Chapter 4  Managing Diversity

Employing and properly managing a diverse workforce is a challenge for most organizations. In the United States, we are faced with a growingly diverse population which has necessitated changes in how we look at employees.  With the push in the 1960’s toward civil rights, and the women’s movement, managers are now more aware of the needs of special groups.  However, diversity isn’t always black or white, male or female.  There are many aspects of diversity that a manager must consider.  These topics, along with the management initiates to better manage diversity are presented in this chapter. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES 

4.1 Define workplace diversity and explain why managing it is so important.
4.2 Describe the changing workplaces in the United States and around the world.
4.3 Explain the different types of diversity found in workplaces.
4.4 Discuss the challenges managers face in managing diversity.
 4.5 Describe various workplace diversity management initiatives.

A MANAGER’S DILEMMA 

Diversity is an important workforce consideration for many developed countries, not just the United States. In this Manager’s Dilemma, we see the efforts by Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s largest telecommunication company, to decrease their company’s gender gap in leadership.  Currently, women make up 12 percent of management.  Their goal is to increase this to 30 percent by the year 2015. Deutsche Telekom has gone so far as to introduce a gender quota, a term avoided in the United States by human resource managers.  Their commitment to this goal is based on the idea that “Having a greater number of women at the top will quite simply enable us to operate better.”  How do your students feel about this initiative and in particular this statement made by Deutsche’s Chief Executive?  Ask students to explore what would happen if this was done in the United States and with another group besides women?  In answering these questions remind students that the premise of Deutsche’s plan is NOT that women make better managers than men, it’s that a diverse group of leaders is better than a homogenous group of leaders. 

CHAPTER OUTLINE 

4.1  DIVERSITY 101
Diversity has many meanings.  What does diversity mean in the context of the workplace?  Does diversity refer only to people or does it refer to other aspects such as language, past experiences, and abilities?  In this section, the authors address this question and explore why diversity is important consideration for organizations.
A. What is Workplace Diversity?
1. Exhibit 4-1 illustrates an historical overview of how the concept and meaning of workforce diversity has evolved.
2. Diversity has traditionally been considered a term used by human resources departments, associated with fair hiring practices, discrimination, and inequality.
3. Dictionary definitions of diversity refer to variety, differences, multiformity (instead of uniformity), or dissimilarities (instead of similarities).
4. The Society for Human Resource Management says that diversity is often used to refer to differences based on ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability, national origin and sexual orientation, but it also encompasses an infinite range of unique characteristics and experiences, including communication styles, physical characteristics such as height and weight, and speed of learning and comprehension.
5. The authors have chosen to define workplace diversity as the ways in which people in an organization are different from and similar to one another.
6. Surface-level diversity are easily perceived differences that may trigger certain stereotypes, but that do not necessarily reflect the ways people think or feel.
7. Deep-level diversity are differences in values, personality, and work preferences that  can affect the way people view organizational work rewards, communicate, react to leaders, negotiate, and generally behave at work.

B. Why is Managing Workforce Diversity So Important?
Many companies view diversity as a positive benefit for organizations.  The benefits fall into three main categories: people management, organizational performance, and strategic. (See Exhibit 4-2.)
1. People Management
a. Positive and explicit workforce diversity efforts can help organizations attract and keep talented diverse people and make the best of the talents those individuals bring to the workplace.
b. As companies rely more on employee teams in the workplace, work teams with diverse backgrounds often have more creative ideas and solutions.
c. There is a negative aspect of diversity.   Research has indicated that diversity in teams does not always result in higher long-term performance and diversity in teams creates higher levels of conflict.

