- Graff and Birkenstein suggest that writers start with what others are saying and then follow that up with their own thoughts in response. The templates seem to be straightforward. I’m going to try a couple of approaches in the chapter. I look forward to everyone’s feedback.
My first attempt is the “they say”. This almost seems too simplistic but here it goes.
It has become common today to… ignore the results of policies affecting minorities in the workplace, experiences that Gündemir outlines in his article. The concerns discussed are pervasive and speak to the overall need for diversity in corporations particularly in upper-level positions.
As I read through the chapter, I decided to try the “open with a debate” in which many people agree to which they ultimately disagree. I maybe overly ambitious on this…so let me know what you think.
When it comes to the topic of our labor force, most of us will readily agree that the importance of diversification is recognized. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of increasing minority presence in the top levels of organizational hierarchies. Whereas some are convinced human resource tools and interventions to stimulate the recognition and development of minority leadership talent through structural, top-down approaches such as affirmative action are sufficient, research studies by Gündemir maintain encouragement of minority leadership by positively affecting minority employees’ leadership-relevant self-perceptions and goals are the true key (Gündemir et al. 2017). I think that’s a bit wordy.
Reference
Gündemir, S., Dovidio, J. F., Homan, A. C., & De u, C. K. W. (2017). The impact of organizational diversity policies on minority employees’ leadership self-perceptions and goals. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 24(2), 172-188. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051816662615
2. Both the readings from Gündemir et al and Austin and Pisano have contributed to my overall understanding of diversity in organizations. As I indicated in a previous post, it’s important that we look at diversity through a broad lens. Workforce diversity can mean differences among employees in terms of gender, race, age, cultural background, physical abilities and disabilities, religion, and sexual orientation. As Austin and Pisano point out employment of a diversified workforce is not only advantageous but essential for organizations to remain competitive, managing such a diversified workforce can be challenging for management.
I’ve listened to the news for the past few months and the millions of Americans remaining unemployed while companies big and small are reporting extreme difficulty in finding workers. Now I’m not going to argue the COVID-living wage situation but rather I’d like to look at it from the standpoint are organizations looking at the diversity of worker available or are they hiring from a bias of affinity…just looking for workers that attended the same high school, grew up in the same town, or remind them of someone they know and like. Are people concerned or reticent about managing a diverse workforce? Just “food for thought” as the saying goes.
Highlight of my week
I had the opportunity to visit my friend’s new camp in Fair Haven. It was a beautiful day and we went for a boat ride. Nothing better than sun, water and good friends… and all of that in Central New York. Within several hours I was home just in time for a tornado warning…yes indeed that’s Central New York!
Edward, I agree, I feel as if employers are hiring from a bias of affinity. There is a surplus of people needing to work, but companies have become more greedy for employees that have exactly what they are looking for, employees that can perfectly execute the brand image. I think this is really disheartening because the best work and solutions come out of the unexpected. The cycle needs to become undone, and companies are really only hurting themselves in the long run by sticking to old patterns and creating more competition for themselves.
Solid work with the template, Ed–it takes some time to lay out the question that’s up for debate, in order to be able to clarify the different positions and stake out a place for yourself. That’s not something you can accomplish in just a few words, and that’s why it’s so essential that we move beyond ‘quote-dropping’ in our researched writing. We really want our readers to understand what’s at stake, so that they can appreciate what we are trying to say.
Fair Haven is lovely–our Lake Ontario shoreline is a real gem. Glad you got to spend some time there!