vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Administration And
Resources Management
(PM-211D)
EPA/IMSD/90-011
September 1990
Selected Management
Articles
Managing a Diverse
Work Force
PEOPLE
Printed on Recycled Paper
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MANAGING A DIVERSE WORK FORCE
SEPTEMBER 1990
Headquarters Library
Information Management and Services Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Room 2904 PM-211A
401 M STREET, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 382-5922
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. A Diverse Work Force 1
II. Managing Diversity 5
III. Valuing Diversity — 13
IV. Training a Diverse Work Force 15
V. CaseStudies 19
VI. Additional Sources: Books and Audiovisual Materials 22
EPA Headquarters Library Management Collection List of
Management Bibliographies 25
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Managing a Diverse Work Force
INTRODUCTION
Work Force 2000. a report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
has indicated that the composition of the national work force is changing
from predominantly white male to a more diverse composition with the
addition of large numbers of women, Afro-Americans, Hispanics, and other
minorities. This trend will accelerate in the coming years. Many companies
have recognized the need for sensitivity awareness and training in managing
a culturally diverse work force by hiring consultants or developing their own
in-house programs.
Government agencies, too, are beginning to deal with concerns
generated by a changing work force. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has been directed by Deputy Administrator F. Henry Habicht II to
address work force diversity issues in the Agency by forming a committee to
study past practices and current attitudes. The EPA Cultural Diversity
Committee is headed by Clarence Hardy, Deputy Director, Office of Human
Resources Management.
This bibliography was developed for EPA managers and staff for use in
understanding the issues involved in managing a diverse work force. It
provides summaries of articles and citations of books and audiovisual
materials. The bibliography was compiled using the following databases:
ABI/INFORM, Management Contents, Magazine Index, accessed through
DIALOG, and NEXIS, accessed through Mead Data Central. The source of each
abstract is indicated following the abstract.
Other EPA Headquarters Library management bibliographies are listed
at the back of this bibliography. For copies of the articles listed in this
bibliography or for other library management information services, contact
Anne Twitchell, Head Reference Librarian, EPA Headquarters Library, 382-
5922, or E-mail address A.TWTTCHELL.
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I. A DIVERSE WORK FORCE
The Future Has Arrived, Survey Finds: Growing Number of Minority
Workers, Others Predictions in Place Now
Swoboda, Frank
The Washington Post July 20, 1990 p.Fl
The future is now. Many of the demographic changes predicted for
the work force by the turn of the century are already in place,
according to a new study based on research by the Hudson
Institute which updates its original Workforce 2000 report. The
new study shows that most companies have not yet developed new
programs to deal with the problems of recruiting, training and
managing employee diversity. (Abstract created from text of
article.) (NEXIS)
Smashing the Glass Ceiling
Milliard, Sheryl
Black Enterprise v21 nl August 1990 pp.99-108
US corporations in the 1990s will be attempting to: 1. regain a
leadership position in technology, 2. reorganize in the aftermath
of mergers and acguisitions, and 3. manage an increasingly
diverse workforce. Companies are also continuing to downsize
workforces under the positive direction of right sizing. The
Black Enterprise Corporate Roundtable, formed in 1987, reconvened
in May 1990 to assess how well blacks survived the first round of
corporate downsizing activities and to clarify the role of black
professionals in the restructuring of American business in the
1990s. According to James G. Kaiser of Corning Glass Works, the
best way for black professionals to prepare for senior management
is to move back and forth between staff and line positions.
Sheila Clark of Dow Jones and Co. Inc. believes that there is an
increase in the recruitment on black college campuses from small
and mid-sized companies. Although Walter C. Vertreace of Amerada
Hess Corp. feels that the struggle for black middle managers is
just as serious now as it was 35 years ago, the talent for
advancement exists in today's businesses and universities.
(ABI/INFORM)
Face of the Future: The Changing Federal Work Force
Federal Times v26 n!8 June 18, 1990 pp.11-26
A special supplement to the Federal Times examines changing
trends in the federal work force and workplace. Among the
articles are ones on changing management styles and the growing
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percentage of minorities in the federal labor force. There are
numerous graphs and tables, including one showing a breakdown of
minorities by federal department. (Abstract created from text of
article.) (NEXIS)
How to build cross-cultural bridges; Cross-cultural
communications
Parnell, Myrtle; Vanderkloot, Jo
Communication World v6 July-August 1989 p.40(3)
Work force diversity requires thoughtful planning if people not
normally used to working together are expected to adjust to each
others' values, styles of thinking and working and to learn the
culture of the corporation. To have a successful multicultural
work force we must first recognize that the differences are real,
develop employee awareness and respect for differences. What are
the signs in a multicultural work force of possible cultural or
racial problems? The following is a list of some of the
symptoms: Physical distance, Lateness, Silence, Absenteeism.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Overcoming cultural and language barriers.
Thiederman, Sondra
Personnel Journal v67 December 1988 p.34(4)
Human resource professionals often give poor evaluations to
foreign-born applicants and workers because of language barriers
and cultural differences. Accents usually are not a reliable way
to assess a person's educational level or language ability. It is
also crucial to be aware of workers' levels of understanding.
Some may pretend to understand to save face or to avoid
challenging authority. Supervisors need to be aware of verbal and
nonverbal signals that reveal a lack of comprehension on the
employee's part. (Management Contents)
Meet your new work force.
Nelton, Sharon
Nation's Business v76 July 1988 p.14(6)
Little by little senior executives and management experts are
recognizing that vast demographic shifts demand a new way of
running things—an approach often called "managing diversity."
