Uscg preventing and addressing workplace harassment quizlet

Managing

Workplace Diversity

Selina A. Griswold

Copyright © 2010, 2013 by Etextbooks Publishing Company

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-0-9717912-7-5

Table of Contents Cover Page

About the Author

Preface

Acknowledgements

Special Thanks

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Appendix

About the Author

Selina A. Griswold has been a business professor at The University of Toledo for over 20 years. She has authored two additional textbooks—Managing Diversity in the Workplace and Workplace Diversity: A Training Guide for Individuals & Organizations. She has developed several diversity courses as well as a Diversity Management Certificate Program that is available for professionals and students alike. She was the founder and director of the Minority Mentorship Program. This program provided first generation minority and female college students with a professional mentor and the educational support services needed to be successful. The program was funded privately and also by the president of the university.

As an educator, Professor Griswold has received various research and teaching accolades from The University of Toledo’s Teacher of the Year, The University of Toledo’s Woman of the Year to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. In addition to teaching, Professor Griswold has spent a number of years providing consulting services to local and regional organizations in the areas of diversity and small business management. Prior to teaching and consulting, she was a Financial Analyst at Ford Motor Company, North American Automotive Operations in Dearborn, Michigan. Professor Griswold has her business undergraduate degree from The University of Toledo and graduate degrees from Purdue University & NorthCentral University. Her degrees have focused in the business area (Accounting, Computer Systems and Organizational Behavior) with additional concentrations in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

I welcome questions, suggestions and comments from users and potential adopters of the text.

Selina A. Griswold Associate Professor The University of Toledo College of Business 2801 W. Bancroft Toledo, OH 43606 419-530-3310 selina.griswold@utoledo.edu

mailto:selina.griswold%40utoledo.edu
Preface

A key competitive advantage for organizations in the future will be how to make the best use of their human resources. Traditional management methods and organizational structures will need to increasingly utilize the skills of women, people of color, immigrants, older workers, the disabled, and those with various lifestyles and religions. Diversity has replaced homogeneity as the business norm. Especially in private industry, where they are faced with reengineering, a more competitive marketplace, the global business environment and the changing way of conducting business, managing diversity is a critical issue that must be addressed effectively.

This textbook was developed to provide resources to help managers, students and employees (1) understand what it means to value diversity (2) effectively manage the diversity of their office/work areas and (3) integrate researched concepts and common sense ideas into their day-to-day business. Managers as well as employees can benefit from this text by expanding their knowledge on the range of topics that encompass difference and an understanding of Equal Employment Opportunity Laws. Managers and employees alike will gain a better understanding of self and others all while exploring answers to questions as it relates to valuing and managing diversity.

The textbook is able to accomplish the above through the wide-ranging list of topics addressed. The textbook focuses on understanding historical oppression and how this impacts valuing difference in the workplace. Valuing difference is critical because it seems much easier to manage what you value. Once able to “really” value difference then the mind becomes ready to handle and apply what the law says with a full understanding of why these laws exist. Within the text, each chapter begins with a famous proverb that starts the journey of critically thinking about the information to come. The conversational tone of each chapter will engage the reader to examine their own beliefs as well as begin to view issues through the lens of others. Through the extensive list of concepts covered, once done readers should be able to:

Promote and support diversity initiatives; contribute to workplace diversity councils

Serve as an advocate on EEO/diversity management issues; working to correct problems, eliminate social barriers, and replicate practices that positively impact diversity goals and objectives;

Consider becoming a formal or informal mentor to support departmental diversity;

Promote the creation of a work environment that reflects the mosaic of the communities we serve.

Acknowledgements

To the many students who have taken my Managing Diversity in the Workplace course over the last decade, I appreciate the feedback and pre-test/post-test data (which often indicated that learning took place throughout the course). Many of these students have pointed out that the course should be required of all learners in higher education. Thanks also to the expert reviewers whose comments have contributed to this text.

Special Thanks

To my loving husband (Aaron Griswold), son (Darius Griswold), daughter (Mia Griswold), parents (Edward & Iverlyn Price), sister (Alicia Price), nephew (Torrence Price) thank you so very much for your support and unconditional love as I spent many waking hours conducting research and writing this text.

"A united family eats from the same plate."- (Kiganda proverb)

Chapter One

Introduction

The wise are as rare as eagles that fly high in the sky.

Bantu proverb

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

understand what it takes to manage change.

explain how the right or wrong attitude affects managing change.

clarify what it means to embrace diversity.

see the connection between interrogating my thinking and valuing diversity

identify the three approaches to diversity.

describe what is required for cultural competence.

Before beginning the text, it is important to determine how much you already know about diversity. Please take the pre-test found at the end of this chapter.

Introduction

What is Diversity? Organizations use definitions of diversity that are almost as diverse as the subject itself, but what is clear is that the central theme of ‘valuing everyone as individuals – as employees, customers, and clients’ extends diversity beyond what is legislated.

Business exists in competitive and changing markets, which means that all employees must make significant contributions to business success and add value in every conceivable manner, but everyone is different, so organizations will need to be able to harness individual workers’ unique differences and convert them into competitive advantage.1 When studying organizational phenomena, many Researchers implicitly assume that employees within an organization are homogeneous. They also assume that the phenomena being studied are unaffected by whether employees are different from each other. Diversity researchers reject both of these assumptions. Their work focuses on questions that arise when the workforce is acknowledged as a heterogeneous mix of people with different backgrounds, experiences, values, and identities.2 A challenge of this type puts a premium on value systems that are inclusive, fair and ethical. We know from the essential characteristics of the

psychological contract that employees expect their employers to value who they are.3 This is why effective workplace diversity is so important to enhancing business performance and, as research evidence shows, is correlated with good people management.4

According to the change agenda, Managing Diversity: Linking Theory and Practice to Business Performance Conference foreward by Dianah Worman:

In the global market place of the twenty-first century, the pace of change in business practice is considered faster than ever before. Organizations are striving to keep one step ahead of competitors to gain and sustain market share and to appease the increasingly voracious appetites of customers regarding products and service delivery. Against this fluid background, the challenge organizations face is to be able to respond to change in ways that assure survival.5

While change is a constant factor in today’s workplace, many of us perceive change to be burdensome. This indicates that there can be resistance to change which could result in a resistance to diversity efforts.

Managing Change

How well are you at managing change? To determine the response, let’s start by answering the following questions:

1. If someone challenges your behaviors or beliefs, do you find yourself justifying, defending or rationalizing as a response?

2. Do you find yourself frustrated when you have to change your routine, change your plans, or change something as simple as your work route due to a detour?

3. Do you find that you are still dealing with the same problems you had 3, 6 or 9 months ago?

4. When confronted with a challenge regarding your character or work ethics do you find yourself giving excuses for why you are the way you are?

5. Do you find yourself complaining a lot about life, your job, your relationship or other significant areas in your life?

If you answered, “yes” to at least three out of the five questions, you may have some issues with managing change. Yet, if life is about growth then change is a natural part of the life cycle. But, so many people are resistant to change. Why? Because change often takes us out of our comfort zone.