2. Organizational Performance
a. The performance benefits that organizations get from workforce diversity include cost savings and improvements in organizational functioning.
b. Cost savings occur when organizations that cultivate a diverse workforce reduce employee turnover, absenteeism, and the chance of lawsuits.
c. Organizational performance can be enhanced through workforce diversity because of improved problem-solving abilities and system flexibility.
3. Strategic
a. Diverse employees bring a variety of points of view and approaches to opportunities, which can improve how the organization markets to diverse consumers.
b. Diverse teams can be a powerful source of competitive advantage, primarily because innovation thrives in such an environment.
c. From an ethical perspective, workforce diversity and effectively managing diversity is the right thing to do.  This stems from the belief that belief that diverse people should have access to equal opportunities and be treated fairly and justly.
4.2  THE CHANGING WORKPLACE
In this section, we look at the demographic trends of the U.S. population and then at global diversity trends. These trends will be reflected in a changing workplace, thus making this information important for managers to recognize and understand.
A. Characteristics of the U.S. Population
1. Total Population:
a. The total population of the US was 296 million in 2005.  It is projected to increase to 438 million by the year 2050.
b. This increase will be due to immigrants and their U.S.-born descendants.
c. Nearly one in five Americans will be an immigrant in 2050, compared with one in eight in 2005.
2. Racial/Ethnic Groups
a. By 2050, the percentage of white Americans will decrease by 20%.
b. The percentage of Hispanic and Asian Americans is expected to Double.  (See Exhibit 4-3)
3. Aging Population
a. In 2005, the median age for the US population was 36.7 years.
b. By 2050, one in every five persons will be aged 65 or over.
c. An aging workforce will be an important defining characteristic of the US population.
4. Impact of these Trends
a. Population trends are likely to have a major impact on U.S. workplaces.  These trends include the increasing number of foreign-born US workers, an aging workforce.
b. According to a recent analysis released by the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in six American workers is foreign-born.  While some of these jobs will be low-paying some, others will be white collar jobs. 
c. Other developing trend concerning immigrant workers is that they are younger and more likely to be women and people of color.
d. With such a diverse population, organizations can’t expect employees to assimilate into the organization by adopting similar attitudes and values. Instead, they should value the differences that people bring to the workplace.

B. What About Global Workforce Changes?
1. Total World Population.
a. The total world population in 2010 is estimated at almost 7 billion and is forecasted to hit 9 billion by 2050, at which point the United Nations predicts the total population will either stabilize or peak after growing for centuries at an ever-accelerating rate.
2. An Aging Population
a. The world’s population is now aging at an unprecedented rate.
b. Exhibit 4-4 is a quiz on the world’s aging population.
c. People aged 65 and older will soon outnumber children under age 5 for the first time in history. Also, the world’s population aged 80 and over is projected to increase 233 percent between the years 2008 and 2040.

4.3 TYPES OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
Workplace diversity comes in several forms.  All of these forms have potential ramifications for management.  See Exhibit 4-5.
A. Age
1. With many of the nearly 85 million baby boomers still employed and active in the workforce, managers must ensure that those employees are not discriminated against because of age.
2. Both Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibit age discrimination.  The Age Discrimination Act also restricts mandatory retirement at specific ages.
3. Perceptions of older workers are often inaccurate. On the positive side, many believe that older workers bring a number of good qualities to the job including experience, judgment, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to doing quality work. However, there is also the view of older workers as not being flexible or adaptable and being more resistant to new technology.
4. As baby boomers do retire, experts point out that some industries will face severe shortages of qualified employees.
5. As boomers retire, 76 million members of Generation Y are either already in or poised to enter the workforce.  These workers will bring their own ideas and approaches to the workplace and present new challenges to managers.

B. Gender
1. While women now each make up almost half of the workforce (49.8%), gender diversity issues are still quite prevalent in organizations.
2. The current ratio of women’s to men’s median weekly earnings is 80.2; the ratio for median annual earnings stood at 77.1.
3. While women make up more than half of today’s college students, research shows that men start their careers at a higher level than women.
4. Gender is often perceived as a determinant of work performance, however, research shows that there are few if any consistent differences between men and women on important work-related skills.
5. Women prefer more flexible work arrangements to help them accommodate for family responsibilities.
6. Research evidence indicates that a “good” manager is still perceived as predominantly masculine.  But the reality is that women tend to use a broader, more effective range of leadership styles to motivate and engage people. They usually blend traditional masculine styles—being directive, authoritative, and leading by example—with more feminine ones that include being nurturing, inclusive, and collaborative.

 C. Race and Ethnicity
1. The issue of race and diversity has been an emotionally charged topic in the United States.
2. Race is defined as the biological heritage (including physical characteristics such as one’s skin color and associated traits) that people use to identify themselves.
3. Ethnicity is related to race, but it refers to social traits—such as one’s cultural background or allegiance—that are shared by a human population.
4. Research shows that individuals in workplaces tend to favor colleagues of their own race in performance evaluations, promotion decisions, and pay raises.
5. African Americans tend to favor affirmative action programs to a greater degree than Whites.
6. Other research shows that African Americans generally do worse than Whites in decisions related to the workplace.  However, there is little difference between the races on absenteeism, applied work skills, or accident rates.