Avon Products brought in Roosevelt Thomas of the American
Institute for Managing Diversity to help identify the subtle
"negative assumptions" that existed in Avon's culture.
Subsequently Avon created two new positions: directors of
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multicultural planning, one for the corporate office, another for
a major division. Avon has had some measurable success, i.e.,
increasing the number of minorities at the director's level.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
The Year 2000 Worker
Jones, Roberts T.
Association Management v40 n6 June 1988 pp.14,16
According to "Workforce 2000," a study commissioned by the Labor
Department from the Hudson Institute, the year 2000 will see more
women, older persons, minorities, and disadvantaged people in the
labor force. In addition, the labor pool will be comprised of
fewer and less qualified individuals available for recruitment.
When addressing this situation, companies will: 1. pay higher
wages to attract and retain the best employees, 2. provide basic
training for immigrants and retraining for professional level
employees to meet an evolving marketplace, and 3. reevaluate
policies that discourage women, older persons, and the
disadvantaged from entering the workforce. Innovative employers
already are examining flexible work hours and job sharing as well
as maternity and paternity leave. Another area being studied is
cafeteria benefit plans. (ABI/INFORM)
Beyond EEO: Toward Pluralism.
Shipper, Frances C.; Shipper, Frank M.
Business Horizons v30 n3 May-June 1987 pp.53-61
By recognizing and using the pluralistic workforce, companies can
reap certain competitive advantages, including reaching diverse
markets and improving problem solving. In establishing a
pluralistic corporate culture, the key issues are: 1. creating an
awareness of pluralism, 2. developing communication and action
channels, and 3. using and developing employees. A company en
communicate its position on diversity by adopting an internal
communications plan and awareness training plans and by building
an image in the community as a leader in pluralism. Diversity can
be cultivated by creating a range of resources for employees who
feel they need help in dealing with discrimination and by
performing a periodic organizational survey to see if conditions
are improving. To capitalize on diversity, it is effective to: 1.
provide a career/life management process, 2. tap the existing
diversity by mixing employees in work groups, and 3. give
priority to identifying resources in underutilized groups in
planning for management succession. (ABI/INFORM)
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Spanish-Speaking Employees in American Industry
de Forest, Mariah E.
Business Horizons v27 nl January/February 1984 pp.14-17
To take advantage of the emerging Hispanic workforce, US firms
must learn something about Hispanic culture and psychology. Among
the most common complaints found to be signs of mismanagement in
plants relying on Hispanic workers are: 1. supervisors unable to .
communicate well in Spanish, 2. a lack of bilingual foremen, and
3. failure to accommodate Hispanic holidays and familial
traditions. Important aspects of Hispanic culture and psychology
include: 1. an emphasis on family solidarity, 2. a tradition of
authoritarianism and self-abnegation, and 3. a distrust of those
in government and high places. Companies must understand such
characteristics to manage an Hispanic workforce effectively. Some
guidelines for achieving this result include: 1. Train
supervisors in proper attitude, manners, and methods of dealing
with Hispanics. 2. Keep Hispanics informed in Spanish of work
rules, hours, and safety rules. 3. Hire a personnel executive
specializing in 2-way communications to deal with problems and
questions of Hispanics. (ABI/INFORM)
Preparing for Diversity: The Year 2000
Hutchens, Spencer, Jr.
Quality Progress v22 nlO Oct 1989 pp.66-68
The American Society for Quality Control Inc. (ASQC) must be
considered a success as a professional society, with membership
growing at an average annual rate of 9% for the last 5 years. The
rise of the service industries and the implications for ASQC are
familiar, but there is another demographic challenge facing the
society as the year 2000 approaches: the changing workforce. The
US workforce grew at an increasing rate from 1940 to 1980 because
of the baby boom and the number of women entering the workforce,
but in the 1980s and 1990s, labor force growth will fall to its
lowest rate since the 1930s as a result of the baby bust.
Workforce 2000, a report funded by the US Department of Labor and
prepared by the Hudson Institute, identifies 3 groups from which
workers will be drawn: 1. women, 2. African-, Hispanic-, and
Asian-American and members of ethnic groups, and 3. immigrants,
both legal and illegal. Corporate experimentation in areas such
as child care are under way in order to draw the future employee.
References. Graphs. (ABI/INFORM)
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II. MANAGING DIVERSITY
Managing diversity
Geber, Beverly
Training: the Magazine of Human Resources Development v27
July 1990 p.23(8)
Companies should examine their hiring, management, and training
procedures for subtle barriers preventing workers from achieving
their full career potential regardless of ethnic and cultural
backgrounds, and encourage managers through awareness training to
examine their management styles for similar barriers. A corporate
policy articulating the valuing and managing of diversity will
enable companies to attract and retain guality workers from a
changing labor pool that is rapidly becoming dominated by women
and ethnic minorities. The steps firms can take to manage the
culturally diverse workforce of the 21st century include:
surveying employees directly to identify their complaints and
needs; examining corporate culture and history to identify
underlying values; and making changes in corporate structure and
policies to meet the needs of its employees. (Management
Contents)
I give up: is it valuing diversity or managing diversity?
