CH. 13 Managing Diversity

In the context of diversity initiatives and programs, an effective way to eliminate the glass ceiling is:

.developing mentoring relationships in companies.

The dividends of diversity include the following:

Better use of employee talent. Companies with the best talent are the ones with the best competitive advantage. Attracting a diverse workforce is not enough; companies must also provide career opportunities and advancement for minorities and women to retain them. Increased understanding of the marketplace. A diverse workforce is better able to anticipate and respond to changing consumer needs. Ford Motor Company realized it could reach its business objectives only if it created a workforce that reflected the multicultural face of the country. So it assembled a workforce made up of 25 percent minorities to foster a culture of inclusion; as a result, the company won a spot on Black Enterprise's "40 Best Companies for Diversity." Enhanced breadth of understanding in leadership positions. Homogeneous top management teams tend to be myopic in their perspectives. According to Niall FitzGerald of Unilever, "It is important for any business operating in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment to deploy a broad range of talents. That provides a breadth of understanding of the world and environment and a fusion of the very best values and different perspectives which make up that world." Increased quality of team problem solving. Teams with diverse backgrounds bring different perspectives to a discussion that result in more creative ideas and better solutions. A recent research project found that when people participated in diverse teams, their answers to problems were 58 percent more accurate than those of people participating in homogenous teams. Moreover, performance improved over time as people worked within a diverse group, while performance of the homogenous groups tended to go in the opposite direction as people began to copy one another or agree to solutions without debate. Reduced costs associated with high turnover, absenteeism, and lawsuits. Companies that foster a diverse workforce reduce turnover, absenteeism, and the risk of lawsuits. Because family responsibilities contribute to turnover and absenteeism, many companies now offer child-care and elder-care benefits, flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, and part-time employment to accommodate employee responsibilities at home. Discrimination lawsuits are also a costly side effect of a discriminatory work environment. A racial harassment suit against Lockheed Martin Corporation cost the company $2.5 million, the largest individual racial-discrimination payment obtained by the EEOC

Which of the following is a similarity between the inclusive model and the traditional model of diversity?

Both include inborn differences that are immediately observable. The dimensions of diversity in the traditional model include inborn differences that are immediately observable and include race, gender, age, and physical ability.

The greatest disadvantages of women leaders stem largely from attitudes centered on ethnorelativism.

F The greatest disadvantages of women leaders stem largely from prejudicial attitudes and a heavily male-oriented corporate culture

The following list categorizes various forms of sexual harassment as defined by one university:

Generalized. This form involves sexual remarks and actions that are not intended to lead to sexual activity but that are directed toward a coworker based solely on gender and reflect on the entire group. Inappropriate/offensive. Although it is not sexually threatening, the behavior causes discomfort in a coworker, whose reaction in avoiding the harasser may limit his or her freedom and ability to function in the workplace. Solicitation with promise of reward. This action treads a fine line as an attempt to "purchase" sex, with the potential for criminal prosecution. Coercion with threat of punishment. The harasser coerces a coworker into sexual activity by using the threat of power (through recommendations, grades, promotions, and so on) to jeopardize the victim's career. Sexual crimes and misdemeanors. The highest level of sexual harassment, these acts would, if reported to the police, be considered felonies or misdemeanors.

discrimination

If someone acts out their prejudicial attitudes toward people who are the targets of their prejudice Making hiring and promotion decisions based on criteria that are not job-relevant. (2) When someone acts out their negative attitudes toward people who are the targets of their prejudice.

Which of the following is a dividend of workplace diversity?

Increased understanding of the marketplace A dividend of diversity includes increased understanding of the marketplace. A diverse workforce is better able to anticipate and respond to changing consumer needs

Ryan, a white manager, thinks that his knowledge of management and marketing is greater than Anil's, a nonwhite colleague. Ryan always demeans Anil's suggestions and terms his ideas as mediocre and useless. Ryan believes that his race and consequently, his ideas, are superior to Anil's. Given this information, Ryan believes in _____.

Ryan believes in ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own group and culture are inherently superior to other groups and cultures

Managing diversity means creating a climate in which the potential advantages of diversity for organizational performance are maximized, while the potential disadvantages are minimized.

T Managing diversity, a key management skill in today's global economy, means creating a climate in which the potential advantages of diversity for organizational or group performance are maximized, while the potential disadvantages are minimized. See 13-2: Managing Diversity

Ethnorelativism

The belief that groups and cultures are inherently equal.

Elise, an introvert, joins Berries'n'Desserts, a frozen yogurt company, where staff members sing popular songs while making customers' treats. The majority of Elise's coworkers are extroverted, loud, and outgoing, whereas Elise is shy and reserved. Despite these differences, Elise's peers and supervisors appreciate Elise for her creativity and personality. Which of the following statements is true about the company for which Elise works?

The company embraces the inclusive model of diversity.

Which of the following is a reason that some managers in technology companies cite for the dearth of minority employees holding higher level positions?