Yet, as we start this discussion of workplace diversity you may find that you need to change your thoughts about others and/or open your mind to beliefs unlike your own. Part of managing change is being teachable where you are able to listen (not tune out, not argue with, not think of an answer

before the person finishes speaking) to what others have to say. Listening does not require you to take the person’s advice, but you must be able to respect what they have to say. If you are teachable, you will even ponder over what they have to say before making a judgment.

Being teachable also means that you realize that you have room for improvement (no matter the age or status) and you can, therefore, be more open to what others have to say. Having an open mind is imperative to being able to deal with change.6 We must also understand that while having an open mind is an important ingredient to managing change, being cautious of what we put in our mind affects how we act toward change. We all know that our minds are power centers—the area where we store our thoughts, ideas, imaginings, and decisions. But, how does this power center control our behavior?

Read the following quote:

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Frank Outlaw7

If we really want to make a change that will affect who we are then it must start with the images, beliefs, values etc… that are a part of our thoughts. We must keep our minds open and be aware of our thoughts; just these two aspects alone can help us to make continual improvement in our character. While you may think that you are done improving your character, none of us are perfect and therefore we can all stand to make some changes. Managing diversity may require you to open your mind and challenge your ways of thinking.8

This can be done by first looking at our attitude toward change which can ultimately affect our ability to embrace diversity.

Managing Change Through our Attitudes

As we begin this journey of learning how to address workplace diversity, we will address a key ingredient that will determine how we adjust to change or difference—that is, our attitude. Your attitude is often one of the first things about your character that people will notice. So, what really is your attitude? It is the way in which we respond to our circumstances. According to the American Heritage Dictionary “attitude” is a state of mind or feeling with regard to some matter.9 When choosing to deal with change or your circumstances you can respond negatively or positively or just simply shift into neutral. By shifting into neutral you may be choosing to ignore the situation, but how long will this be an effective response to change? You could also respond negatively to change by complaining, being sarcastic or even experiencing intense anger. But, does this type of response really make the circumstance go away?

Since none of us are perfect and don’t always respond appropriately, we may find that our first

response is a negative one. But if we can open our minds, reflect on the incident then maybe we can find a positive way to respond to the change. Even in the worst of conditions, if you look hard enough you can often find some positive way to view change. But is it really this simple?

Understanding why we respond to change unfavorably (that is with a negative attitude) goes a long way toward having a favorable response. Fear is often the most cited reason for people being unfavorable about change. Fear of the unknown, fear of a new way of thinking or doing and fear of failure are all fears that people experience when facing change.10 But, fear is not the only reason people have a negative attitude toward change. Insecurity is another.

When a person’s self-worth or what they thought made them who they are is being shaken, lost or questioned, change may not be welcomed.11 We all have our comfort zones and when those are threatened we can often become uncomfortable. But, you cannot move ahead by holding on. You have to let go and understand that you will experience some discomfort. But this discomfort does not have to control you.

As you adapt to something new by having a positive attitude, you then give yourself the chance to feel the exhilaration surrounding this new experience.12 Controlling our attitude is even more possible when we examine our various levels of thought. Researchers suggest that to bring order to the potentially chaotic landscape of the mind, it helps to think positively.13 Positive thinking, the highest level of thinking breeds peace, love and creativity, and encourages harmony and happiness.14

Having positive thoughts may seem idealistic, but it is not as difficult to achieve as one might think. If we can first concentrate on and find the positives in ourselves, then maybe we can do this for others and for uncomfortable circumstances. To that end, I ask you to do the following exercise before moving forward in the chapter.

Positive Thinking Exercise

Take three to five minutes to complete the exercise. Please be honest and time yourself. List ten POSITIVE internal attributes (things that would define your character) about yourself such as “caring.” Now list ten POSITIVE external attributes (things that make you physically attractive such as you have beautiful eyes). Please do not get ANY assistance (do not ask your spouse, partner, friends or family), all twenty answers must come from you alone.

Ten Positive Internal Characteristics About Me: 1._________________________ 2._________________________ 3._________________________ 4._________________________ 5._________________________ 6._________________________ 7._________________________ 8._________________________ 9._________________________

10._________________________

Ten Positive External Characteristics About Me: 1._________________________ 2._________________________ 3._________________________ 4._________________________ 5._________________________ 6._________________________ 7._________________________ 8._________________________ 9._________________________ 10._________________________

Now that you have completed this Positive Thinking exercise, was it easy or difficult?

If you answered easy, were you able to come up with 20 answers or at least 16 in total? If yes, I applaud you. This is excellent and generally means that you have a great self image. Hopefully, if you feel this positive about yourself you should be able to see positive attributes in others as well as have a positive attitude toward change. According to psychologists, those who have healthy self-esteem feel less threatened by change and can therefore extend their positive thoughts to these difficult situations.

If you answered difficult, then maybe now is the time to ask others about your internal and external positive characteristics so that you can complete your list and add these positive thoughts to how you view yourself. Finding this exercise difficult could mean several things. For one, you may confuse being self-assured with being conceited and therefore have not allowed yourself to think these positive thoughts about yourself. Remember, thinking positively about ourselves does not indicate that we overvalue ourselves and have heads that can’t fit into doors, it just means that we value who we are.

Additionally, if you found this exercise difficult it could mean that you need to work on valuing who you are. How can you expect others to value what you don’t? How can you look for the positives in others and difficult circumstances when you can’t do this for yourself? Unfortunately for many reasons, some of us have not built a healthy self-esteem based on realistic characteristics of self. Instead, we have a false sense of security because we don’t value who we really are. If we can elevate our thoughts to positive from negative (especially our thoughts of self), then we should better be able to elevate how we respond to change. If we can be positive and allow creativity to permeate our attitudes then maybe we can have an open mind. With an open mind, positive attitude, and positive self-worth we can begin to see change as positive. This should go a long way toward starting the process of embracing diversity.

Embracing Diversity

People can be categorized in many ways, such as by gender, race, religion, ethnicity, language,

income, age, ability or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, these categories are sometimes used to label people unfairly or to saddle them with stereotypes. Stereotypes are generalized assumptions concerning the traits or characteristics of all members of a particular group. They are frequently (although not always) negative and generally incorrect. Ironically, stereotypes discourage closer contact, preventing the perpetrator from discovering what the individual victims of these stereotypes are really like.15

Stereotypes often form the basis of prejudice, a premature judgment about a group or a member of that group made without sufficient knowledge or thought.16 We can also develop prejudices towards a whole group based on a single emotional experience with one person. Prejudice demonstrates an unfair bias that does not allow for individual differences, good or bad. It violates the standards of reason, justice, and tolerance.

Many of today's prejudices have their roots in thousands of years of human history, such as the institution of slavery in America, the slaughter of European Jews by Christians en route to the Holy Land during the Crusades, and numerous religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. Other biases can be based on personal experiences and influences.