D. Disabilities/Abilities
1. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990 prohibits discrimination against persons
2. with disabilities and also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations so their workplaces are accessible to people with physical or mental disabilities and enable them to effectively perform their jobs.
3. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission classifies a person as disabled if he or she has any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
4. Disabilities include some conditions not normally associated with the disabled such as deafness, chronic back pain, AIDS, missing limbs, seizure disorder, schizophrenia, diabetes, and alcoholism.
5. Not every job can be made to accommodate for an individual with a disability.  According to the ADA, an employer must make reasonable accommodations.
6. Exhibit 4-6 describes some of the fears that employers may have about the disabled as well as the reality.

E. Religion
1. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion (as well as race/ethnicity, country of origin, and sex).
2. Today, it seems that the greatest religious diversity issue in the United States revolves around Islam, one of the world’s most popular religions.
3. Religious beliefs can prohibit or encourage some work behaviors.  For example religious holidays may preclude an employee from work on a certain day, but also be a strong reinforcer for maintaining ethical behavior.

F. GLBT: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
1. Currently, U.S. federal law does not prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation, although many states and municipalities do.
2. While laws have been passed in Europe to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, in the United states, it has been called the “last acceptable bias.”
3. In the absence of legislation, many employers have taken varying approaches to sexual orientation, from don’t ask to don’t tell, to just not hiring at all.
4. Many large companies are taking a stand and creating policies that protect the rights of LGBT employees.

G. Other Types of Diversity
1. Diversity is not limited to the topics above; it refers to any dissimilarities or differences that might be present in a workplace.
2. Other types of workplace diversity that managers might confront and have to deal with include socioeconomic background (social class and income-related factors), team members from different functional areas or organizational units, physical attractiveness, obesity/thinness, job seniority, or intellectual abilities.

4.4  CHALLENGES IN MANAGING DIVERSITY
While the majority of managers understand the value of a diverse workforce, there are still challenges they face in the implementation of equitable workplace policies and differing employee perceptions.
A. Personal Bias
1. Employees bring many preconceived ideas about others into the workplace. 
2. Bias is a term that describes a tendency or preference toward a particular perspective or ideology.
3. One outcome of our personal biases can be prejudice, a preconceived belief, opinion, or judgment toward a person or a group of people.
4. A major factor in prejudice is stereotyping, which is judging a person on the basis of one’s perception of a group to which he or she belongs.
5. Both prejudice and stereotyping can lead to someone treating others who are members of a particular group unequally. That’s what we call discrimination, which is when someone acts out their prejudicial attitudes toward people who are the targets of their prejudice.
6. Exhibit 4-7 shows the definitions and examples of different types of discrimination.
7. Discrimination has potential financial consequences for organizations and managers as well as loss in employee productivity, negative and disruptive interpersonal conflicts, increased employee turnover, and overall negative climate.

LEADERS WHO MAKE A DIFFEENCE

Kenneth I. Chenault, CEO of American Express,  who was named by Black Enterprise magazine as number one on the list of the 100 most powerful executives in corporate America.  Chenault, an African American, was chosen for the top spot at American Express because of his business acumen and his character.   Chenault meets regularly with the company’s employee resource groups, holds senior executives personally responsible for meeting diversity goals, and is a visible supporter of the company’s diversity initiatives.

B. Glass Ceiling
1. The term glass ceiling, first used in a Wall Street Journal article, refers to the invisible barrier that separates women and minorities from top management positions. The idea of a “ceiling” means that there is something blocking upward movement and the idea of “glass” is that whatever’s blocking the way isn’t immediately apparent.
2. Potential causes for the glass ceiling have ranged from lack of mentoring, sex stereotyping, views that associate masculine traits with leader effectiveness, and bosses’ perceptions of family–work conflict.

