978-0133548198 Section III Part 1

SECTION III

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY:

AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND PHYSICAL AND

MENTAL CHALLENGES

18. How Old Should You Be To Drive A Bus?

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HOW OLD SHOULD YOU BE TO DRIVE A BUS?

EXPLORING AGEISM

Sharon P. McKechnie

Emmanuel College, Boston

Goals

• To explore attitudes and opinions related to chronological ages

• To illustrate legal and cultural frameworks related to age that shape beliefs,

expectations, and actions

• To understand that ageism includes the young as well as the old, although in the

United States, only those over forty are legally protected under the Civil Rights

Act of 1964

Summary

This exercise is designed to illustrate stereotypes about all ages – young, middle-aged,

and mature – while allowing students to identify their own socially-conditioned

expectations about age and ageing. The students will discuss a range of chronological

ages and link them with specific activities. When asked to justify why a certain age is

appropriate for an item, students usually have difficulty giving clear justifications. As

students cite “evidence” (e.g., legal, cultural, biological and developmental) to support

their answers, they may recognize their own stereotypical beliefs about age.

Note: Items 13 and 14 were left blank for instructors or students to add additional items.

How old should you be to……

1. ….. start formal schooling?

2. ….. live alone?

3. ….. serve in the armed forces?

4. ….. drive a bus?

5. ….. fly a commercial plane?

6. ….. buy an alcoholic drink in a bar?

7. ….. have a baby?

8. ….. retire from work?

9. ….. manage a department of 50 employees?

10. ….. get married?

11. ….. vote in state elections?

12. ….. start your own business?

13. …..

14. …..

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In-Class Instructions

1. Form groups of 4 to 5 members each.

2. Ask each group to come to consensus on all of the age events in the list. The

group should write down the age they feel is appropriate for each event and give

a one to two sentence explanation of why they selected that age for that event.

3. Stop the discussion after about 15 minutes and ask a representative from each

group to come forward and write the age they selected for each event on the

board/chart.

4. Discuss the similarities/differences in the ages selected. Be prepared to play

devil’s advocate in instances where the groups all cluster around the legal age for

an event. Press them to give clear reasoning for their answer. If the answer

corresponds to the “legal” age, then question them as to why and if the legal age

is appropriate.

Alternative Instructions

1. Instruct students to individually complete the questions, writing down the age

they feel is appropriate for each event and giving a one to two sentence

explanation of why they selected that age for that event. This step can be done in

class or assigned as homework.

2. Class discussion may be in-lass or online.

Teaching Tip

If this is a hybrid or online course, students could be asked to complete the questionnaire

and post their answers to the discussion board. The instructor should facilitate a lively

conversation about the items of greatest disagreement.

Discussion Notes

The aim of the discussion is to highlight the unconscious and socially-constructed views

students hold about chronological age. The key to illustrating bias is to be prepared for

the discussion with evidence from a range of sources to show differences in acceptable

ages across the decades, states, and different cultures and also to include issues related to

human biological and cognitive development.

Legal Ages Students may tend to cluster around the legal ages for some of the listed

events. Be prepared with evidence of differences in legal ages for various activities with

data from different U.S. states and different countries.

Outliers Groups or individuals who give answers that are well outside the “norm” should

be given time to discuss their views. If possible, developmental as well as social

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justifications should be included. For example, when is it appropriate to start school? If

very young ages are given (e.g, 2 or 3 years), child development data can be used to show

when the human brain is ready to learn. If students err on the older end of the spectrum,

issues of biological maturity can be used.

Resources

The following websites can be helpful for finding supporting materials:

• Each state has its own Department of Motor Vehicles website that

will provide information on minimum ages for all types of driving licenses,

e.g., www.dmv.gov.ma; www.dmv.gov.ca; www.dmv.gov.ny

• International driving information can be found on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_license

• Minimum and maximum ages for enlisting in the U.S. military:

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/enlage.htm

• International military service age and obligation facts:

www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2024.html

• Various U. S. pilot license age requirements:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_United_States

• International elementary school ages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_education

• International drinking ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

• International marriage ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriageable_age

• Detailed requirements on the U.S. constitution and requirements to run for

President: www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

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GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Diane M. Holtzman

Evonne J. Kruger

Charles D. Srock

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Goals

• To gain a greater understanding of diversity among generations

• To describe how groups of individuals in a generational cohort may be

influenced by social, historical, and cultural forces of their generational

timeframes

• To analyze workplace cases and apply generational concepts in written

and/or oral communications

Outline of Key Points

I. Four generations are currently in the workforce

A. Differences in attitudes, values, work ethics, work-life balance,

communication, etc., among generational cohorts

B. Little agreement on the overall profiles and dates of cohorts

C. Soon to be joined by Generation Z (1994-2004)

1. Highly influenced by technology

2. May experience more unemployment and layoffs due to older

generations staying in the workforce longer

II. Veterans (1922-1943)

A. Core values: dedication, discipline, self-sacrifice, hard work, delayed

rewards, respect for authority

B. Influenced by stock market crash, Great Depression, New Deal, World

War II, Korean War, etc.

