Deck 4: Valuing a Diverse Workforce

Question 1

Inclusion is one of the most popular and controversial topics in management.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The ways in which people in an organization are different from and similar to one another is known as ________.

A) business etiquette
B) work culture
C) workplace diversity
D) organizational democracy

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Differences arising from which one of the following factors becomes more important to people as they get to know each other?

A) gender
B) ethnicity
C) sexual orientation
D) personality

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following benefits of workplace diversity is categorized as strategic?

A) better use of talent
B) improved system flexibility
C) potential to improve market share
D) reduced costs associated with high turnover

Question 5

In terms of workplace diversity, the New Millennium has witnessed increased focus on ________.

A) complying with laws and regulations laid down by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
B) assimilating minorities and women employees into the corporate setting
C) shifting from compliance to include everyone in diversification efforts
D) diversity and inclusion for business success, profitability, and growth

Question 6

During which era was the term "workforce diversity" first used?

A) new millennium
B) late 1980s
C) 1960s to 1970s
D) early 1980s

Question 7

Amanda works as a technical support executive at ColorWare Systems. Which of the following factors, if true, could trigger certain stereotypes about Amanda among her co-workers, though not necessarily reflecting the way they feel or think about her?

A) Amanda does not believe in engaging in gossip about her coworkers.
B) Amanda prefers working late every evening to working over the weekend.
C) Amanda has a Swedish mother and an African American father.
D) Amanda tends to dominate discussions among her co-workers.

Question 8

The period of time from the 1960s to 1970s focused on ________.

A) assimilating minorities and women into the corporate setting
B) making employees more aware and sensitive to the needs and differences of others
C) diversity and inclusion for business success, profitability, and growth
D) complying with laws and regulations through affirmative action policies and programs

Question 9

Which one of the following demographic characteristics reflects surface-level diversity?

A) differences in values
B) ethnicity
C) personality
D) values

Question 10

How does surface-level diversity differ from deep-level diversity?

A) Surface-level diversity is reflected by differences in personality and values, while deep-level diversity is influenced by age and ethnic differences.
B) Surface-level diversity can affect the way people view organizational rewards and their communication with others, while deep-level diversity does not necessarily reflect the ways people think or feel.
C) Surface-level diversity can affect the way people perceive others, especially in terms of assumptions or stereotyping, while deep-level diversity may affect general behavior of people at work.
D) Surface-level diversity becomes more important as people get to know each other, while deep-level diversity becomes less relevant with increasing familiarity between people.

Question 11

People are going to be different. The focus of managers should be to ________.

A) find ways to keep various groups within the workforce from creating conflict
B) find ways to develop strong relationships with and engage the entire workforce
C) make sure the practices within their departments comply with the letter of the laws governing discrimination in employment
D) find commonalities among various groups displaying surface-level diversity

Question 12

Which one of the following people management benefits arises from workplace diversity?

A) improved system flexibility
B) potential to increase market share
C) increased understanding of the marketplace
D) better use of employee talent

Question 13

Which one of the following was a feature of the period from the late 1980s to the late 1990s in terms of workplace diversity?

A) shifting from compliance and focusing only on women and minorities to including everyone
B) focusing on complying with laws and regulations, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
C) seeing workplace diversity as a core business issue, important to achieve business success, profitability, and growth
D) developing corporate programs to help improve self-confidence and qualifications of diverse individuals so they can "fit in"

Question 14

In the process of getting acquainted, John and his new co-worker Bill have discovered they have different tastes in music and books, that one is extroverted and the other introverted, that one prefers working in teams and the other works best alone. They are exploring ________.

A) surface-level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) stereotypes
D) biases

Question 15

Ben is selecting members for a problem-solving team. Which of the following team compositions is most likely to result in better team performance?

A) employees with at least ten years of seniority
B) employees from the quality department
C) employees from a variety of ethnic and gender backgrounds
D) an all-male or all-female team

Question 16

In his exit interview, James, a member of a minority group, mentioned that he had been passed over for promotions in favor of less qualified internal candidates. This situation relates to ________.

