Chapter 5

Question 1

Diversity

Answer 1

Differences among people due to
* race
* gender
* ethnicity
* sexual oriention
* socio-economic background
* physical abiltities
* others

Question 2

Why is diversity important?

Answer 2

1. There is an ethical imperative that diverse people must receive equal opportunities and be treated fairly and justly
2. Can improve organisational effectiveness

There is still substantial evidence that diverse individuals experience unfair treatment in the workplace on a global level.

Question 3

Discrimination

Answer 3

To show favour, prejudice or bias for/against a person on any arbitrary grounds such as religion, race, ethnicity etc.

Two types of discrimination in SA: Fair discrimination and Unfair discrimination

Question 4

Fair Discrimination

Answer 4

By law discrimination is allowed on four grounds:
1. Affirmative action
1. Inherent job requirements
1. Compulsory discrimination
1. Based on productivity

Question 5

Affirmative Action

Fair Discrimination

Answer 5

Designed to promote employment equity - fair representation in the workforce

e.g. BEE: getting more black people to participate in the economy - scorecard

Question 6

Inherent Job Requirements

Fair Discrimination

Answer 6

Relates to a specific set of requirements needed to perform a specific job

e.g. a person with poor eyesight cannot be a pilot

Question 7

Compulsory Discrimination

Fair Discrimination

Answer 7

In certain cases, employers are not allowed to employ people

e.g. pregnant women four weeks before/six weeks after giving birth

Question 8

Based on productivity

Fair Discrimination

Answer 8

An employer is allowed to discriminate against employees on the basis of productivity

poor performance = no salary bonus

Question 9

Unfair Discrimination

Answer 9

1. Direct discrimination
2. Indirect discrimination

Question 10

Direct Discrimination

Unfair Discrimination

Answer 10

Involves differential treatment between employees and job applicants based on arbitrary grounds

e.g. paying female employees less because they are female

Easy to identify

Question 11

Indirect Discrimination

Unfair Discrimination

Answer 11

A more subtle form of discrimination. They are seen as neutral policies, but have negative effects on individuals or groups

e.g. medical, physcological, and HIV testing

Not easy to identify

Question 12

Interpersonal Managerial Roles and Diversity

ways managers can ensure that diversity is effectively managed

Answer 12

Figurehead
* Conveys that the effective management of diversity is a valued goal and objective

Leader
* Serves as a role model and institutes policies that ensure diverse members are treated fairly

Liaison
* Enables diverse individuals to coordinate and cooperate

Question 13

Informational Managerial Roles and Diversity

ways managers can ensure that diversity is effectively managed

Answer 13

Monitor
* Evaluates the extent to which all employees are treated fairly

Disseminator
* Informs employees about diversity policies and the intolerance of discrimination

Spokesperson
* Supports diversity initiatives in the wider community and communicates with diverse groups

Question 14

Decisional Managerial Roles and Diversity

ways managers can ensure that diversity is effectively managed

Answer 14

Entrepreneur
* Commits resources to develop new ways to manage diversity and eliminate discrimination

Disturbance handler
* Corrects inequalties and reduces discriminatory behaviour

Resource allocater
* Allocates resources to support effective management of diversity

Negotiator
* Works with organisations and groups to support effective management of diversity

Question 15

The Ethical Imperative to Manage Diversity Effectively

Answer 15

There a two moral principles that guide managers to meet this imperative:
* Distrubutive justice
* Procedural justice

Imperative: responsibility towards society

Question 16

Distributive Justice

Answer 16

A moral principle that includes the fair distribution of pay, promotions, job titles and other organisational resources.

The distribution is based on the meaningful contributions of individuals (time, effort, skills, performance) and not based on arbitrary grounds

it is a managers obligation to ensure this

Question 17

Procedural Justice

Answer 17

Requires that managers use fair procedures to determine how to distribute outcomes to organisational members

avoid lawsuits

procedures:
* Appraising subordinates’ performance
* Deciding raise/promotion
* Decide who to lay off

Question 18

How does effectively managing diversity make good business sense?

Answer 18

• Diverse organisational members can be a source of competitive advantage
• Can increase retention of valuable employees
• Ensures profits dont suffer

Question 19

Perception

Answer 19

The process through which people select, organise, and interpret sensory input to give meaning and order to the world around them

All decisions and actions of managers are based on their subjective perceptions

Question 20

Accurate perceptions:

Answer 20

When managers’ perceptions are relatively accurate - good decisions and appropriate actions

perceptions are close to the true nature

Question 21

Innacurate perceptions:

Answer 21

When managers’ perceptions are relatively innacurate - bad decisions and innappropriate actions that hurt organisational effectiveness

Bad decisions:
* Not hiring qualified people
* Failing to promote top-performing subordinates
* Promoting poorly performing managers because same diversity profile

Question 22

Factors that influence managerial perceptions

Answer 22

1. Each manager is unique
2. Schemas
3. Biases

Question 23

Schemas

Factors that influence managerial perception

Answer 23

Abstract knowledge stored in memory that allow people to organise and interpret information about a person, event and situation

• Functional Schemas: accurately depict true nature
• Dysfunctional Schemas: innaccurate assumptions that are not necessarily true

People perceive others based on their expectations

Schemas are resistant to change

Question 24

Gender schemas

Answer 24

Preconceived notions about the nature of men and women and their traits, attitudes, behaviours, and preferences.

a kind of stereotype

Question 25

Stereotype

Answer 25

Simplistic and often inaccurate belief about the typical characteristics of particular groups of people

Question 26

Biases

Answer 26

Systematic tendencies to use information about others in ways that result in inaccurate perceptions. People are unaware that their perceptions are inaccurate

Question 27

Similar-to-me effect | Types of biases

Answer 27

Tendency to perceive others who are similar to ourselves more positvely than those who are different ## Footnote Results in unfair treatment in the workplace

Question 28

Social Status | Types of biases

Answer 28

Tendency to perceive a person of high social status more positvely than someone with a lower social status

Question 29

Salience effect | Types of biases ## Footnote **not in slides*

Answer 29

The tendency to focus attention on individuals who are conspicuously different from others in a group | Salient individuals are more often the object of attention

Question 30

How to manage diversity effectively:

Answer 30

* Secure top management commitment * Increase the accuracy of perceptions * Increase diversity awareness and skills * Encourage flexibility * Pay clost attention to how employees are evaluated * Consider the numbers * Empower employees to challenge discriminatory behaviors, actions, and remarks * Reward employees for effectively managing diversity * Provide training, utilizing a multipronged, ongoing approach * Encourage mentoring of diverse employees