Deck 11: Managing the Diverse Workforce

Question 1

About one in ________ U.S.residents is a minority,but the U.S.Census Bureau projects that by 2044 members of "minority" groups will constitute a majority of the U.S.population.

A)six
B)five
C)three
D)four
E)seven

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Managing diversity means

A)tolerating or accommodating differences,no matter how much one might object to doing so,simply because it is the law.
B)supporting,nurturing,and utilizing differences between people in order to encourage competition within the organization.
C)hiring as many women and members of minority groups as possible in order to enhance the organization's image and comply with government regulations.
D)not just tolerating or accommodating all sorts of differences,but supporting,nurturing,and utilizing these differences to the organization's advantage.
E)emphasizing differences between people as a means of redressing past attitudes toward members of various ethnic and other groups.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Nearly one in every ________ married women in two-income households earns more than her husband does.

A)two
B)three
C)five
D)seven
E)ten

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The purpose of affirmative action is to prefer members of one group over another.

Question 5

Ramon is a 25-year-old executive assistant who works for a 47-year-old manager named Claire.Claire promises to help Ramon advance in the company if he will go on a weekend dates with her.In terms of the ways that sexual harassment in the workplace is classified,this is most clearly

A)an example of hostile environment sexual harassment.
B)an example of quid pro quo sexual harassment.
C)an example of reverse sexual harassment.
D)not sexual harassment,because Claire did not request sex.
E)not sexual harassment,because women cannot harass men.

Question 6

The term diversity refers primarily to skin color and gender.

Question 7

Sexual harassment falls into two categories: quid pro quo harassment and hostile environment.

Question 8

By definition,diversity leads to greater cohesiveness.

Question 9

To support diversity efforts,top management can set an example for other organization members by participating in diversity programs and making participation mandatory for all managers.

Question 10

Corporate attitudes toward diversity programs can be summed up by saying that companies

A)refused to comply at first,but government action brought them into line,and now they regard such programs as profitable.
B)started them with the motivation of increasing social justice,but now see them as a permanent part of business life.
C)initiated them to prevent discrimination,but now see them as a way to grow their pool of talent and their customer base.
D)set out to prevent discrimination,but now see such programs as a harmful source of agitation in the work environment.
E)began such programs because they saw them as a way of growing their pool of talent and their customer base worldwide.

Question 11

Nationwide,employee turnover rates have been decreasing as more people are staying with their organizations for longer periods.

Question 12

Companies have to choose between diversity and financial success.

Question 13

When applied to the workforce,the term diversity refers to differences

A)outlined in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
B)of race and gender specifically.
C)that cause conflict.
D)between genders.
E)of all kinds.

Question 14

Monolithic organizations have a more diverse employee population and take steps to involve persons from different cultural backgrounds.

Question 15

Alcoholism and drug addiction are disabilities.

Question 16

Aliyah is an ambitious professional who wants to climb the corporate ladder,yet only 8 percent of top executives in her company are women.Aliyah can conclude that her company

A)uses affirmative action.
B)is breaking the law.
C)has a glass ceiling.
D)will offer her advancement.
E)is managing diversity well.

Question 17

A broad term used to refer to all kinds of differences between people in the workforce is

A)ethnicity.
B)diversity.
C)pluralism.
D)tribalism.
E)conflict.

Question 18

The percentage of women in the labor force earning college degrees has nearly quadrupled since the early 1970s.

Question 19

Each demographic group is made up of

A)voting blocs.
B)smaller groups.
C)individuals.
D)types.
E)samples.

Question 20

Asian Americans,women,people with disabilities,immigrants,and gay people are all examples of ________ groups whose members typically share certain values,attitudes,and perspectives.

A)voting
B)diversity
C)ethnic
D)interest
E)demographic

Question 21

When it comes to prospects for employment,people with degrees in ________ are in especially high demand.

A)technology and business
B)business and math
C)business and science
D)science and technology
E)science and math

Question 22

Allowing older employees to work fewer hours per week as a strategy to attract and retain these experienced people is known as

A)work release.
B)partial retirement.
C)phased retirement.
D)employment reduction.
E)retirement planning.

Question 23

An invisible barrier that makes it difficult for certain groups,such as minorities and women,to move beyond a certain level in the organizational hierarchy is referred to as a(n)

A)regression line.
B)glass ceiling.
C)entry barrier.
D)job limit.
E)developmental milestone.

Question 24

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will a short supply of ________ workers in the future.

