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Santa Clara University
Department of Psychology
Psychology 156: MANAGING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
Fall 2011
Tuesday and Thursday: 1:45 PM – 3:30 PM, Daly Science 106
Instructor: Katerina Bezrukova
E-mail:
ybezrukova@scu.edu
Office:
Alumni Science Building 201
Office hours: Tuesdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Managing diversity is becoming increasingly important to contemporary organizations and is
likely to become even more critical in the future as the population and workforce become even
more heterogeneous. This course will offer an introductory overview of the great variety of
human differences, problems and unique strengths of diverse groups, and processes of interacting
with people who are different. Students will examine diversity as constituted through
intersections of social categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, language,
citizenship, religion, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, and so on as these apply to work.
(Diversity, Complexity). They will analyze differences in power and privilege related to race,
gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, language, citizenship, religion, class, sexual orientation, or
physical ability (Diversity, Social Justice) and will cover a wide range of concepts to understand
the social, political and economic implications of diversity in organizations. We will consider
ways in which organizations can and do manage diversity.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Drawing on literature from a variety of disciplines, the specific learning objectives of the course
include:
1. Describe examples of diverse human experiences, identities, and cultures in the United States
and internationally (CORE, 1.1).
2. Identify and discuss paradigms that lead to inequity and injustice (CORE, 1.2).
3. Examine diversity as constituted through intersections of social categories such as race,
gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, language, citizenship, religion, class, sexual orientation,
physical ability, and so on (CORE, 1.3).
4. Analyze differences in power and privilege related to race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, age,
language, citizenship, religion, class, sexual orientation, or physical ability (CORE, 1.4).
5. Gain greater self-awareness of our own cultural values, biases and behaviors and how they
may influence our interpersonal behavior and interactions in organizations (Department &
course objectives).
6. Develop greater competency and appropriate skills for working effectively with people from
diverse backgrounds and orientations (Department & course objectives).
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7. Explore contemporary organizational strategies for managing workplace diversity
(Department & course objectives).
REQUIRED READINGS
Textbook: Cox, Taylor Jr. (1993). Cultural Diversity in Organizations: Theory, Research and
Practice. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Additional Readings: Selected articles and cases. These are compiled in a coursepack, which is
available on Angel.
COURSE FORMAT
The class is comprised of lectures, discussion, exercises, quizzes, and group activities. You
should also be prepared to spend additional time outside of or after class for certain
activities. Students should also be prepared to stay a few minutes after class to arrange
meetings with other members of the class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Participation (25% of your grade)
A.
Attendance and Preparation
Because this is an experiential course, there is a strict policy on participation. You are expected
to participate in class discussions and ALL exercises since they are the central component of the
course. If you will be absent, you should notify me at least two hours before class (the more
advanced the notice, the better). If you know you will be consistently absent from class, please
choose another elective.
B. Quality of Comments During Discussion
I will evaluate the quality of your contributions and insights (rather than the quantity of
comments you make) in class discussions. High quality comments possess one or more of the
following:
 Thoughtful application of assigned readings (current and past) to the current experience
 Extension of (building upon) other students’ comments (demonstrates listening to others
and understanding, in addition to presenting own idea)
 Analysis of a relevant personal experience that moves the discussion forward (not simply
a description of that experience).
 Integration of prior comments and ideas, resulting in a new, relevant perspective.
C. Quizzes
This includes your individual performance on occasional surprise quizzes in class. Quizzes will
be given to check your understanding of the assigned readings and lecture notes. If you are late
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or absent to class you will not be allowed to make up the missed quiz, but your lowest quiz
score will be dropped when calculating your final overall quiz score.
2. Analysis Papers (30% of your grade)
Several analysis papers based on diversity cases are due during the term. The papers should
analyze the process and outcome of a specific case. Questions you may consider when reflecting
on course material include 1) How does the case apply to you and situations you might have
experienced? 2) What new insights to you have of yourself, others, or real world scenarios? 3)
What new questions, ideas, or hypotheses does the material/insight suggest? My focus on
grading will be:
1. Your ability to integrate information from the readings and class discussions into lessons
learned from participating in the diversity exercise;
2. Evidence of insight and introspection.
Maximum length: 2 double-spaced pages.
3. Journal (5%)
One assignment is to keep a journal of your observations and thoughts regarding diversity as it
relates to this class. Some questions to reflect on in your journal:
Describe a Time When You…
…were exposed to stereotypes in media (TV, movie, music, etc). What message did it send?
…when you have been the recipient or target of a stereotype? How did that affect you?
…when you have witnessed someone else being stereotyped? What did you do?
4. Term project (40% of your grade)
During the second week of class, we will select groups of approximately four to engage in a
group project. Each group is required to design a diversity management program for an
organization of their choice. Before beginning work on your project, you should consult with me
to have your selected organization approved. This assignment requires some intimate knowledge
of the workings/mission of the selected organization. For instance, it can be an employer of one
of the group members. Your program should attempt to address the diversity specific needs of the
company related to one of its core business functions. Some examples might be a program
focusing on:
(a) creating a more diverse leadership pipeline,
(b) broadening the diversity of the company’s partners and suppliers,
(c) enhancing the firm’s diversity climate,
(d) recruiting a more diverse workforce, or
(e) strengthening the company’s reputation for diversity management. This project has a
strong experiential component as students are expected to use the latest concepts and techniques
from diversity research & practice and base their analysis on course principles. The result will be
a 7 page paper, double spaced and a thirty-minute class presentation.
