Business & Society, 16e (Lawrence)
Chapter 16 Managing a Diverse Workforce
1) The term diversity refers to variation in the important human characteristics that distinguish
people from one another.
2) Workforce diversity represents both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses.
3) The term pay gap refers to the inequitable concentration of a group, such as minorities or
women, in a particular job category.
4) According to Figure 16-4, the country with the highest percentage of women holding board
member positions is the United States.
5) In the United States, immigrants are more likely than non-immigrants to start their own
business, having been responsible for 30 percent of small business growth.
6) The major agency charged with enforcing equal opportunity laws and executive orders in the
United States is the Americans with Disabilities Council (ADC).
7) Some women and persons of color have spoken out against affirmative action, preferring to
achieve personal success without receiving preferential treatment.
8) Sexual harassment is limited to overt acts of individual coworkers or supervisors.
9) The proportion of working women that have told researchers they have been sexually harassed
on the job is between 40 and 70 percent.
10) Sexual and racial harassment will happen, and there is little a business can do to eliminate the
problem.
11) Companies that implement effective diversity programs often see an improvement in their
reputation.
12) A diversity council is a group of managers and employees responsible for developing and
implementing specific action plans to meet an organization’s diversity goals.
13) Policies and practices that leverage a variety of perspectives, life experiences, and approaches
that every individual brings to the workplace, are referred to as diversity.
14) According to the latest government data, in about 30 percent of all married couples with
children, both parents worked at least part-time.
15) Under the Family Medical Leave Act, companies that employ 50 or more people must grant
unpaid, job-protected leaves for up to 12 weeks to employees with serious family needs, including
the birth or adoption of a baby.
16) Variation in the important human characteristics that distinguish people from one another is
called:
A) Workforce variability.
B) Diversity.
C) Difference.
D) Affirmative action.
17) Age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical abilities, race, and sexual orientation fall under
which dimension of diversity?
A) Primary.
B) Secondary.
C) Tertiary.
D) Legal.
18) The growing diversity in the U.S. workforce is due to:
A) Millennials entering the workforce.
B) Immigration from other countries.
C) Shifting patterns of work and retirement.
D) All of these answers are correct.
19) In 2015, the largest generation in the workforce was:
A) Baby boomers.
B) Generation X.
C) Millennials.
D) Centennials.
20) Women in the U.S. workforce are accurately characterized by which of these statements?
A) The participation rate has been between 46 and 47 percent since the late 2000s.
B) A lack of family-friendly business policies has made it difficult for working mothers.
C) The participation rates of women and men in the workforce have diverged.
D) Both of these answers are correct: The participation rate has been between 46 and 47 percent
since the late 2000s; and a lack of family-friendly business policies has made it difficult for
working mothers.
21) According to the textbook, Asian American men now have higher median weekly earnings
than white American men primarily because:
A) The Asian group collectively increased connections with upper-level management.
B) Most Asians had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.
C) White men had generally dropped out of management.
D) White women had taken over most of the jobs of white men.
22) Which of the following is not true about occupational segregation?
A) It concentrates women in traditionally female-dominated jobs.
B) The pay gap in American businesses persists, in part, because of it.
C) It means that women cannot get the jobs that could break the cycle of relatively low pay.
D) The technology sector is dominated by women.
23) Why does the inclusion of women on corporate boards improve company performance?
A) Alternative courses of action are more realistically considered.
B) Women bring different life experiences to discussions.
C) Women are more likely to raise multiple stakeholder concerns.
D) All of these answers are correct.
24) When women and minorities are highly competent but are unable to attain executive positions,
this is typically called:
A) Transparency.
B) Broken windows theory.
C) Glass ceiling.
D) Glass wall.
25) What is one reason why woman and minorities fail to move into executive or board positions?
A) Women are more likely to consider alternative courses of action.
B) Women tend to lead with higher levels of empathy, and conflict resolution skills.
C) Minorities prefer staff-level positions throughout their careers.
D) The old boys’ network.
26) In 2015, more than 50 percent of minority-owned businesses were owned by:
A) Asian Americans.
B) African Americans.
C) Hispanics.
D) Native Americans.
27) Government rules on equal treatment of employees include:
A) Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited in all employment practices.
B) Government contractors must have written positive affirmative action plans to overcome the
past and present effects of discrimination in their work force.
C) Women and men must receive equal pay for performing equal work, but only if the woman is
not pregnant.
D) Affirmative action plans must be permanent.
28) Which law eliminated certain time restrictions for filing pay discrimination lawsuits?
A) Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.
B) Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.
C) Equal Opportunity Employment Act of 1972.
D) Equal Pay Act of 1963.
29) An argument against affirmative action is:
A) It costs American businesses too much money.
B) There are no mechanisms in place to verify that it is actually taking place.
C) It is inconsistent with the principles of fairness and equality.
D) It violates individuals’ basic human rights.
30) One argument in favor of affirmative action is:
A) People hired through this program tend to be more dedicated workers.
B) Only the most qualified people are hired through this process.