A)entry-level
B)college-educated
C)American-born
D)computer-trained
E)highly qualified

Question 25

From the beginning,the intent of affirmative action was to

A)comply with international anti-discrimination regulations.
B)appease minority political interest groups.
C)prefer some groups to the exclusion of others.
D)give some companies an edge over others in the marketplace.
E)correct for the long history of discriminatory practices and exclusion.

Question 26

Young entrants to the workforce have been described by Bruce Tulgan as

A)no maintenance,low performing.
B)low maintenance,low performing.
C)low maintenance,high performing.
D)high maintenance,high performing.
E)high maintenance,low performing.

Question 27

The largest unemployed minority population in the United States is ________.Less than 20 percent of people in this group are employed,compared with more than 60 percent for the population as a whole.

A)Hispanics.
B)African Americans.
C)people with disabilities.
D)immigrants.
E)Asians.

Question 28

The average full-time working woman earns just over ________ percent as much as men in the same job.

A)50
B)60
C)70
D)80
E)90

Question 29

Components of an effective sexual harassment policy include

A)developing different sexual harassment policies for different parts of the company.
B)directing supervisors to learn about harassment policy during their time off.
C)establishing an informal policy for dealing with sexual harassment incidents.
D)taking action as soon as the person guilty of sexual harassment has confessed.
E)establishing a formal complaint procedure in which employees can discuss problems.

Question 30

The two fastest-growing minority groups in the United States are

A)Hispanics and Asians.
B)Pacific Islanders and African Americans.
C)African Americans and Native Americans.
D)Caucasians and African-Americans.
E)Native Americans and Hispanics.

Question 31

Changing views on older employees in the workforce can be summed up by saying that companies used to

A)regard older workers as a positive influence in the workforce,but with the aging of baby boomers,this perspective is undergoing a shift.
B)offer pay raises as employees rose through the ranks,but are starting to decrease pay for elderly workers due to changes in Social Security benefits.
C)continue training workers up until the point of retirement,but today they recognize that this is a poor use of resources.
D)value the knowledge,experience,and positive work ethic of older employees,but now are encouraging retirement in order to save money.
E)encourage retirement to save money,but now are eager to benefit from older workers' knowledge,experience,and positive work ethic.

Question 32

One possible explanation for why women tend to earn less than men is that women tend to not be as ________ as men.

A)trained and competent
B)academically accomplished
C)hard-working and persistent
D)successful at performance evaluations
E)effective at negotiating pay

Question 33

When unwelcome sexual conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating or offensive work atmosphere,it is known as

A)quid pro quo harassment.
B)an occupational hazard.
C)performance reciprocity.
D)hostile environment.
E)a glass ceiling.

Question 34

For many companies,the original driving force behind the effort to diversify their workforces was a combination of

A)social responsibility and government coercion.
B)economic interests and legal necessity.
C)social responsibility and legal necessity.
D)long-range planning and government coercion.
E)economic interests and government coercion.

Question 35

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA)of 2008 defines a disability as a(n)

A)physical impairment resulting from a hazardous work environment.
B)disabling condition that results in a lower life expectancy.
C)physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.
D)inability to perform a particular task due to lack of knowledge and experience.
E)disease that is contagious or epidemic,contracted while on the job.

Question 36

Avoiding discrimination and harassment are concerns for many minority groups,but ________ employees are also particularly concerned about obtaining benefits for spouses or domestic partners,as well as feeling free not to be secretive about who they are.

A)lesbian,gay,bisexual,or transgender
B)elderly and disabled
C)African American,Native American,and Hispanic
D)non-Christian
E)undereducated

Question 37

Employers frequently find that employees with disabilities

A)are generally more dependable than other workers.
B)miss more days of work than other workers.
C)exhibit higher turnover than other workers.
D)tend to be overrepresented in the workplace.
E)create a higher tax liability for their employers.

Question 38

Behaviors such as persistent or pervasive displays of pornography,lewd or suggestive remarks,and demeaning taunts or jokes tend to constitute ________,one of the two types of sexual harassment.

A)a hostile environment
B)cognitive conflicts
C)quid pro quo harassment
D)gender discrimination
E)an occupational hazard

Question 39

When submission to,or rejection of,sexual conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions (for example,hiring,promotions,or pay raises),it is referred to as

A)inappropriate engagement.
B)performance reciprocity.
C)quid pro quo harassment.
D)sexual slavery.
E)hostile environment.

Question 40

Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual conduct that

A)occurs between two people of different ages.
B)involves a male aggressor and a female victim.
C)involves physical contact.
D)is a term or condition of employment.
E)happens on a regular basis.

Question 41

Managing diversity involves a ________ approach to the issue of diversity in the workplace.