Course Outline
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I will run this class largely as a seminar. In addition to lectures, you can expect group activities
and discussions in most class meetings. The quality of these discussions largely depends upon
your coming to class prepared. This means that you must have read and thought about the
materials assigned for that class period, and be prepared to contribute your reactions, questions,
and ideas during the class period.
Student Responsibilities
My goal is to provide you with the best educational experience possible. However, it is up to
you to take advantage of the instructional activities that are planned. Some of your
responsibilities include:
- Attend all class and lab sessions
- Arrive on time
- Read all assignments on the schedule prior to class
-Allow sufficient time to prepare for class (12 to 18 hours per week outside of class)
“To request academic accommodations for a disability, students must contact Disabilities
Resources in Benson Center, (408) 554-4111. Students must register with Disabilities Resources
and provide appropriate documentation to that office prior to receiving accommodations.”
CLASS OUTLINE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Topic 1 (week 1). Overview of Diversity
1.1. Myths about diversity
1.2. Defining diversity
Readings (read by September 22):
1. Textbook, Chapters 1-2.
2. Cox, T. Jr. & Blake, S. D. (1991). Managing cultural diversity: Implications for
organizational competitiveness. Academy of Management Executive, 5(3), 45-56.
Assignments [learning objectives 1 and 2]:
Write a one-page set of preparation notes for the case “Healing” by Janssens & Brett in
which you discuss:
1. your planning methods,
2. strategies, and
3. your expected outcomes.
Topic 2 (week 2). Antecedents of diversity:
2.1. Group specific (i.e. cultural, racial/ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, generational, disability,
etc.)
2.2. General/broad (any differences)
2.3. Group Faultlines
Readings:
September 27
1. Textbook, Chapter 7
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2. Caver, K.A. & Livers, A.B. (2002). Dear White Boss. Harvard Business Review
3. Connor, J.C. (2000). It Wasn’t About Race… Or Was It? Harvard Business Review (case)
4. Holvino, E. (1994). Women of color in organizations: Revising our models of gender at
work. In Elsie Y. Cross, Judith H. Katz, Frederick A. Miller, & Edith W. Seashore (Eds.),
The Promise of Diversity: Over 40 Voices Discuss Strategies for Eliminating Discrimination
in Organizations. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin.
DUE: Analysis paper 1 (Healing)
September 29
5. Gratton, L., Voigt, A., & Erickson. T. (2007). Bridging faultlines in diverse teams. MIT
Sloan Management Review, 22-29.
6. Lau, D. & Murnighan, J. K. (1998). Demographic diversity and faultlines: The compositional
dynamics of organizational groups. Academy of Management Review, 23(2), 325-340.
DUE: Take the test (IAT), print out your results and bring to class
o Point your browser at (https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/).
o Click on “Take a Demo Test” at the top and follow the instructions.
 Complete two demonstration tests – picking groups or dimension to which you
think you’ll have different emotional reactions.
o Go back to the initial location (above) and click on “Background.” The links under
“General Information” provide more information about the IAT.
 Click on “Understanding and interpreting IAT results” and read the short
explanation.
o Then return to “Background” and follow any of the other links that might interest you.
To hand out:
1. Final Project guidelines [learning objectives 1 - 4]
Topic 3 (week 3). Consequences of diversity (Part 1):
3.1. Diversity and Decision Making
3.2. Diversity and Leadership
3.3. Diversity and Power/Privileges
Readings:
October 4
1. Roberto, M. & Carioggia, G. (2003). Mount Everest – 1996. Harvard Business Review.
DUE: Analysis paper 2 (Faultlines)
October 6
2. Goodman, D. J. (2001). Promoting diversity and social justice: Educating people from
privileged groups. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [Read chapter 2: pp. 13 – 36]
3. McIntosh, P. (2007, February 15). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack.
Rachel’s Democracy & Health News.
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Topic 4 (week 4). Consequences of diversity (Part 2):
4.1. Diversity and Conflict
4.2. Diversity and Performance
4.3. Diversity and Creativity
Readings:
October 11
1. Textbook, Chapters 3 & 9-10
2. Jehn, K. A.Bezrukova, K. & Thatcher, S. M. B. (2008). Conflict, diversity, and faultlines in
workgroups. In C. K. W. DeDreu & M. J. Gelfand (Eds.), The Psychology of Conflict and
Conflict Management in Organizations (pp. 179-210): The SIOP Frontiers Series, Lawrence
Erlbaum
3. Bezrukova, K.Jehn, K. A.Zanutto, E. & Thatcher, S. M. B. (2009). Do workgroup faultlines
help or hurt? A moderated model of faultlines, team identification, and group performance.
