level to the operational level. This same criticism might be leveled at the recommendation to develop a policy to integrate cultural awareness into operating Air Force units. Evidence of change from this recommendation may be minimal. In the rest of the changes, the Air Force Academy proposes to expand its Character Development program that purportedly promotes awareness of and the respect for diverse cultures and beliefs throughout the Academy curriculum. Indeed, this has the potential to be a very effective step, if the intent and results are to make it part of the fabric of the Academy culture at large – “tolerance across the curriculum,” if you will. However, this is much easier said than done, particularly in the more technical disciplines such as engineering, etc. The recommendation that establishes a single point of contact for determining what complaint mechanism is appropriate is indeed concrete but may have a negative side if the complainant’s anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Remember what happened to the women who filed the earlier complaints regarding sexual assault. The recommendation to use internal controls to assess climate and implement corrective action is fairly concrete, at least at face value. It does however beg the

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question of whether these are the same internal controls that were in place (seemingly ineffectively) during the three problems of 1993, 2003, and 2005. Assuming that these are different, what has changed from the earlier controls or procedures?

7. Given the unique military culture of this organization, what recommendations would you suggest at this point in time? Note: Encourage students to link the personal and organizational factors that the class listed as contributing to resistance to change in answering question #2 to this answer. Possible recommendations could include •

Increasing the diversity of the faculty, staff and student body at the Academy so that they comprise a more representative population. As the data from the case indicates, women comprise roughly 18% of the current academy population. Additionally, the data indicate that women have lower acceptance rates than men. Moreover, women have higher attrition rates for the upper classes (2008 & 2009). This recommendation should somehow be extended to non-Christian minorities. However, unless a student self-identifies as a non-Christian, the Academy is banned, by law, from requiring this information. The Air Force should ensure that the proportionality of women and minorities throughout the faculty, staff, and administration at all levels is more strongly representative of the overall population outside of the Academy. (Note: Information on the faculty, staff, and administration was unavailable at the time of this publication.)

•

The Academy leadership should make sure that everyone at the institution fully understands how these changes will promote the organization’s mission, which should include: core values and beliefs, and the organization’s compelling purpose.

•

The academy could implement the use of internal change agents whose responsibility it would be to implement the organizational change efforts. In the case of the Air Force Academy, this should permeate all command levels. The primary responsibility of these internal change agents should be effecting and maintaining diversity sensitivity within the fabric of the Academy’s operations.

•

External change agents, i.e., experts hired from the outside to lead or facilitate change efforts, could be of significant value, particularly in a strong military culture, if they have relevant expertise. Such consultants could provide an opportunity for unfiltered feedback from both majority and minority members of the organization. If they are from the outside, their roles are more facilitation than implementation. These external change agents also represent the

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

expectations of external constituencies – an important input to the change process and goals. •

Regular cultural assessments should be conducted to gauge the status of norms, beliefs, and values and their ongoing impact on Academy life. These may take the form of anonymous surveys given regularly and/or focus groups conducted by someone outside the chain of command and, if possible, completely external to the organization. Regular feedback from these assessments should be provided to all stakeholders: faculty, students, administrators and staff.

•

It is essential that a climate of openness and trust be nurtured across the institution. Immediate and appropriate action must be the institutional response to any complaint. Attitudes that show any form of retribution towards the plaintive must be avoided.

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Rather than simply excluding all religious expressions, the organization should foster a greater sense of “inclusivity”. Regular gatherings on an ecumenical level could go a long way toward signaling the value of all beliefs. A representative committee of students, faculty, administrators, and staff should come together regularly to shape ecumenical events. Clearly, this will be difficult at first but once it becomes part of the fabric of the organization, it could be particularly beneficial in terms of fostering a deeper understanding of religious based cultures where military personnel may be stationed.

•

Explaining terms like “ethnocentrism” and “groupthink” should become part of the standard terminology at the Academy when stressing acceptance and the pluralism of ideas and beliefs.

Postscript In October of 2005, Brigadier General Susan Y. Desjardins was appointed Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Writing Assignment Assume that you are a diversity consultant hired by the Air Force to make recommendations for preventing future sexual harassment and religious intolerance problems. Keeping in mind the military culture, what recommendations would you suggest at this time? Provide a justification for your suggestions.

63. The U.S. Air Force Academy: Culture & Diversity Issues - Instructor ‘s Notes

Diversity on the Web Read the article “Naval Academy Combats Sexual Harassment” found on the following website. What are the similarities and differences between what happened at the Air Force Academy in this case and the Naval Academy in this article in terms of sexual harassment issues? http:www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,139837,00html?ESRC=eb.nl

64. Briarwood Industries – Case Text

BRIARWOOD INDUSTRIES Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Kendra Williamson sat at her desk at Briarwood Industries aimlessly staring out of her office window. Today was to be her big day; she expected to be promoted to vice president of marketing. Instead, she just wrote her letter of resignation. Impeccably dressed in her best navy blue suit, Kendra looked successful but felt like a total failure. When Kendra came to Briarwood in 1998 as an experienced furniture sales rep, the company was already one of the largest manufacturers of upholstered living room furniture in the United States. However, the furniture industry was stagnant and sales in general were in decline. Assigned to the west coast region, Kendra soon became one of the top sales reps in the country. She recognized the potential of warehouse merchandising and capitalized on having one of the major chain’s national headquarters in her territory by securing a multi-million dollar contract to supply them with sofas and chairs. In recognition, Kendra was promoted to sales manager of the Seattle office in 2004 and to manager of new product and market development at corporate headquarters in North Carolina in 2006. Most recently, she moved the company into international markets by licensing Briarwood’s designs to foreign manufacturers. Kendra was hoping that she would be promoted to a newly-created vice-presidential position, but this job went to Larry Jaccobi, a 12-year veteran of the company, who had the reputation of being efficient but not very creative in his management style. Larry was best known for implementing the company’s order-entry system, which equipped the sales reps with technology that sent order data directly back to the plant. Having orders so rapidly enabled Briarwood to implement a just-in-time inventory system that was projected to save the company millions of dollars over the next 5 years. Kendra felt that Larry, although excellent at implementing other’s ideas, lacked broad-based experience, and the vision to be a vice president. Kendra was startled by a knock at her office door. Sandy McBride, the advertising manager and Kendra’s closest confidant at the company, heard through the office grapevine that Kendra did not get the vice president’s job. “What’s plan B?” McBride asked. Welcoming the opportunity to talk, Kendra expressed her shock and hurt at not getting the promotion. “I just don’t understand how this could have happened,” She lamented. “I came up through the sales ranks. I was the one who had the vision to diversify into office furniture, our most profitable product line. I wrote the marketing plan for our expansion into Asian and European markets. What else could I have done?”

64. Briarwood Industries – Case Text

“Well, Kendra, it was well known around here that Larry really wanted to be a vice president. He felt that he had paid his dues and that it was the next logical step. He never missed an opportunity to make his ambition very clear, or his work visible to the top brass. Remember that presentation he gave at the national sales meeting? Then there was the time that he volunteered to represent the company at the labor negotiations with the truck drivers union. News of these achievements went right to the top. I know that you and Larry never really got along ” Kendra abruptly cut Sandy off. “I don’t work like that,” Kendra said. “I wouldn’t want to take all the glory for something that was the product of a team effort. Larry looks out for Larry. My style is to do the best job that I can for the company. Good work gets noticed and rewarded. Look at the profit margins for the furniture division. Everyone knows that I am the brains behind that plan. “And what about the 6 months that I spent in charge of production at the Atlanta plant. I filled in when the company was short-handed. I am not interested in running a manufacturing facility, but when the manager had a heart attack, I did it. I never complained about the assignment or about living away from my family for a year. I have always been there for Briarwood. Fine thanks I get.” “Well, it is too late now. I am resigning. It’s Briarwood’s loss. I will hand deliver the letter this morning.” An hour later, Kendra sat in Gary Logan’s office. As the vice president of marketing and her current boss read the letter, he expressed his surprise at Kendra’s action. “I think that you might want to reconsider your resignation. Although you have done a fine job here, quite frankly, your name was not even among the three top contenders for this job. “We see you as a hard-working, loyal employee but not as corporate-level material. You seem to lack the competitiveness, independence, self-confidence, and level of comfort with risk that this job requires. In fact, this is the first time that you have even expressed an interest in being promoted to this job”. Kendra felt her anger building, and said, “You can’t be serious? Why wouldn’t you realize that I considered myself a viable candidate to move into this position? I hinted at it during my last review. I clearly remember saying that I have done everything that this company has asked of me, and you agreed with me. “What about the fact that I know that I am making $8,000 to $10,000 a year less than the other managers at my level of experience? I never complained about the salary differences. In fact, I never even brought it up. I thought being a team player counted for something here. I just might call my lawyer.” With that statement, Kendra left Gary’s office but left her letter on his desk.

64. Briarwood Industries – Case Text

He left her letter on his desk, unsure how to handle the situation. Gary was glad that he had a lunch appointment with a good friend, Terry Wesley, the vice president of finance at Briarwood. Terry had a lot of female employees. Maybe Terry could help Gary understand Kendra’s behavior. Discussion Questions Note: You may be given special directions by your instructor for the discussion of this case. 1. Is Kendra’s reaction to Larry’s promotion justified? Why or why not? 2. Does Kendra have legal grounds to sue the company? 3. Who is mainly at fault in this situation? Why? 4. If Kendra leaves Briarwood, what does she stand to lose? What will the company lose? 5. If you were Kendra’s best friend, Sandy, what advice would you give her about this situation? 6. If you were Gary Logan’s best friend, Terry, what advice would you give Gary about this situation? 7. What can Kendra learn from this experience? 8. What can Gary learn from this experience? 9. What are the lessons from this case for men and women working together in organizations?