4.5  WORKPLACE DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
While the challenges to create and maintain a diverse workforce are daunting, organizations have taken steps to foster and promote workplace diversity.  Some of these initiatives are listed below.
A. The Legal Aspect of Workplace Diversity
1. Federal legislation has been a compelling force to push workplace diversity.  It is doubtful that some organizations would be as diverse as they are today without these federal mandates.
2. Exhibit 4-8 describes the major equal employment opportunity laws with which organizations
3. must comply
B. Top Management Commitment to Diversity
1. Diversity and inclusion should be part of the organization’s purpose, goals, and strategies as well as every other aspect of business.
2. Policies and procedures must be in place to ensure that grievances and concerns are addressed immediately.
3. The organizational culture needs to be one where diversity and inclusion are valued, even to the
4. point where is measured and rewarded on diversity accomplishments.

C. Mentoring
1. Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced organizational member (a mentor) provides advice and guidance to a less-experienced member (a protégé). Mentors usually provide two unique forms of mentoring functions—career development and social support.
2. A good mentoring program should help diverse employees with high potential move up the organization’s career ladder.
3. Exhibit 4-9 looks at what a good mentor does.

D. Diversity Skills Training
1. Diversity skills training is specialized training to educate employees about the importance of diversity and teach them skills for working in a diverse workplace.
2. Experts estimate that $80 billion has been spent over the last 10 years on diversity programs.
3. Two types of diversity training:
a. Diversity awareness training helps to make employees aware of the assumptions and biases they may have.
b. Diversity skills training works with employees to learn specific skills on how to communicate and work effectively in a diverse work environment

E. Employee Resource Groups
1. Employee resource groups are made up of employees connected by some common dimension of diversity.
2. These groups are usually formed by the employees themselves, not the organizations, however, it’s important for organizations to recognize and support these groups.
3. Employee resource groups are useful in that diverse groups have the opportunity to see that their existence is acknowledged and that they have the support of people within and outside the group.

Let’s Get Real:
Kim Scartelli
Multiple Franchise Owner and Consultant
Curves for Women
Canton, MI

Commenting on Deutsche Telekom’s plan to increase the number of women in leadership positions, Kim questions the use of quotas to accomplish their goal.  In the United States, hiring quota are often misunderstood and implemented as a knee jerk response to affirmative action plans. Most HR specialists shy away from the use of the term quotas because it infers that companies are engaging in reverse discrimination.  Kim suggests that the European telecommunications company uses other plans for achieve the goal of gender equity.

ANSWERS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. What is workforce diversity and why is managing it so important?

The authors have chosen to define workplace diversity as the ways in which people in an organization are different from and similar to one another. It is the differences between employees that can bring companies advantages.  Differences in experiences, culture, skills, and abilities lead to better decision making and help the organization to address problems and changes experienced by their customers.

2. Why is it important for an organization to have a clear definition of diversity?

Diversity has been defined in many ways and because the emotionally charged history of civil rights and the push for greater diversity in the US, it is important that everyone work from the same point of view to clear potential misunderstandings.  Some see diversity as simply race or gender.  This view limits a deeper understanding of how people differ from one another and the advantages that can be gained by a more diverse workforce.

3. Distinguish between surface-level diversity and deep level diversity. Why is it important to understand the difference between the two?

Surface-level diversity is the easily perceived differences that may trigger certain stereotypes. Deep-level diversity are the differences in values, personality, and work preferences that  can affect the way people view organizational work rewards, communicate, react to leaders, negotiate, and generally behave at work.  By focusing on deep-level diversity, organizations are able to go beyond the divisive issues of race and other differences that can cause stereotypes and seek to understand the ways people think or feel.

4. What are the major trends in the changing populations of the United States and the world?

Over the last twenty years organizations have focused on the obvious trends in the workforce, mainly race (i.e. black and white) and gender.  Recently, there has been more emphasis age and the increasing number of immigrants.

5. Describe the issues associated with each of the types of workforce diversity.

In section 4.3, the authors describe seven types of workplace diversity: age, gender, race & ethnicity, disabilities/abilities, religion, GLBT, and other forms.  Employees and organizations have differing responses to each of these types of diversity.  For example, company responses to age have been very different to their responses to GLBT issues.  After reading through this section students may provide their own personal experiences and issues with belonging to one of these categories. 

6. Distinguish between race and ethnicity.

In the text, race is defined as the biological heritage (including physical characteristics such as one’s skin color and associated traits) that people use to identify themselves.
Ethnicity is related to race, but it refers to social traits—such as one’s cultural background or allegiance—that are shared by a human population.