C) It’s easy to monitor the success of affirmative action programs.
D) It levels the playing field to correct past discriminatory hiring practices.
31) Sexual harassment applies to:
A) Only men who are being harassed.
B) Only women who are being harassed.
C) Either men or women who are being harassed.
D) Only minorities who are being harassed.
32) Racial harassment is illegal under:
A) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
B) The Third Amendment to the Constitution.
C) The Equal Pay Act.
D) The Family Medical Leave Act.
33) Sexual harassment is accurately described by which statement(s)?
A) Most sexual harassment incidents target women.
B) Sexual harassment is illegal in the United States.
C) The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is empowered to sue on behalf of
victims.
D) All of these answers are correct.
34) Which of these statements is (are) true regarding sexual harassment?
A) People wearing sexy clothing.
B) Boys will be boys.
C) An imbalance of power.
D) Workplace comradery.
35) Companies can combat sexual and racial harassment—and protect themselves from expensive
lawsuits—by:
A) Communicating a zero-tolerance policy on harassment to all employees.
B) Establishing a complaint procedure and acting quickly to resolve any problems.
C) Bribing employees with bonus money to avoid a lawsuit.
D) Both of these answers are correct: Communicating a zero-tolerance policy on harassment to all
employees; and establishing a complaint procedure and acting quickly to resolve any problems.
36) Benefits of managing diversity and inclusion effectively includes all except:
A) The federal government provides tax breaks.
B) Customer service is more effective.
C) These businesses are better able to attract and retain workers from a variety of backgrounds.
D) Businesses with a diverse workforce boost innovation for the firm.
37) Many executives believe that a diverse workforce boosts innovation because:
A) Many unique perspectives contribute to a better solution.
B) Those who think exactly the same develop the most robust ideas.
C) People from poorer countries have to be more creative to survive.
D) People from different backgrounds have to work much harder to communicate.
38) Why does a diverse and inclusive workforce benefit a firm supporting a global market?
A) A variety of language skills serves the global customer base well.
B) Cultural insensitivity helps to retain customers.
C) Understanding differences across markets restricts innovation.
D) Both of these answers are correct: A variety of language skills serves the global customer base
well; and understanding differences across markets restricts innovation.
39) One action a company can take to effectively manage diversity and inclusion is:
A) Hire only immigrant workers.
B) Set up a diversity council to monitor the company’s goals.
C) Use a broad list of demographic factors to select applicants.
D) Hire only those with existing employee referrals.
40) Bias within the hiring process refers to:
A) Always hiring the best fit candidate no matter what his or her physical characteristics are.
B) Selecting only candidates that match a preconceived ideal of the role.
C) Choosing new employees without consideration for their demographic data.
D) Hiring based only on the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities.
41) Child care assistance in the workplace is accurately described by:
A) It helps reduce employee absenteeism and tardiness.
B) It aids in recruiting workers by making the company more attractive to parents.
C) It helps retain talented employees.
D) All of these answers are correct.
42) When a mother or father is granted time off when children are born or adopted and during the
early months of a child’s development, this is called:
A) The parent track.
B) Baby care.
C) Parental leave.
D) Family leave.
43) Which type of U.S. company is required to follow the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA),
and offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid employee leave to address family needs?
A) Corporations that employ 100 or more people.
B) Firms with at least 50 employees.
C) Only companies that use the gig-economy business model.
D) Small businesses with less than 50 workers.
44) The current trend in the United States of firms’ eliminating domestic partner benefits is largely
due to:
A) The legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015.
B) The costs became prohibitive.
C) State laws banned domestic partner insurance coverage.
D) Insurance companies refused to provide coverage.
45) In what way did Dreamers bring diversity to the U.S. workplace?
A) They only brought diversity to Texas and California.
B) Most DACA recipients were over the age of 55 and did not join the workforce.
C) Dreamers came to the United States from many global regions.
D) Almost all came from Mexico, which did not increase diversity.
46) In 2017 only about 5 percent of chief executive officers of the S&P 500 companies were
women. What factor best explains this fact: women’s education and job experience, discrimination
against women by companies, preferences of women employees, different family roles and
responsibilities between women and men, or something else? Why do you think so?
47) Who do you believe should be primarily responsible for the advancement of minorities in the
workplace: the individual, the government, or businesses? Why?
48) Do you believe companies are ever justified in treating women or minority employees
differently, with respect to wages, benefits, job assignments, or promotions? If not, why not? If so,
under what conditions, and why?
49) What is the role of government in the area of equal employment opportunity? Discuss from a
historical perspective.
50) Government regulations ban both sexual and racial harassment. Discuss both kinds of
harassment and why they are a concern to employers. What can companies do to combat sexual
and racial harassment?
51) Over time the workforce will continue to change. How do you see the face of the workforce in
20 years? In what ways will continued diversity create competitive advantages for companies?
Discuss based on the material in the textbook.
52) Do you believe that support programs for work and family primarily benefit women
employees, men employees, or both equally? Explain.