Geber, Beverly
Training: the Magazine of Human Resources Development v27
July 1990 p.26(2)
Companies that want to effectively address the issue of the
cultural and ethnic diversity of their employees should be able
to distinguish between valuing and managing diversity. Firms
valuing diversity appreciate individuality and avoid pre-judging
workers based on their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Managing
diversity can be accomplished in a relatively short time through
a system of training sessions, subordinate feedback, and
performance appraisals coupled with rewards. Training employees
to manage diversity encourages them to do something differently,
while training them to value diversity encourages them to change
their attitudes. (Management Contents)
Education Forms Common Bond
Castelli, Jim
HR Magazine v35 n6 June 1990 pp.46-49
A shrinking labor supply and a growing proportion of women and
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of businesses that have made managing diversity a priority is
still small, but it is growing rapidly and already includes
giants like AT&T. Caryl Stern, who runs the Anti-Defamation
League's Workplace of Difference program, says that the
organization looks at diversity management as a job skill. Hal
Burlingame, AT&T senior vice-president for human resources, says
that companies that do a good job of valuing and effectively
managing diversity in the 1990s will have a competitive advantage
over the ones that do not. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. is
another leader in the diversity field. Among other things, the
company has a course on managing diversity for managers. Those
who have been working on diversity believe that it is a broader
and potentially more successful approach than affirmative action
programs. (ABI/INFORM)
Past tokenism: to make minority hiring pay off, top companies are
working to learn how to 'manage diversity.'
Mabry, Marcus
Newsweek vl!5 May 14, 1990 p.37(3)
Businesses from oil companies to white-show consulting firms are
beginning to respond to the demands of "Workforce 2000", the new
buzzword for a labor force that is gradually being transformed by
women and minorities. Companies usually start the learning
process by hiring consultants to conduct "diversity seminars."
Many companies don't just want to teach whites how to manage
nonwhites better; they aim to give minorities the tools they need
to move into management. As Dallas consultant Thomas Raleigh puts
it, the need for diversity management "isn't based on morality
and being nice. It's based on sheer, raw economic necessity."
(Abstract created from text of article.) (Magazine Index)
Managing Diversity: Companies Must Be Prepared for a 'Rainbow'
of Cultures in the Work Force
Foran, Pat
The Business Journal of Milwaukee v7 n29 April 30, 1990.
sec.2. p.12.
Early in the 21st century white American males will represent the
newest class of minorities in the work force. Demographic shifts
are already changing the country's recruiting, hiring and
promoting practices. As a result, a new management philosophy is
making the rounds within personal and human resource circles:
managing cultural diversity. Several consultants cited Time
Insurance Company as one of the more progressive firms in terms
of managing cultural diversity. Time officials have developed a
variety of team building programs to help their diverse work
force to build better communication bridges. Other programs are
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designed to make the leadership style of Time's managers and
supervisors more conducive to managing diversity. (Abstract
created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Black Exec Seeks Diversity
Hillkirk, John
USA Today April 24, 1990 p.5
R. Roosevelt Thomas is the black president of the American
Institute for Managing Diversity at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Thomas maintains that corporations need to go beyond setting
affirmative action goals and the hiring of women and minorities,
that they need to learn to manage diversity. Corporate executives
must be sensitized to cultural and lifestyle differences.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Get Ready for the New Work Force
Dreyfuss, Joel
Fortune v!21 n9 April 23, 1990 pp.165-181
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual workforce
growth in the US will slow dramatically, from 2% a year for the
1976-1988 period to 1.2% for the span between 1988 and 2000. Only
32% of new entrants to the workforce will be white men. Women
will make up about 47% of workers, and minorities and immigrants
will hold 26% of all jobs. The buzzword for recruiting, training,
and promoting this new rainbow coalition of workers is "managing
diversity." To survive the population shifts and to prosper
amid them, companies are training workers to be more tolerant of
language and cultural differences, to identify and reject any
racial and sexual prejudices, and to be more accommodating to the
handicapped. Corporations are also launching literacy programs,
allowing more flexible work schedules, and providing child care.
To manage this changing workforce successfully, companies must
also: 1. learn to recognize and appreciate individual
differences, 2. be prepared to bend the rules, and 3. search
widely when recruiting. Graphs. (ABI/INFORM)
From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity
Thomas, R. Roosevelt, Jr.
Harvard Business Review v68 n2 March/April 1990 pp.107-117
More than 1/2 the US workforce now consists of minorities,
immigrants, and women, which means that white, native-born males,
though undoubtedly still dominant, are themselves a statistical
minority. As a result, companies are faced with the problem of
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surviving in a fiercely competitive world with a workforce that
consists and will continue to consist of unassimilated diversity.
Managing diversity means enabling all members of the workforce to
perform to their potential. To realize satisfactory performance
from this new workforce, companies need to: 1. clarify their
motivation and vision, 2. expand their focus, 3. audit their
corporate culture, 4. modify their assumptions, 5. modify their
systems and models, 6. help their employees pioneer, and 7.
continue affirmative action. The reason for moving beyond
affirmative action to managing diversity is because affirmative
action fails to deal with the root causes of prejudice and
inequality and does little to develop the full potential of every
individual in the company. (ABI/INFORM)
Managing Diversity
Haight, Gretchen
Across the Board v27 n3 March 1990 pp.22-29
A report from the Department of Labor, 'Workforce 2000',
forecasts that by the year 2000, women and minorities will
account for 85% of the net increase in the US workforce. These
statistics have sparked interest by corporations in learning to
manage a mixed workforce. Many forward-thinking firms have
elected to engage in management diversity training, and a popular
method selected by over 1000 businesses is a videotape series by
Copeland-Griggs. The series presents situations which expose
hidden beliefs and business practices which detract from managing
minority workers. Affirmative action programs developed at Hughes
Aircraft, Xerox, and Security Pacific Bank are profiled to
illustrate positive steps taken by the firms to manage work force
diversity. (Management Contents)
Improving the Accuracy of Stereotypes Within the Workplace
Falkenberg, Loren
Journal of Management vie nl March 1990 pp.107-118
A social cognition model of stereotyping is developed, with a
focus on identifying conditions that lead to more accurate
stereotypes of minority-status individuals. The classification of
individuals and their resulting status assignments provides the
background for delineating the processes underlying the
maintenance and revision of stereotypes. The relevance of the
model is shown through its application to gender stereotypes in
the workplace. In the short term, gender stereotypes are
reinforced in the workplace through attribution. When women
succeed at "male tasks," their success is explained through
situational factors. To reduce the perceived threat, men invoke
stereotypes that delineate women as unsuitable for desired jobs.
