Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Answers to In-Text Questions
Chapter 4: Diversity, Inclusion, and the Equal Employment Laws
Diversity Challenges in the Tech Industry: The Case of Pinterest
Case Discussion Questions:
1. What is the difference between diversity goals and diversity quotas? Why do you think
Pinterest was careful to distinguish between the two?
A goal is an ideal that is being worked toward. A quota is a specific percentage of a protected
2. What are some of the challenges to diversity management in the technology industry? List
and discuss what prevents companies from attracting and retaining diverse talent.
• Unconscious bias in recruitment and training
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
3. Consider the initiatives with which Pinterest is experimenting. Which ones hold greater
promise? What else would you suggest it do?
4. Many of these hold promise. Assigning mentors to women and underrepresented minorities
will help them better navigate expectations in terms of workplace behaviors. Support that is
5. What are your thoughts about the central roles of sex and racial diversity in the technology
industry’s diversification efforts?
6. The technology field continues to lag in terms of diversity. There are few role models for
women and minorities who wish to pursue this field. A better understanding of how all users
Spotlight on Ethics: Applicants with Criminal History
Questions
1. As a manager, suppose you need to decide whether to hire a candidate with excellent
qualifications for the position, but with a felony conviction in his or her background.
What factors would you take into consideration to decide whether or not to hire this
candidate?
While students will have various opinions about the hiring of ex-convicts in the
workplace, there are a few key ideas students should consider.
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
2. Think of a case, or find one in the literature, of a company that encountered legal
trouble as a result of hiring an employee with a criminal record. What could have
been done differently? What did the company do right?
Students will find a variety of examples of ex-convicts who could bring tremendous
value to the workforce. Some might include the governments hiring of ex-convicts in
HR REASONING AND DECISION-MAKING EXERCISES
Mini-Case Analysis Exercise: Workplace Diversity Dilemmas
Imagine that you are working at a medium-size business as an HR professional. You are faced
1. An African American job applicant has just been offered a position as a customer service
representative in the company’s call center. The job does not have any face–to-face
customer contact and only involves phone interactions. The manager who conducted the
interview just told the applicant that her hair, which is in dreadlocks, violates the
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
company’s dress code, which requires “professional” hairstyles. The manager asked the
employee to cut her hair. The applicant refused. The manager is considering revoking the
job offer to the employee. What would you do?
Answer will vary by students. The discussion should include the employer’s right to institute a
2. An applicant for your janitorial services is hearing impaired and is unable to speak. He
was invited for a job interview. However, when contacted, the applicant informed
management that he would need a sign language interpreter for the interview, and he can
bring his sister as an interpreter. The hiring manager cancelled the job interview. What
would you do?
Answers will vary by student. The discussion should be based on the Americans with Disabilities
3. An employee in your department sent you an e-mail stating that he examined the salaries
of over 100 employees working in the call center and found that male employees seemed
to be paid more than female employees. What would you do?
Answers will vary by students. There are several issues here, including the potential for violating
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
HR Decision Analysis Exercise: Fair Algorithm?
Your organization just started conversations with a consulting firm. The firm is offering their
platform for use in employee selection. In your discussions with the firm, they disclosed that
their research-based algorithm assigns higher scores to applicants who
• Drive a car with a manual transmission
Please provide the rationale for your answer to each of the questions below.
Is it legal, ethical, and fair?
This system may not be legal, ethical, or fair. Certain metrics picked up by algorithms as
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Is it evidence based/evidence informed?
It is evidence-informed. There is no proof that these parameters make one more or less qualified
for the position.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Does it foster healthy employee–employer relationships?
This would not foster healthy employee–employer relationships. The workforce would be less
Is it time- and cost-effective?
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Using data analytics can be time- and cost-effective only if the right parameters and
Does it take a systematic stakeholder perspective?
This system does not consider all stakeholders in the same way. It will systematically eliminate
Considering your analysis above, overall, do you think this was an effective decision? Why or
why not?
Answers will vary. The discussion should focus on disparate treatment, potential violation of
Bauer, Human Resource Management
SAGE Publishing, 2020
______________________________________________________________________
What, if anything, do you think should be done differently or considered to help make this
decision more effective?
Data analytics can be a powerful tool in determining gaps in the workforce and in determining
HR Decision-Making Exercise: Assessing Disparate Impact
Recently, your organization advertised openings for sales associates. The selection process
includes gathering and evaluating information on a personality test and in-person interview.
Here is a breakdown of who applied and who was hired:
[Begin unnumbered table here]
Applied
Hired
Men
150
15
Women
90
15
White
100
10
Asian American
50
10
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SAGE Publishing, 2020
1. Using 4/5ths rule, do you have prima facie evidence that disparate impact may have
occurred? Explain your rationale. There is no prima facie evidence that disparate impact
may have occurred. Ten percent of male applicants where hired, more than 10% of
2. If there is prima facie evidence for disparate impact, what information can you use as
defense? What would be your action plan for the future? If there is a care of prima facie
evidence, the overall hiring numbers should be considered. A plan of action for the future