C. Motivators: respect for experience, acknowledgement of their

experiences, etc.

D. Communication: prefer face-to-face and more formal language

E. Leadership style: direct, command-and-control style

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III. Baby Boomers (1943-1960 or 1946-1964)

A. Core values: optimism, team work, health and wellness, personal growth,

and staying young

B. Influenced by McCarthy hearings, Civil Rights, Vietnam War, JFK, etc.

C. Motivators: directness, being appreciated, flexibility

D. Communication: face-to-face or electronic

E. Leadership style: collegial and consensual, can be authoritarian

IV. Gen Xers (1960-1980 or 1965-1980)

A. Core values: diversity, global orientation, balance of work and family,

technology, casual approach to authority, self-reliance

B. Influenced by women’s liberation and gay rights, Watergate, Three Mile

Island, recessions and layoffs, Iran hostage crisis, Exxon Valdez, and fall

of Communism

C. Motivators: technology, feedback, having more autonomy and fewer

regulations

D. Communication: electronic, informal, soundbites

F. Leadership style: uncomfortable with bureaucracy, egalitarian

V. Millennial/ Generation Y (1980-2000 or 1981-1999)

A. Core values: civic duty, confidence, optimism, collaboration, diversity,

community, connections through technology

B. Influenced by September 11th, school shootings, Clinton-Lewinski

scandal, Community Service Learning

C. Motivators: flexibility, autonomy

D. Communication: expect to be given respect, electronic and visual media

preferred

E. Leadership style: prefer teamwork, resiliency, experiential learners

VI. Generational Diversity Case

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Discussion Questions and Answers for MANAGING DIVERSE GENERATIONS

IN A RETAIL SETTING

1. What are the generational issues Julia faces with each employee? What cultural,

historic, or societal issues may influence these generational issues?

created a mindset for members of that generation to a) value that they have work and

b) be confident that they would be “taken care of/rewarded” in their retirement for

their longevity with one company.

Larry represents Gen Y and has workplace assets such as being technologically

more mentoring on the job to develop customer service skills and team building.

Because he may have grown up in an environment receiving a lot of attention from

his parents, he’ll bring that need to work and require more attention by supervisors at

work.

Rick represents the Baby Boomer generation. He brings a service orientation with

him that may be influenced by generation events such as the start of the Peace Corps

King’s march on Washington, D.C., the assassinations of Dr. King, John F. Kennedy,

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2. How do these generational issues affect Julia’s management of the department?

she may need extra training on the products offered in the department. It’s important

to relate her training to her experiences on the floor. After the personalized training,

Julia can have Ethel start to use the computerized cash register and the use of

technology in inventory control of the DVDs and movies. In assigning Ethel’s work,

it may benefit the department to pair Ethel with a Gen Y part-time worker who is

more technologically adept.

3. What can Julia do to improve customer service within the department?

4. What generalizations are made by upper management about the employees? In

your opinion, are they right or are they wrong? Be specific.

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5. Have you faced similar or different exchanges in your retail shopping

experience with employees of different generational cohorts? Give details to

support your answer.

Discussion question; students responses will vary.

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Additional Intergenerational Diversity Case (not in text)

MANAGING DIVERSE GENERATIONS IN A SERVICE INDUSTRY

Pat, age 55, is Vice President for Customer Services at the Davis Employment agency.

Pat started working for the company 33 years ago, right out of college and advanced to a

position under the mentorship of the founder, Harry Davis. Harry’s son, Jeff, 33, is now

in charge of the agency. Upon retiring, Harry announced, “I leave the company under the

capable direction of my son and the sound management of Pat, who we all know is

knowledgeable about the ‘Davis Way’.” Pat, known for loyalty, commitment, and

dedication to the company, is valued and respected by many in the agency.

Recently, billings have begun to decline noticeably, even though industry billings are up.