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There are 3 major implications of the model: 1. Stereotyping is a
cognitive process upon which humans are dependent. 2. The
probability of stereotypes changing is relatively low, given the
high information processing demands in most organizations. 3.
Stereotypes change slowly because a relatively long period is
required to accumulate enough instances of nonstereotypic
behaviors to warrant revising a stereotype. Charts. References.
(ABI/INFORM)
Management Development That Values Diversity
'Mandell, Barbara; Kohler-Gray, Susan
Personnel v67 n3 March 1990 pp.41-47
Through objective identification of individuals' key competencies
and a company's development needs, a new management development
model can help individual managers meet their goals while helping
the company meet its objectives. This model consists of several
phases. The "Life in the Organization" phase of the model
acknowledges that all managers in today's (and tomorrow's)
workforce are faced with the complex demands of a changing
culture. Organizations that are committed to the retention and
advancement of a diverse management population can begin working
on the Life in the Organization phase by offering workshops that
foster the understanding and valuing of differences. This
component also should provide individual career growth
opportunities and organizational strategies aimed at hiring,
developing, retaining, and advancing able men and women of
various backgrounds. The new model requires a clear break from
the stereotypical concept of "manager" that prevails in most
management development programs. (ABI/INFORM)
The Continental Divide: Coping With Cultural Gaps
Forrest, Anne B.
Communication World v5 n7 June 1988 pp.20-23
Even though a large number of Western managers work in Hong Kong,
which has long been an international crossroads, wide cultural
gaps continue to exist between Occidental and Oriental worlds. A
public relations office in Hong Kong reveals, in microcosm,
differences between the 2 business cultures. While English
frequently is used in Hong Kong business, the Chinese often take
things literally and fail to appreciate American humor.
Conversely, many from the US fail to recognize the importance of
dignity or "face" in Asia. In addition, cultural
misunderstandings in Hong Kong are compounded by the fact that
many office staffs may consist of Americans, Asians, British,
Australians, and other nationalities, each with distinctive
cultural differences. Thus, consultants who understand cultural
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differences can help the Western companies that are doing
business in Asia. Further, personnel should learn as much about
the host country and its people as possible and should develop a
long-term perspective. (ABI/INFORM)
Breaking Through to Foreign-Born Employees
Thiederman, Sondra
Management World v!7 n3 May/June 1988 pp.22-23
A wide variety of immigrant groups have the tendency to resist
taking the initiative on duties, but this cultural difference is
most commonly found among Asian or Hispanic populations. The
roots of this attitude are: 1. a strong respect for authority,
and 2. the fear of loss of face. Awareness and education,
however, will provide the solution to this frustrating problem.
Managers must make newly hired foreign-born employees aware that
taking the initiative, even if it is a mistake, is better than
waiting to be told what to do. Errors that inevitably will occur
must be corrected without hurting the pride of the employee.
Foreign-born employees not only are concerned with the loss of
face, but also with causing embarassment to the managers giving
the directions. Employees with heavy accents do not necessarily
have a problem understanding English. In educating the foreign-
born employee, the entire staff must: 1. be patient, but not
patronizing, and 2. speak slowly and distinctly. (ABI/INFORM)
Learning to manage a multicultural workforce.
Copeland, Lennie
Training: the Magazine of Human Resources Development v25 May
1988 p.48(5)
Minorities and women will constitute 75 percent of those people
entering a shrinking US work force within a few years. Managers
must learn to manage and value cultural diversity, rather then
operate on rules predicated on a white male work force. Not
understanding cultural differences and responding to diverse
attitudes and perspectives can set up minority workers for
failure and an adverse effect on business operations. The four
main problems that must be addressed are: stereotypes and related
assumptions, the impact of actual cultural differences, double
standards and unwritten rules for behavior and success, and the
often 'club'-like culture of a business environment. Managing a
diverse work forces requires: asking what assumptions one is
making, ensuring all employees are invited into the club, sharing
unwritten rules, and appreciating diversity. (Management
Contents)
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Managing Diversity: Grappling with Changes in the Work Force
Schacter, Jim
Los Angeles Times April 17, 1988. pt.4, p.l
The corporate sector's new focus on America's cultural diversity
seems promising to many concerned with the advancement of women
and minorities. It's helping to remove the blocks to evaluating
individuals on an individual basis. Businesses, however, have a
particularly difficult time evaluating performance at the higher
levels to which women and minorities are demanding access.
Beneath a facade of objectivity lurks an unscientific hodgepodge
of subjective criteria that can prove daunting to aspirants
outside the white-male caste that has led corporations
historically. (abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Understanding and Managing Foreign-Born and Minority Employees
Ballard, Lynne; Kleiner, Brian H.