Diversity on the Web Go to Sodexho.com, select your country, and search for mentoring. This will bring up descriptions of the three mentoring programs at Sodexho: IMPACT, Peer to Peer and Bridge as well as the “Spirit of Mentoring” video. Read about these programs and watch the video. Select one of these programs and explain how it could have benefited Kendra in the Briarwood case. What would have been the benefits for Gary to have mentored Kendra? For Briarwood?

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

BRIARWOOD INDUSTRIES Carol P. Harvey Assumption College

Goals •

To illustrate that different styles of management and communication may not be equally valued in the organization’s culture

•

To stress the importance of honest performance feedback in mentoring and employee development

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To demonstrate how poor communication can result in organizational problems

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To illustrate the influence of politics and networking within corporate culture

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To demonstrate that employees need to take a proactive role in their own career development

Case Synopsis This case depicts an incident in the life of Kendra Williamson, a hard working loyal manager, who has just learned that she did not receive an expected promotion to vicepresident at Briarwood Industries. Her reaction to this situation is to submit her resignation to her boss, Gary Logan. While she considered herself as a viable contender for the position, Gary tells her that her name was not even among the top three candidates considered for the position. As the case begins, Kendra is angry about the situation and frustrated about the promotion decision. Her boss appears a bit confused because she has never expressed an interest in moving up to senior levels of the organization. Both turn to trusted coworkers for advice about how to handle this situation.

Discussion Guidelines This case can be used to illustrate that individuals often see the same situation from very different perspectives and to discuss the influence of gender in communication. Although quite short, the case focuses on issues of career development, coaching, networking, and communication and provides a rich source of discussion. Often, female students come into class prepared to defend Kendra as a victim of the “glass ceiling” who has an

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

insensitive male boss. In contrast, male students often view Kendra as lacking in the assertiveness necessary to function at the corporate level and in failing to accept responsibility for planning her career. These reactions mirror those of the characters in this case. The discussion may be conducted in two different ways. In the first, you can use a traditional approach. Asking the class as a group, traditional case discussion questions. What are the main issues here? What has gone wrong? Why? What needs to be done to remedy this situation? However, this often causes students to dig their heels in to justify their own preconceived notions about the characters in the case, often related to their own gender biases rather than to examine fresh perspectives. I recommend a second approach that encourages students to analyze the case from the perspective of the opposite gender. 1. Before beginning the case discussion, ask the male students to sit on one side of the room (or table) and female students to sit on the other. Be sure that the groups face each other. This approach works even when the class is composed of more males than females and vice-versa. 2. To visually reinforce the role reversal, distribute one sheet of pink paper to each male student and one sheet of blue to each female student. Ask each student to fold the paper into thirds to make a name tent and to write their first name on the paper. The colored name tent serves as an important visual reminder that the males are going to have to discuss this case from Kendra’s perspective and the females from Gary’s perspective. I encourage you not to omit the colored name tents. 3. Students will be stunned by this instruction and it requires some discussion rules. • This is a serious discussion: the point is to see an issue from another person’s perspective. • Speak in your normal voice, i.e., no high pitched male voices. No silly body language. • If a student gets out of his/her reversed role, the students on the opposite side of the room should silently point to the colored name tent on their desks. • At all times, males are to discuss this situation from Kendra’s perspective and females from Gary’s perspective.

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

Teaching Tips In the beginning you may have to remind the class that they are responsible for controlling the role reversal as in point #3 above, but they quickly catch on and get into their roles. It is important for the class to take ownership of the mechanics of the discussion. 1. One of the key questions here is, “Does gender play any role in Kendra’s current situation?” This will raise discussion points around style, perception and communication differences, particularly if they have read the Colavecchio and Harvey article on communication in the text. What usually happens during the case discussion is quite interesting. Often, a class will mirror the findings of the American Association of University Women’s study of male and female classroom behaviors. For example, the (real) women will become more assertive in the class discussion (i.e., model traditional male classroom behavior). Often, they interrupt, argue, and in general become more assertive in arguing for Gary’s position. The real learning here is that this format allows both male and female students to analyze style tendencies rather to become defensive. 2. Males will often cite Gary’s “failure” to develop Kendra and to give her accurate performance feedback. Sometimes, they say that Gary should have been looking out for her welfare, etc. This gives you the opportunity to ask if they would say that if Kendra were a man. In contrast, female students insist that Kendra was not confident in negotiating for herself and did not take responsibility for her career progression. Instead, she expected that her good work would be “noticed”, etc. 3. After the case situation has been discussed, the real learning takes place in the discussion of the role reversal. Much of the processing of this case needs to include a discussion that both characters here fell into somewhat stereotypical behaviors and thinking. This case allows the male students to associate more value with attempting to empathize with a good employee that the organization is in a position to lose. Female students become more aware of the need to negotiate for themselves. Ask students: •

What were the learning points when you had to see this situation from another’s perspective?

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What did you learn about the opposite gender and communication styles by being forced into that role?

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What did you learn about yourself?

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How can you apply what you have learned here to your personal life and to organizational life?

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

This case is based upon a real situation in a different industry. The real “Kendra” missed the promotion. Later, she didn’t see a merger coming. Lacking organizational political skills, she was downsized and failed to negotiate as hefty a severance package for herself as she could have expected. Although she held an MBA from a prestigious university, she was never able to obtain a comparable level position. Eventually, she left corporate life, went back to school and became a nurse.

Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Is Kendra's reaction to Larry's promotion justified? Why or why not? A case can be made that her reaction is just “sour grapes,” because she was not even considered for the position. However, she is also a valuable employee with a proven track record. Before deciding that there is a “glass ceiling” at Briarwood Industries, one would need to know how typical her experience is compared to other women and minorities in the organization. More likely, Kendra failed to “read” the politics and the culture of the organization and failed to lay the networking groundwork for the promotion. 2. Does Kendra have legal grounds to sue the company? Although the case does not provide enough information to answer this question – why others’ salaries were higher, what are the organizational positions of other women, were there similar past incidents, etc., this will not deter students! They often feel that she can sue. Asked them what law Briarwood has violated and what would be the legal basis for the lawsuit. This case provides an excellent vehicle for a discussion of how complex such a lawsuit would be and how few actually get to court as well as the subjectivity of promotional decisions. 3. Who is mainly at fault for this situation? Why? Both Gary and Kendra share some responsibility for this situation. While Gary did not give accurate mentoring advice to Kendra, she also did not discuss her career aspirations. There may be some conflict avoidance here on the part of both parties. 4. If Kendra leaves Briarwood, what does she stand to lose? What will the company lose? She stands to lose self-esteem, confidence and a good position. The organization could lose a good employee with internal knowledge of their company and incur expenses to replace her. The latter point becomes important if she has not signed a non-competitive agreement and would be able to seek a similar position with a competitor. Unless she learns from this incident, she could find herself in a similar situation wherever she works.

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

Note: the next two questions involve Kendra’s friend Sandy and Gary’s lunch date with his friend Terry. However, there are NO indications (gender-neutral names, any pronouns, etc.) that Kendra’s friend is female and Gary’s is male. Yet, students usually make that assumption. This provides an opportunity to discuss some of the benefits of having friends, particularly at work, of different genders, ages, races, backgrounds, etc., who can provide different perspectives than our own. 5. If you were Kendra's best friend, Sandy, what advice would you give her about this situation? Here is an opportunity for honest feedback from Sandy who begins to tell Kendra what she doesn’t want to hear. Notice that Sandy immediately asks about “Plan B”, implying that these things happen all the time in organizations and that Kendra has to pick herself up and move on. Rather than probe and learn from Sandy’s perspective, Kendra cuts the coworker off. 6. If you were Gary Logan’s best friend Terry, what advice would you give him about this situation? In contrast to Kendra, Gary seems eager for another perspective on the problem. Notice that Gary thinks that “special skills” are needed to manage women. Just because Terry has “lots of female” employees doesn’t mean that he/she has the answers. Not all females are alike, just as not all males are alike and not all bosses strive to understand their workers. This is a good place to ask the “female” students, who are really the males in the class, if they think that women need to be managed differently. Then, reverse the question for the female students in the “male” role. Sometimes, the stereotypes that emerge here are quite surprising. 7. What can Kendra learn from this experience? An interesting framework to use here is the Johari window. (See J. Luft, “The Johari window,” Human Relations and Training News, January 1961, 6-7.) Draw the 2x2 matrix shown below on the board and ask students to complete the cells for Kendra. Arena

What others and Kendra know about her, i.e., shared perceptions (hard working, etc.)

Façade

What Kendra knows about herself, but hides from others, (she wants to move up in the organization, etc.)

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

Blindspot

What others may know about her, but she either refuses to see or they won’t reveal to her (not seen as assertive enough, does not have a take-charge attitude, etc.)

Unknown

What neither others nor Kendra see in her Johari Window Known to Self

Not Known to Self

Known to others

Arena

Blindspot

Not known to others

Façade

Unknown

When a person’s arena is small, communication is not as open as it needs to be. Kendra could increase her arena through self-disclosure and by requesting feedback from others. In this case, she did not disclose her career ambitions nor was she open to feedback from Sandy. There is no evidence either that Kendra sought this information about herself from Gary. Although effective feedback from Gary would have helped to reduce Kendra’s blind spot, trust is necessary for one to accept feedback. Gary may have felt uncomfortable giving Kendra honest feedback. Perhaps, he feared that she would become angry or react defensively and he chose to avoid the conflict. It is always easier to trust and communicate with people most like ourselves, but the composition of the workplace has changed. Managers need to learn how to establish open trusting relationships and good communication with employees who may be unlike themselves. 8. What can Gary learn from this experience? All managers, especially senior managers should be coaching their employees in terms of career development. Either Gary avoided this topic with Kendra (and possibly others employees, too) or he took the easy way out. The Johari window framework above helps to explain this behavior. He may lose a good employee due to his lack of effective leadership and communication skills. 9.