In response, Jeff has hired several new employees to provide new and creative responses

to clients’ needs. One of the new employees is 32-year-old Alex, Assistant Vice President

for Customer Services under Pat. Alex manages the office and deals with clients. Alex

has only been at Davis four months out of a six-month probationary period. He is having

difficulty adapting to his coworkers, many of whom have been at the company for more

than 10 years, and who are familiar with Pat’s management style. Alex has many good

ideas, but is not empowered to enact any changes. This is frustrating to him because he

believes incorporation of these ideas would bring the company “into the technological era

of efficiency.” Alex cannot convince Pat that these ideas would enhance efficiency and

more effectively meet clients’ needs.

Some of the office employees say that “Pat’s Way” may seem antiquated by today’s

office procedures and technological advances, but Pat is very competent and on top of

everything. Pat knows operations and each client’s history. However, Pat’s procedures

create confusion with newer employees, who find them cumbersome and often

overlapping. The workers do not appreciate all memos and correspondence being done on

paper versus electronic messaging, and the endless number of informational meetings.

They prefer charts and aggregated data to long, detailed memos and keeping each other

informed via email, not face-to-face meetings.

Pat sees the procedures as time proven and cannot understand why Alex does not value

going through channels, following the company procedures for manually documenting

details, and articulating the “big picture” before proceeding. Pat believes in getting things

done efficiently, using technology to enhance productivity, finding shortcuts, and

avoiding wasted time by being overly cautious. When Alex tries to explain how

procedures could be improved or done more efficiently, Pat listens politely, expresses a

look of frustration, and tells Alex to, “Do it my way.” Alex sighs and leaves the office,

mumbling.

One week, Alex was working under a lot of pressure on projects Pat had assigned with

tight deadlines. Alex took charge, completed the assignments in the style to which Pat

was accustomed. All the projects were completed on time. Alex did not ask to have Pat

approve each step. “Surely, Pat will appreciate me now,” thought Alex. One night when

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Alex was working late, Jeff stopped by the office and Alex explained the sophisticated

charting of one project and how the data was presented in an easy–to-follow manner using

spreadsheets created on Excel. Jeff was interested and commented about finally being

1. What generational issues could be involved in this case? What cultural,

historical, or societal issues may influence these generational issues?

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2. Do you think the grievance committee will agree in their decision? Why or why

not?

3. What should the grievance committee recommend? How do you think that this

will be accepted by the two managers?

The grievance committee should recommend that Pat follow the directive by Alex to

expectations for Pat to incorporate what he has learned into the workload.

Alex will be open to the idea of offering technology training to Pat and the end result

will be a more efficient office with less paperwork. If Pat does not participate in the

technologically-bound.

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4. What do you think will actually happen? Why?

There are three possible scenarios.

be a significant part of the problem. Harry recommends that Pat be told the company

will pay for him to get training to update his skills and understanding of how his

profession is changing. Pat gets the message because it came from Harry. Pat will get

age, it would be difficult for him to re-enter the job market.

19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace

Writing Assignment

GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES

To better understand generational differences, conduct an interview with someone

from an age group different from your own. As a minimum, ask the questions below

to get a sense of his other experiences. Your instructor may add additional questions

and you may find it necessary to add appropriate follow-up questions based on the

interviewee’s answers to help you to understand how this person’s life experiences as

part of a particular generation may have contributed to shaping who he or she is today.

From the interview material, write a three page paper that analyzes how these

experiences have impacted that person’s life. The emphasis here should be on learning

if your subject had life experiences that may have shaped him or her in some

significant ways. As Holtzman, Kruger, and Srock suggest in this article, examine how

these generational differences could impact workplace communication and

understanding.

Be careful not to simply list questions and answers.

Questions

1. Besides family members, who were your role models when you were growing up?

2. As a child and a teenager, did you have any close friends who were of a different

race or religion than you?

3. Describe your first job in terms of salary, benefits, work schedule, and

responsibilities.

4. How long did you stay in this position?

5. Approximately how many organizations have you worked for in a full time

capacity in your lifetime?

6. What historic, political, and/or personal events were most significant during your

childhood and young adulthood?