A number of sociologists attribute prejudice to modern social problems, including urban decay and overcrowding, unemployment, and competition between groups.17 Research suggests that people of lower (but not the lowest) socio-economic status or who have lost status are more prejudiced because they seek scapegoats to blame for their misfortune.18 Backlashes against minority groups are therefore more likely during periods of severe economic downturn and increased unemployment.19

Many of us recognize our own irrational prejudices (they may concern places, foods, ideas, etc., as well as people) and work to overcome them. In contrast, bigots are those persons who obstinately cling to their prejudices, displaying a degrading attitude towards others to whom they feel superior. Various groups have been and continue to be the victims of bigotry, including racial, ethnic and religious groups, women, persons with disabilities, and gays and lesbians amongst others.

We are intolerant if we reject or dislike people because they are different, e.g., of a different religion, different socio-economic status, or have a different set of values. When comparing different vs. normal in the United States culture, this has largely been based on white, heterosexual, able- bodied males, the norm against which to judge others. But, as we look around our jobs, our school systems and our communities at large, we will find more women, people of color, disabled, homosexuals/gay & lesbians and others that don’t fit the above norm. It therefore becomes increasingly necessary that our environments acknowledge a different norm that is representative of all groups. Not only must the current norm based upon the dominant culture be altered, but so must our approach to embracing diversity. Let’s start with the following myth:

MYTH: AMERICA IS A MELTING POT

While it may seem easier to have all cultures assimilate–that is, melt into the dominant culture, this is not a realistic or fair expectation. According to Holly Atkins in the December 2001 article: An American 'tossed salad' she indicates the melting pot is no more.20 Today, many people from diverse

backgrounds may blend together but never lose their cultural identity. Therefore, it makes more sense to change our mindset to the following theory:

FACT: AMERICA IS A TOSSED SALAD

We are all different (some of us could be cucumbers, some tomatoes, some cheese, etc…) one is not better than the other. But, just like each ingredient looks different and adds a different flavor to the salad, so can a diverse workplace produce a greater product if managed effectively. The nice thing about the tossed salad is that as each item is added it never loses its identity or flavor. As we begin to value diversity we should not expect those culturally or ethnically different from us to lose their identity or culture. Assimilation is not the goal in learning to value diversity but rather the goal is to learn to have an inclusive workplace where every person is valued for who they are.21

Once we see that different is not good or bad, it is just different then we can begin to understand that a salad with just lettuce would seem bland next to a salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives etc… Requiring everyone to be just alike would cause America to be “bland.” You know what they say: diversity adds spice to life. With diversity comes different types of music, food, customs, thought patterns, dress, etc… and each of these enriches the U.S. culture and workplace.

Despite this enrichment, some groups or individuals may find it more beneficial to assimilate rather than to hold onto their unique identity. This is when cabbage may want to change to lettuce. The lettuce may even welcome this assimilation but then we must remember that assimilation is not an over night process. It usually takes two or more generations for the members of a new group to become sufficiently absorbed into the life of a community so much so that they lose their separate identity.22 This assimilation is easier and sometimes desirable when those groups assimilating are easily accepted into the group norm and are considered a valuable entity.

However, some ethnic groups—mainly those of dark skin colors—never achieve total assimilation. If we are in agreement with the tossed salad theory, total assimilation should no longer even be the expectation. But even still, those of dark skin have had a harder time due to the prejudices that society has exhibited towards people of color.

The truth of the matter is where there are obvious differences due to skin color, accents, weight, height many in the U.S. society have more in common than they realize. This common ground supports the notion that while managing workplace diversity may not be simple; it is to the benefit of many. Learning to embrace diversity rather than have others try to fit into the norm or melt into the pot should be the goal of organizations.

But, even though we could all stand to benefit from the tossed salad theory the workplace is not yet without prejudices that could easily turn to discrimination. Let’s give a warning here, as some of you may be thinking, “Prejudices aren’t an issue in today’s world, I’m not prejudice.”

People concerned about and committed to improving inter-group relations must guard against such clichés as: “I’m not prejudice.” Even as you think about the tossed salad theory, I am sure that everyone can think of one item going into that salad that they don’t care for due to one reason or

another. But, if this does not fit you maybe you find that you like one item on the salad better than others, therefore you have a bias toward one ingredient. Just the same, people can be in general prejudiced for or against other people. However, there are many laws against discriminatory behaviors, but there are none against prejudicial attitudes.

However, the good news is if we can learn prejudices we can most certainly unlearn them. This begins with simple concepts and thought, such as viewing the world/workplace as a tossed salad where working together is the order of business. We must also know that of those who maintain their difference, no matter how different, we should not judge this person, hold prejudices against them but accept who they are. But, we can’t get to this step if we don’t fully recognize our prejudices or negative ways of thinking about difference. Once we recognize that we do have preconceptions toward others only then can we start to change our biased thoughts to unbiased thoughts.

Interrogating Our Thinking

How often do we interrogate our thinking? Do we question why we feel the manner in which we do? Is our thinking justified? Is it because of one or a few negative experiences? Will my thinking about difference or a particular cultural group negatively impact my work experiences with this group?

The following checklist of questions can help us to recognize when we are falling into restrictive patterns of reasoning and to push ourselves beyond these common "traps" (taken from Gentile, M. C. (1995), Ways of Thinking about and across Difference):

What are my thoughts regarding my rights?

How do I define myself through my thinking?

What is my thinking towards individuals that do not belong to my cultural group?

What are my “comfort zones” when confronted with differing viewpoints?

What is my thinking when I stand to lose “something”?

How we think has the capacity to impact our actions. While valuing diversity may seem like a simple concept in theory, it can be at times more difficult to practice. In the workplace, where individuals may have negative thinking or perspectives (as we are all human) it becomes necessary to understand that there are approaches to diversity that can assist us manage this complexity better.

There are three established diversity approaches that can assist us in embracing diversity.

Three Approaches to Diversity

The rest of the text is broken down based on the three approaches to addressing workplace diversity. In order to embrace diversity and make equal opportunity a reality it is often necessary to understand and utilize all three approaches to diversity in the workplace. The following table explains (in very simple terms) the differences between the three approaches, using information from the following source: Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity, author Thomas Roosevelt (1992).23

In order to determine what approach to use for a given situation, it is necessary to review the factors

that are taking place at your organization. Some companies will need to use all three approaches in a comprehensive diversity plan, while other organizations may have addressed certain issues and may need to use only one of the above approaches.24 But no matter which approach is utilized, it is important for managers to understand what is going on in their workplace and what changes will need to take place in order to address the issue(s) effectively.

We begin this discussion of the three approaches with Valuing Differences (Affirmative Action and Managing Diversity will be discussed later in the text) because it is my belief that it is hard to manage what we don’t value. It is very easy to mistreat those things and people that we don’t value. Some people mistreat animals simply because they don’t value their existence—this person’s thinking is negative toward animals and comes out through their actions toward them. This same mindset can extend to individuals.