7. What challenges do managers face in creating accommodating and safe work environments for employees?

The two main challenges for creating an accommodating and safe work environment for a diverse workforce are overcoming personal bias and eliminating the glass ceiling. The potential forms of discrimination include: discriminatory policies, sexual harassment, intimidation, mockery, exclusion and incivility.

8. Explain the relationship between bias, prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination.

These topics can be seen as linked together like a chain.  Bias is a tendency or preference toward a particular perspective or ideology.  Unchecked, a bias can lead to prejudice, a preconceived belief, opinion, or judgment toward a person or a group of people. Prejudice can lead to stereotyping, which is judging a person on the basis of one’s perception of a group to which he or she belongs. Both prejudice and stereotyping can lead to someone treating others who are members of a particular group unequally, which is discrimination.

9. What U.S. federal laws are important to workplace diversity initiatives?

The important federal laws for workplace diversity are:  Equal Pay Act (1963), Civil Rights Act, Title VII (1964 & 1972), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967 & 1978), pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978),  Mandatory Retirement Act (1978), Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), Civil Rights Act (1991), Family and Medical Leave Act (1993),  Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)

10. Why do you think the glass ceiling has proven to be a barrier to women and minorities?

The text cites several potential causes for the glass ceiling including: lack of mentoring, sex stereotyping, views that associate masculine traits with leader effectiveness, and bosses’ perceptions of family–work conflict.  Another cause could be the time and experience required for women to move into upper management.  Only in the recent past have women been given more opportunity to work in management positions.  It will take time for experienced female managers to replace the aging male dominated ranks of top management.

ETHICS DILEMMA 

After reviewing the two websites, ask students for their impression of McDonald’s attempts to target African American employees (356black.com) and Asian employees (myinspirasian.com).  While both websites contain positive information regarding these ethnic groups, is their attempt to gather support from the respective communities too obvious?  Ask both majority and minority students in the class for their reactions to the websites to observe if they feel the same about the programs.

SKILLS EXERCISE:  DEVELOPING YOUR  DIVERSITY SKILLS 

In this exercise, students are asked to work on skills that will help them better value diversity.  The skills are based on eight actions that managers may take to aid them in creating a diverse workforce and communicating the value of diversity to its employees.  The skills in this exercise are on valuing diversity.  To practice this skill students are given three scenarios and asked how they would handle these situations.  Students should be encouraged to review section 4.5, organizational initiatives for dealing with diversity.  Some students may emphasize diversity awareness as a way to resolve problems described in each scenario.  While this is a positive step, get students to take the next step toward diversity skill training.

WORKING TOGETHER:  TEAM EXERCISE 

In groups of three to four individuals, students are research how to form diversity resource groups. Sources of information on resource groups include: http://www.diversityinc.com/
http://www.hrc.org/index.htm
Companies with resource groups include:
• State Farm
• Dell
• Aetna
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
After the groups have done their research, they should develop a written plan to develop a resource group and should share with the rest of the class.

YOUR TURN TO BE A MANAGER 
• Describe your experiences with people from other backgrounds. What challenges have you faced? What have you learned that will help you in understanding the unique needs and challenges of a diverse workplace?
• Go to DiversityInc.com [www.diversityinc.com] and find the latest list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity.
• Select three companies from this list. Describe and evaluate what they’re doing as far as workplace diversity.
• Think of times when you may have been treated unfairly because of stereotypical thinking. What stereotypes were being used? How did you respond to the treatment?
• Go to the website of Catalyst [www.catalyst.org] and find the Research & Knowledge tab. Click on “Browse Research & Knowledge.” Go through the list and find the research on “Women in Management, Global Comparison.” What surprised you the most about the data shown there? Why? Find two examples of companies that are doing each of the four workplace diversity initiatives. Write a short description of what each is doing.
• Steve’s and Mary’s suggested readings: C. Harvey and M. J. Allard, Understanding and Managing Diversity, 4th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009); S. Thiederman, Making Diversity Work: 7 Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace, 2nd ed. (New York: Kaplan Publishing, 2008); A. M. Konrad, P. Prasad, and J. K. Pringle (eds.), Handbook of Workplace Diversity (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2006); and G. N. Powell, Managing a Diverse Workforce, 2nd ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004).
• Pick one of the laws listed in Exhibit 4-8. Research that law looking for these elements: Whom does the law cover? What does the law prohibit? What are the consequences for violating the law?
• In your own words, write down three things you learned in this chapter about being a good manager. Self-knowledge can be a powerful learning tool. Go to mymanagementlab and complete any of these self-assessment exercises: What Are My Attitudes Toward Workplace Diversity? Am I Well-Suited for a Career as a Global Manager? What’s My Attitude Toward Older People? and What Are My Gender Role Perceptions? Using the results of your assessments, identify personal strengths and weaknesses. What will you do to reinforce your strengths and improve your weaknesses?

