Chapter 4 Discussion Questions   p. 143-144 relating to the text

Managing Human Resources 2016 Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy

I am experiencing an illness which has caused great difficulty with the completion of assignments.  It is too late to drop and retrieve credit.

 

4-1.  Recently, the movie The Class was shown at the New York Festival, to the pleasure of many French.  The actors were young Parisians, per one movie critic: 

With their cell phones and pouts, these bored restless junior high school students look pretty much like fidget progeny of   Anytown. USA.  One difference being that these African, Arab, and Asian Parisians live in a country that insists its citizens have only one cultural identity……as France’s smoldering suburbs vividly suggest many of these same young people don’t feel welcome to share.

Many French believe that Americans are obsessed with issues of race and ethnicity, particularity with tracking statistics where people are “artificially” put into “airtight” categories (whites, blacks, Hispanics, and such).  France does not even include this type of information in its census, believing that this si against a common French identity as a republican ideal. 

Do you think it is meaningful to classify people into types?  Why do you think the United States, contrary to the French, insists on classifying people?  Are there any advantages and /or disadvantages in doing this?  Explain.

 

4-2.  The European Parliament recently voted 504 to 110 to scold companies for “sexual stereotyping” in marketing their products.  One reporter noted that “The lawmakers” ire has many targets, from a print ad for Dolce & Gabbana (which has a woman in spike heels pinned to the ground and surrounded by sweaty men in tight jeans) to Mr. Clean, whose muscular physique might imply that only a strong man is powerful enough” The concern, according to the committee report, is that stereotyping in such ds can “straightjacket women, men, girls, and boys by restricting individuals to predetermined and artificial roles that are often degrading, humiliating, and dumbed-down for both sexes.”  Do you believe that gender stereotyping in marketing leads to discrimination?  Can you think of some examples that illustrate advertising stereotypes?  Could his influence how they market their products as part of their diversity efforts?  Explain.

 

4-3.  Consider the manager’s notebook, “Religious Differences Moving to the Forefront of Inclusiveness.  Do you think that the owners of a company, major shareholders, or top management have a right to use their religious beliefs as a basis for establishing HR policies for employees?  Why not?  Explain.

“Religious Differences Moving to the Forefront of Inclusiveness.

A growing concern in the United States and Western Europe is the extent to which religion has become a source of conflict in the workplace.  Firms are now forced to respond to religious tensions as employees (as well as firm owners) openly express their religious sentiments.  A few examples follow:

Employers in France may fire employees for wearing burkas and other full-body robes worn by Muslim women.  Similar well-publicized cases have recently occurred in the United States.  For instance, Abercrombie & Fitch has been sued for wearing a hijab, or an Islamic religious scarf. 

Some employee groups express open dissatisfaction with certain paid holidays that have religious roots even though they are now part of the secular culture (such as Christmas, Halloween, Good Friday, and ST. Valentine's Day). 

A growing number of firms  are incorporating an interfaith calendar as part of their HR policies o show that they are aware of holidays that are important to some employees.  Employees may then request time off for the holidays (such as Yon Kippur and Ramadan) that are important to their faith. 

Nearly one-third of respondents to a national survey report that they can identify religious biases in their workplace and half of those (13% of the total) claim that they find these perceived biases an offense to their personal beliefs.

Religious beliefs are coming into conflict with work schedules at some companies.  Rent-a-car Rental Center Inc., for example, has been sued by Seventh-Day Adventists who believe they are discriminated against by being forced to work on Saturday (their day of religious observation).

Some firms are into including contraceptive pills or assisted reproduction as part of their health benefit packages, even though this comes into conflict with federal regulation under so called “Obamacare.”

Hobby Lobby openly sponsors evangelical causes, promoting the owners,” faith whenever if operates.  For instance, unlike most large retail establishments, it closes on Sundays to give employees a biblical day of rest.  Hobby Lobby has recently files a suit against some contraceptive provisions of the Affordable Care Act.   www. Shrm.org, www.nythimes.com

4-4.  According to Laura D’ Andrea Tyson.  Dean of the College of Business at London Business School, in both the United States and Europe women often choose to opt out of high-powered jobs.  In her words: “the opt-out hypothesis could explain why, according to recent US survey, 1 In 3 women with a MBA grads, but they’re finding that a substantial percentage of their female recruits drop out within three to five years.  The vexing problem for businesses is not finding female talent but retaining it.  In your opinion, how large is the opt-out phenomenon, what are its causes and what can companies do to retain talented women?

 

4-5.  Consider the manager’s notebook? 

“The Rise of the Older Worker.”

Between 1977 and 2014, the employment of workers 65 and older has more than doubled, a trend that is likely to accelerate as the baby boom generation enters the golden years.  The majority of these individuals have less than $200,000.00 in retirement accounts, not enough to last for more than 10 years living frugally.  As a result of this trend old stereotypes of older workers lacking the speed, technological skills, and stamina of younger workers are quickly fading.  Most jobs in the 21^st century do not require heavy physical exertion and thus physical impairments are seldom a problem when it comes to age.  For this reason, companies such as Google and AT&T publicly that we value maturity and thus will consider older that product proclaim that we value maturity and thus will consider older will consider older applicants.  At Tofulli, a dairy-free product make, one third of the employees are over 50 and the company advertises itself as an “older worker friendly company.”  AARP publishes a list every two years of the “Best Employers for Workers Over 50.  Despite these changes, in comparison to many other countries the United States remains a youth-oriented culture in which the wisdom of older age is not valued as much.  Many managers are still prejudiced when it comes to hiring older applicants because of fears that they might have lower performance, higher absenteeism, and less ability to learn new things and solve problems.  

Among the most common negative assumptions about older workers are that they are less motivated to work hard, that they are “dead wood,” that they are resistant to change and cannot learn new methods, and that they are “fire proof.”  These negative characterizations are not supported by research.  Some recent research shows that the absenteeism rate for those 55and over (4.2 days per year) was almost identical to the absenteeism rate of other age groups (3.9 per year).  Recent studies also show that older worker are just as committed to their jobs as younger workers.  Many successful companies have implemented programs to use the knowledge and wisdom of older workers to mentor employees.  That way they can leverage senior workers as knowledge champions,

Do you think that young employees now appreciate the wisdom of older workers more than at earlier times?  Why do you think the USA has traditionally held older workers at a disadvantage in comparison to other industrialized nations such as Germany, Japan, or Korea?  Explain.

Additional information:  www.theaglge.com; www.aarp.org, HRM practice and low occupational status of older workers.  Employee Relations, 35(3), 339-355.

4-6.  A recent report suggest that pay disparities by gender remain essentially the same whether the most senior executive is a man or a woman.

 

4-7.  Many US computer companies fear that if they do not hire foreign talent, then competitors in other countries will.  What is your position on this?  Explain.

 

 

4-8.  Doug Dokolosky, a former IBM executive who specializes in coaching women, argues that “to reach the top requires sacrifice and long hours.  If that is your ambition, forget things like balancing work and family…is a man or a woman.  Do you think most US firms just pay lip service to family accommodation policies?  Can you think of any noteworthy exceptions?