Leadership & Organization Development Journal (UK) v9 n4
1988 pp.22-24
The increase in foreign-born and minority employees in the US
workplace challenges the management skills and styles originally
developed for US-born workers. To maintain organizational
cohesiveness and effectiveness, managers must be aware of the
differences among foreign-born, minority, and nonminority
employees. The most prominent distinction between employees is
culture, which includes: 1. ways of thinking, 2. leadership and
management styles, 3. employee motivation, 4. body language, and
5. attitudes toward humility, honesty, individualism, loyalty,
and power. Managers also must recognize that language and
communication skills, such as listening, verbal communication,
and writing, can affect foreign-born and minority employee
performance. In addition, employees' expectations about living in
the US are not always realistic, and unrealized goals may disrupt
performance. Cross-cultural management programs are needed to
deal with these issues. References. (ABI/INFORM)
Managing the diverse work force.
Belfry, Mary; Schmidt, Laurie
Employment Relations Today v!5 Winter 1988 p.335(5)
Demographic shifts are creating a diverse, female-and
minority-influenced work force, and American businesses that
adapt to these changes and effectively manage and leverage
diversity will enjoy competitive advantages. Employers continue
to resist change, however, and freguently have poorly directed
affirmative action programs in which cultural differences are not
focused on and expectations are not achieved. Successful
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strategies taken by several firms in managing their diverse work
forces are reviewed. Support from the top executive levels and
maximum use of human resource professionals is always apparent in
such organizations. The important elements in implementing
diversification management are comprehensive training of
employees at all levels, and integration of affirmative action
awareness and activities throughout the organization.
(Management Contents)
Managing Multi-Culturalism in the Office
Elliot, Steve
Modern Office (Australia) v25 n4 May 1986 pp.22-23
Significant problems and misunderstandings due to different
cultural backgrounds are to be expected in multinational
organizations, but an office manager in Australia must also
consider the possibility. Conflict occurs between people in their
own countries, and people cannot be expected to drop lifetime
values when they move. Even considering just the well-documented
animosities, such as between Arabs and Jews, 5%-7% of Australia's
population has the potential for conflict. In addition, this
percentage is not spread evenly across the country, but is
concentrated in the major cities. Being aware of potential
conflicts is one help and may include considering how well a new
employee will fit in and monitoring a potential conflict
situation. It is important to remain impartial in a conflict and
interview each side for the cause. The individual's tasks and
performance standard must be explained to each. A little patience
and tolerance can anticipate and resolve much animosity.
(ABI/INFORM)
Demonstrating empathy for foreign-born employees through openness
and acceptance: a quasi-experimental field study.
Stull, James B.
Journal of Business Communication v23 Spring 1986 p.31(11)
The growing cultural diversity of the workplace in U.S.
businesses presents a challenge for managers charged with
effective communication with a multicultural workforce. In order
to realize the full potential of foreign-born workers, managers
must understand the different cultural approaches to problem-
solving, decision making, leadership, motivation, change and
achievement. The acceptance and openness of managers in their
communication with foreign-born workers is explored, with it
found that both U.S.- and foreign-born workers most appreciate
openness and acceptance in their managers, and that they react
most favorably when the feedback they receive is perceived as
sincere. (Management Contents)
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III. VALUING DIVERSITY
Workforce 2000
Horton, Thomas R.
Coal December 1989 p.102
The American Society for Personnel Administration conducted a
survey of recent hiring experiences which revealed that half of
those replying indicated difficulty in recruiting qualified
executives and skilled technical personnel. Who will fill these
jobs in the future? Women, Hispanics, blacks and immigrants.
Because tomorrow's labor force will be much more diverse than
today's, some organizations are already providing cross-cultural
training to managers. Other initiatives organizatins can take
are: creative recruiting, effective retention, internal talent
scouting, valuing diversity, and improving the work climate.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Valuing Workplace Diversity
Copeland, Lennie
Personnel Administrator v33 nil November 1988 pp.38,40
Leaders of the most successful US companies are acknowledging
that affirmative action is good business and that respecting the
rights of women, minorities, disabled, and older workers is a
fundamental ethic. There are many reasons an employer should
value diversity in the workforce. The US population is changing
dramatically, with ethnic and racial minorities growing in
numbers. Therefore, workplace diversity is not a matter of
choice. Since the labor pool itself is shrinking, employers will
have to set aside old definitions of suitability and employ
people of different colors and cultures. In a firm that values
diversity, workers will be less risk-averse and more able to
express creativity. They will be playing to win, rather than
playing not to lose. When workers come to acknowledge the
valuable contributions of diverse employees, it will be easier to
talk about and deal with differences. Diversity is good for
business results, and managers will be able to manage more
effectively after they understand and accept the differences
inherent in a mixed workforce. (ABI/INFORM)
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Valuing Diversity, Part 1: Making the most of cultural
differences at the workplace.
Copeland, Lennie
Personnel v65 June 1988 p.52(7)
Discussions with about 100 line managers, equal opportunity
professionals, and human resource administrators, and over 25
cross-cultural trainers and educators confirm that prejudice and
cultural misunderstanding persist in the workplace. Resulting
tensions can reduce worker productivity, increase the expenses of
employee absenteeism, provoke litigation, and cause unrest.
Employers cannot avoid the issue of cultural diversity, and they
need to begin seeing it as an asset rather than a necessary evil.