The pool of skilled, nonwhite, nonmale candidates is small. Managers in technology companies are trying new approaches to bring in more diverse employees, but executives say they find themselves fighting over the same small pool of nonwhite, nonmale candidates, particularly for higher level positions

Which of the following is true of employee affinity groups?

They are a powerful way to reduce social isolation for women and minorities. s

Ananya has been working for a Fortune 500 company for over a decade; she is being vetted for a senior management position. When she is invited to meet with the CEO and president of the board of the company, Ananya mentions that she plans to marry soon and that family is her priority. Which of the following perceptions will most likely affect her superior's decision?

Women tend to make incremental decisions based on future plans.

bamboo ceiling

a combination of cultural and organizational barriers that impede Asians' career progress.

monoculture

a culture that accepts only one way of doing things and one set of values and beliefs, which can cause problems for minority employees. People of color, women, gay and transgender people, the disabled, the elderly, and other diverse employees may feel undue pressure to conform, may be victims of stereotyping attitudes, and may be presumed deficient because they are different

managing diversity

a key management skill in today's global economy, means creating a climate in which the potential advantages of diversity for organizational or group performance are maximized, while the potential disadvantages are minimized.

A senior citizen possesses the qualifications and experience necessary for a position in a company and is interviewed by a panel of young managers. He loses the job opportunity to a younger, inexperienced candidate. This is due to:

age discrimination.

Pluralism

an organization accommodates several subcultures. Movement toward pluralism seeks to integrate fully into the organization the employees who otherwise would feel isolated and ignored.

Employee affinity groups

based on social identity, such as gender or race, and are organized within companies to focus on concerns of employees from that group. pursue a variety of activities: meetings to educate top managers, mentoring, networking, training sessions and skills seminars, minority internship, community volunteer

Ethnocentrism

belief that one's own group and culture are inherently superior to other groups and cultures. Ethnocentrism makes it difficult for managers to value diversity. Viewing one's own culture as the best culture is a natural tendency among most people. Moreover, the business world still tends to reflect the values, behaviors, and assumptions based on the experiences of a rather homogeneous, white, middle-class, male workforce.

Diversity initiatives and programs

benefits of diversity: maintain competitive advantage improve employee morale decrease interpersonal conflict facilitate progress in new markets increase creativity

opt-out trend

highly educated, professional women deciding corporate success isn't worth the price in terms of reduced family and personal time

two issues that show how the environment and the workplace are changing

increased diversity more women workers

mentor

is a higher-ranking organizational member who is committed to providing upward mobility and support to a protégé's professional career. Mentoring provides minorities and women with direct training and inside information on the norms and expectations of the organization. A mentor also acts as a friend or counselor, enabling the employee to feel more confident and capable.

glass ceiling

is an invisible barrier that exists for women and minorities that limits their upward mobility in organizations. They can look up through the ceiling and see top management, but prevailing attitudes and stereotypes are invisible obstacles to their own advancement.

A(n) ________ is a higher-ranking organizational member who is committed to providing upward mobility and support to a protégé's professional career.

mentor

A _________is a culture that accepts only one way of doing things and one set of values and beliefs.

monoculture a culture that accepts only one way of doing things and one set of values and beliefs, which can cause problems for minority employees

why women are better

more collaborative, less hierarchical, relationship oriented approach in tune with todays global and multicultural environment

Unconscious bias

occurs when a person is not aware of the bias in his or her favorable and unfavorable assessments, actions, and decisions toward members of specific groups. Some sociologists and psychologists have proposed that people have innate biases and, left to their own devices, they will automatically discriminate. Unconscious bias theory suggests that white males, for example, will inevitably slight women and minorities because people's decisions are influenced by unconscious bias.

In the context of diversity initiatives and programs, an organization can expand recruitment efforts by:

offering internship programs to give people opportunities.

The tendency to view people who are different as being deficient is known as:

prejudice

diversity of thought

provides a broader and deeper base of ideas, opinions, and experiences for problem solving, creativity, and innovation. Managers who cultivate a diversity of thought significantly increase the chance of creating hard-to-replicate competitive advantage. By tapping into the strengths of diversity, teams are more likely to experience higher efficiency, better quality, less duplication of effort among team members, and increased innovation and creativity.

Ajay, a young employee working for an online startup company, was recently promoted to the post of a manager. He was asked to help two senior managers understand the applications of a new web-based software that the company had adopted. This is an example of:

reverse mentoring. Many companies are using reverse mentoring. Rather than having an older, more experienced manager mentor a younger employee, reverse mentoring has younger managers and employees helping older workers navigate the challenges they face with new technology

stereotypes

rigid, exaggerated, irrational beliefs associated with a particular group of people

chief diversity officer

role is to create working environments where women and minorities can flourish

inclusion

the degree to which an employee feels like an esteemed member of a group in which his or her uniqueness is highly appreciated. Inclusion creates a strong sense of belonging and a trust that all people can have their voices heard and appreciated

Prejudice

the tendency to view people who are different as being deficient.

factors shaping personal bias

unconscious bias, prejudice, discrimination, stereotypes, and ethnocentrism, creates a number of challenges for minority managers and employees.