Kayla Ramos – Page 2 – WRT 205 Summer 2021

Discussion 7/8

Question 1 Response

Now that I have read everyone’s expanding the canon posts, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of inclusion and what it means to be diverse. Each post offered an alternate perspective into different forms of diversity/inclusion and altered my viewpoints on the lives of different groups of people. I liked reading Caitlin’s post because it included firsthand examples of women in the police force and their experiences while working. Kaitlyn mentioned that spreading awareness is a key aspect of bring about change with respect to workplace diversity. I like this idea in particular because it resonated well with my own writing, being that we both referenced articles that did not provide clear solutions but instead insisted on promoting awareness that would then lead to the effective result. I also really liked her choice of incorporating facts and statistics through the use of a Ted talk rather than direct quotation. This made her writing seems more personable while still providing strong evidence for her topic.

Question 3 Response

Bogost’s writing seemed to flow seamlessly despite covering a range of ideas related to technology and diversity. Each paragraph served as a segway from the current idea to the next. The paragraph that demonstrates this flow of ideas the best is the 14th paragraph in which Bogos states “But integration is much harder than diversity. Isbell thinks that two separate conditions need to be met in order to accomplish it: “One is that the new folks are both capable and confident. The other is that the old folks are willing.” This paragraph although brief, sets up the stage for the “problem” of the article. By clearly outlining the conditions that need to be made in order to see effective change in the tech industry, Bogos not only transitions into how to each of these criteria can be met but he also provides sound evidence from research and strategy specialists at Google. As a collective, the paragraphs in “The Problem With Diversity in Computing” support each other by working as a collective to spread awareness about the what diversity in tech should/could look like.

The Life of a Veteran: What Comes After Service?(Final)

“The association between unemployment status and physical/mental health among veterans and civilians in the United States” by Than V. Tran, Julie Canfield, & Keith Chan makes a sound argument supporting the increase of veteran employment programs in order to reduce the negative health impacts of being unemployed. Throughout the article, the author’s emphasize the health disparities that can arise from unemployment as well as the the hardships unemployed people have to go through in order to join the workforce. This process becomes increasingly burdensome for veterans due to their need to adjust to civilian life not to mention any other outstanding medical issues they may have gained while serving.

Tran, Cainfelid, and Chan relied on the evidence found in the “Interaction effect of employment status and veteran/civilian status” study. This study analyzed the affect that unemployment has on veterans and civilians. The researchers believed that the negative impact would affect the veterans at a higher rate than non-veterans. Simply, being a veteran should not have an impact on a person’s health but this study aims to expose the underlying affects that health issues (as a result of military service) have on unemployment amongst veterans which intern makes it harder to re-enter the workforce. Depression, existential crises, and suicidal thoughts are just some of the many mental health issues that can arise from being unemployed. The study also shows the connection between unemployment and poor nutrition due to a lack of resources which can ultimately have a negative impact on the physical body as well.

I chose this article not because of the solutions it present in terms of programs that promote diversity and inclusion but because of its F of the effort that it makes to promote awareness around these issues. The authors place a strong emphasis on understanding the disparities that lead to unemployment rather than just trying to promote programs to solve it. The Kaplan & Donovan article explains that intention with regard to diversity and inclusion has a big impact on the result of the actions taken to promote equity. Kaplan & Donovan Work to define the definition of inclusion by starting with the needs of the marginalized group instead of the organization trying to promote inclusion. I feel as if this article does a good job of understanding the reason behind veteran unemployment and presenting it with respect to the impact on veterans rather than the economy or any other organization which reinforces the ideas of the texts we have read thus far.

This article, in conjunction with others that make up the canon of diversity and inclusion, have enlightened me on the privileges that I have and the struggles of those who are different then me. Because of this I have been inspired to further my research in order to engage in meaningful forms of activism that spread awareness of these issues and bring about change. One of the most striking pieces of work that I have uncovered in my search was this Ted Talk that focused on the struggles of the shift from military to civilian life. In the video, Brian O’connor, a United States Marine Corps veteran, makes an analogy between the dissociation of identity that he felt after service in which he says “This bryant outfit doesn’t fit anymore, its like I stole a young kid’s clothes”. This quote allowed me to experience a fraction of what it feels like to be a veteran and understand the importance of shifting perspectives when promoting inclusion. More often than not, simply putting yourself into the shoes of the people you are trying to help can make all the difference in understanding what can actually be effective. By reading works like that of Than V. Tran, Julie Canfield, & Keith Chan and Kaplan & Donovan as well as taking the effort to familiarize yourself with the lives of veterans will lead to quick and effective forms of inclusion throughout all aspects of the workforce.

Tran, T. V., Canfield, J., & Chan, K. (2016). The association between unemployment status and physical health among veterans and civilians in the United States. Social Work in Health Care, 55(9), 720–731. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2016.1191582

Response 6/28

QUESTION 1 RESPONSE

Although I do not agree with all of Fried’s beliefs with regard to workplace productivity, I was able to clearly follow his argument throughout his presentation. I find the rhetoric that Jason Fried used in hisTed-talk very interesting. The way he maps out his argument in order to keep the audience engaged plays an important role on the impact of the statements he makes. Fried also engages directly with the audience by asking them questions regarding their personal experiences with productivity in different environments. Based on the response that Fried received from the audience, it seemed as if he knew that most of the people were employees rather than manager’s and would relate with the examples he gave. By using stories and vivid language, Fried seems to make use of Pathos in his presentation. Tactics like these work well with both public speaking and writing. Although breaking the 4th wall might not be appropriate in all forms of writing, including relevant anecdotes can engage not only the reader but also strengthen your argument.