Companies that value diversity are also among the most successful
financially. (Management Contents)
Valuing Diversity, Part 2: Pioneers and Champions of Change
Copeland, Lennie
Personnel v65 n7 July 1988 pp.44-49
The majority of today's managers are white males who had little
exposure to other cultural groups when growing up, and their
management training programs offered little to compensate for
that limitation. However, companies are finding that they need
more than the "politically, correct" racial and gender mix in
their training programs; rather, the programs content needs to
reflect that diversity. Companies can show that they value
diversity by: 1. increasing the quality of recruitment of women
and minorities, 2. guiding these employees in their career
development, 3. training managers to deal with different genders
and cultures, 4. encouraging minority employees to tell
management what they need to succeed, 5. helping employees of
varying backgrounds to form self-help groups, and 6. monitoring
policies and systems to ensure they are sensitive to cultural and
religious holidays. While most people think of race and gender
issues when considering worker diversity, other potential sources
of conflict exist between people of varying levels of education,
areas of the country, and types of jobs. (ABI/INFORM)
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IV. TRAINING A DIVERSE WORK FORCE
Making Workplace a Melting Pot Before It Boils Over; Corporate
Cultures, Minority Cultures Don't Always Mesh.
Roel, Ronald E.
Newsday May 20, 1990 Business section, p.62.
During the 1990*s, more than 80 percent of the nation's new
workers will be minorities, immigrants and women, according to
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By viewing the diverse work
force with anxiety, many managers add to the tension. Some
companies, however, have moved beyong anxiety and animosity. Avon
created a multicultural participation council and began providing
workshops and seminars for middle managers to help identify
"subtle negative assumptions" they might have about minorities.
Recognizing diversity often means being sensitive to communiation
styles of different cultures. (Abstract created from text of
article.) (NEXIS)
Managing Diversity—Unattended Cultural Melting Pots CAn Reach
Racial Boiling Point
Gupta, Himanee
Seattle Times April 23, 1990 p.Dl
Many Seattle companies, including Boeing and Security Pacific
Bank, are putting money and effort into hiring consultants and
developing seminars to make workers more sensitive to cultural
differences, and creating departments to manage diversity in
their work force. Security Pacific Bank has committed $800,000
this year and has hired a diversity manager to develop a mentor
program that will help to bring women and minorities into
management positions. Other Seattle companies are following suit.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
Managing a Diverse Work Force
Fowler, Elizabeth M.
New York Times April 10, 1990 Sec.D, p.17
Swain & Swain Inc., an outplacement firm based in New York City,
held a preview of a two-day trining program called Capitalizing
on Diversity, which was attended by a group of human resource
managers from major corporations. Swain is only one of a growing
number of firms meeting the need for diversity training.
(Abstract created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
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Tomorrow's Work Force
Klein, Easy
D&B Reports v38 nl January/February 1990 pp.30-35
Despite high unemployment among unskilled workers, the US is
facing a labor shortage as it enters the 1990s. Unable to offer
the high salaries and generous benefits that attract the most
desirable people, small businesses can expect to feel the squeeze
particularly. Small businesses will be forced to use the pool of
people who might otherwise be excluded from the labor force. Many
of the new jobs being created demand higher levels of skill than
existing ones. Without a major effort to upgrade the education
and training of unskilled workers, a disastrous mismatch could
occur. A study prepared for the US Department of Labor,
"Workforce 2000," offers the following projection for the US
workforce at the turn of the century: 1. Workforce growth will
slump to 1% a year in the 1990s. 2. The labor pool will become
older, more female, and more disadvantaged. 3. Family needs will
play an expanded role in hiring employees. These demographic
changes signal a need for new initiatives and policies.
(ABI/INFORM)
Peak Performance
Dingle, Derek T.
Black Enterprise v!9 nl May 1989 pp.64-70
Three years ago, Charlene Roderick, a sales manager at Xerox
Corp., participated in the Outward Bound Professional Development
Program, in which corporate managers leave behind city comforts
to rough it in the wilderness. When Roderick returned to work,
she used her experiences in the program to invigorate her sales
team. Corporations are using Outward Bound and other programs to
teach their employees the principles of leadership, team-
building, communication, and risk-taking. Corporations are
responding to the challenges of the 1990s and beyond by seeking
ways to create a core group of corporate leaders who will take
the US into the next century, strategists who can develop a
comprehensive agenda, tackle complex problems, harness resources,
and motivate people. The Amerian Institute for Managing Diversity
Inc. shows top executives how to manage and retain a
multicultural workforce and to exceed recruitment requirements to
meet their companies' affirmative action goals. McDonald's and
Federal Express have developed in-house leadership training
programs. Graphs. (ABI/INFORM)
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Some Firms Facing Facts on Work Force; Diversity Dictates Major
Changes
Randle, Wilma
Chicago Tribune January 2, 1990 Business sec., p.l
By the year 2000 women and minorities will account for a majority
of the work force. The pending change is spawning a new area of
business opportunity: experts who are teaching businesses and
organizations how to deal with a less homogeneous work force. A
variety of programs and seminars are being offered to companies
to help them formulate plans and programs to fully utilize the
potential of their entire work force. Copeland Griggs Production
has seen a surge of interest in its film series, "Valuing
Diversity," and its three-day workshop on the same topic. The
film series has recently been expanded from three to seven parts.
Originally aimed at middle managers, the films have been revised
to direct the message at first-line supervisors and top
management as well. (Abstract created from text of article.)
(NEXIS)
Women and Minorities: Is Industry Ready?
Schmidt, Peggy
New York Times October 16, 1988 Sec.3, p.25
Barbara Jerich, director of work-force diversity at Honeywell
Inc., has attained an 85 percent participation rate for the
company's managers in a two day program emphasizing the
importance of understanding and valuing diversity. She believes
that it is important to direct programs at all management levels.