What are the lessons from this case for men and women working together in organizations? The real lessons are not learned from Gary and Kendra’s situations but from the experience of spending an hour or so trying to see a situation from another person’s

64. Briarwood Industries – Instructor’s Notes

perspective, in this case -- gender. Ask students to share their “lessons” from this experience. Female students (the real ones) often comment that they felt that they could act in ways that they were brought up not to do, such as interrupt others. This can lead to a conversation about the differences between male and female communication and leadership styles as discussed in the Ruxton and Harvey article (section IV, number 32) and the Harvey and Larsen article (section III, number 20). Male students (the real ones) often mention their frustration at being considered a good worker but still not being considered as “qualified” due to unspoken criteria.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

THE BEST BUY CASE: THE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES David P. Harvey _____ Best Buy is committed to, “growth through a world of diversity and inclusion… One employee, customer, and community at a time.” Best Buy has a long track record of success in the fast-paced retail technology industry. Best Buy’s focus on constantly changing products amplifies the need for innovation and responsiveness in the marketplace. Throughout its history, Best Buy has grown by staying at the forefront of both general management and industry-specific trends. One area where Best Buy has led the pack is in diversity for people with physical and mental challenges. Best Buy’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion involves each of its “Three Pillars,” i.e., employees, customers and the community. Edgar Schein’s framework for analyzing organizational culture is a valuable tool for gaining insight into the factors that influence a company’s actions. Applying Schein’s framework to Best Buy shows that diversity is deeply ingrained into the culture, from store associates to the executive level. Best Buy’s leadership provides resources to build a diverse culture from the bottom up and the top down because it believes in the value of diversity from both the societal and business perspectives. Best Buy’s business decisions are strongly rooted in the company’s four corporate values: have fun while being the best, learn from challenge and change, show respect, humility and integrity and unleash the power of our people. It was from these values that Best Buy developed its corporate vision, “People. Technology and the pursuit of happiness (Best Buy Corporate Values and Vision, 2010).” The Business Case for Diversity – People with Disabilities According to a report published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2008, 16.5% of Americans between the ages of 21 and 64 had a disability and only 45.6% of this group was employed. The employment rate was far lower, 30.7%, for people with a severe disability. By comparison, 75.2% of people with a non-severe disability and 83.5% of people with no disability were employed. These findings suggest that there are millions of Americans with disabilities who can and want to participate in the workforce. For example, 59.1% of people with hearing issues were employed compared to 40.8% of people with sight issues (Brault, 2008). Finally, disabilities reach across other dimensions of diversity including: age, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation. While a great deal of literature and press is focused on hiring employees with existing disabilities, current employees also can incur disabilities. The cost of accommodating an existing employee is typically far lower than replacing that employee. According to the

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

Job Accommodation Network (JAN), 56% of employers reported that accommodations cost nothing. Of the accommodations that did incur a cost, the average expenditure was $600 (Workplace Accommodations, 2010). Similarly, a study of 600 accommodations at Sears, Roebuck & Co. concluded that 75% of the accommodations cost nothing while only 2% cost more than $1,000 (Blanck, 1999). In contrast, it is generally accepted that the cost incurred for a single incidence of employee turnover is one to two times the employee’s annual salary. So, the cost of accommodation is very likely to be more than offset by the direct benefits of retaining a qualified employee. A 2007 study conducted by researchers at DePaul University found that performance ratings of workers with disabilities were nearly identical to those of workers without disabilities (Disabilityworks, 2007). The U.S. Census Bureau reported that individuals with disabilities and their families have over $1 trillion in annual income and $220 billion in discretionary spending power (McNeil, 2000). A 2005 survey indicated that 92% of Americans have a more favorable view of companies that hire people with disabilities than those that do not. Furthermore, 87% of the American public prefers to give their business to companies that hire individuals with disabilities (Siperstein, 2006). Businesses that can create an inclusive environment for people with disabilities may have an advantage in attracting and retaining the most talented employees in the future. According to the Department of Education, there are over 2.1 million individuals with disabilities enrolled in post secondary education . Finally, the tax credits available to businesses that improve physical access for people with disabilities and hire new employees who have disabilities can exceed $20,000. Best Buy: Corporate Profile Best Buy was founded in 1966 as the Sound of Music store and reached $1 million in annual revenues by 1970. In 1995 the company entered the Fortune 500 and in 2004 was named “Company of the Year” by Forbes magazine. Today, Best Buy operates 1,044 retail stores accounting for 75% of its revenue. The remainder of their $45 billion in annual sales is generated by nine other divisions (Datamonitor, 2010). Best Buy has 155,000 employees at sites in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Mexico and a corporate headquarters in Richfield, Minnesota. Annually, Best Buy donates 1.5% of pre-tax profits to non-profit organizations. In 2009, this reinvestment in the community amounted to $33.4 million. Executive Leadership Consultant and author Michael W. Wright states: “leaders are like eyes – a window into the soul of the corporation.” The leaders at Best Buy provide a clear example of this concept. Best Buy has been led by only two individuals: Founder Richard Schulze, CEO until 2002 and still serving as Chairman of the Board and current CEO Brian Dunn who started in 1985 as a sales associate. Dunn takes a “hands on” approach to diversity. In a recent meeting with the executive sponsors of Best Buy’s ten employee resource groups

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

(ERGs), Dunn inquired about their efforts and reminded them that he would hold them accountable for the performance of their groups (Best Buy Conference Call, June 8, 2010). Dunn also met directly with the field leaders of these ERG groups that had the best executed business plans (Best Buy Conference Call, July 13, 2010). Dunn has publicly stated that, “every one of us has amazing gifts, talents and perspectives to offer. I’m committed to making sure we have the kind of environment where we respect and celebrate all individuals and their unique contributions (Diversity at Best Buy, 2010).” Diversity At Best Buy Best Buy is committed to, “growth through a world of diversity and inclusion… One employee, customer, and community at a time” (Best Buy EBN, 2010) and has a variety of programs focused on harnessing the power of inclusion in each of the “Three Pillars” of diversity: employees, customers and community. Best Buy currently provides transformational learning opportunities, employee resource groups, and many types of online and in-person diversity training. With clear values, consistent executive support and a wide array of resources available to all Best Buy employees, the company empowers employees at the local level to make decisions that support the inclusion of people with disabilities. Best Buy then builds support for existing and future initiatives by celebrating successes and disseminating diversity best practices throughout the organization. In addition to supporting new initiatives, the corporate Diversity and Inclusion Team at Best Buy is very responsive to the needs of the employees in the field. For example, in addition to being available by appointment, the Corporate D&I team has “Office Hours” when team members are available by phone and email. The D&I team also partnered with corporate PR to develop public relations training for EBN participants (Best Buy Conference Call, Sept. 8, 2010) who often represent Best Buy at community events).

Employee Business Networks (EBNs) Best Buy has ten employee resource groups (ERGs) which are called Employee Business Networks (EBNs). Best Buy defines an EBN as, “a group of employees who form a network based on interest in and support for a common dimension of diversity.” In 2010, the ten networks, including one for people with disabilities, had a total of 117 chapters with over 2,000 members. (Best Buy Conference Call, August 10, 2010) The EBN program was initiated with a loosely defined structure. As the program grew, Best Buy added more structure, improved communication tools and developed mechanisms for feedback (EBN Express, 2010). Each employee business network must submit an annual business case with specific business outcomes, complete a scorecard which tracks: membership and promotions of EBN members, and Tag Team service awards received (Best Buy Conference Call, June 8, 2010). Best Buy pays its employees for the time they spend working on EBNs and the groups are allowed to use of company resources, including meeting space.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

INCLUDE – The Disability EBN at Best Buy Founded in 2006, INCLUDE’s mission is, “to foster an inclusive work environment where all employees feel a level of confidence, support and belonging that allows them to maximize their full potential by focusing on their abilities, not disabilities.” In striving to, “promote opportunities, supportive services and accommodations in a manner that ensures dignity for everyone – employees, customers, family and the community (INCLUDE, 2010)” INCLUDE has grown to seven chapters that are invited to bimonthly conference calls, to discuss challenges, best practices, available resources, upcoming events, recruiting new members, new initiatives.. or to listen to a guest speaker (Best Buy Conference Call, August 10, 2010) . To clarify responsibilities and provide leadership opportunities for non-managers, the INCLUDE group is organized around the clearly defined roles such as Executive Sponsor, Co-chairs, Finance, Communications , Community Outreach, Commitment & Recognition Chairs, and Store Captains. For example, the Finance Chair is responsible for managing and tracking budget, measuring ROI, seeking additional funding and tracking results to prove the business case. (Best Buy Conference Call, as January 28, 2010). Each new member of INCLUDE must complete a template to formalize his or her commitment to the network. Beginning with a dictionary definition of commitment, the document asks employees to provide their personal definition of commitment along with detailed examples of how this will be demonstrated. These documents are read aloud to the group and two other members are asked to check the employee’s progress towards meeting these goals at the next meeting. Armed with a specific mission and resources INCLUDE members have developed the following strategy, “highlight disability as a customer-centric business case and using the influence of its members and customer feedback to drive culture change (INCLUDE, 2010).” Drilling down to the tactical level, INCLUDE groups around the United States are actively involved in a wide range of activities engaging each of the Three Pillars. For example, volunteers from one INCLUDE chapter worked with Geeksquad employees to identify products that assist people with disabilities and to showcase these at a community health and wellness event (Best Buy Conference Call, May 12, 2010). Recently, an INCLUDE team attended a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition conference to recruit new employees (Best Buy Conference Call, July 13, 2010). Another INCLUDE group reached out to the parents of a local school for children with special needs, developed an ongoing relationship with the school and educated parents about technical assistance products. INCLUDE also conducts many activities focused on the in-store experience. At the request of INCLUDE members, the corporate team is creating a training program for employees about Autism Spectrum disorders. The educational materials will focus on employee and customer interactions. Another field chapter created an end cap with an iPad displaying a number of apps that can benefit customers with disabilities. (Best Buy Conference Call, July 13, 2010).