ANSWERS TO CASE APPLICATION QUESTIONS 

Mission Possible: Strategic Diversity
1. How are population trends affecting the U.S. Navy’s education and operations? What might the organization have to do to adapt to these trends beyond what they’re already doing?

As the population becomes more diverse, large organizations, such as the military, are looking at a more diverse population for employees/recruits to fill their ranks.  For the military, this means more female cadets and cadets from different racial and ethnic groups at their respective military academies.  For the last twenty years, the academies have actively recruited at high schools with greater minority populations and have included more minorities in the marketing material.

2. What challenges might the Navy face in adapting to a more diverse student body at the Naval Academy?

One of the biggest challenges for the Naval academy has been the introduction of women.  Moving from an all male school to a school of mixed gender has raised concerns from many groups – both those who support the idea and those who are against it.  In 1995, Shannon Faulkner made news as the first female candidate to the Citadel.  Due to several issues including claims of sexual harassment, Shannon was not able to complete her first year at the Citadel, but she was followed by women in subsequent years who did successfully graduate.

3. Just like the dilemma that businesses face in retaining diverse employees, the Navy has to ensure that once its workforce is trained that those individuals stay with the organization. What can the Navy do to assure this?

One of the most effective techniques for aiding retention of minority groups is mentoring.  These programs help minorities gain needed skills from employees who have experienced similar problems/situations.  Employee resource groups would also help provide support for minority cadets.  Students may also suggest greater diversity awareness training or skill training for existing employees. 

4. Would mentoring or employee resource groups be appropriate for a military organization? Explain. How might a mentoring program or employee resource groups be implemented in the Navy?

As stated in the previous question, mentoring groups aid in the retention of minorities.  Mentoring programs can be either voluntary or as part of a structured arrangement where every cadet is paired with a mentor.  For minorities, it is important that they be paired with someone from their same gender or racial group.  These types of pairings help minorities in that the mentor has the ability to share their experiences as being part of that group and the unique experiences that they faced.

Women in Management at Deutsche Telekom: Part 2
1. What do you think of this “quota” approach that Deutsche Telekom is pursuing? What benefits and drawbacks does such an approach have?

Quotas are not recommended by many human resource experts.  While quotas will help organizations become diverse quickly, they do so in a way that discriminates against employees – critics call this reverse discrimination.  Quotas many times suggest that certain people need not apply.  By actively saying that a set number of minorities will be put into a position can also create a backlash from applicants/existing employees who feel that their qualifications are not as important as their gender or color of their skin.  Many experts prefer the use of hiring programs that favor minorities when all other qualifications are equal. 

2. What issues might Deutsche Telekom face in recruiting female university graduates? How could they address these issues?

Get students to think about how Deutsche Telekom would attract only female applicants. In US markets, advertisements for jobs cannot specify a gender.  Such an ad would be seen as a violation of other applicants civil rights.  Deutsche Telekom could send recruiters to female only universities or advertise in media oriented toward females.

3. What issues might the company face in introducing changes in work–family programs? Again, how could they address these issues?

While some employees are appreciative of work-family programs, others might see them as showing favoritism.  It is difficult for managers to miss time and to work flexible arrangements because of the demands placed upon their time.  For a manager to miss too many meetings or to work hours that put them out of the office at key times could create resentment from subordinates and other managers.

4. What workplace diversity initiatives discussed in the chapter might be appropriate for Deutsche Telekom? What would be involved in implementing these initiatives?

There are a variety of programs that could be used for the new female managers including mentoring groups and employee resource groups.  For the employees who may not be used to working with a female manager, there are awareness programs and skill based diversity training programs.  All of these programs need support from upper management as well as a long-term commitment from the organization to reinforce the cultural diversity of the organization.