Management consultants and traineers who specialize in
multicultural issues agree that even when top management is
behind efforts to change corporate culture, line managers
sometimes don't see the point of changing their behavior. Another
problem is that after two decades of being told to treat
employees equally, they are confused when told to recognize and
value differences. (Article is created from text of article.)
(NEXIS)
The Multicultural Workforce New Challenges for Trainers.
Abbott, Jan
Training & Development Journal v42 August 1988 p.12(2)
Employee trainers must learn to adapt to the increasing cultural
diversity of the US workforce. Traditional training techniques
such as maintaining a flexible schedule, handing out supplemental
materials, beginning the training with personal introductions, or
asking the trainees for their ideas may make the students feel
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uncomfortable, or that the trainer is unprepared. Cultural
misunderstandings can be avoided by learning about cultural
differences that may affect the way in which trainees approach
learning, focusing on demonstrating new skill and avoiding public
feedback, distributing all materials well in advance of the
training program, explaining in detail what is expected of
trainees, not forcing friendly relationships to develop, and
getting feedback through individual feedback, rather than through
written reaction forms. (Management Contents)
Bias Busting: Diversity Training in the Workplace
Watts, Patti
Management Review v76 n!2 December 1987 pp.51-54
Bob Mezoff, president of ODT Associates, trains managers to deal
effectively with a culturally diverse workforce. Mezoff maintains
that working professionals must aspire to flexibility in their
communications with individuals of varying backgrounds, and he
contends that people can easily modify their behavior to achieve
such flexibility. Mezoff has developed a model for improving
relations among people of different cultural backgrounds. The
model involves 4 steps: 1. understanding that cultural
differences exist, 2. developing self-acceptance of one's own
cultural background and style, 3. learning about other cultures,
and 4. aspiring to flexibility. Mezoff believes that denial is a
significant obstacle to overcoming prejudice. Managers need to
recognize and act upon the various forms of discrimination based
on sexism and class differences as well as oppression within
minorities themselves. (ABI/INFORM)
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V. CASE STUDIES
Sharing the Dream
Offen, Neil H.
Association Management v42 n5 May 1990 pp.63-65
The American Society of Association Executives' (ASAE) Task Force
on Diversity in Association Management gathered information on
women and minorities involved in association management. A survey
questionnaire was completed by 465 chief executive officer (CEO)
members of ASAE. It was found that 94.3% of the CEOs were white
and 33% were female. Women make up 67% of associations'
professional staff, while blacks constitute 11%, Hispanics 4.3%,
and Asian-Americans 2.9%. As a result of the study, the ASAE
Board broadly defined diversity, adopted a policy statement
setting the goal of increasing ASAE's membership diversity, and
created a committee to monitor implementation of task force
proposals and provide leadership. The Board will review these
activities as they are proposed: 1. membership, 2. leadership, 3.
publications, 4. education, and 5. public relations. An ASAE
officer will be assigned as a liaison to the Committee on
Diversity in Association Management to ensure that its work
receives priority leadership attention. (ABI/INFORM)
Firm Hakes Racial Revolution from Top Down
Maraniss, David
Washington Post March 8, 1990 p.Al
Ed Woolard, DuPont's new chairman and CEO has emerged as a
champion of a movement within the company to increase awareness
of the value of blacks and women in the executive work force. As
markets become global, large companies such as DuPont see the
advantage of having multicultural work forces. One example of
changes at DuPont is the finance division's Committee to Achieve
Cultural Diversity, which made proposals which were quickly
adopted, setting up mentoring and career development systems for
blacks and women. What Woolard is doing at DuPont to make
managers more sensitive to cultural diversity is seen by some as
nothing short of revolutionary, but Woolard says, "My idea is
just to use the enormous talent we have—all of it." (Abstract
created from text of article.) (NEXIS)
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Managing Work-Place Diversity...The Wave of the '90s
Williams, Mary V.
Communication World v7 nl January 1990 pp.16-19
Managing Diversity is just one of many titles for new programs
and strategies under way in several US corporations. These new
terms are used by human resources and affirmative action
professionals who are leading their companies' efforts to adopt
positions where cultural diversity in the workforce is valued and
used as a competitive advantage. Communicators are being placed
in the position of helping management convey its commitment to
the new strategies. Changing demographics in today's workplace
indicates that managing diversity is far from a passing fad.
Ethnic and racial minority populations in the US will grow at a
rate 7 times faster than the population as a whole. Many
organizations are not waiting to begin examining their ability to
attract and retain qualified female and minority employees.
United Way of America initiated the Project Blueprint Program in
1988 to assist local United Ways in accelerating the involvement
of Asian, black, Hispanic, and Native American Indian volunteer
policymakers on United Way agency boards and committees.
(ABI/INFORM)
The Corporate Response to Work Force Diversity
Solomon, Charlene Mariner
Personnel Journal v68 n8 August 1989 pp.42-53
In recognition of changing workforce demographics, large
companies such as Xerox Corp. and Procter & Gamble Co. have
created programs to deal with a multicultural, diverse workforce.