7. How did these make a difference in your life?

8. What inventions affected your life the most? Why?

9. How have healthcare, education, and the economy changed in your lifetime?

10. How have any of these affected how you have lived your life?

11. How has your gender impacted your life experiences?

12. What year were you born?

13. What is your highest level of education?

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Diversity on the Web

1. Go to the website below and read the report by Deloitte Consulting Group entitled Gen

Y-ers, Baby Boomers & Technology: Worlds Apart. Technology usage in the global

workplace.

http://www.deloitte.com/ Search for: Gen Yers, Baby Boomers & Technology

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Answer the following questions:

a) What does the article reveal about the use of technology by Baby Boomers in

the United States and the Baby Boomer generation in emerging

nations? Give examples to support your answer.

b) What impact did technological developments and culture have on the use of

technology by American Baby Boomers compared to Baby Boomers from

emerging nations?

c) Read the Recommendations section of the report and apply two concepts

presented to the workplace scenario involving the use of technology by the

employees in the Everything’s Here case.

2. Go to the website below and read the article on Mixing and Managing Four

Generations of Employees by Greg Hammill (2005). In the article, Hammill presents

a chart of Workplace Characteristics for Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X,

and Generation Y.

http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm

a) Analyze the information presented in the chart.

b) Using the information from the chart, state how Julia should communicate with

each member in the Everything’s Here case. Give details to support your answer.

c) Using the information from the chart, state how Julia could motivate each

member of her department. Give details to support your answer.

20. Exploring the Gender Gap: What Are The Issues?

EXPLORING THE GENDER GAP: WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

Carol P. Harvey

Suffolk University

Assumption College, Professor Emerita

Deborah L. Larsen

UniBank

Goals

• To understand why women have still not achieved parity with men in

government and business in the U.S.

• To learn about the effects of a patriarchal culture on female achievement

• To investigate factors such as horizontal and vertical job segregation, leadership

style differences, work-life balance issues, and lack of mentoring that contribute

to gender differences in salaries and leadership opportunities

• To be aware of the status of women in global leadership

Outline

I. Introduction

A. Women have more education than men

B. Women earn less money than men

C. Women hold far fewer leadership positions than men

II. Gender Gaps and Privilege

A. Gender is socially constructed

B. In most societies, men have unearned advantages called privileges

III. History of Patriarchy

A. Men hold the most power in patriarchal societies

B. Women who achieve positions of power are seen as exceptions

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IV. Closing the legal gap

A. Laws passed that benefit women

1. Right to vote (1920)

2. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964)

3. Title IX (1972)

B. Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution

1. Took fifty years to pass Congress

2. Never ratified by the thirty-eight states needed

V. Gender Gap in Wages and Employment

A. Horizontal segregation – traditional female jobs pay less

1. College majors chosen

2. Lack of STEM majors

B. Vertical segregation – men perceived as better qualified even in the same

fields as women

VI. Gender gap and leadership

A. Styles – transactional and transformational

B. Glass ceiling/labyrinth

C. Communication style differences

VII. Time Gap

A. Work-life balance issues

B. McKinsey & Co. – best practices

VIII. Mentoring gap

A. More difficult for women to find mentors

B. Queen Bee syndrome

C. Women of color and mentoring

IX. Conclusion

A. Women still have less political and corporate power than men

B. Global differences

1. Europe

2. Asia

C. Leadership still associated with masculine values

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Pedagogy

One of the most difficult issues in teaching about the discrimination and inequality

women still face in the workplace is to make traditional-age college students realize that

this is still an issue. Because young women often get similar job opportunities as their

male counterparts in entry-level jobs, and better grades in college, there is often the

assumption that this has been “fixed” by previous generations.

A good way to handle this misconception is to start the discussion of this article by

asking the class to list on the board in columns labeled male and female, the gap statistics

detailed in the article (e.g., wages, corporate board leadership numbers, CEO positions,

etc.) Then, ask students which of these surprised them the most and why.

Discussion Questions and Answers

1. Make a case for and a case against passing legislation that requires a quota for

women on corporate boards.

2. If women face difficulty climbing the corporate ladder in part due to a lack

of mentors for women, a. what could women themselves do to improve this

situation; and b. what role can organizations take to facilitate mentoring

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3. This article states that women as a group tend to have a more collaborative

style of management and more indirect communication styles. What are the

advantages and disadvantages of these styles for women in today’s global

business environment?

4. What can happen when a woman who uses a more “masculine style” of

communication has a manager of either gender who uses a more “feminine”

style?

5. If there were only one woman at the corporate level of an organization,

how could her status as an “only” affect her interactions with her male

co-workers? What additional challenges might she face?

Writing Assignment

Go to diversityinc.com and search for “Things Never to Say to Women Executives.”

After reading this article, write a one-page memo that explains how these statements

undermine women as leaders in organizations.