A)negative,proactive
B)negative,passive
C)positive,passive
D)positive,proactive
E)positive,aggressive

Question 42

Diversity can be a strength for a company,especially if managers know how to ________ it.

A)imagine
B)simulate
C)exploit
D)leverage
E)interpret

Question 43

One of the challenges of having a diverse workforce is the human tendency to let our interests,values,and culture act as filters that distort,block,and select what we see and hear,a behavior known as

A)cohesion.
B)groupthink.
C)outsourcing.
D)stereotyping.
E)mentoring.

Question 44

Work team diversity promotes creativity and innovation because people with different backgrounds

A)value creativity and innovation.
B)require creative efforts to bring out their productivity.
C)hold different perspectives on issues.
D)are more homogeneous.
E)increase the likelihood of groupthink.

Question 45

One advantage of diversity in the workforce is that diverse groups are ________ traditional approaches and practices.

A)more likely to uphold
B)usually opposed to
C)completely supportive of
D)freer to deviate from
E)bound to challenge

Question 46

Unexamined assumptions,lower cohesiveness,miscommunications,mistrust and tension,and stereotyping are some of the ________ diversity in the workplace.

A)unexplainable conditions that result from
B)unavoidable consequences of
C)challenges associated with
D)ultimately beneficial aspects of
E)examples of the impossibility of

Question 47

In keeping with his company's commitment to managing diversity,David stresses to his subordinates that they must respect people of all minority groups and comply with government guidelines regarding affirmative action,disability policy,sexual harassment,and so forth.He emphasizes the necessity of such compliance,as well as the consequences for failing to do so.To his dismay,he observes signs of conflict between members of various groups in his department,and he wonders what went wrong.Most likely the problem is that

A)for all his efforts,David has failed to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.
B)employees,particularly those of the majority group,are not complying with guidelines.
C)the company has put in place an unrealistic set of policies for managing diversity.
D)conflict is an unavoidable consequence of bringing various groups together.
E)David has failed to take the kind of positive approach that managing diversity requires.

Question 48

The Procter & Gamble diversity mission statement "Everyone valued,everyone included,everyone performing at their peak" expresses the fact that diversity

A)tends to spread good feelings,and thus has a net positive effect.
B)may be beneficial to a company's image with the public at large.
C)might be a risky proposition,but is nevertheless the best policy.
D)can,if managed well,give an organization a competitive advantage.
E)is a fact of life and,thanks to a number of laws,is simply good business.

Question 49

Affirmative action refers to special efforts to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that were discriminated against in the past,whereas managing diversity means

A)ensuring that the organization complies with government mandates regarding minority quotas in hiring.
B)going beyond legal requirements to embrace a proactive business philosophy that values differences positively.
C)selecting people according to their ethnicity or other demographic qualities,rather than their job qualifications.
D)creating a system of competition between diverse groups,because differences enhance productivity.
E)taking account of the company's makeup in terms of race and other categories to ensure that it is diverse enough.

Question 50

Lorenzo is heading up a work tasked with developing a product to appeal primarily to Hispanic consumers.In order to offer the greatest competitive advantage to his organization and its product,he should select a team that includes

A)a significant number of Hispanics,but also members of other groups who might offer fresh perspectives.
B)Hispanics only,because they know the market and do not really need the contributions of outsiders.
C)as diverse a group as possible,because the product and its company are part of a multicultural world.
D)only members of minority groups,because they understand what it means to be marginalized in society.
E)a randomly selected group from within the company,so as to emphasize the fact that ethnicity does not matter.

Question 51

For gay employees in many work environments,something as simple as ________ can cause considerable anxiety.

A)sitting through a performance evaluation
B)making a presentation in the boardroom
C)discussing TV programs around the water cooler
D)taking part in a company softball game
E)displaying photos of loved ones on their desks

Question 52

A diverse workforce can give a company competitive advantage by

A)providing insight into the changing customer base.
B)facilitating new contacts with suppliers.
C)helping reinforce the company's traditional culture.
D)reducing the need for communication.
E)making the organization more mechanistic.

Question 53

Managing diversity well can give a company a competitive advantage by

A)encouraging greater flexibility and therefore a quicker response to environmental changes.
B)making it more homogeneous and thus able to appeal to restricted markets.
C)spreading out its efforts so that the company can take a multi-pronged approach.
D)creating a positive image with the media and thus improving stock prices.
E)sending a message to the federal government that the company is diverse.