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

Focused Involvement Networks (FINs) To supplement its employee business network program, Best Buy launched, Focused Involvement Networks (FINs) in 2010. FINs are more targeted, less formal networks organized around “a common interest or shared passion that is not formally recognized as a primary dimension of diversity (FIN page).” One of two inaugural FIN groups is FACE, Facing Autism in a Caring Environment (Best Buy Conference Call, January 28, 2010). Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication. A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control suggest that as many as 1 in 110 children are affected by ASDs, a six fold increase over the rate twenty years ago. Researchers at Columbia University found that 26% of the rise in autism diagnoses could be directly attributed to changes in diagnostic criteria. Increased awareness of autism and advanced parental age explain some, but not all, of the remaining increase. The mission of The FACE network is “to build a community of Best Buy employees that will promote awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders and support our families through networking, the sharing of resources and providing encouragement.” Best Buy recognizes that Autism will need to be addressed from the talent pool perspective as well as the customer perspective. Therefore, the company encourages “parents of ASD children, employees and customers to share their stories about how ASD has touched their lives” (Best Buy FACE, 2010). Operationalizing Diversity at Best Buy Best Buy’s willingness to make adjustments stems largely from its deeply-rooted value of “learning from challenge and change.” Store managers believe that empowering these employees provides, “a stronger teachable point of view for staff members that do not have a disability.” Armed with increased knowledge and experience, employees without disabilities are better able to serve the other two pillars, customers and the community. BEST PRACTICES AT BEST BUY Best Buy’s industry and its corporate values create an organizational bias toward action and encouraging new ideas. One example is the Kalamazoo, Michigan store that implemented a two hour “Quiet Time” shopping period each weekday. Overhead music is turned off and sensory-sensitive customers have access to a “Relaxation Room” where they are welcomed to take a break from the stimulation of shopping. In addition to serving its sensory-sensitive customers, such as those with autism spectrum disorders, this practice can benefit individuals with severe attention deficit hyperactivity or seizure disorders. Managers at the Best Buy store in Lake Jackson, TX are grateful to have Ryan Hemphill on their sales team. Store manager Chris Banuelos said, “If I had one hundred Ryan’s, it

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

would be wonderful (Ryan Hemphill, 2010).” Ryan, who has the autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, is an Eagle Scout and works at Best Buy while attending college. Although he has difficulty processing social information such as facial expressions and body language, Ryan has had a lifelong interest in and knowledge of electronics which serves him well at Best Buy. During his employment, Ryan demonstrated that he had a strong grasp of what the customer experience should entail. Ryan is determined to succeed and ends each shift by asking managers what else he can do before he leaves. Ryan’s experience at Best Buy has allowed him to flourish and provided an important step towards his independence. Store 493 in Alexandria, Virginia has three team members with known disabilities. Two employees use wheelchairs and one associate is deaf. Jai Datt was 24 and a frequent customer when the manager asked him, “You are always in here, why aren’t you working for me (APSE, 2008)?” Shortly thereafter, Jai began working by helping locate customers in the store who needed assistance. Jai, who uses a wheelchair, eventually moved to the Car Audio department and worked with Best Buy and a local government agency to develop a system that allows him to check stock for customers on his own. Robyn Schuler, who also uses a wheelchair, began working at the store in 2006 and earned a promotion to Customer Associate. Robyn told store managers that the store’s aisles were not wide enough. Upon her return from rehab, the issue had been fixed. Robyn is grateful that the store manager “treats [her] like any other person” and “doesn’t baby her (APSE, 2008).” Geek Squad agent Lisa Goodwin is deaf. She communicates with customers using a computer and monitor equipped with two keyboards. Managers have data to support their belief in the contributions made by their employees with disabilities. Best Buy’s Customer Service Index tool allows guests to provide feedback on interactions with employees and these three employees are consistently among the highest rated. Not content to rest on past successes and acknowledging that there is more value to be gained from further inclusion, Best Buy continues to seek new opportunities for employees with disabilities. In 2010, a local non-profit and an Illinois government agency partnered in awarding Best Buy a two-year grant to develop Internal Disability Teams for its stores in the Chicago area. The teams will be self-sustaining and capable of providing training on accommodations, support for employees with disabilities and actively encouraging the recruiting, screening, training and promoting processes for employees with disabilities. Social Responsibility: Partnering with Schools for the Deaf Two Best Buy stores located near schools for the deaf have developed programs to better serve hearing impaired customers. Store 427 in Fredericksburg, MD created a video introducing its associates who are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and listing the departments in which each works. The video, which was distributed to the nearby Maryland School for the Deaf, also informed customers that they could communicate

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

with employees while in the store using a computer and monitor with dual keyboards. In Riverside, CA, store #392, is near the California School for the Deaf, one of the largest K-12 institutions for the deaf in the country. So, management recruited six employees to serve as ASL interpreters both in-store and online, designed a web interface that allows consumers to browse the products on the website and discuss them with employees fluent in ASL via a window on the screen. Customers can also view the work schedules of these employees before going to the store. Internships Internships can provide a mutually beneficial opportunity for both the employer and the employee. While participating on the school’s Business Advisory Board, Best Buy established a partnership with Minnesota Life College, which trains young adults with learning disabilities and is located near Best Buy’s headquarters in Richfield, MN. INCLUDE member Michele Swiech went beyond hiring interns from the college when she encouraged two of Best Buy’s corporate vendors, Bon Appetit and Pitney Bowes, to hire students from the program as well (Pershing, 2010). Awards In 2010, National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) recognized Best Buy for being a leader in recruiting, hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities. Best Buy was nominated for the award by Brendon Cunningham, the Virginia Territory Project Manager who was paralyzed from the waist down in a swimming accident. After the accident, Best Buy provided support to his family and retrofitted the store where he worked to meet his needs. Recounting her response to Cunningham’s accident, Susan Williams, the territory HR director said, “I knew we would find a place for Brendon. And, I said that with certainty without talking to anyone.” Williams’ reaction indicates that the inclusion of people with disabilities may be deeply imbedded as what Schein would call an operational value in Best Buy’s culture. As a Territory Project Manager, Brendon is responsible for the planning and implementation of growth initiatives in the field and leading complex rollouts while also sharpening their individual skills through continued involvement in management training programs. Providing anecdotal support for the business case for diversity, Cunningham said that he frequently receives emails and phone calls from customers reporting that they made purchases at Best Buy after learning about how well the company treated him (Cunningham, 2008). Diversity Best Practices presented its 2010 Executive Sponsor award to Julie St. Marie, executive sponsor of INCLUDE and the mother of a child with a disability. She has developed new positions for INCLUDE members, implemented policy changes for accommodation programs and created consortiums with retail competitors. St. Marie’s efforts were also rewarded by the Department of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award in 2008 which is the highest honor in the U. S. for organizations and individuals demonstrating exemplary and innovative efforts to further the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

Down Syndrome of Louisville (DSL) presented Best Buy's Geek Squad and its INCLUDE group the Employer of the Year award in 2010, recognizing their actions to “improve the quality of life or promote a positive image for individuals with Down Syndrome.” Local Best Buy employees have shown a commitment to, “hiring individuals with developmental delays in respectful and meaningful employment along with volunteer fundraising to build DSL's Lifelong Learning Center (INCLUDE, 2010).” The Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) presented Store 493, in Alexandria, VA which employs the three persons with disabilities with its 2008 award for Best Employment Practices. This award recognizes businesses that “hire persons with disabilities, fully integrates them into the workforce and encourages other organizations to do the same.” A Best Buy customer, who owns an employment agency for individuals with disabilities, saw these employees in action and nominated the store for the award. Conclusion Over many years, Best Buy has carefully created a culture of diversity inclusion in its stores and at its corporate headquarters and has operationalized this into each of its three pillars: employees, customers and the community. Best Buy has gone beyond its espoused values to involve employees at all levels of the organization, provide resources that support action and celebrate its success. While Best Buy recognizes the value of including people with disabilities as a corporate citizen, the company also understands the impact on the bottom line. As a 2010 company publication states, “by creating an inclusive environment… Best Buy can find and keep the best talent, become a trusted community partner and achieve profitable growth (Diversity & Inclusion, 2010).” Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990) This federal legislation is designed to “prevent discrimination and enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society (U.S. Department of Justice, 2000).” Points of Law The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005). To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).

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From an employment perspective, Title I applies to organizations with 15 or more employees and it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. The law requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in an “undue hardship” for the organization which means accommodations that would result in significant difficulty or expense (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005). Examples of reasonable accommodations include: reducing clutter and distractions for an employee with a brain injury, providing specialized equipment such as a large-key keyboard for a data entry operator who has lost an arm, providing written instructions and information for an employee with hearing loss and allowing an employee to bring his or her service animal to work. Discussion Questions 1. Best Buy’s flagship Transformational Learning program is a 3-day immersion experience in Memphis, Tennessee. In recent years, Best Buy has sent more than 1,300 workers to participate in the program, which includes a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. Each participant develops a Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan aimed at creating an inclusive environment for employees and customers. This program is an example of a hands-on learning experience. How could Best Buy create a hands-on experience to train its employees on the inclusion of people with disabilities? 2. The INCLUDE group for persons with handicaps has three areas of focus: to utilize disability recruitment, resources and innovations to close gaps in the workforce and marketplace, to provide growth, profitability and a competitive advantage; to serve a diverse market by providing products and services expected by our customers; to communicate and educate information to the community that does not often get into the mainstream papers or news programs. Evaluate Best Buy’s performance against the three focus areas for INCLUDE. How can Best Buy improve its performance in each area? 3. Best Buy offers financial support for local store employees to test new ways to reach out to customers with disabilities. Several specific examples are listed in the case above. List three additional examples of low-cost initiatives any retail store could develop to strengthen relationships with customers with any type of disability. 4. Explain why Best Buy’s industry provides the company with incentives to create a strong culture of inclusion for people with disabilities.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