Organization Science, 20(1), 35-50.
DUE: Analysis Paper 3 (Everest)
October 13
1. Delong, T. & Vijayaraghavan, V. (2002). Cirque du Soleil. Harvard Business Review.
2. Bezrukova, K. and Uparna, J. (2009). Group splits and culture shifts: A new map of the
creativity terrain. In M.A.Neale, B.Mannix & J.Goncalo (Eds.), Research on Managing
Groups and Teams (pp.161-191), Vol. 12. Stamford, CT: JAI Press.
DUE: Journal #1
Topic 5 (week 5). Consequences of diversity (Part 3):
5.1. Diversity and Health
Readings:
October 18 – No class (Work on your final analysis paper!)
October 20
3. Joyce, A. (2005, September 15). Discriminating dress: External symbols of faith can unfairly
add to interview stress. Washington Post, p. F06.
4. Bezrukova, K., Spell, C.S., and Perry, J. Violent splits or healthy divides? Coping with
injustice through group faultlines.
5. Listen to the two NPR broadcasts listed below.
a. Religious Initiatives Make Workplace Hostile for Some
i. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3025028
b. When Faith Clashes with Corporate Policy
i. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3046047
DUE: Analysis Paper 4 (Cirque du Soleil)
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Topic 6 (week 6). Legal issues relating to diversity:
6.1. Pay, promotion, and the Glass Ceiling
6.2. Sexual harassment
6.3. Discrimination and Affirmative Action
Readings:
October 25
1. Textbook, Chapter 5
2. Brief (with 6 co-authors), “Beyond Good Intentions: The Next Steps Toward Racial Equality
in the American Workplace,” Academy of Management Executive.
3. Henderson, G. (1994). Sexual harassment quiz. Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: Issues
and Strategies (71-72). Westport, CT: Praeger.
4. Tahmincioglu, E. (2008, January 13). Racial harassment still infecting the workplace:
Despite decades of civil-rights progress, workers’ complaints are rising. MSNBC. Download
from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22575581/
October 27
5. Tatum, B.D. (1994). Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? Chapter 7
(White identity and Affirmative Action).
6. Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha
and Jamal? Capital Ideas: Research Highlights from the University of Chicago Graduate
School of Business. (2003), 4(4).
7. Loller, T. (2007, January 26). Study says skin tone affects earnings. Washington Post.
Topic 7 (week 7). Diversity training programs:
7.1 Diversity training in Organizational settings
7.2. Diversity training in Educational settings
7.3. An integrated model of diversity training
Readings:
November 1
1. Textbook, Chapters, 14-15.
2. Bezrukova, K., Jehn, K., & Spell, C. (in press). Reviewing Diversity Training: Types of
Programs, and The Attention They Get. Academy of Management Learning & Education.
November 3
3. Atkinson, W. (2001, September). Bringing diversity to White men. HR Magazine, 46, 76-83.
4. Anand, R. & Winters, M. (2008). A retrospective view of corporate diversity training from
1964 to the present. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 7 (3): 356-372.
5. Avery, D.R. & Thomas, K.M. (2004). Blending content and contact: The roles of diversity
curriculum and campus heterogeneity in fostering diversity management competency.
Academy of Management Learning & Education, 3: 380-396.
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Topic 8 (week 8). Managing diversity:
8.1. Managing conflict/Harassment
8.2. Mentoring
8.3. New managerial approaches to the career/family question
8.4. New paradigms for managing diversity
Readings:
November 8
1. Textbook, Chapters 11-12.
2. Schwartz, J. (2010, October 10). Bullying, Suicide, Punishment: A Case of a Rutgers
Student’s Suicide. New York Times.
November 10
3. Thomas, D. A. (1989). Mentoring and irrationality: The role of racial taboos. Human
Resource Management, 28(2), 279-290.
4. Redmond, S. P. (1990). Mentoring and cultural diversity in academic settings. American
Behavioral Scientist, 34(2), 188-200.
5. Thomas, D.A. & Ely, R.J. (1996). Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for
Managing Diversity. Harvard Business Review, Sept-Oct, 79-90.
DUE: Journal #2
Topic 9 (week 9). Lessons from Diversity research:
9.1. New perspectives on diversity research
Readings:
November 15
1. Textbook, Chapters 4, 6, 8.
2. Gentile, M. C. (1996). Ways of thinking about and across difference. In Mary C. Gentile
(Ed.), Managerial Excellence Through Diversity: Text and Cases. Chicago, IL: Irwin.
3. Kim, J. (1994). The limits of a cultural enlightenment approach to multiculturalism. In Elsie
Y. Cross, Judith H. Katz, Frederick A. Miller, & Edith W. Seashore (Eds.), The Promise of
Diversity: Over 40 Voices Discuss Strategies for Eliminating Discrimination in
Organizations. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin.
November/17: No Class (prepare your research project!)
Topic 10 (week 10). Final Presentations.
Presentation slides are due the night before your final presentation – submit via email to
Prof. Bezrukova
Final Papers are due within 24 hours after your final presentation via email to Prof.
Bezrukova [learning objectives 1 - 4]