Anthony Carnevale and Susan Carol Stone, authors of The American Mosaic, have emphasized that valuing diversity involves "recognizing that other people's standards and values are as valid as one's own," and note that for most organizations, valuing diversity requires nothing less than cultural transformation.25 This is an extraordinary task, for it requires people—especially those of the dominant culture—to let go of their assumptions about the universal rightness of their own values and customary ways of doing things and to become receptive to other cultures.26

Valuing diversity requires respecting, understanding and accepting differences. It does not mean however that you must agree with the difference. But, if you choose to disagree, you must still show respect, and seek to understand and accept this difference. Respecting diversity starts by first expanding our cultural knowledge of “American history” to the point where it becomes inclusive of all groups that have contributed to our great society. Without this knowledge, it is easy to believe the negative media portrayals and news accounts that plague certain groups of people. Without cultural knowledge it becomes easy to believe the stereotypes and myths that can often be passed down from one generation to the next. Lack of knowledge can also result in lack of value where we don’t treat those who are different with cultural sensitivity or respect.

Cultural Knowledge

Familiarization with selected cultural characteristics, history, values, belief systems, and behaviors of the members of another ethnic group (Adams, 1995).27

Cultural Awareness

Means developing sensitivity and understanding of another ethnic group. This usually involves internal changes in terms of attitudes and values. Awareness and sensitivity also refer to the qualities of openness and flexibility that people develop in relation to others. Cultural awareness must be supplemented with cultural knowledge (Adams, 1995).28

Cultural Sensitivity

Is knowing that cultural differences as well as similarities exist, without assigning values, i.e. better

or worse, right or wrong, to those cultural differences (National Maternal and Child Health Center on Cultural Competency, 1997).29

Cultural knowledge + cultural awareness + cultural sensitivity = Cultural Competence

Cultural Competence

Is the set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals. It enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989).30

Why is Cultural Competence Important?

Because without it the following can occur:

1. Lack of knowledge - resulting in an inability to recognize differences.

2. Self-protection/denial - leading to an attitude that these differences are not significant, or that our common humanity transcends our differences.

3. Fear of the unknown or the new - because it is challenging and perhaps intimidating to get to understand something that is new, that does not fit into one's world view.

4. Feeling of pressure due to time constraints - which can lead to feeling rushed and unable to look in depth at an individual’s needs.

Self-awareness is argued to be one of the most important elements in developing effective collaboration with culturally different individuals and communities. It is this commonsense approach that begins the process of understanding how our own perspectives impact how we relate to others. These vital ingredients (cultural knowledge, cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity) are not only paramount to an organization’s cultural competence but to our individual cultural competence as they expand our self-awareness.

Cultural self-awareness becomes the bridge to learning about other cultures. It seems very difficult to be truly sensitive to another culture until one is sensitive to his/her own and the impact that cultural customs, beliefs, values, and behaviors have on our development. A professional's impression of another’s functioning style may be influenced by his/her own, sometimes unexamined, assumptions. Assumptions are those things we take for granted or accept as true without proof.

Achieving cultural competence means that we may have to step outside our own framework. It may be difficult to see strength in individual or collective behaviors that reflect different assumptions. At first, it may appear that another person’s deficit may be a weakness, when in fact it may be the

strength in their culture.

Concluding Thoughts

In this chapter we introduce the term diversity and how achieving workplace diversity has a lot to do with our ability to manage change, be open-minded and think positively about ourselves, circumstances and others. Workplace diversity is to be embraced not just regulated by the government through laws. Diversity is best managed by understanding the three approaches to diversity and incorporating those aspects needed in organizations. It is the premise of this text that diversity must first be valued by individuals which comes through cultural knowledge and it is only then that the other two approaches of workplace diversity can best be utilized in organizations. Embracing diversity and all it entails starts with the individual and remember when it comes to dealing with diversity we cannot ignore discrimination and prejudices as . . .

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible” 31 Maya Angelou

End of Chapter Questions

a. Explain how an individual’s attitude can be a barrier to change. How can this barrier that you identified be eliminated?

b. The quote utilized in the text, “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible” means what as it relates to cultural knowledge.

c. Why is saying—America is a melting pot—not an appropriate metaphor for valuing diversity.

Internet Exercise

Using the Internet read the article found at: http://www.esdtoolkit.org/discussion/change.htm. This website addresses managing change for education sustainable development (ESD). Read for this content and don’t be concerned with understanding ESD. The tips provided in the article can apply to any organization.

If the website is down please go to www.google.com and find an article on managing change. Once you’ve read the ESD article or another article on managing change, indicate how a manager at a company that is changing the status quo to an organization that values diversity, would begin this change process?

Search Key Words: Managing Change

http://www.esdtoolkit.org/discussion/change.htm
http://www.google.com/
End of Chapter Exercise

Cancelling negative thinking

List five negative thoughts, memories or emotions that come you are aware of that you or others you know have. Now next to each negative thought, write a positive thought on that same subject or viewpoint.

Now answer the following questions: How hard or easy was it to come up with the five negative thoughts? Why? How hard or easy was it to come up with the five positive thoughts to cancel out the negative ones? Do you think it is practical to cancel out negative thoughts with positive ones, why or why not?

Take the Pretest Challenge

Pretest

Directions: Answer questions 1-17 utilizing your “best” guess. The correct answers will be given after you have completed the post-test toward the end of the textbook.

True/False

1. Thanksgiving is a celebration that everyone enjoys. Native-Americans especially enjoy this holiday because of the peace it represented to their community. ________________

2. Gay and lesbian people are a threat to the workplace and have few leaders who have contributed to our society. ________________

3. African-Americans even though they started as slaves in this country now have equal opportunity. ________________

4. Disabled employees can be a liability to a company due to missed work time. ________________

5. Caucasian men are accepted in Corporate America because being white and male are the only requirements needed to belong to the “old boys network.” ________________

6. For every job that a man can do, there is a woman able to do the same job. ________________

7. Most people on welfare (a government transfer system where tax payer dollars are given to the poor for housing etc.) are Black and Hispanic women who live off the system forever. ________________

8. Arabs come to this country and are given government subsidies (free money that is not to be paid back) this is why they are able to buy their own companies. ________________

9. Asian-Americans have always been privileged minorities because of their higher intelligence and because they do not suffer from discrimination or illiteracy in any capacity. ________________

10. Hispanics are the poorest minority because they are lazy immigrants. ________________

11. Cultural knowledge of various groups is not necessary to preventing discrimination in the workplace. ________________

12. I believe that most people are treated fairly in the workplace and history plays no factor in how people treat each other. ________________

13. It is not necessary to have diversity training in the workplace as most people understand diversity and its implications. ________________

Multiple Choice

14. I belong to the following group: a. male or b. female

15. I belong to the following group:

a. Asian American

b. African American/Black

c. Caucasian/White

d. Latino/Hispanic

e. Native American

f. Other

16. I belong to the following age group:

a. Under the age of 18

b. age 18-25

c. age 26-45

d. age 46 and older

17. The following is a true statement:

a. I have had previous diversity training that relates to culture

b. I have never had diversity training.

c. I have had sexual harassment training only.

d. I have had diversity training and sexual harassment training.