Bibliography About Best Buy. Best Buy Co, Inc. http://www.bby.com/about/ All field employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. January 28, 2010. All field employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. September 8, 2010. All field employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. June 8, 2010. ASL Canyon Springs [Video file]. Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://ourstories.iambestbuy.com/ASL_Canyon_Springs.html Best Buy corporate values and vision. Best Buy Co, Inc. 2010. Retrieved from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83192&p=irol-faq#4 Best Buy FACE – Facing autism in a caring environment. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110145238996618 Blanck, P.D. (1999). Empirical study of disability, employment policy, and the ADA. Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter, 23, 275-284. Brault, M. B. (2008). Americans with disabilities: 2005. Current population reports. United States Census Bureau. December 2008, 70-117. Cunningham, B. Brendon's story [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUGuNmvkJ2U. October 9, 2008. Datamonitor company profile: Best Buy Co, Inc. (2010). London, UK: Datamonitor. Disabilityworks. (2007). DePaul University study of costs and benefits of employing people with disabilities finds few risks to employers. Chicago, IL. Diversity & inclusion brochure. (2010). Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.canyoubeyou.com/CanUbeU_brochure_1.7MB.pdf Diversity at Best Buy. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.canyoubeyou.com/home.html Dunn, B. (2010, November 28). Brian’s whiteboard. 26 and counting. Retrieved from http://www.bbycommunications.com/briandunn/index.php

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EBN express newsletter. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. March 2010. Employee business networks homepage. Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://canyoubeyou.com/Employee_Business_Networks.html Focusing on abilities [Video file]. Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://ourstories.iambestbuy.com/Focusing_On_Abilities.html For Best Buy workers, a racial orientation [Video file]. MSNBC. April 4, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23960059#23960059 Hiring the best…at Best Buy! (2008). The Advance. APSE: The Network on Employment, 19 (1), 4-7. Retrieved from http://www.apse.org/docs/Spring 2008 Final.pdf INCLUDE employee business network homepage. (2010). Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://canyoubeyou.com/INCLUDE.html INCLUDE employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. August 10, 2010. INCLUDE employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. July 13, 2010. INCLUDE employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. May 12, 2010. INCLUDE employee business network conference call. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. February 17, 2010. Job Accommodation Network. (2010). Workplace accommodations: Low cost, high impact. JAN Fact Sheet Series. Morgantown, WV. King, M. and Bearman, P. (2009). Diagnostic change and increased prevalence of autism. International Journal of Epidemiology, 38, 1224-1234. McNeil, J. Employment, earnings, and disability. (2000). Data from the survey of income and program participation. Prepared for the 75th Annual Conference of the Western Economic Association International. Vancouver, BC. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/emperndis.pdf Number of disabled U.S. veterans rising. (2008). CBS News. May 11, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/11/national/main4086442.shtml?source =RSSattr=Health_4086442

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Pershing, J. (2008). Application for 2008 New Freedom Initiative Award. Best Buy Co, Inc. records. May 30, 2008. Rice, C. (2009). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, 2006. Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 58 (SS-10). Riley, C. A. (2006). Disability and business: Best practices and strategies for inclusion. Lebanon, NH: University Press of New England. Ryan Hemphill Best Buy story [Video file]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-sVj4Ja-tM Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Siperstein, G.N., Romano, N., Mohler, A. and Parker, R. (2006). A national survey of consumer attitudes towards companies that hire people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 24, 3-9. Territory Business Manager job description. Best Buy Co, Inc records. November 28, 2010. U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. (2000). Americans with disabilities act: A guide for people with disabilities seeking employment. ICN 951750. U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. (2005). Guide to disability rights laws. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/cguide.pdf U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. (2010). Know your rights, returning service members with disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/servicemembers_adainfo.pdf U.S. Department of Education. Institute of Education Sciences. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics. (2005). Table 210. Number and percentage of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions, by level, disability status, and selected student characteristics: 2003-04. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d05/tables/dt05_210.asp Vogel, N. O. and Brown, C. (2009). Dive in: Springboard into the profitability, productivity and potential of the special needs workforce. Ithaca, NY: Paramount Market Publishing.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Case Text

Wright, M. W. and Ferguson, W. J. (2005). The new business normal: the peril and promise of new global realities. Chaska, MN: Knowledge Management Press.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

THE BEST BUY CASE: THE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES David P. Harvey

Goals •

To explore Best Buy’s award-winning program for the inclusion of people with disabilities

•

To understand the critical role of corporate values and executive support in Best Buy’s programs

•

To provide evidence for the business case for employing workers with disabilities

•

To present the basic legal obligations of businesses to employees and customers with disabilities

Case Synopsis This case details the set of policies and practices at Best Buy that support the inclusion of people with disabilities. Best Buy’s efforts are part of a broader diversity initiative involving people at all levels of the organization. By providing a combination of tools, resources and incentives, Best Buy has created a robust program to support the inclusion of employees and customers with disabilities.

Outline of Key Points I.

Business Case for Diversity A. Prevalence of disabilities B. Cost of accommodation and other employment issues C. Economic considerations

II. Best Buy: Corporate Profile III. Executive Leadership A. Brian Dunn, CEO, commitment to diversity IV. Diversity at Best Buy A. Three pillars: employees, customers and community B. Involving and empowering employees at all levels V. Employee Business Networks (EBNs)

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

A. Measurement of business outcomes and support for EBNs B. INCLUDE -- The Disability EBN at Best Buy 1. Mission and structure 2. Activities a. Recruitment b. Community outreach c. In-store initiatives VI. Focused Involvement Networks (FINs) A. Facing Autism in a Caring Environment (FACE) 1. Autism prevalence 2. Mission VII. Operationalizing Diversity at Best Buy VIII. Best Practices at Best Buy A. “Quiet Time” shopping period for sensory-sensitive customer B. Employees with disabilities at Store 493 in Alexandria, VA C. Development of Internal Disability Teams IX. Social Responsibility: Partnering with Schools for the Deaf A. Store 427 in Fredericksburg, MD B. Store 392 in Riverside, CA X.

Internships A. Minnesota Life College

XI.

Awards A. National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) 1. Brendon Cunningham B. Department of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award C. Down Syndrome of Louisville (DSL), Employer of the Year Award D. Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE)

XII. Conclusion XIII. Legal Brief: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

Additional Resources U.S. Department of Justice- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Home Page www.ada.gov/ U.S. Department of Labor- Civil Rights Center www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/crc/ U.S. Department of Labor- Office of Disability Employment Policy www.dol.gov/odep/ U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission www.eeoc.gov/ The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) http://askjan.org/ The U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) www.usbln.org/ Earnworks www.earnworks.com National Disability Rights Network www.napas.org/ Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Articles/Pages/disability_072110.aspx Best Buy - Diversity Homepage http://diversityatbestbuy.com/ Americans with Disabilities Act: A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment. Publication Number ADA-000. ICN 951750. October 2000. www.ada.gov/workta.pdf Guide to disability rights laws. (2005). U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. www.ada.gov/cguide.pdf Know your rights, returning service members with disabilities. (2010). U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. www.ada.gov/servicemembers_adainfo.pdf U.S. Department of Justice- ADA Business Briefs. www.ada.gov/business.htm#anchor-bbriefs ADA questions and answers. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. www.ada.gov/q%26aeng02.htm

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

Dept of Labor- ODEP: Investing in People: Job Accommodation Situations and Solutions www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/misc/invest.htm From Earnworks: List of resources for business professionals regarding the recruitment, hiring and retention of people with disabilities. www.earnworks.com/employers/tools/index.asp Society for Human Resource Management » HR Disciplines » Diversity » Disability www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Pages/disability.aspx Survey: Companies Have Scaled Back Disability Hiring Programs www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Articles/Pages/CompaniesHaveScaledBack. aspx Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders. Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, United States, 2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2009;58(SS-10). Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20023608 Employee business network tools and resources. Best Buy Co, Inc. Retrieved from http://canyoubeyou.com/EBN_Tools_Resources.html

Videos Focusing on Abilities. Best Buy video featuring various efforts related to the inclusion of people with disabilities. http://ourstories.iambestbuy.com/Focusing_On_Abilities.html ASL Canyon Springs. Video featuring efforts to serve Deaf customers. http://ourstories.iambestbuy.com/ASL_Canyon_Springs.html MSNBC clip discusses Best Buy sending employees to the National Civil Rights Museum. Segment title: “For Best Buy Workers, a Racial Orientation” MSNBC. April 4, 2008. www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23960059#23960059 For more information on Immersion program, visit: www.bestbuy-jobs.com/content/transformational-learning-programs/ Additional Information About Best Buy Best Buy has sent employees to Walgreen’s Distribution Facility in Anderson, SC to learn from its best practices in empowering and integrating workers with disabilities. All Best Buy employees have access to detailed resources, including presentations, posters, tracking spreadsheets and FAQs, which aide each step in the formation and

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

growth of new EBNs. Meeting materials including sample agendas, mission and vision development resources, sign-in sheets and a facilitator’s guide are also available. Recently, the federal government helped fund the Workforce Recruitment Program at EARNWorks. The program features a database of over 2,500 pre-screened and qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are seeking summer or permanent employment. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. Best Buy’s flagship Transformational Learning Program is a three-day immersion experience in Memphis, Tennessee. In recent years, Best Buy has sent more than 1,300 workers to participate in the program, which includes a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. Each participant develops a Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan aimed at creating an inclusive environment for employees and customers. This program is an example of a hands-on learning experience. How could Best Buy create a hands-on experience to train its employees on the inclusion of people with disabilities? Examples of possible solutions: • Have employees perform their job using a wheelchair for a day. • Have employees perform a series of routine tasks while blindfolded. • Have employees shop at a Best Buy store, or another retail store, while in a wheelchair. • Supplement experiential learning with talks by Best Buy employees or customers with disabilities. 2. The INCLUDE group for persons with handicaps has three areas of focus: to utilize disability recruitment, resources and innovations to close gaps in the workforce and marketplace, to provide growth, profitability and a competitive advantage; to serve a diverse market by providing products and services expected by the customers; to communicate and educate information to the community that does not often get into the mainstream papers or news programs. Evaluate Best Buy’s performance against the three focus areas for INCLUDE. How can Best Buy improve its performance in each area a) To utilize disability recruitment, resources and innovations to close gaps in the workforce and marketplace, to provide growth, profitability and a competitive advantage? Use employee networks to recruit internally and work with local networks that serve people with disabilities to identify qualified candidates for employment.