A) financial management
B) organizational performance
C) organizational strategy
D) deep-level diversity

Question 17

Soon after Jeff was hired as a company accountant, his company developed corporate programs to help improve the self-confidence and qualifications of diverse employees so they could "fit in." During which period of time did Jeff start working for his employers?

A) new millennium
B) 1960s to 1970s
C) early 1980s
D) late 1980s to late 1990s

Question 18

When the VP of marketing selected the new product development team members, he made sure there was a mix of ages, genders, and ethnicities on the team. This VP was most concerned with ________.

A) people management
B) organization performance
C) organization strategy
D) legal compliance

Question 19

Which of the following benefits of workplace diversity contributes to organizational performance?

A) reduced costs associated with high turnover and absenteeism
B) potential source of competitive advantage from improved innovation efforts
C) increased understanding of the marketplace and improved ability to better market to diverse customers
D) ability to attract and retain employees of diverse backgrounds

Question 20

Jack and Jill are discussing the new hire in their department: her hair color, skin tone, manner of dress, and accent. Jack and Jill are focusing on ________.

A) surface level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) stereotypes
D) biases

Question 21

Teams with diverse backgrounds performing interdependent tasks over a long period of time are more likely to experience conflict and resentment.

Question 22

How is workplace diversity beneficial to organizations from an ethical perspective?

Question 23

Workplace diversity refers exclusively to the differences between employee characteristics.

Question 24

Give a brief description of the people management benefits derived from workplace diversity.

Question 25

Today the main emphasis of diversity programs is sensitivity training.

Question 26

Which one of the following correctly reflects the characteristics of the current U.S. population?

A) Nearly one in five Americans today is an immigrant.
B) The median age of the U.S. population has risen significantly over the last decade.
C) The Asian population in the United States is presently the largest ethnic group.
D) The Hispanic community represents nearly one-third of the total U.S. population.

Question 27

The majority of the population increase in the next 35 years will come from ________.

A) higher birth rates among minority ethnic groups
B) immigration of religious groups seeking political asylum
C) advances in medical science that extend the life expectancy of the elderly
D) immigrants and their descendants

Question 28

The concept of workforce diversity expanded from compliance to an issue of business survival during the early 1980s.

Question 29

One of the strategic benefits of workplace diversity is that it can be viewed as the "right" thing to do.

Question 30

Which of the following statements is true of the changing trends in U.S. workplaces?

A) The surge in immigration, especially over the last two decades, has flooded the United States with low-wage foreign labor.
B) Organizations must recognize that they can't expect employees to assimilate into the organization by adopting similar attitudes and values.
C) In most U.S. metropolitan cities, more immigrants are employed in low-wage jobs like construction, cleaning, or manufacturing, than in white-collar occupations.
D) People now entering the workforce are significantly older, less ethnically diverse and/or native-born.

Question 31

How is workplace diversity beneficial to organizations from a strategic perspective?

Question 32

What benefits does workplace diversity afford an organization in terms of its performance?

Question 33

Employees are less likely to share information and participate in decision-making in a more diverse work environment.

Question 34

As chief of new product development for a U.S. consumer goods firm, Carmen should be very aware that ________ is likely to have the greatest influence on consumer preferences for the next few decades.

A) changes in religion
B) the aging of the population
C) declining birth rates
D) increasing inflation

Question 35

By 2050, ________ percent of the population of the United States will be ________

A) 40; 25 and under
B) 25; 55 and over
C) 20; 65 and over
D) 15; 80 and over

Question 36

Define "workplace diversity." Provide a brief description of the evolution of workplace diversity over the last five decades.

Question 37

Deep-level diversity refers to easily perceived differences that may trigger certain stereotypes, but that do not necessarily reflect the ways people think or feel.

Question 38

Briefly explain the demographic characteristics that affect workforce diversity.

Question 39

Demographic characteristics such as differences in age, gender, race, etc. reflect surface-level diversity among employees.

Question 40

An important impact that workplace diversity has on organizational performance is through the increase in employee turnover.