Question 54

As human resources manager for Diamond Logistics & Shipping,Lauren has just hired three new employees,Juana,Keiko,and Arjun.Each new employee comes from a different minority background.Her best strategy for introducing them to the rest of the workforce is to

A)emphasize the cultural differences between the new hires and the rest of the employees in hopes of opening a dialogue on race and ethnicity.
B)let the rest of the employees know that she has hired Juana,Keiko,and Arjun in compliance with company objectives for managing diversity.
C)allow each of them to adapt on his or her own,all the while quietly observing from the background and making it clear that she is there if they need help with anything.
D)work toward breaking down barriers by remaining ever vigilant for any hint that the existing employees have failed to welcome Juana,Keiko,and Arjun with open arms.
E)put on a meet-and-greet event in which she introduces Juana,Keiko,and Arjun formally,using the opportunity as a seminar on diversity in the workplace.

Question 55

Seeing the benefits of managing diversity,many companies refer now not just to diversity but also to ________ as their goal.

A)inclusion
B)quotas
C)tranquility
D)affirmative action
E)financial benefit

Question 56

Diversity in work teams encourages ________ because people from different backgrounds bring different perspectives.

A)lengthy,unproductive meetings
B)creativity and innovation
C)conflict and confusion
D)a positive company image
E)support from the federal government

Question 57

Managing diversity is important because affirmative action and equal employment opportunity (EEO)laws have

A)failed to adequately punish corporations for the deeds of their predecessors.
B)not done enough in terms of establishing quotas for hiring.
C)established a combative atmosphere in the workplace.
D)not done enough to improve opportunities for women and minorities.
E)established a situation in which company leaders are too comfortable.

Question 58

Special efforts to recruit and hire qualified members of groups that were discriminated against in the past are collectively known as

A)managing diversity.
B)proactive recruitment.
C)affirmative action.
D)ambicultural organization.
E)positive-effect recruitment.

Question 59

Affirmative action is not to be confused with ________,which means moving beyond legislated mandates to embrace a proactive business philosophy that values differences positively.

A)enhancing affirmatively
B)affirmative diversity
C)enhancing diversity
D)managing affirmatively
E)managing diversity

Question 60

Managing diversity encourages managers to see the variety of differences between people in the workplace as a potential source of

A)troubled relations.
B)proactive recruitment.
C)competitive advantage.
D)positive media attention.
E)discrimination lawsuits.

Question 61

An organization that values cultural diversity and is willing to utilize and encourage it is referred to as a ________ organization.

A)monolithic
B)multicultural
C)pluralistic
D)multinational
E)bureaucratic

Question 62

The belief that "Our way is one possible way," but there are many and equally good ways to reach the same goal,and the best way depends on the culture of the people involved,is known as

A)ethnocentrism.
B)parochialism.
C)culture contingency.
D)homogeneity.
E)groupthink.

Question 63

In a recent experiment,employers were less likely to invite the fictional candidate for an interview when the résumé implied the candidate was a parent-but only if the name was female.This suggests that people make assumptions about ________ that do not apply to other types of job candidates.

A)women
B)unmarried women
C)women who work outside the home
D)women with children
E)people with families

Question 64

A(n)________ organization uses an affirmative action approach to managing diversity.

A)pluralistic
B)assimilationist
C)monolithic
D)homogeneous
E)multicultural

Question 65

The tendency to believe that one's own group knows the best way to look at things,and that all other approaches are inferior,is called

A)racism.
B)pluralism.
C)multiculturalism.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)heterogeneity.

Question 66

In both monolithic and pluralistic organizations,minority group members

A)tend to occupy low-status jobs,if they are represented at all.
B)are virtually nonexistent,or at the very least seen and not heard.
C)tend to be marginalized by members of the dominant or majority group.
D)are well-represented and treated with an affirmative action approach.
E)tend to cluster at certain levels or in particular functions within the organization.

Question 67

An organization that has very little diversity or inclusiveness is a ________ organization.

A)monolithic
B)multicultural
C)heterogeneous
D)pluralistic
E)racist

Question 68

In monolithic organizations,conflict between groups is

A)high.
B)nonexistent.
C)low.
D)ignored.
E)favored.

Question 69

In a multicultural organization,cultural diversity is

A)seen as a means of enhancing competition.
B)treated with varying degrees of respect.
C)a way of keeping groups apart.
D)valued,utilized,and encouraged.
E)downplayed in favor of an emphasis on cohesion.