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

b) to serve a diverse market by providing products and services expected by the customers? Best Buy could utilize its INCLUDE network to monitor the electronics marketplace for new technology offerings. The company could act as leader by testing and reviewing these new products for its disabled customers. Customers could sign up to receive information on products associated with certain disabilities. Also, Best Buy could make a section on its retail website with information on all products available for specific disabilities as well as resources for how to get more information. c) to communicate and educate information to the community that does not often get into the mainstream papers or news programs? Best Buy could more prominently feature disabled customers and employees in its advertising. In addition, the company can continue to find new avenues to make connections within the disabled community. 3. Best Buy offers financial support for local store employees to test new ways to reach out to customers with disabilities. Several specific examples are listed in the case. List three additional examples of low-cost initiatives any retail store could develop to strengthen relationships with customers with any type of disability. Examples of possible initiatives: •

Best Buy could create a hotline for customers with disabilities to call with questions about products or about in-store assistance.

•

Best Buy could create websites for people with disabilities to share reviews of technology products, publicize in-store events for customers with disabilities and provide other information for people with disabilities and their families. This site could also include information on employment at Best Buy.

4. Explain why Best Buy’s industry provides the company with incentives to create a strong culture of inclusion for people with disabilities. A 2007 report by Accenture identified three keys to sustaining growth in retail: capture, analyze and act upon customer insight; deliver on a relentless growth agenda; and create simplified and agile operating models. Together, these three areas suggest that success in the retail industry depends on speed and flexibility. To continue its growth, Best Buy must constantly update both its product offerings and the channels used to deliver them to customers. However, these initiatives may

65. The Buy Case: The Inclusion of People with Disabilities – Instructor Notes

not be sufficient for Best Buy to distinguish itself in the face of increasing competition. Therefore, Best Buy must create a deeper connection with its customers. Making meaningful and public efforts to include employees and customers with disabilities is one way to achieve this.

Writing Assignment In 2007, the Anderson School of Management at UCLA created a leadership development program for mid-level managers with disabilities. Go to http://www.anderson.ucla.edu and search for http://askjan.org “Leadership Institute for Managers with Disabilities.” Read about the program and write a one- to two-page memo to your boss justifying how both your company and the employees could benefit by sending one of your talented subordinates to this program.

Diversity on the Web Go to http://ourstories.iambestbuy.com. Search for and watch the video “Focusing on Abilities.” How does Best Buy’s commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities affect your perception of the company as a customer and as a potential employee?

Points of Law The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005). To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).

66. Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way – Case Text

NEGOTIATIONS – BWA DISCOVERS THE INDONESIAN WAY M.E. (Pete) Murphy Jared Campbell, a project manager for BWA, sat down at his desk and wondered where he should begin to fix the problems at the building site. BWA was a Canadian/American firm that had a contract to design, supply, and construct a power plant for the National Electric Company (NEC) in Indonesia. This project was part of a World Bank financed power development initiative with a value of near $1 billion U.S. dollars. Many piling casings, steel pipes that are the first step in a building’s foundation, were effective and needed to be replaced. This setback would add a six-month or longer delay to the project schedule. Besides having to reschedule materials and labor, Jared would have to calculate the cost impact and extend his family’s planned three-year stay. Although Jared was an experienced U.S. project manager who had managed other projects of equal size and complexity, this was his first international assignment. He expected that the Asian location would add additional problems, particularly in terms of communication but he felt these could be resolved with frequent progress meetings and good record keeping. To prepare for the assignment, Jared talked with other experienced BWA project managers, who had already completed complex foreign assignments. He learned that delays were common, particularly in obtaining payments and that communication could be problematic due to cultural differences.

The Issues When Jared arrived in Indonesia, some of the equipment was already at the job site. Other materials were still in the process of being shipped by sea and more was in fabrication in shops around the world. Special construction machinery and skilled workers from Japan were poised to travel to the site. Now, everything would have to be changed and rescheduled. Such delays create the need to store materials and escalate construction costs. Cash flow is interrupted and a cost of working capital is incurred. Jared needed to estimate these cost increases and prepare a contract claim with a price increase for the buyer, NEC. Since payments to BWA were based on percent of actual project work completed, this meant that payments for construction and site progress would be delayed six months. Key personnel would have to remain on the project longer and site costs added another $600,000. Construction personnel and equipment costs and specific storage costs, when added to the personnel and site costs, added to the cost of delay. Jared calculated an estimated $45 million in delayed payments. The BWA standard cost of capital (18% of $45÷2 million) was $4.5 million. In the United States, Jared would have prepared his claim calculation, submitted it with an invoice, and met with the client to discuss and negotiate a financial resolution.

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66. Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way – Case Text

Jared wasn’t as sure how to proceed in Asia, so the following week, during the regular project meeting with NEC and their engineering firm MEC, he raised the problem of the delay and the costs it would create. The NEC engineers seemed surprised and uncomfortable when Jared explained that the delay would have a cost. They asked no questions, not even what these cost would be. Instead, they told Jared that projects have delays. This one is not significant, and his company should have expected and considered them. They then moved on to other topics. Jared decided not press this issue further at this meeting. Back at his office, Jared called Anwar, who worked for the local sales service company, PT Fagar. In Indonesia, local sales agents provide access to decision-makers and help to influence the buying decision. Anwar was responsible for sales to NEC under a commission agreement. PT Fagar sold the current project and was expected to provide support. Anwar advised Jared that getting more money for the delay would be difficult because such delays are common and expected in his country. Anwar knew that NEC had little additional funding for the project and they would not be very receptive to a big claim. This would probably be a very contentious issue, difficult to present, and difficult to resolve. If Jared must pursue the claim, then the best way would be to first meet informally and learn what might be done. Anwar agreed to arrange a lunch meeting with several of the NEC and MEC project engineers.

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66. Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way – Case Text

The Informal Campaign – Asian Style At lunch, Anwar raised the issue of the project delay during conversation about the project. He explained that extra costs would occur and asked if the engineers could help find a way to cover some of these costs. He talked about the commitment from BWA and PTF to work together with NEC and make this a successful project. He said any help they could provide would be welcome. Although he explained the additional costs in detail, he never mentioned the $5 million estimate. The engineers listened and indicated that they understood the problem. The lunch conversation went on to other topics and at the end, Anwar thanked the engineers for coming. A week later, Jared happened to meet some of the same engineers at a party. While discussing the project, Jared asked about delay costs. The engineers said that it was a very difficult problem, but they had been discussing it internally. They said it might take some time to find an answer. They offered nothing else and Jared thanked them for their efforts. When Jared called Anwar to tell him about his conversation at the party, Anwar said he would investigate. Another week went by before Anwar called back to say that the engineers from NEC had suggested a meeting with their boss, the senior manager of the project, Hasan Madjid. Anwar explained that this should be an informal meeting to hear the offer that NEC would propose. He told Jared the meeting should be handled by the president of the PTF, Abdul Hasan. President Hasan knew the senior manager Madjid well and was the right person to open this discussion. Jared and Anwar met with Hasan, the president of PTF and Anwar’s boss. They explained the delay problem and the costs it created. Jared gave Hasan the estimate of $5 million. They told him about the preliminary discussions, the response, and asked him to please speak to Madjid of NEC about the problem of the delay. Hasan agreed to meet informally and explore how much NEC would be willing to pay to compensate for the delay. Hasan called Madjid and arranged to visit him several days later in the evening at his home. Hasan presented the estimate of $5 million and discussed the reasons for the estimate. Madjid said he was surprised and that NEC could not afford such a payment. He agreed that the costs to cover the additional personnel, equipment storage, and increased labor rates were reasonable, but he did not agree to the18% for the cost of capital or to any interest charges. In any case, he said that the company could not afford to pay more than a maximum offer of $1 million. Hasan indicated that he understood and would do his best to resolve the matter on this basis. Jared and Anwar met with Hasan to hear the results of the meeting with Madjid. When Hasan explained the offer of $1 million, he advised Jared to redo his cost estimate based on specific, expected cost increases in material and labor, storage, and personnel. No cash flow or interest cost could be included, since these would not be accepted. The total cost in the estimate should be close to the $1 million limit suggested. This revised estimate should remain informal for the time being, and should be given without a formal cover letter. Hasan would then meet informally again with Madjid of NEC to confirm an

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agreement. After this informal confirmation, Jared could include the claim as an agenda item for the next regular project meeting and formally present the estimate. NEC would then formally accept the claim and Jared could submit an invoice. A Different Approach After hearing these recommendations, Jared needed to update his boss and obtain approval to continue to proceed on this basis. So, Jared prepared a report, sent it back to his boss, Malcolm Johns, the VP of Project Management in Ohio, with the original calculation of the cost of delay, and reported the results from the many informal meetings. Jared recommended that his company accept the $1 million in delay payments tentatively offered, and seek other ways to minimize the cost of the delay. Jared felt that he handled the matter well, even though the offer was well below the estimate, it was probably all they could expect to get. Within a week, Jared received a fax directly from his division Vice-President, Alex Stewart. He was told that the $1 million was not enough and that he should prepare and present an invoice for the full $5 million claim. When Jared called Alex and tried to explain the situation and the reason for his recommendation, Alex said this approach was wrong. There was no need for all of these informal discussions. Anwar and his local company, PTF, were just a sales group and knew nothing about managing construction projects and delay claims. The contract was quite clear. NEC must pay all reasonable costs since they were responsible for the delay and the calculation of the costs were based on long-time industry standards. He ordered Jared to meet directly with NEC and to negotiate a better deal. Alex also told Jared that he was sending Malcolm, Jared’s boss, to assist in the negotiation of the claim because Malcolm had a lot of useful experience in these types of claims. Jared was told to set up a meeting with Madjid at NEC for early next week. Malcolm would fly in the day before, meet with Madjid for the first time, present the invoice, and negotiate the additional payment. Jared hung up the phone in shock. Jared tried calling Malcolm to promote the acceptance of the $1 million settlement but Malcolm seemed confident he could make a better deal in the meeting next week. The Meeting - American Style When he arrived, Malcolm spent some time reviewing the delay cost calculations with Jared, but made no changes. The following day Jared and Malcolm met with two engineers who had been involved informally and two other NEC managers. After introductions and the exchange of business cards, Malcolm went directly to the topic. He passed out the delay cost calculation and an invoice for $5 million. He discussed the details of the claim calculation and pointed out that a standard industry format was used in the calculation. He concluded by stating that the delay costs were justified and amounted to $5 million U.S. dollars, which NEC was obligated to pay under the terms of the contract. When he finished his explanation, there was silence. Finally, Madjid quietly said, “We reject your claim for delay costs. You will not be paid. There is no point to