These multicultural programs generically are called workforce
diversity management, and they encompass employee recruitment,
management, and retention. Any company that wants to
maintain a competitive advantage needs to know how to manage a
wide group of people. Most training programs combine role
playing, exercises, lectures and discussions, and group
experiences. The philosophy of Hewlett-Packard is that a diverse
workforce is an asset. McDonald's teaches cultural information
from a value-added point of view so that management can see how
to work in a diverse environment. Because 73% of Avon Products'
managers are women, the company is sensitive to
diversity-related issues. References. (ABI/INFORM)
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No, You Don't Manage Everyone the Same
Braham, Jim
Industry Week v238 n3 February 6, 1989 pp.28-35
A growing number of progressive companies, such as Wang
Laboratories and Mobil Corp., are recognizing the differences
among workers. By identifying and discussing stereotypes about
races, national origins, and gender, these firms are preparing
their managers to deal with the trend toward a workforce made up
of more minorities and women. Companies need to value the
diversity of their employees and learn to manage everyone fairly.
Wang Laboratories already has put over 1,000 managers through its
managing-diversity training program. Diversity training is not
expected to change lifetime attitudes. Its purpose is to make
managers aware of the issue. Wang's program is built on: 1.
behavior awareness, 2. acknowledgement of biases and stereotypes,
3. focus on job performance, and 4. avoidance of assumptions.
Mobil has been conducting a 3-day valuing-diversity program for
managers and supervisors.
(ABI/INFORM)
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VI. ADDITIONAL SOURCES: BOOKS AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
A. BOOKS
Blacks in the Workforce: A Black Manager's Perspective
Becknell, Charles E.
Horizons Communications, 1987 95p.
Civil Service 2000
Johnston, William B.
Office of Personnel Management, Career Entry Group, 1988 54p.
By the Hudson Institute. William B. Johnston, principal author.
Outlines the expected demographic changes in the federal work
force and the changes in skills that the government will need
between now and the year 2000. Includes an appendix which
discusses federal child care programs and policies.
Demographic Trends and the Scientific and Engineering Work Force,
a Technical Memorandum
U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1985 153p.
Explores the effect that changes in the size and composition of
the American population may have on the science and engineering
work force. Efforts to improve access to scientific and
engineering careers for disadvantaged groups are also discussed.
Ethnicity and the Work Force
Van Home, Winston and Tonnesen, Thomas, eds.
Ethnicity and Public Policy Series, vol. 4
UWI IRE, 1985 222p.
Innovating to Compete: Lessons for Diffusing and Managing Change
in the Workplace.
Walton, Richard E.
Management Series
Jossey-Bass, 1987 380p.
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Opportunity 2000: Creative Affirmative Action Strategies for a
Changing Workforce
Hopkins, Kevin R.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration,
1988 195p.
Prepared by Hudson Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana. Project
Directors: Kevin R. Hopkins, et al. Includes sections on: the
American labor market's emerging challenges; work and families;
minorities and the economically disadvantaged; disabled workers;
workers with AIDS; older workers; veterans in the civilian
workforce; and a human resources approach to affirmative action.
Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for the 21st Century
Johnston, William B.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, 1987 145p. Ref HD8072.5.J64
Published by the Hudson Institute, Herman Kahn Center,
Indianapolis, Indiana. William B. Johnston, Project Director.
Predicts trends for the next 15 years and discusses policy
issues. Recognizes six challenges: stimulating world growth;
improving productivity in the service industries; improving the
dynamism of an aging workforce; reconciling the needs of women,
work, and families; integrating Blacks and Hispanics fully into
the workforce; and improving workers; education and skills.
B. AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
Management, Motivation and the New Minority Worker
Roundtable Films, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA
S8MM Cartridge optical sound. 30 minutes
Color or black & white
Explains that minority workers present problems to many leadmen,
supervisors and foremen. Utilizes role-playing and reverse role-
playing with commentary by a multiracial panel to dramatize the
sensitive areas of the culture gap.
Race and Sex Discrimination in the Workplace
MTI/Coronet Film & Video, Northbrook IL
VHS 30 minutes
Provides help in assessing the presence of discrimination in the
workplace and helping employees to eliminate race and sex
discrimination.
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Managing Diversity
Copeland-Griggs Productions, Inc.
7 videos 30 minutes each $500. each
Designed to be used as training tools for all aspects of work
force diversity issues.
Bridges
BNA Communications Inc., Rockville MD
8 videos 20-30 minutes each $950 each
Designed to be used as a training tool on various aspects of
cultural diversity issues, including intercultural communication
and individual vs. corporate culture.
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EPA HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY
MANAGEMENT COLLECTION
List of Management Bibliographies
1 . PROJECT MANAGEMENT
by Anne Twitchell, June 1990
EPA/IMSD-90-007
2 . STRATEGIC PLANNING
by Anne Twitchell, March 1990
EPA/IMSD-90-005
3 . TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
by Anne Twitchell, December 1989
EPA/IMSD-89-009
4 . LEADERSHIP: QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE
by Anne Twitchell, September 1989
EPA/IMSD-89-005
5 . COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
by Anne Twitchell, June 1989
EPA/IMSD-89-003
6 . EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
by Anne Twitchell, March 1989
EPA/IMSD-89-002
7. OFFICE OF THE FUTURE: THE MANAGER'S ROLE
by Anne Twitchell, December 1988
EPA/IMSD-88-013
8 . OFFICE OF THE FUTURE: THE CHANGING ROLE OF
SECRETARIES
by Mary Hoffman and Anne Twitchell, revised May
1989
9 . MANAGEMENT TRANSITION
by Mary Hoffman and Anne Twitchell, September
1988
EPA/IMSD-88-007
10. MANAGING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
by Mary Hoffman, March 1988
EPA/IMSD-88-003
11. RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
by Mary Hoffman, December 1987
EPA/IMSD-87-011
12 . TECHNICAL EXPERT TURNED MANAGER
by Mary Hoffman, March 1987
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