Management of Human Resources Man6307

Case 4-1 on pgs. 145-147 of your text.

1. Why do many companies find increasing and managing diversity to be difficult challenges?

2. What were the key elements in Blahna's successful diversity strategy?

3. Under what circumstances might the consulting pairs approach be most useful?

4. What steps should management take to ensure that the consulting pairs approach is working?

Businesses have come a long way since the days of 1950s when white males made up more than 60% of the American workforce. The man was the sole breadwinner in the household while females were expected to take care of children and the home. At age 65, the male retired and they spend their retirement years doing all those little things they never had the time or money to do.

Diversity used to be a black/white, male/female, old/young issue. Now it is much more complex than just racial or ethnic diversity. It consists of a combination of genders, race, religion, age and other background factors with different values, styles, personalities, customs and beliefs that can affect the way they conduct business. We also consider socio-economic, geographic, international, intellectual, artistic, athletic, political, religious, and sexual orientation. Cultural diversity should be managed to recognize, respect and capitalize on the different backgrounds in our society in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender.

Today’s workplace requires a more realistic and respectable approach to multi-culturalism or cultural diversity. Multi-culturalism is based on the belief that cultural identities should not be discarded, barred or ignored. Instead, these qualities should be maintained and valued. In addition to your employees, there must be an awareness of respecting the diversity of your business’s clients.

Think about the different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities and disabilities of today’s diverse workforce. If administered properly, the benefits of a diverse workforce can outweigh the costs...