1. Worman, D. (2005). Managing Diversity: Linking Theory and Practice to Business Performance Conference. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Retrieved from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D4D2D911-FC8A-4FD2-A814- B80A55A60B87/0/mandivlink0405.pdf back

2. Jackson, S.E. & Joshi, A. (n.d.). Research on Domestic and International Diversity in Organizations: A Merger that Works? Retrieved from: http://chrs.rutgers.edu/pub_documents/Jackson_5.pdf back

3. Worman, D. (2005). Managing Diversity: Linking Theory and Practice to Business Performance Conference. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Retrieved from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D4D2D911-FC8A-4FD2-A814- B80A55A60B87/0/mandivlink0405.pdf back

4. Ibid. back

5. Ibid. back

6. Austin, M. R. (1997, August). Managing Change. Manage, 49(1), 15-17. back

7. Outlaw, F. (n.d.). Stubbleupon. Retrieved from http://www.uscg.mil/leadership/news/fall99/watch.htm back

8. De Meuse, K. P. & McDaris, K. K. (1994, February). An Exercise in Managing Change. back

9. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.bartleby.com/61/64/S0946400.html back

10. Costello, S. J. (1994). Managing Change in the Workplace: Designing the Flexible, High back

11. Ibid. back

12. Decker, D. C. & Belohlav, J. A. (1997, April). Managing Transitions. Quality Progress, 30(4), 93-97. back

13. Ibid.

http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D4D2D911-FC8A-4FD2-A814-B80A55A60B87/0/mandivlink0405.pdf
http://chrs.rutgers.edu/pub_documents/Jackson_5.pdf
http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D4D2D911-FC8A-4FD2-A814-B80A55A60B87/0/mandivlink0405.pdf
http://www.uscg.mil/leadership/news/fall99/watch.htm
http://www.bartleby.com/61/64/S0946400.html
back

14. Ibid. back

15. Ponterotto, J. G. (1993). Preventing Prejudice: A Guide for Counselors and Educators. Newbury, CA: Sage Publishing. back

16. Ibid. back

17. Ibid. back

18. Essed, P. (1991). Understanding Everyday Racism: an Interdisciplinary Theory. Newbury Park: Sage Publications. back

19. Ibid. back

20. Atkins, H. (2001, December). An American 'tossed' salad. St. Petersburg Times. back

21. Thomas R. R. (1992). Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity. New York: American Management Association. back

22. Ahmed, N. R. (1993, December). Stirring the salad bowl: Diversity continues to increase. Managers Magazine, 68, 12. back

23. Thomas R. R. (1992). Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity. New York: American Management Association. back

24. Thomas R. R. (1992). Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity. New York: American Management Association. back

25. Carnevale, A. P. & Stone, S. C. (1995). The American Mosaic: an In-Depth Report on the future of Diversity at Work . New York: McGraw-Hill. back

26. Ibid. back

27. Adams, D. L. (1995). Health issues for women of color: A cultural diversity perspective. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. back

28. Ibid. back

29. Texas Department of Health, National Maternal and Child Health Resource Center on Cultural Competency. (1997). Journey towards cultural competency: Lessons learned. Vienna, VA: Maternal and Children's Health Bureau Clearinghouse. back

30. Cross T., Bazron, B., Dennis, K., & Isaacs, M. (1989). Towards a Culturally Competent System of Care, Volume I. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Child Development Center, CASSP Technical Assistance Center. back

31. Maya Angelou quotes. (n.d.). ThinkExist.com. Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotation/prejudice_is_a_burden_that_confuses_the_past/327559.html back

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/prejudice_is_a_burden_that_confuses_the_past/327559.html
Chapter Two

Why Value Diversity

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelet

Chapter Two

WHY VALUE DIVERSITY

Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

explain how U.S. demographics shifts affect workplace diversity.

understand the melting pot myth.

defend the business case for valuing diversity.

put in plain words the EEO Laws.

describe sexual harassment types and requirements.

Diversity is about recognizing, respecting and valuing differences based on primary differences such as ethnicity, gender, color, age, race, religion, disability, national origin and sexual orientation. It also includes an infinite range of individual unique characteristics and experiences, such as communication style, career path, life experience, educational background, geographic location, income level, marital status, military experience, parental status and other variables that influence personal perspectives.

These life experiences and personal perspectives make us react and think differently, approach challenges and solve problems differently, make suggestions and decisions differently, and see different opportunities. An organization can minimize the costs that are associated with a lack of managing diversity comprehension by understanding what diversity is, why it matters, and how to effectively manage a business in terms of diversity.1 The first approach addressed in the text to effectively manage those primary differences listed above is valuing diversity (accepting, understanding and respecting diversity).

Valuing diversity is necessary because of the demographic shifts that affect the workplace, because it makes good business sense to do so and also because of the laws created to promote equal opportunity despite race, religion, age, sex and physical or mental ability.2 As we continue

considering why we should value diversity in the workplace, let’s look further at the demographic trends and changes affecting the U.S. population and thus the U.S. workplace.

Demographics Say We Should Value Diversity

According to the 2011 Changing Demographic Profile of the United States created by Laura B. Shrestha (Domestic Social Policy for Congressional Research) the United States is the third most populous country globally and accounts for about 4.5% of the world’s population.3 This report indicates that the U.S. is indeed becoming more diverse as it is not just growing in size but is also getting older and more racially and ethnically diverse. More than just being double in size, the population has become qualitatively different from what it was in 1950.4

The following statistics taken from United States Demographic Profile 2013 support these diverse demographics.

Population 313,847,465 (July 2012 est.)

Age structure 0-14 years: 20% (male 32,050,686/female 30,719,945) 15-24 years: 13.8% (male 22,112,002/female 21,174,050) 25-54 years: 40.6% (male 63,713,761/female 63,556,345) 55-64 years: 12.1% (male 18,331,065/female 19,711,907) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 18,424,785/female 24,052,919) (2012 est.)

Ethnic groups white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native

Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers

Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); about 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic

Religions Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish

1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate 33.9% (2006)

Sex/Gender Change*

Despite a small decline in the growth of females in the United States, females still make up 50% of the U.S. population.

Race/Ethnicity Change*

The U.S. population of color surpassed the 100-million mark in May 2007. Today, one in every three Americans is a person of color. According to The Changing Demographic Profile of the United States the U.S. population has made the following changes.

*Source: adapted from Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress, titled: The Changing Demographic Profile of the United States, 2011.5

It is important to understand as we discuss racial and ethnic categories, “who” actually are represented by each group.

Racial Designations

Source: Census 2011 Special EEO Tabulation Files6

“White” refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It also includes people who indicated their race as “White” or wrote in entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Middle Easterner, Arab, or Polish.

“Black or African American” refers to people having origins in any of the Black racial

groups of Africa. It includes people who indicated their race or races as “Black, African American, or Negro” or wrote in entries such as Nigerian, or Haitian.

