Diversity Audit/Research

Prepare a 7-10 page paper which explains your findings in detail. The paper should be free from spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure you cite all written web sources, journal articles and interviews in a bibliography, and contain exhibits, such as copies of the organizational value statements or company newsletters, if appropriate.

To summarize, your report should detail the strengths and weaknesses of the organization's diversity initiatives. List the criteria (one page), provide some company background/history (one page), evaluate the organization's efforts in terms of diversity, and make recommendations for improvement. Findings should include: The criteria you used for managing diversity in an organization. You can use secondary research to assist you. If you performed an audit of an organization in which you work or have worked: Indicate who authorized the audit (a manager or a human resource leader). Identify the people you interviewed, their function(s) and level(s) (i.e. levels: VP, manager, supervisor, and functions: human resources, training, operations).

If you performed research on one of the top 10 companies identified by DiversityInc as a company that demonstrates the business case for diversity, include a literature review of your research on that company. The literature review should include sources from scholarly and professional journals describing the performance of the organization as it relates to diversity, in addition to the organization's website that you are researching. The literature review should include a bibliography of sources and a brief paragraph describing the contents of the source.

• Include the list of the thoughtful questions regarding diversity used in the interview/research.

• Indicate whether you toured the company and any copies of the company newsletters, value statements, and so forth. If you are using the DiversityInc firms, include these in your research as well as any websites you visited in your research.

• Evaluate what you have learned about the company in terms of diversity, comparing it against the criteria you established. Be sure to pay attention to subtle cues (i.e. is there evidence that they really do what they say they do). For example, a manager proudly pointed out that his large retail organization hired physically challenged workers. However, they were all assigned to work in the stockroom, where they were never seen by any customers. Or a company who is recognized for their hiring of the disabled, have no disabled employees visible on their website. Feel free to add additional criteria that you did not think of after the interview/visit or research was completed.

M5 Instructor Commentary (B)

In this module we examine a variety of diversity topics which include gender, race/national origin, age, religion, and lesbian gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and applying what we have learned in previous modules about legislation, individual and organizational culture, and the dynamic or working in cross-cultural teams.

Building on the self assessments performed in Module 4, students will read several mini-cases (related to the topics described above) and reply to discussion questions to at least one of those cases.

M5 Mini-Case Topics (C)

Read the mini-cases found in chapter 12 of Canas and Sondak and respond to the questions at the end of the mini-case. In the subject line of your post, indicate the mini-case you are discussing (i.e. Case 4: Religion and the Workplace) and post your response to the discussion questions found at the end of the case in the textbook.

Make an initial posting in response to the discussion questions at the end of the mini-case and respond to at least two other student postings. Students who are interested in similar cases can ‘congregate' and discuss among themselves, should they so choose.

For this discussion, you must support your analysis with references to the readings and/or other authoritative sources.

Reflection Journal (D)

Reflection Journal

Read the reflection journals you have written to date: Building upon these previous journals, summarize what you have learned in the course and include responses to the follow questions: What plans do you have to expand your awareness and integrate what you have learned? How do you plan to go about doing that? Why do you think it is important that you do so? Please make sure you reference the readings.

Promoting Diversity: Your Organization's Challenges (E)

Consider Powell's comments on promoting diversity (Chapter 9), what do you think the greatest challenges for your own organization will be in the future? Explain.

Personal Challenges & Development Plan (F)

What Have You Learned?

Your Reflection Journal talks about the personal plans you have, that would expand your awareness and integrate what you have learned. Without duplicating what you have submitted or will submit as your Reflection Journal, and based on what you have learned so far in this course, please discuss the following:

• You want to help your colleagues expand the awareness by providing them advice about diversity in the workplace. Think of three main things you have learned in this course. In your own words, what would that three advice/tips for your colleagues be? Think of something succinct but meaningful, that can be put up on a bulletin board.

• What is the one most surprising thing you have learned about the topic of diversity in the workplace, and why? Please reference the reading.

• Provide one question you would like your classmates to respond to.