Question 41

Most babies born in the United States recently are whites of European descent.

Question 42

According to projections of the U.S. population, the ethnic groups that will exhibit the most change are the Hispanic and African American populations.

Question 43

The total world population is forecast to hit 9 billion by 2050, at which point the United Nations predicts the total population will either stabilize or peak after growing for centuries at an ever-accelerating rate. The main reason for this major shift is the ________.

A) unprecedented rate at which world population is aging
B) decline in birthrates as nations advance economically
C) high level of mobility of the international workforce across national borders
D) alarming rate of depletion of natural resources necessary for sustaining the population

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true of gender diversity in workplaces?

A) No consistent male-female differences exist in problem-solving ability, analytical skills, competitive drive, motivation, sociability, or learning ability.
B) Today, men make up nearly two-thirds of the workforce, while women account for the remaining third.
C) Affirmative action policies have resulted in women, generally, starting their careers at higher levels than men.
D) Despite the disparity in representation in the workforce, women earn nearly as much as men do on a median basis.

Question 45

Which of the following managerial styles is traditionally considered to be masculine?

A) agreeable
B) leading by example
C) collaborative
D) inclusive

Question 46

By the year 2050, one in every five persons in the United States will be over 40 years old.

Question 47

Worldwide population trends indicate that we will witness dwindling labor supply and increasing total global savings rates.

Question 48

U.S. federal law does not prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of ________.

A) race
B) religion
C) age
D) sexual orientation

Question 49

Raul is concerned that when his older workers retire, he will not be able to fill their positions because ________.

A) too few students are receiving the solid math and science education required in high-growth industries
B) only older workers understand the history of their organizations
C) young workers lack even minimal communication skills
D) younger workers are less likely to dedicate themselves to the job to the degree that older workers do.

Question 50

Employee A prefers to work flexible hours and to work from home as often as practical. According to research, Employee A is likely to be ________.

A) a minority
B) disabled
C) female
D) older

Question 51

People aged 65 and older are expected to soon outnumber children under age 5 for the first time in history.

Question 52

Which of the following perceptions do employers typically have of older employees?

A) lack of sound judgment
B) resistance to new technology
C) weak work ethic
D) better attendance

Question 53

What are the significant trends occurring in the composition of the global workforce? What are the likely repercussions of such trends?

Question 54

In which of the following areas are consistent male-female differences observed?

A) problem-solving ability
B) sociability
C) work schedule preferences
D) competitive drive

Question 55

Given a choice between Jane, a 50-something internal candidate, and Jenny, a 20-something internal candidate, Joe selected Jane. Joe would probably say it was because ________.

A) he thought Jane would be more flexible in meeting the needs of the new position
B) he thought Jenny would be uncomfortable with the technology in the new position
C) he expected Jenny would ask for more time off
D) he expected the quality of Jane's work would be better than Jenny's

Question 56

Workers in the Millennial generation prefer ________.

A) inclusion and acceptance
B) fairness and integration
C) teamwork and connection
D) work-life balance and opportunity for advancement

Question 57

The main reason for the predicted stabilization of world population growth by 2050 is the decline in birthrates as nations advance economically.

Question 58

What positive perception do employers typically have of older employees?

A) enthusiastic towards new technology
B) open to change
C) strong work ethic
D) flexible and adaptable

Question 59

Trends observed in the shifting world population indicate that the average age of the world population in increasing. Also, the world's population aged over 80 is expected to more than double by the year 2040. Which of the following is a likely implication of such population trends?

A) decreasing demands on social entitlement programs
B) increasing global savings rates
C) dwindling labor supply
D) decreasing preference for white-collar occupations

Question 60

Which of the following trends has been observed in the world population in terms of aging?

A) People aged 65 and older will soon outnumber children under age 5 for the first time in history.
B) The world's population aged 80 and over is projected to decrease 233% by 2040.
C) The world's population is growing older, but at a slower rate than it did in comparison with the previous two centuries.
D) As nations have advanced economically, birthrates have increased in proportion to the growing world population.