“Asian” refers to people having origins in any of the originals peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.

“Native Americans” category includes Native Americans, Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. This group refers to people having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islander groups such as Tahitian, Mariana Islander, or Chuukese.

All of the above groups (Whites, Blacks, Asians, Native-Americans) represent racial categories, where as those who belong to the Hispanic population represent an ethnicity not a race. In the census questioning, you either are of Hispanic descent or not of Hispanic descent. So, you can be White and of Hispanic descent or Black and of Hispanic descent etc. and all of these numbers are represented by the Hispanic/Latino category.

Beginning with the census 2000, respondents were questioned if they were Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino and in 2009 almost 45 million persons, or about 15.1 of the U.S. population, identified themselves as Hispanic. The remaining 256 million people or 84.9% were not Hispanic.7

There is considerable variation in the ethnic mix across the country. The states with the highest proportion of Hispanics are mostly in the west and southwest, while those with the highest proportion of African Americans are mostly in the east and southeast. About 56 per cent of the people in Hawaii are Asian or Polynesian.8 Rural and suburban areas are more likely to be inhabited by whites, while people of color more often live in large urban areas.

There are 552 federally recognized Native American groups in the US, of which about 285 have reservations (or regional or village corporations in Alaska) that are recognized by the state or federal government.9 These lands total more than 20 million hectares (50 million acres).10 The US government has recognized the political sovereignty of many of these organizations through treaties, statutes, court decisions, and executive orders.

Other Demographic Facts

Language

English is the predominant language of the US and is spoken by most of the population. US English sometimes differs from British English in spelling, pronunciation, punctuation, and even meaning in some cases. For example, in US English, a lift is an “elevator” and the bonnet of a car is the “hood.” Spoken English is very flexible, and idioms and accents differ from one part of the US to another, while written English is more standardized. Many first-, second-, or even third-generation immigrants also speak their native language. In fact, one of every seven Americans speaks a language other than English in the home. Spanish is spoken in many Hispanic communities, and Native Americans speak a variety of Amerindian languages. Many secondary and some elementary schools

teach one or more foreign languages, such as Spanish, French, and Japanese.

Religion

Although the US has never had an official state church, about 90 per cent of the population has some religious affiliation, mostly with Christian churches. As early European settlers were predominantly Christian, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are based, in part, on Christian values and principles. However, the Constitution dictates that church and state remain separate. There are dozens of different Christian churches throughout the country. About 26 per cent of the population is Roman Catholic. Baptists, Methodists, and Lutherans are the largest Protestant groups.11 Between 40 and 55 per cent of Christians attend services on a weekly basis.12 There are also substantial numbers of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists in the US. In addition, some Americans practice alternative or non-traditional religions, and many consider themselves to be atheists or are otherwise non- religious.

All of these statistics show that America is becoming more and more diverse not just in the overall society but in the workplace as well. In looking at the job market, about half of the U.S. market will be Latino/Hispanic, African-American and Asian populations.13 Another high growth group that is not represented above is people over the age of 55. The number of persons aged 65 and older had been steadily increasing and reached 35.1 million persons, representing 12.4% of the U.S. population.14 The baby boom generation is getting older and there will be a large number of people in their 50’s–according to the U.S Census Bureau 2000.15 Many in this group will be seeking employment and participating actively in the workplace.

The Census Bureau also forecasted that immigration would be approaching 820,000 people per year, of which 225,000 will be undocumented. This all indicates that the workplace of today will look very different than yester years.

Fifty Years Ago, The Average Worker:

Source: Workforce 2000-Hudson Institute: Opportunity 2000, U.S.P.O.L. & American Demographics16

was white

was male and able-bodied

was about 29

had less than 12 years of education

was married to a woman who became a homemaker

had children

worked in a region of his birth

was conservative politically

held beliefs about work, the role of men and women, minorities, authority and family that were similar to those of other workers

was loyal to his employer and obeyed authority

As Far As Other Workers, Fifty Years Ago:

Source: Workforce 2000-Hudson Institute: Opportunity 2000, U.S.P.O.L. & American Demographics17

only certain jobs (mostly labor intensive) were open to ethnic minorities

older workers were considered smarter because they were more experienced

people with disabilities were not found in the workplace

women generally worked in the home or worked part-time

working women were teachers, nurses or support staff

Today, in the Workplace:

There is an increasing influence of women

Close to 48% of today’s workforce is female. (DOL)18

The 48% is made up of 8% African American women, 5% of Hispanic/Latino women, 2% of Asian women and 0.3% of Native American women and the rest are Caucasian women. (EEOC- 8/03)19

49.5% of lower level managers and professionals are women, which is up from 29% in 1970. Of the 49.5%, white women comprise 77%. (BLS)20

15.7% of corporate officers are female in 2002, which is up from 8.7% in 1995. Of this 15.7%, white women comprise 88%. (Workforce 2020)21

One in three wives out-earn their husbands, compared to one in five wives in 1980. For MBAs, six out of ten women out-earn their husbands.22

The percentage of employed women who provide half or more of their household’s total income is: 48% of all women in a married couple, 55% of all working women, 91% of women who are separated, divorced or widowed, 90% of women in a single-parent household.23

There are more people of color

By the year 2050, nonwhites will represent of the U.S. population. (Census Projections 2050)24

Beginning in the third quarter of 2001, Latinos made up more than 50% of all California births.25

The Asian American population grew by 63% during the 1990s, making it the fastest growing minority group.26

There is more religious diversity and people with disabilities in the workforce

There are more than 1500 different types of religious bodies in the U.S. making the U.S. the most religiously diverse country in the world. (ACLU)27

People with disabilities comprise 11.7% of the U.S. workforce.28

Once a largely homogeneous group, the faces of customers, claimants, producers, employees and suppliers have been transformed into a dynamic mix of people comprised of various races, cultures and backgrounds. “Minorities” are now the majority in six out of the eight largest metropolitan areas of the United States.29

Clearly, the U.S. population is changing dramatically. Forward-thinking companies that recognize and understand the implications of these demographic shifts accordingly will want to alter their customer focus, employee base and business practices to better manage the needs of current and future customers and employees.

Business Case Says We Should Value Diversity

Those who perceive diversity as exclusively a moral imperative or societal goal are missing the larger point. Workforce diversity needs to be viewed as a competitive advantage and a business opportunity.30 It is well-proven that diverse, heterogeneous teams and work groups promote creativity, innovation and product development. Only by fully embracing diversity and maximizing the well-being and contributions of all people can an organization fully maximize the strength and competitiveness of their company. Organizations must therefore encourage individuals to reach their full potential, in pursuit of organizational objectives, without anyone being advantaged or disadvantaged by their difference.