QUESTION 3 RESPONSE

I do agree with Margaret Heffernan’s perspective regarding robustness over efficiency but I believe it holds more value with respect to diversity in the work place. Current Organizational leadership skills are rooted in efficiency in an attempt to reach the goals an organization has set. However, by switching focus to preparing for the future through the cultivation of a uniquely diverse staff, any circumstance that may arise can be quickly assessed and have the best course of action taken against it. This Ted talk relates closely with the “Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage” text due to its comparison of efficiency and robustness. In the Austin and Pisano text, the authors strike a contrast between the actual value that members of the neurodiverse community can add to a workplace and the perception of their abilities by employers and colleges alike. This same comparison takes a different form in Margaret Heffernan’s argument regarding the supermarket task allocator. The commonality between these arguments seems to be that while placing value in the things that are viewed as “normal” and efficient can be advantageous in certain circumstances, utilizing a wide variety of skills through a diverse group of people can help prepare for the future in ways unthought of.

The Life of a Veteran: What Comes After Service?

“The association between unemployment status and physical health among veterans and civilians in the United States” by Than V. Tran, Julie Canfield, & Keith Chan makes a sound argument supporting the increase of vetrean employment programs in order to reduce the negative health impacts of being unemployed. Throughout the article, the author’s emphasize the health disparities that can arise from unemployment as well as the the hardships unemployed people have to go through in order to join the workforce. This process becomes increasingly burdensome for veterans due to their need to adjust to civilian life not to mention any other outstanding medical issues they may have gained while serving.

Tran, Cainfelid, and Chan relied on the evidence found in the “Interaction effect of employment status and veteran/civilian status” study. “This study hypothesized that the status of being unemployed would have an adverse effect on physical health across the populations, but specifically, this effect would be greater for veterans compared to non-veterans.”. Through this, the authors are “expanding the canon” of diversity and inclusion by adding to the collection of works created with the intent of increasing public awareness of the struggles that marginalized people face as a result of the current systems of America.

References:

The Association Between Unemployment Status and Physical Health Among Veterans and Civilians in the United States

“The association between unemployment status and physical health among veterans and civilians in the United States” by Than V. Tran, Julie Canfield, & Keith Chan reflects on the high rate of unemployment amongst veterans and proposes positive change through public health policies and programs. This article focuses mainly on the health effects of long-term unemployment and their impact on the veteran community. Tran, Cainfield, and Keith use the connection between unemployment and poor physical health as justification for an increase in programs geared towards easing the transition from the military to the workforce. The authors present the creation of said programs as favorable to “not only the veterans themselves but for their families, communities, and the greater society at large” Although the authors seem to push the idea of creating programs for veterans, there is also a strong importance placed on furthering research behind the trend in order to “raise public awareness of these health issues, and provide insights into critical questions on how best to develop effective reintegration programs for veterans”. I believe that this article draws parallels between the ideas of both “Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage” and “The impact of organizational diversity policies on minority employees’ leadership self-perceptions and goals” by taking the motivation for change that the Gundemir et al article has and connecting it with the philosophy behind the Austin & Pisano text.

Reference:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00981389.2016.1191582

Austin and Pisano Summary

“Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage” by Austin and Pisano is an analysis of the effects current workplace standards have on the Neurodiverse. From onboarding to the criteria for promotion, members of the Neurodiverse community often go overlooked and struggle to find employment as a result. Austin and Pisano refer to the Neurodiverse community as an “untapped pool of talent” and support their claim through the use of various studies that prove Neurodiverse people to be more than capable of completing the jobs they are qualified for. The idea that “Innovation is most likely to come from parts of us that we don’t all share.” reflects the core ideas of this text. This article not only raises awareness around the lack of diversity for the Neurodiverse within global workplace settings, but it also shows examples of the prospects of cultivating equity and promoting inclusion.

Discussion Questions Week 2

Question 1 Response

It has become common today to promote diversity within the workplace, however, the definition of what it means to be diverse is fluid in understanding. Because of this, many companies have resulted in promoting diversity but fall short in representing individuals from all walks of life. In Guntemir, et al’s work he states that “in an increasingly diversified workplace, minority leadership is crucial to optimally utilize the talent of all employees for competitive advantage” he then goes on to highlight the disproportion between African Americans and their European counter parts in almost all positions of leadership throughout global workplace settings. The standard way of thinking about diversity has it that promoting diversity and or increasing the amount of people from a specific background (IE: people with disabilities, African-Americans, members of the LGBTQIA+ community) is effective in diversifying a professional setting. Although this is a crucial aspect of creating a diverse culture, making sure those very same individuals feel safe and accounted for by promoting equity within both the hiring process and throughout every other aspect of their career also has a substantial influence on the success of an organization.

Question 3 Response.

“Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage” by Austin and Pisano as well as “”The impact of organizational diversity policies on minority employees’ leadership self-perceptions and goals” by Gundemir et al, serve the purpose of constructing the definitions of diversity and its impact on organizational leadership. Gundemir et al delves into the broader spectrum of the affects of lack of diversity in a workplace and sheds light on the differentiation between the perceptions of diversity across the glob. SImilarly, Austin and Pisano focus their lenses on a the lives of Neeurodiveese individuals and what exactly should be done in order to make proper use of their talents. Both reading force the reader to question their own beliefs on diversity and the take a step back to view both a systemic and personal perspective of what forms diversity can take. Austin and Pisano and Gundemir et al both elucidate the need for the inclusion in order to utilize the skills of all members of a work place through the promotion of diversity.