© 2008The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ChapterChapter 22

Managing Diversity: Releasing

Every Employee’s

Potential

Copyright © 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Ch. 2 Learning Objectives

1. Define diversity and review the four layers of diversity.

2. Explain the difference between affirmative action and managing diversity.

3. Explain why Alice Eagly and Linda Arlie believe that a women’s career is best viewed as traveling through a labyrinth.

4. Review the demographic trends pertaining to racial groups, educational mismatches, and an aging workforce.

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Ch. 2 Learning Objectives (con’t)

5. Highlight the managerial implications of increasing diversity in the workforce.

6. Describe the positive and negative effects of diversity by using social categorization theory and information/decision-making theory.

7. Identify the barriers and challenges to managing diversity.

8. Discuss the organizational practices used to effectively manage diversity as identified by R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.

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Understanding DiversityDiversity: Host of individual differences that make us similar and different from each otherPlease stand up…..If the statement made doesn’t pertain to you have a seat!If a statement does describe you, stand up again!

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The Four Layers of Diversity

Personality

Functional Level/ Classification

Geographic Location

Age

WorkLocation Seniority

Division/Dept./Unit/

Group

WorkContent/

Field

UnionAffiliation

Mgmt.Status

MaritalStatus

ParentalStatus

Appearance

EducationalBackground

WorkExperience

Race

Income

PersonalHabits

Religion

RecreationalHabits

Ethnicity

PhysicalAbility

SexualOrientation

Source: L Gardenswartz and A Rowe, Diverse Teams at Work: Capitalizing on the Power of Diversity (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994), p. 33

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Test Your Knowledge

Sam is a 55 year-old, male Sales Manager for XYZ corporation. He likes to drive fast cars and is Native American. Which layer of diversity has not been mentioned about Sam?

A.PersonalityB.InternalC.ExternalD.Organizational 2-6

Affirmative Action

Goal: Prevent discriminationNever required to hire unqualified people

Your OpinionHave affirmative action programs been good for society?

•A=Yes, B=No

Are affirmative action programs still necessary?

•A=Yes, B=No

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Managing Diversity

Enables all people to perform up to their maximum potential.How can managing diversity be a competitive advantage? 2-8

Increased Workforce Diversity - Women

Glass Ceiling• Invisible barrier blocking women

and minorities from top management positions

Women CEO’s (as of 2008):•12 of Fortune 500 •24 of Fortune 1000

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Navigating a Labyrinth

Women have made great strides in organizational power and influenceLabyrinth – maze, difficult to find one’s wayWomen’s careers have similar twists, turns and obstructions

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Increased Workforce Diversity - Race

Racial minorities are growing•2007 – 998

race-based charges of discrimination to EEOC

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Education and Personal Income

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Does the US have the skills to compete?

World’s population of college students• 30% 30 years ago – now 14%

American students place in the middle to bottom of the pack in comparison to international counterparts in achievement in • Math• Science • General literacy

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Increased Workforce Diversity - Age

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Generational Differences

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Your Experience

For school group projects, it has been easier to work with groups we could choose rather than one’s the professor chose.• 1= Strongly Disagree• 2 = Disagree• 3 = Neutral• 4 = Agree• 5 = Strongly Agree

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Managerial Implications - Gender

Provide developmental assignments to womenFacilitate the labyrinth-like path to career successWomen should:• Be exceptionally competent & seek out mentors• Build social capital• Assist work/life balance by delegating housework• Improve negotiating skills• Take credit for accomplishments• Create a partnership with spouse to be mutually

supportive• Balance need to be assertive and communal

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Managerial Implications – Race & Education

Race• Provide meaningful mentoring relationships to

people of color

Education-based• Encourage students to become educated in

technical fields• Provide remedial skills training

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Managerial Implications – AgeProvide challenging work assignments that make a difference to the firmGive the employee considerable autonomy and latitude in completing a task.Provide equal access to training and learning opportunities when it comes to new technology.Provide frequent recognition for skills, experience, and wisdom gained over the years.Provide mentoring opportunities whereby older workers can pass on accumulated knowledge to younger employees.Ensure that older workers receive sensitive, high-quality supervisionDesign a work environment that is both stimulating and fun.

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Pros and Cons of Diversity

Social categorization theory•Similarity leads to liking and

attraction

Information/Decision-Making Theory•Diversity leads to better task-

relevant processes and decision-making

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A Process Model of Diversity

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Effects of Diverse Work Environments

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Effects of Diverse Work Environments

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Managing Diversity

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Challenges to Managing Diversity

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Thomas’s Generic Action Options

Responses to handling diversity issues:Option 1: Include/ExcludeOption 2: DenyOption 3: AssimilateOption 4: SuppressOption 5: IsolateOption 6: TolerateOption 7: Build RelationshipsOption 8: Foster Mutual Adaptation

Which ones are most effective for managing diversity?

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