Valuing diversity is also important because the inability to manage diversity in the workplace can be extremely harmful and can cost an organization in many ways. It is important to value diversity due to the costs associated with not doing so BECAUSE:

there is a marketplace of diverse customers with significant purchasing power and unmet needs = $

as our work environments become increasingly culturally and ethnically diverse, we must maintain a productive, efficient and harmonious workplace. A non-productive workforce is costly = $

business owners need to effectively serve, negotiate with, sell to and manage culturally different people. Lack of this ability results in high turnover, loss training costs, etc… = $

companies are tapping into international markets where delayed or failed business transactions can result from ignorance of cultural variations = $

unnecessary employee terminations and inappropriate behavior toward difference in the workplace can turn into costly discrimination suits. The following are several discrimination suits that resulted in companies paying millions of dollars to settle: Shoney’s at $132.5 million, Texaco at $176.1 million and Coca-Cola at $192.5 million= $

So, valuing diversity is not just the moral thing to do. It is also makes good business sense. Let’s just look at a few companies who have lost valuable profits because they were convicted of discriminatory actions (they were not valuing difference). A secret tape catches Texaco executives belittling blacks. In 1996, it was the year’s most dramatic case that began with a tape recorder secretly slipped into a Texaco executive's pocket.31 The recording caught executives at the country's 14th-largest corporation ridiculing blacks and plotting to destroy papers pertinent to a long-running racial discrimination lawsuit.

Days after the tape's release, Texaco agreed to a $176 million settlement, the largest ever at that time for a race discrimination case. Civil rights leaders called a boycott and Chairman Peter Bijur publicly apologized.32 This same year a defense contractor paid $13 million after showing older workers the door and in another case the government sues an automaker, saying men groped and insulted women at an Illinois plant.

In the year 2000, the Coca-Cola Company agreed to pay $192.5 million to settle a racial discrimination suit brought by black workers.33 The settlement included $113 million in cash, $43.5 million to adjust salaries, and $36 million for oversight of the company's employment practices.34 Coca-Cola also would pay $20 million in attorneys' fees and agreed to create an ombudsman post and have its employment practices reviewed by an outside group.

Even with the large settlement that Coca-Cola paid out Ben White, of the Washington Post in the April 18, 2002 issue says that “despite 2000 Legal Settlement--Protesters Say Little Has Changed - Protesters lined Seventh Avenue outside Madison Square Garden today to press criticisms of Coca-

Cola Co., which was holding its annual shareholders meeting inside. With labor and environmental activists were dozens of African American Coca-Cola employees who said conditions have not improved at the Atlanta-based company since it agreed in November 2000 to pay $192.5 million to settle a class-action race-discrimination lawsuit and promised to change the way it manages, promotes and treats minority employees.”35

But, has the rest of Corporate America learned its lesson from these companies example? No, a Google search today of discrimination lawsuits still finds a litany of gloomy headlines about discrimination in the workplace.

Injustices occur from the factory floor to the executive suite. On just February 6, 2007, the Ninth Circuit Court affirmed class certification in the Wal-Mart sex discrimination case (representing all female employees of Wal-Mart) making it the largest civil rights class action ever certified Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (N.D. Cal. No C-01-2252).36 The suit charges that Wal-Mart discriminates against its female retail employees in pay and promotions. The class in this case includes more than 1.6 million current and former female employees of Wal-Mart retail stores in America, including Wal-Mart discount stores, super centers, neighborhood stores, and Sam’s Clubs. Certification of this class shows that no employer, not even the world’s largest employer, is above the law.

Profiting in America’s Multicultural/Ethnic Marketplace begins with an awareness that it can be lucrative if done correctly and costly if not. Therefore, market economic forces should not be ignored but taken very seriously. If we disregard the data on changing demographics, we also disregard the substantial growth in buying power of diverse markets. Not only are these diverse minority groups increasing as a percentage of the U.S. population, but so too is the buying power they wield.

According to The Selig Center Report of University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business (2012) total annual buying power in the United States, combining all racial categories, will exceed $12.2 trillion – an increase of 188 percent from 1990-2012. But, where are some of the notable changes? For one, African American buying power has increased 73 percent between 2000 and 2012, which not only overtakes the 60 percent increase in Caucasian buying power, but also the 67 percent rise in total buying power of all races combined.

Two factors contributing to the gains of the African American buying power include a 61 percent increase in black-owned businesses in the five-year period between 2002 and 2007 and 84 percent of blacks over 25 years of age completing high school or college – a sharp increase from 66 percent in 1990.

The third largest minority groups, Asian Americans have achieved a 165 percent gain in buying power between 2000 and 2012 and will reach $1 trillion in 2017. The U.S. Asian market is already larger than the economies of all but 17 countries in the world. The Asian population is growing faster than the total U.S. population and the Selig Center projects the population to reach 17.2 million in 2012—a gain of 55.2 percent from 2000’s base population of 11.1 million. Demographic studies reveal 52 percent of Asians over 25 had a bachelor’s or advanced degree compared to 30 percent of Caucasians. Because the Asian consumer market is so diverse in national ancestries, languages and cultures, businesses that target subgroups will find rewarding niche markets.37

Georgia is now the 5th largest African-American consumer market in the United States ($73 billion) and owns a 21.8 percent share of total buying power for the state—the fourth largest share of any state. Compared to the Hispanic and Asian markets, which are concentrated in a handful of states, the African-American market is widespread and makes, yet it is still a customer segment that corporations would want to seek.

In addition, at 1.2 trillion U.S. Hispanic/Latino purchasing power is larger than the economies of scales of all but 13 countries. This economic clout is not limited to ethnic groups as in the U.S. an across the globe women are responsible for $12 trillion of the $18 trillion of global buying power38. Furthermore, the gay and lesbian consumers buying power is approaching $800 billion. The present and future monetary power of diverse markets is more apparent each year. Take the Diversity Marketplace Quiz found below, to get an idea of how diversity really impacts the marketplace.

Diversity Marketplace Quiz

Directions: Take an educated guess for each question below. Circle the correct answer.

1. Which is the fastest growing group in the U.S., increasing at a rate eight times as fast as the general population? Which is the second growing five times as fast as the general population?

a. Asian-American, Hispanic/Latino b. Native-American, Asian-American c. African-American, Caucasian d. Caucasian, African-American

2. Which market segment opens the largest number of new businesses? a. Asian-American b. Native-American c. African-American d. Women

3. Which ethnic market currently has the greatest amount of purchasing power and it is approximately how much by 2017?

a. Asian-American, $650B b. African-American, $1 trillion c. Hispanic/Latino, $1.7 trillion d. Native-American, $500B

4. Which market segment showed the greatest growth in advertising spending? a. Women b. African-American c. Homosexual/Gay & Lesbian d. Hispanic/Latino

After taking the quiz, you may be wondering some of the following thoughts:

If there are populations growing faster than the national average aren’t it safe to assume that emphasis should be placed on the needs of these populations?

If ethnic purchasing power is in the billions per year and approaching trillions (not pocket change) isn’t this worthy of a company’s interest?

Is it possible that these targeted ethnic consumers may be more inclined to buy from companies where they see people who look like them working at all levels of the organizations?