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discuss the matter further.” Then he stood, as did the others from his company, and left. Malcolm looked at Jared and asked, “What just happened?” Discussion Questions 1. What reaction did Jared get the first time he raised the delay cost with NEC? In terms of hierarchy and uncertainty, what was happening? 2. Why did Jared consult Anwar? Why did Anwar take the approach that he did? Why didn’t Anwar handle the problem himself? 3. Did Jared make any mistakes in getting the $1 million offer? Did he get the best deal for his company? Should they have handled things differently? How? What were the cultural issues in terms of relationship, harmony and time? 4. Why did things go so wrong with Jared’s managers in Ohio? What should he have done differently? Could Jared have better prepared the way as a link between cultures? 5. After Jared was instructed by his Vice-President to present the original claim, was it too late to save the situation? Why or Why not? What other actions could have been taken by Anwar? by Jared? 6. What really happened in the meeting with NEC? What were NEC’s expectations? Why did they do what they did? 7. Will Jared now be able to get any money for the delay? Explain. 8. What is a contract? Why were there different views of a contract? Is one view right and the other wrong? At this point should Jared’s company sue? 9. American businesses often use the phrase “Time is money”. What is the issue with this expression in terms of the interest and time value of money? How are these issues viewed in different cultures? 10. What is the model for resolving problems in Asia? Do American managers have to follow this model when working in Asia? 11. There are some very successful economies in Asia and a lot of business is getting done. So, how does this happen if every time you go to a business meeting you can’t discuss the important issues and you can’t suggest any solutions?

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Epilogue No one from NEC was ever willing to discuss the delay claim again, formally or informally, either with Anwar or representatives of PTF. Jared began to have other project problems, particularly the processing of any invoices for payment. Unpaid invoices piled up and Jared received very little cooperation from anyone in NEC in resolving any problems. The project became increasingly difficult to manage. Some months later at the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, Anwar called Jared and suggested a solution. The last two days of Ramadan are holidays and days of atonement known as Idul Fitri. Atonement means that forgiveness can be asked, and if asked, it should be given. Anwar suggested going to Madjid at NEC during these days and asking for forgiveness. Madjid did see them and Jared asked for forgiveness for any wrongs he or his company had committed in the past year. Madjid expressed his appreciation and assured Jared that they would work together in the coming year. No mention was made of any specific project problems or claims. Jared did not get to discuss the delay claim again and no payment was ever made but other problems simply disappeared. Other invoices got paid, problems got resolved, and the project working relationship improved enormously. The $1 million payment offered was never mentioned again. The contract terms could have supported a delay claim payment, but BWA would probably have to file a suit in local courts, an unwise choice for a foreign firm. The delay costs were minimized in other ways. __________ For further reproduction permission contact M.E. Murphy at: Petemurphy3@gmail.com

Bibliography Ferraro, G. P. (2006). The Cultural Dimension of International Business. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond Culture. New York: Doubleday. Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values. London: Sage. Kluckhohn, F. & Strodtbeck, F. L. (1961). Variations in Value Orientations. New York: Harper & Row. Salacuse, J W. (2004, September/October). Negotiating: The top ten ways that culture can effect your negotiation. Ivey Business Journal, 1-6.

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Writing Assignment Countries and cultures are not homogeneous. Although each culture and each country has distinctive social and business customs, the members of each culture vary considerably from each other. In addition, when individuals migrate to another culture, they make changes in their social and business behavior as they adapt and integrate into the new culture. Research members of the country you selected for your Briefing Paper who now reside in the United States. Write a two or three page explanation of how their current social and business customs differ from those of their country of origin.

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Diversity on the Web BRIEFING PAPER M. June Allard Assumption College Worcester State University, Professor Emerita You have been assigned the task of preparing a briefing paper for teams departing for an extended overseas assignment in one of the countries listed below. The briefing paper will present in very concise form, important information about the country and its people – information that will aid the visitors in understanding and in living in the country. Assume that the team members know very little about the country to which they are being sent and assume further that many will have their families with them. General Country Information. Include information such as: geographic location, climate, type of government, currency, religion, ethnicity/ethnic groups, relationships, class structure, sources of national pride, ratings on Hofstede’s dimensions (Hofstede ratings may be included under Business Customs and Behaviors instead), etc. Social Customs and Manners. Include information on greetings, forms of proper address, dress code, tipping, gift-giving, attitudes toward foreigners, general etiquette and manners, etc. Business Customs and Behaviors. Include information such as greetings, business card usage, gift-giving, dress code, religious significance, communication and negotiation style, attitude toward women workers, attitude toward older workers, etc. COUNTRIES Asia______

Central and South America

CHINA RUSSIA JAPAN MALAYSIA TURKEY INDIA SOUTH KOREA

ARGENTINA BOLIVIA BRAZIL CHILE MEXICO PERU VENEZUELA

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Suggested Internet Sources for Briefing Paper http://globaledge.msu.edu http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/busresmain.asp?ResourceCategoryID=17 http://www.state.gov/www/regions/background_info_countries.html http://getcustoms.com http://cyborlink.com http://cyborlink.com/besite/hofstede.htm http://cyborlink.com/default.htm http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Cultures_and_Groups/Cultures/ http://www.itim.org

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66. Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way – Instructor’s Notes

NEGOTIATIONS – BWA DISCOVERS THE INDONESIAN WAY M. E. (Pete) Murphy

Goals •

To show students how cultural factors can significantly alter the process of business negotiations

•

To engage students in a discussion of the cultural origins of traditional American business behaviors that do not necessarily extend to other business environments and cultures

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To increase knowledge about the fundamental concepts of culture that can create different behaviors and priorities between cultures

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To prepare students to work in the global business environment with a clear expectation of different norms and priorities, so they will understand that learning about culture and diversity is an important component of business success

Synopsis The American business meeting is highly influenced by American cultural values, particularly speed and efficiency. When business people come together for the purpose of dealing with issues, finding solutions, and planning action, the meeting is governed by norms that come from traditional practices and legal principles. Most Americans in business know these norms and this process, but they do not understand that they are uniquely American. This case, which is true, is about an American manager Jared Campbell recently sent to Indonesia to supervise a major construction project. Immediately, he is confronted with a costly construction delay where the traditional American direct methods do not work. Since he cannot confront the problem directly in a meeting, he must adapt to new cultural norms where the business meeting plays a very different role. This creates conflict within his own organization and with the clients.

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66. Negotiations – BWA Discovers the Indonesian Way – Instructor’s Notes

Teaching Tips This is an excellent case to use to illustrate inter-cultural communication and negotiation issues and the impact they have on solving problems and resolving conflicts. It also works well when considering how to prepare personnel to serve an organization in a different cultural environment.

Key Concepts in Culture Harmony and Hierarchy Two very important components of Asian culture are harmony and hierarchy. Public disagreement violates harmony. Raising a new issue, taking an opposed position, suggesting actions in a business meeting; they all risk upsetting the harmony of the business relationship. This may cause “loss of face”, i.e. public embarrassment for Asian business people. This kind of embarrassment is serious enough to disrupt the deal and stall any progress, even when that disruption creates a financial disadvantage. In American business culture, the focus is on the action, getting the deal done but this doesn’t work in Asian cultures. Public harmony is best explained through Hofstede’s uncertainty avoidance measure. Societies with high uncertainty avoidance view conflict and emotion as unacceptable in public. Informal discussion is preferred when conflict is likely, and formal discussion is only permitted when conflict is resolved and the outcome certain. In general, Asian societies have high levels of uncertainty avoidance. American society tends to have low uncertainty avoidance. Americans therefore tolerate open public conflict and use the business meeting as a place to resolve conflict. In the case, the first time the delay claim is raised, there is immediate avoidance. It is an unknown topic with uncertain outcome. Therefore, discussion is shutdown without any exploration of details. Anwar suggests and arranges informal discussion because in his culture, his procedure is used when conflict is likely. The informal exchange allows possibilities to be explored without the commitment of a public meeting. Positions can be changed without embarrassment or loss of face. For the Americans, the final meeting between the senior manager and the company VP was expected to be the formal confirmation of the settlement offering. Therefore, the senior manager was both surprised and publicly embarrassed, or even humiliated, when the demand for full claim payment was made. Clearly, the senior U.S. managers had no understanding of this important cultural difference. Differences in attitudes about hierarchy between Americans and Asians created another cultural obstacle in the case. Rank in Asia commands respect. You do not contribute in a business meeting unless specifically invited to contribute by the ranking member present. No matter how good your idea, no matter that you have the solution, you keep quiet. You

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bring a pencil and bite down hard every time you have the urge to speak. Even if you are specifically invited to contribute, whatever you say should not, in any way, contradict the position of the ranking member of your organization. If this happens, there will be a “loss of face”, and this will be the last meeting you attend for a long time. The equality hierarchy dimension is explained through Hofstede’s power distance dimension. In societies with high power distance and clear hierarchical structures, employees do not take the initiative to solve problems. Instead, one’s role is to determine what the senior person in the hierarchy will want done. This person is sometimes called the father or bapak (bah’pahk) in Indonesia. This is the preferred way to resolve conflict. No decisions can be made unless the desired outcome of the superior is known. Asian societies, in general, are hierarchical societies with a preference to push decisions to the highest organizational level possible. American society, by contrast, is egalitarian, with authority delegated, and a preference for the best solution to the conflict, often regardless of the opinion of superiors. In this case, when the claim is first raised at the project meeting, no one will risk discussing the claim because the position of the superiors is unknown. The sales agent begins the informal process with the engineers, asking for help, which is really a request to find out the position of their superiors. The agent and the engineers both know the solution will come from the superior. The president has the initial informal meetings with the senior manager both due to relationship and title. In the local business hierarchy, the president is on the right level to meet with the senior manager. Anwar and Jared are not at that level. In the final meeting with the senior manager, Jared is able to arrange the meeting because his boss is a vice-president and will be attending. Otherwise, Jared would probably not be given his own meeting with the senior manager. Because Jared would be at the meeting, the senior manager invited the engineers who were Jared’s equals.