Question 70

Lane is a manager working with a diverse team.The fact that there are many differences,including race,culture,and gender,between the different members of the team has long been a topic Lane has tried to avoid,but one day one of her subordinates says that because Lane is a white woman,she almost certainly has prejudices against him as a person of color.He says it under the guise of humor,but the moment is still a tense one,especially because she sees that several other subordinates are listening in.The best approach for Lane is to

A)let the employee know that what he said was very much out of bounds because topics of race and culture are simply not discussed in an office environment.
B)agree with his appraisal of her and admit that as a white person,she is undeniably trapped in biases she may not be able to overcome.
C)admit that she probably has biases she does not even know about and invite the team to discuss what those biases might be and what biases each of them might have as well.
D)sharply reprimand him for his insubordination and let him know that the next time he makes such a "joke" at his expense,she will bring him up for disciplinary action.
E)explain that it is simply impossible for her to have unexplored biases because she has gone through diversity training and examined that issue thoroughly.

Question 71

One way to confront the biases,stereotypes,inexperience,and tensions that make communication,teamwork,and leadership in a diverse workforce challenging is by treating diversity not as a problem to be tolerated or solved but as a resource the organization can capitalize on,even though doing so can be difficult.This approach has been described as ________ differences.

A)managing
B)emphasizing
C)leveraging
D)downplaying
E)minimizing

Question 72

An organization that has a relatively diverse employee population and makes an effort to involve employees from different gender,racial,or cultural backgrounds is a(n)________ organization.

A)monolithic
B)ethnocentric
C)pluralistic
D)bureaucratic
E)homogeneous

Question 73

Hiroki is a talented manager,but never displayed a particular aptitude for handling numbers;therefore it surprised him when a supervisor recommended him for a project that involved an understanding of accounting practices.When he asked the boss why she had recommended him,she said "Well,you know,you're good with numbers,so I figure it'll be easy for you to pick up the rest." Then Hiroki understood what had happened: because he was Asian American,she assumed that he would be good at math.Though this might seem like a compliment,it was actually an example of

A)stereotyping.
B)racism.
C)affirmative action.
D)cohesiveness.
E)hate speech.

Question 74

Pat is the third-generation president of Lincoln Interstate Trucking.In his grandfather's day,the company had a monolithic framework,with white males in key positions and minority workers relegated to menial work.His father made the transition to a pluralistic organization,but now Pat wants to take the company into the twenty-first century by creating a multicultural environment.Which of the following actions would best help Pat accomplish this?

A)He should punish any employee who has been accused of discrimination.
B)He should take an affirmative action approach to the integration of its minority workers.
C)He should ensure that each minority group finds its place within the organization.
D)He should treat employees as though there are no differences between them.
E)He should hire women and minorities for positions throughout the company hierarchy.

Question 75

The assumption that "we are all the same," otherwise known as the "melting pot myth," is known as

A)homogeneity.
B)multiculturalism.
C)pluralism.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)racism.

Question 76

Though they differ in many important ways,monolithic and multicultural organizations have at least one thing in common: in both,conflict between groups is

A)downplayed.
B)nonexistent.
C)low.
D)high.
E)moderate.

Question 77

In monolithic organizations,minority groups

A)typically hold low-status jobs,if they are represented at all.
B)are not represented at all within the organization.
C)typically hold high-status jobs,if they are represented at all.
D)are largely overrepresented in executive positions.
E)typically agitate for much greater representation.

Question 78

The degree to which a group's members perceive things and behave in similar or mutually agreed-upon ways is known as

A)cohesiveness.
B)ethnocentrism.
C)belonging.
D)stereotyping.
E)diversity.

Question 79

As the supervisor of a large and diverse group,Mike is aware that communication problems are bound to happen.When one employee said he "didn't care to" do a particular job,Mike at first thought he was refusing to do something-until he learned that for the employee,who grew up in the rural South,"I don't care to" meant "I don't mind." In his role as manager over this employee and many others who come from various cultural backgrounds,Mike's most important job as a communicator is to

A)invite the expression of all viewpoints,no matter how controversial,because conflict is good for an organization.
B)let employees know that there is a right way and a wrong way to communicate,and they had better learn the right way if they want to succeed at their jobs.
C)conduct seminars on communication,so that in time everyone will full understand what everyone else is saying in any situation.
D)realize that he has been conditioned to communicate in a certain way,and that he is no more capable of changing that than he is of suddenly speaking a foreign language.
E)encourage employees to let him know their real feelings and opinions,rather than simply assume that they agree (or disagree)with him.

Question 80

Mary Ann hired Ali,who belongs to a minority group,to work in the accounting department because he was highly skillful.However,the other workers resented Ali's presence and excluded him from the work group.Ali had difficulty performing,since he was not given the needed information to work expediently.This is an example of ________,one of the challenges of a diversified workforce.

A)pluralistic organization
B)affirmative action
C)lower cohesiveness
D)sexual harassment
E)managing diversity