Researchers have indicated that the evidence that diversity can deliver a business benefit is complex, arguing that many workforces are diverse in a range of both invisible and established categories.39 But despite the complexity, managing workplace diversity effectively should be a common ground that all can agree is necessary.

The authors above recognize the importance of diversity management, commenting that without appropriate management and organizational culture, benefits of diversity may not be realized and disbenefits may occur.40 The ‘disbenefits of diversity’ are identified as including increased conflict within the workforce; poorer internal communications; and increased management costs. Diversity can be considered an expression of difference, which, if successfully managed, should reduce the costs associated with the disbenefits of diversity.41

The current experience of diversity management demonstrates at least four main ways in which diversity can contribute to business performance according to the research on The Diversity Scorecard.42

1. Diversity in employment promotes cost-effective employment relations. 2. Diversity enhances customer relations. 3. Diversity enhances creativity, flexibility and innovation in organizations. 4. Diversity promotes sustainable development and competitive advantage.

Summary There is no denying the mounting empirical and anecdotal evidence that good diversity management can lead to improved business performance when the business contexts and market conditions are taken into account appropriately. Conversely, poorly developed and poorly matched diversity practices can be detrimental to business, creating conflict without gain, raising expectation without delivery, and increasing cost without benefit.

The key is the sensible adoption of good practices, tailored to reflect good diversity practice and specific business goals. Even without these good diversity practices there still exist laws that govern discrimination and equal treatment. Yet, another reason why valuing diversity becomes an important workplace issue today.

Equal Employment Laws Say We Should Value Diversity

The foundation for Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws can be traced back to the U.S. Constitution. However, significant progress in shaping current laws was made between 1941 and 1991. Executive Orders barring discrimination, passage of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Act of 1972 are often cited as the cornerstones for eliminating employment discrimination.

The above laws are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Commission is composed of five Commissioners and a General Counsel appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Commissioners are appointed for five-year staggered terms; the General Counsel's term is four years.43 The President designates a Chair and a Vice-Chair and the Chair is the chief executive officer of the Commission.44 The Commission has authority to establish equal employment policy and to approve litigation. The General Counsel is responsible for conducting litigation.

EEOC carries out its enforcement, education and technical assistance activities through 50 field offices serving every part of the nation. EEOC is an independent federal agency originally created by Congress in 1964 to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.45 In addition the EEOC enforces the following federal statutes prohibiting employment discrimination, including: the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.46 The descriptions following provide a brief summary of these laws.

EEO Laws Source: EEO Laws and Regulations found at http://www.eeolaw.org/law.html47

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Prohibits employment discrimination because of race, color, sex, national origin, and religion. Prohibits retaliation for opposing discrimination, filing a complaint, or participating in a related proceeding.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

Prohibits employment discrimination because of age against persons age 40 and older. Prohibits retaliation for opposing age discrimination, filing a complaint, or participating in a related proceeding. This law was amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act which sets minimum criteria that must be satisfied before a waiver of any ADEA right is considered a "knowing and voluntary" waiver.

Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, Titles I and V

Prohibits employment discrimination because of: mental and physical disabilities that substantially limit a major life activity; or having a record of a disability; or being regarded as having a disability. Requires reasonable accommodation of mental and physical disabilities.

http://www.eeolaw.org/law.html
Equal Pay Act of 1963

Prohibits wage differentials based on sex for jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and are performed under similar working conditions in the same establishment ("equal pay for equal work").

The following information: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is reprinted with permission from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and clearly explains what constitutes discrimination according to the previous discussed laws.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964*48

Race & Color Discrimination

As this Act relates to Race, it is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. It also prohibits discrimination on the basis of an immutable characteristic associated with race, such as skin color, hair texture, or certain facial features. Even though not all members of the race share the same characteristic, there would still be a violation of Title VII based on the previous elements.

Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals of certain racial groups. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related.

Equal Employment opportunity cannot be denied because of marriage to or association with an individual of a different race; membership in or association with ethnic based organizations or groups; or attendance or participation in schools or places of worship generally associated with certain minority groups. Title VII also prohibits discrimination on the basis of a condition, which predominantly affects one race, unless the practice is job related and consistent with business necessity.

Furthermore, harassment on the basis of race and/or color such as ethnic slurs, racial “jokes,” offensive or derogatory comments, or other verbal or physical conduct based on an individual’s race or color constitutes unlawful harassment if the conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, or interferes with the individual’s work performance. Title VII also states that when you isolate employees on the basis of race or color from other employees or from customer contact this is a violation. It also prohibits assigning mostly people of color to predominantly minority establishments or geographic areas. It is also illegal to exclude minorities from certain positions or to group or categorize employees or jobs so that minorities generally hold certain jobs. Coding applications/resumes to designate an applicant’s race, by either an employer or employment agency, constitutes evidence of discrimination where minorities are excluded from employment or from certain positions.

As it relates to color discrimination this discrimination while categorized with race is slightly different. This slowly emerging form of workplace discrimination is based on color or skin tone. The unlawful conduct is predicated not on a person's specific race or nationality, but on the shade of his or her skin, often involving disputes between people of the same race and among individuals who act on cultural biases based on whether a person's skin tone is lighter or darker.

Vice-Chair Naomi Earp of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a recent meeting of the American Bar Association that "colorism" represents a potential emerging trend in workplace discrimination claims. Color claims over the past year have risen from 1,400 in fiscal year 2002 to 1,555 in fiscal year 2003, Ms. Earp reported. She noted the increase may signal a trend attributable, in part, to the changing demographics of the American workplace, as more claims of colorism are included along with charges of race discrimination – the most prevalent charge year after year -- under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Complaints of color discrimination go both ways, although more complaints are brought by individuals with darker skin than those with lighter skin. Ms. Earp reported the majority of charges alleging color discrimination were brought in the EEOC district offices in the cities of New York, Boston, Miami, Chicago, and Houston. She observed that color discrimination is inherent in some cultures, such as in India, Pakistan, and South America. As the United States becomes more culturally and ethnically diverse, awareness of colorism issues grow in importance, Ms. Earp emphasized.

Skin tone bias is not unique among people of color; whites also can equate darker skin with a "negative cultural stereotype." Yet, there is a great deal of uncertainty over whether discrimination based on skin tone is even illegal, although the EEOC clearly takes the position it is.

In August, 2003, the EEOC's Atlanta district office announced a $40,000 settlement in a "black on black" discrimination case against a franchisee of a large restaurant chain. The plaintiff was a dark skinned male waiter at the restaurant in Georgia when a light skinned black man began working as the general manager. The manager almost immediately began harassing the plaintiff, continuously making offensive and embarrassing comments about the dark color of his skin, the EEOC said in its complaint. Co-workers and some customers witnessed the harassment, the EEOC said. Despite the plaintiff's protests, the harassment continued, and the plaintiff eventually threatened to call corporate headquarters. Shortly thereafter, he received the first of four written reprimands for "minor" offenses, EEOC said, followed by his firing. Although the plaintiff did call the restaurant chain's hotline to complain about his treatment before being terminated, allegedly he got no response from his call.