Question 61

If my workplace goals included getting high scores on a performance evaluation, I would prefer that my supervisor be ________.

A) the same gender as me
B) female
C) of an older generation than me
D) of my own race

Question 62

Which of the following statements is true of the findings of studies on race and ethnicity in the workplace?

A) Whites favor affirmative action programs and policies to a far greater degree than do African Americans.
B) African Americans generally do worse than Whites in decisions related to the workplace.
C) Individuals in workplaces tend to favor colleagues of a race other than their own in performance evaluations, promotion decisions, and pay raises.
D) Whites and African-Americans display statistically significant and consistent differences in absenteeism rates, applied social skills at work, and accident rates.

Question 63

Which of the following racial groups have been the focus of most race and ethnographic studies of workplace diversity in the United States?

A) Hispanics and Whites
B) Whites and Native Americans
C) African Americans and Whites
D) Asians and African Americans

Question 64

Research indicates that men tend to prefer jobs that encourage work-life balance more than women do.

Question 65

Employers generally tend to view older workers as not being flexible or adaptable and being more resistant to new technology.

Question 66

Men are found to follow a nurturing, inclusive, and collaborative style of leadership, in contrast to women.

Question 67

________ is the biological heritage (including physical characteristics such as one's skin color and associated traits) that people use to identify themselves.

A) Nationality
B) Ethnicity
C) Culture
D) Race

Question 68

Age discrimination is prohibited by the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Question 69

Women tend to be more argumentative and less willing to conform to authority than men

Question 70

Lulumelon owns a chain of fashion stores that serve men's, women's, and children's clothing categories. Jay, a motorcycle accident victim with an amputated leg, applies for a position at one of the stores in an upmarket location. Which one of the following assumptions by Lulumelon would prevent them from hiring him?

A) Most workers with disabilities require no accommodation but for those who do, more than half of the workplace modifications cost $500 or less.
B) A person with a disability for whom workplace accommodations have been provided has the same obligations and rights as far as job performance is concerned.
C) There is no set of guidelines on how to take any potential disciplinary action with disabled employees.
D) Absentee rates for sick time are virtually equal between employees with and without disabilities.

Question 71

Bruce will be making a presentation to the senior management team to encourage them to support efforts to improve the company's diversity policies and practices. One of the more compelling arguments he can use is ________.

A) companies with exclusive practices experienced higher profits
B) companies with inclusive practices outperformed their competitors
C) Federal law does not require companies to make accommodations for LBGT employees
D) the company will likely lose market share if it does not improve its practices

Question 72

Which one of the following diversity factors has been called the "last acceptable bias"?

A) sexual orientation
B) gender identity
C) religious belief
D) ethnic origin

Question 73

Which one of the following statements is true of employing disabled employees?

A) Hiring people with disabilities leads to higher employment costs and lower profit margins.
B) Workers with disabilities lack job skills and experience necessary to perform as well as their abled counterparts.
C) Employees with disabilities are exempt from potential disciplinary action, and there are high costs associated with accommodating disabled employees.
D) A person with a disability for whom workplace accommodations have been provided has the same obligations and rights as far as job performance.

Question 74

Employers are justified if they do not hire workers with disabilities as they lack job skills and experience necessary to perform as well as their abled counterparts.

Question 75

In the job setting, African Americans are found to receive lower job performance ratings, be paid less, and be promoted less frequently than their white counterparts.

Question 76

________ refers to the social traits that are shared by a human population.

A) Race
B) Ancestry
C) Nationality
D) Ethnicity

Question 77

Which of the following managerial styles is traditionally considered to be feminine?

A) authoritative
B) leading by example
C) inclusive
D) being directive

Question 78

U.S. federal law does not prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation.

Question 79

Women and men now each make up almost half of the workforce in the United States.

Question 80

One big challenge for managers of diverse workforces is to ________.

A) provide accommodations for disabilities and religious beliefs that other employees don't view as special treatment
B) assure that employees do not discuss their religious beliefs with other workers
C) provide accommodations for disabled workers that don't carry excessive costs
D) treat all employees identically despite individual differences