- One approach from Chapter 1 of They Say / I Say which I will be taking is: In discussions of organizational diversity, one controversial issue has been if having organizational diversity policies show any changes among employee minorities’ self perceptions and goals, and if these changes are positive or negative. On the one hand, Gundemir argues that Mulitculturalism and Value-in-Individuality Differences prove to have a positive effect on the self perceptions and goals of minorities. On the other hand, the Value-in-Homogeneity policy emphasizes equality and uniformity of treatment rather than individual uniqueness, which is what several companies may choose to follow. I definitely found this approach to framing quite useful because it made me think outside of the box. Now I understand what the preface / introduction was talking about when they mentioned templates. I feel as though having this guide made me reference back to the article by Gundemir and dive much deeper into the content and comprehend it, rather than just read the paragraphs over and over again without understanding the information displayed.
- The readings for this week strengthened my thoughts on why diversity is so important, and why I look forward to reading more passages in this class. As I was reading Gundemir’s article, I associated the connection to improving the minorities’ self perceptions and goals just with overall self confidence, and what this can do for a person. By using the policies of Multiculturalism and Value-in-Individual Differences, there is so much room for self growth which can they be carried into a work environment. As a result, these policies make it easier for those not belonging to majority groups to feel more comfortable in who they are, radiate happiness, and boost their self – esteem. In just the two weeks that I’ve enrolled in this course, I already have become way more educated on the topic of diversity which I am very grateful for. Having a company that includes many different mindsets / outlooks / perspectives on life that people of all races and ethnicities can bring to the table is much more beneficial than just a bunch of employees doing every single task with the same idea, which is hopefully a bold step that more businesses are looking to take in the near future.
2 blog responses
- Some of the researchable questions that this week’s readings raised for me is wanting to know which other companies in the US stand at being the most diverse, like McKinsey, and how they can further set examples of expanding diversity in the workplace. While I completely agree with putting race, ethnicity, and gender aside when hiring someone because I do think the decision should be based on an individual’s skills and knowledge for that position, one statistic in the “Why Diversity Matters” caught my attention. The article says that “the unequal performance of companies in the same industry and the same country implies that diversity is a competitive differentiator shifting the market share toward more diverse companies.” As I read this, I came to understand how diversity is a strong component to making up a company. At the end of the day, it’s the consumer’s choice whether or not to purchase from a business or invest in them. I feel as though if consumers notice that a company is lacking in diversity, for this reason they may not choose to not give them any business. So while it gives me hope that more diversity in a company may equal more success for that business, it will be interesting to see how long (will it be years and years?) other companies will take to become accustomed to this new change in the work space.
- In the article, “What is organizational culture and why should we care?,” Richard Perrin writes that “Culture is a carrier of meaning.” This sentence alone intrigued me because it reinforced the thought that everything we do, we do for a purpose. In this definition, he puts emphasis on the “why is” and on having a story. I think this idea is very significant because it can help employees understand their importance in a company and how they’re so much more than just a worker. I feel as though having values and rituals create a routine, so I really like the glue analogy. That without these values and rituals, cooperation and strategy in a business would not be as successful. I understand that culture is how we communicate, as Richard explains the importance of understanding language and symbols. A question that this definition sparked within me though is how opened to accepting other values and rituals would leaders need to be while also making sure they do not lose sight of their own narrative and original culture?
Intro
Hi! My name is Samantha Danylchuk and I’m a rising Sophomore at SU with a dual major in Entrepreneurship & Engaging Enterprises in Whitman and Advertising in Newhouse. I’m taking this class to get ahead on credits so my next few semesters won’t be too heavy with coursework, but also because it is required for my major. However, I’m really excited!!! I really love reading and writing blogs in general so this new format seems so fun and a different take on any other class I’ve ever had. I’m from Northern NJ and love the Yankees 🙂
This summer my plans are TBD due to coronavirus, but I am working at a little shop in my town. I have taken a few online courses so far and they seemed to run smoothly for me because I made sure I wrote down all my deadlines! It’s definitely weird not being able to communicate with my professor and classmates in person but also asking any questions via email if I need more clarification / feedback on an assignment helps me succeed too