Establishing Relationships Strong relationships and cooperation can also interfere with the American style of business meetings. A relationship of trust and cooperation must be in place in Asia to before moving to a formal business meeting. Managers and their companies must be known in the proper context. Participants must have confidence that you will behave properly, with patience and harmony for the group. In many Asian societies, this obstacle must be overcome by using a third party, generally a local firm or individual like Anwar who will “vouch” for you and your company. Relationships can be explained by using the individual versus collective characteristic of societies. This characteristic can be found throughout the literature beginning with Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961). Asian societies, in general, highly value collective action. The emphasis is on the group and obligations that are created through business activities. American society, by contrast, is oriented toward the individual, self-reliance,

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and personal achievement. Connections are casual and with little obligation. Getting things done is more important than relationships. In this case, Anwar and his company are the third party that won the contract for the U.S. company by vouching for their good behavior. The president, in meeting with the senior manager, is providing assurance that the U.S. company can be trusted to accept a solution that is good for everyone. The U.S. managers, however, behave in a typical, American way, demanding their terms with no regard for the relationship. They see no value in the local representative agency. When the VP shows up for the first time, he launches into a negotiation without regard for establishing context or trust. This is incredibly offensive to the Asian side. It will also cause significant difficulty for the local agency, because the U.S. company has behaved badly.

Timeline Time is the final factor that impacts the business meeting and problem resolution. In most Asian societies, except for Japan, time is simply not very important. Relationships come first and schedule is just an approximation of how things might be organized. In the Indonesian language, the term Jam Keret (Jahm carrot’ - rubber time) is used to explain every delay. Of course, this attitude is in glaring contrast to the American need for punctuality and scheduling. Edward Hall (1976) used the terms polychronic and monochronic to describe the difference between low and high time focus, or time as a friend and time as money. This case raises the issue of time and delay. The monochronic, hard schedule approach of American culture and business does not work well in Asia. “Time is money” is not accepted as truth. Delay as a cause of cost and the expectation of compensation for delay is not automatic and must be well justified. In this case, the development and resolution of the claim proceeds on a rather leisurely pace. In Asia, the process is more important than the time. Back in the United States, things suddenly move more quickly, with the demand to get a meeting and get this issue resolved. The Cost of Money Finally, the cost of money, interest, is not widely accepted as a legitimate cost in many Asian societies. In Muslim countries, charging interest is a violation of the Koran, and a cost justification based on cost of capital is likely to go nowhere. How a claim for delay is presented is very important in determining the ultimate success.

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So How Does Business Get Done? The answer is that the culture has developed different methods to raise and resolve business issues, as described in this case. These methods are less public, more private methods that respect the cultural need for harmony and hierarchy. Asian business people use private direct discussion and intermediaries to deal with difficult issues, disagreements, and negotiations. The business meeting is where the agreements that result from these private discussions are publicly confirmed and where a solution that all sides have already adopted is acknowledged and embraced. Harmony and hierarchy are maintained when the ranking members present the solution and no “face” is at risk. It all works very well for them, except that it is a bit slower than most American business people would like. However, Americans soon learn that disrupting harmony and hierarchy stops the process and then there is no progress at all. Discussion Questions and Answers 1. What reaction did Jared get the first time he raised the delay cost with NEC? In terms of hierarchy and uncertainty, what was happening? Jared first raised the delay cost in a formal meeting which was the wrong place. Nothing had been informally discussed and no agreements reached. A discussion could lead to conflict and unpredictable outcomes in a public forum. This would be a loss of harmony and a potential loss of face. The participants were low in the hierarchy and not able to make any decisions. Discussing this issue was just too risky. The result was a denial of the issue. 2. Why did Jared consult Anwar? Why did Anwar take the approach that he did? Why didn’t Anwar handle the problem himself? Anwar worked for the agency representing BWA, Jared’s company. The primary function of an agent is to be the trusting face for the foreign company in the relationship with the local company/customer. A relationship of trust can be more quickly created if a known, local company vouches for the unknown foreign firm. Anwar’s firm has taken this role but Anwar does not have the rank and respect to personally resolve problems that are in opposition to the decision makers from NEC. He, like Jared, is at a working level. Anwar’s job is to arrange the meetings, suggest the agenda, and lead both sides to the solution, all behind the scenes. 3. Did Jared make any mistakes in getting the $1 million offer? Did he get the best deal for his company? Should he have handled things differently? How? What were the cultural issues in terms of relationship, harmony and time? Jared recognized that he was involved in a different cultural and business process. He used relationship through Anwar’s company to initiate the required informal

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negotiation. He maintained harmony by avoiding conflict and respecting rank. He was patient and allowed the process the required time to yield a good result. He obtained a significant concession for delay, even though delay is considered in Asia to be a business problem that should be anticipated and absorbed. He probably got the best possible deal for his company. 4. Why did things go so wrong with Jared’s manager in Ohio? What should he have done differently? Could Jared have better prepared the way as a link between cultures? Jared assumed his managers would understand the new cultural context. This was a mistake. Most business people do not see that cultural diversity and business negotiations are linked because they see business processes only from their own experience, without understanding that other cultures often do it a different way. Since Jared was the link between the cultures, he had to take the time to train and sell his own company on the new culture and methods of doing business. He was learning, but he also needed to be the link so that others in BWA could also learn. 5. After Jared was instructed by his vice president to present the original claim, was it too late to save the situation? Why or why not? What other actions could have been taken by Anwar? By Jared? Anwar could have traveled with Jared to Ohio to try to save the situation by explaining the cultural implications of the business issues. Even so, it was likely too late. Jared needed more time to introduce the cultural business issues involved in doing business in Indonesia. These changes can be understood, but the concepts take time, particularly for people who have never lived or worked in a different culture. 6. What really happened in the meeting with NEC? What were NEC’s expectations? Why did they do what they did? NEC expected a formal meeting to affirm that the agreement was reached but instead they were surprised. Because trust was violated, harmony was at risk through open conflict. Rather than risk conflict and further disrespect, they chose to quietly leave the meeting and later show their disapproval in other indirect ways. 7. Will Jared now be able to get any money for the delay? Explain. Since the trust relationship was violated, no other agreement is possible. 8. What is a contract? Why were there different views of a contract? Is one view right and the other wrong? At this point should Jared’s company sue? Contracts in U.S. culture and business processes are the governing documents and the only documents. Contract language expressly says this, “the only agreement”.

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Modifying the contract requires a new negotiation and a formal contract addendum. In Asian culture, the contract is a binding agreement, but one that can be changed as circumstances change. It is a flexible document. These changes can be quickly and easily made. Formal meetings are often the forum for change. There is no expectation in Asia that contracts will ever have to be enforced by courts. Courts are not independent and can be corrupt. The agreement is enforced by the relationship. Therefore, the contract does not have to be a fixed agreement, and change needs only an informal recognition by the parties. In the U.S., contracts often end up in court for enforcement and courts require a clear agreement and contract process. The courts can choose not to enforce a contract or terms that do not derive from a proper process. A lawsuit by a foreign company in Indonesian court against any local firm would be a waste of time and money. There is little chance the court will rule for the foreign firm. 9. American businesses often use the phrase “Time is money.” What is the issue with this expression in terms of the interest and time value of money? How are these issues viewed in different cultures? The cost of money and interest are a Western concept. They are still not recognized as valid costs in Islamic cultures. Therefore, there is an expectation that these costs, while real, will be considered and included in any project. Separately identifying these costs and making a request for compensation is unexpected and usually unacceptable. Jared did very well to get any compensation offer for the delay.

10. What is the model for resolving problems in Asia? Do American managers have to follow this model when working in Asia? Informal discussion and negotiation is the basis of the model. This model respects relationships and harmony and does not put anyone at risk. Difficult problems can be explored without any formal commitment. Rank is respected and used to develop solutions for decision makers. Another issue is time. It is a slow process and does not fit well with the U.S. concept that time is money. 11. There are some very successful economies in Asia and a lot of business is getting done. So, how does this happen if every time you go to a business meeting you can’t discuss the important issues and you can’t suggest any solutions? A lot is going on behind the scenes. All kinds of informal settings are used to exchange information, get ideas and seek solutions. In Indonesia and many other Asian countries a running club, the Hash House Harriers, offers weekly runs and

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social hours. This is a typical venue for the exchange of information about project problems and potential solutions. Business success in Asia requires learning this informal system. It has to be used. Used correctly, it can facilitate success.

Epilogue Because of these cultural conflicts, the negotiation failed. Even though the local BWA manager learned about the conflicts and attempted to adapt, he was unable to convince inexperienced senior managers to change. The cost was one million U.S. dollars.

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