WEEK 8 - culture, diversity and inclusion

Question 1

What are the Five basic dimensions of culture (in Model of National culture)

Answer 1

1. Power Distance
   * level of acceptance of inequality between people in a society
2. Individualism (v. collectivism)
   * degree to which a society reinforces individual achievement instead of collective achievement and interpersonal relationships
3. Masculinity/Feminity
   * degree to which societies reinforce the traditional masculine work role model of achievement, control, and power
4. Uncertainty Avoidance
   * level of avoidance of uncertainty and ambiguity within a society
5. Long-term orientation
   * degree to which society embraces, or does not embrace, long-term devotion to traditional values – expectations that change occurs slowly

Question 2

What is Organisational Culture

Answer 2

“A system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organisation from other organisations

Question 3

What is Schein’s model of Organisational Culture

Answer 3

Artefacts - tangible manifestations of culture (tip of iceberg/ what you can see about a company)

values - ethical statements of rightness

basic assumptions - unconscious and taken for granted ways of seeing the world

Question 4

True or False: A key issue with organisational culture is that there is often a misalignment between underlying assumptions and the ‘values’ and ‘artifact’ components.

Question 4

The three levels in Schein’s model of organisational culture are

Answer 4

Artefacts, values, assumption

Question 5

What are Handy’s four different categories of organisational typologies?

Answer 5

Role culture

Power culture

Person culture

Task culture

Question 6

What is role culture (Handy)

Answer 6

• beurocratic
• rule-following
• emphasis on predictability and consistency

*example - government

Question 7

What is power culture (Handy)

Answer 7

• few key figures hold and use power
• new formal rule to restrain power

Question 8

What is person culture (Handy)

Answer 8

• focus on benefitting people in the group
• goals set by people themselves

*example not for profit organisations

Question 9

What is Task culture (handy)

Answer 9

• the focus is on the task
• goals are set by task needs
• engage with others in pragmatic needs

*building companies

Question 10

What is the competing values framework?

Answer 10

looks at organisational typologies

Clan culture
Adhocracy culture
Heirachy culture
Market culture

Question 11

What is clan culture (in competing values framework)

Answer 11

• collaboration
• focus on employee development

Question 12

What is adhocracy culture? (in competing values framework)

Answer 12

• creativity
• focus on new ideas and innovation

Question 13

What is hierarchy culture (in competing values framework)

Answer 13

• control
• focus on efficiency and standardisation

Question 14

What is market culture? (in competing values framework)

Answer 14

• Competition
• focus on competition and clients

Question 15

What is organisational climate?

Answer 15

How we perceive organisational culture determines the organisational climate

Organisational climate is the ‘felt’ experience of culture by employees

Question 16

The organisational culture of many government department is likely to be more

Answer 16

Role oriented

Question 17

What is safety culture?

Answer 17

systems, norms, and practices to reduce injury and
maintain health

includes Psychological safety

Question 18

What is diversity culture

Answer 18

systems, norms, and practices for treating people with
different backgrounds, customs, and beliefs

Question 19

What is client oriented culture?

Answer 19

systems, norms, and practices for availability,
e.g. 24/7 contac

Question 20

What is workplace diversity?

Answer 20

Demographic and functional differences that exist between employees in an organisation

Question 21

What is workplace inclusion

Answer 21

• The degree to which individuals feel safe, valued, and able to be authentic at work, both as individuals and as members of various groups
• While diversity can be mandated via legislation, inclusion is based on voluntary actions (managerial and organisational practices). Inclusion is a culture that connects each employee to the organisation – encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness

Question 22

What are arguments for a diversity culture

Answer 22

• Economic/performance
• Moral/social justice

Question 23

How does diversity improve economic/performance of a business? (arguments for a diversity culture)

Answer 23

• Reduce underutilisation of talent in the population
• Improve performance by drawing on broader perspectives resulting in better decision-making
• Increase work motivation by building internal reputation for fairness and inclusion
• Build external reputation through meeting community expectations
• increase investments and attract talented employees

Question 23

How does diversity improve the moral/social justice aspect of a business? (arguments for a diversity culture)

Answer 23

• Harassment/discrimination is against the law
• Unfairness of disadvantaging people for anything not directly related to work performance
• Rectifying historical or current disadvantage

Question 24

What is Discriminatory practices

Answer 24

Unequal reward for equal work

example gender pay difference

Question 25

What is incivility

Answer 25

Aggressive or disrespectful behaviour

Question 26

What is intimidation

Answer 26

Threats or bullying

Question 27

How is diversity mismanaged?

Answer 27

Assimilation model – recruit, select, train and motivate employees to all share the same values and culture

Protection model – Identify disadvantaged groups and under- represented groups and provide special protections for them (justice and fairness

Question 28

How do you successfully manage diversity

Answer 28

The value model - value each diverse element of the organisation for what it UNIQUELY brings to the organisation

every element of diversity is accepted and acknowledge that it uniquely contributes to organisational success

Question 29

Characteristics of organisations most likely
to manage diversity successfully

Answer 29

• Exhibit diversity at every level and not just at entry level roles
• Foster diversity not only in formal levels of the organisation, but also in less formal social networks
• Uncover and root out bias and discriminatory practices
• Build commitment and attachment to the organisation among ALL members, non only in-group members
• Take steps to reduce interpersonal conflict
• Acknowledge and accommodate cultural differences rather than pretend they don’t exist

Question 30

What is shores model to inclusion

Answer 30

Shows two layers to solving the problem of inclusion

Layer 1: enhance
focus on the enhancement of of inclusion (top management needs to commit to inclusion and diversity ) and focus on the enhacment of diversity in company

Layer 2: prevent

The two layers work in parallel to make inclusion work

Question 31

What is the first layer of shores model to inclusion

Answer 31

top management commitment to inclusion –> focus on the enhancement of inclusion –> add in inclusion processes

=
perceived inclusion
retention and expansion of talent
inclusion climate

Question 32

What is the second layer of shores model to inclusion

Answer 32

Top management commitment to compliance –> focus on prevention of exclusion –> management prevention orientation

=
perceived inclusion
retention and expansion of talent
inclusion climate

Question 33

is diversity training useful?

Answer 33

Not really

it hasn’t accomplished much

Question 34

How did diversity programs work?

Answer 34

Used mentors rather than training workshops

Had diversity managers or task force that was
responsible for e.g., increasing number of
employee from minority groups/women.

Question 35

When can diversity training be useful?

Answer 35

Can be effective if carefully designed. Changes in:

• knowledge
• attitudes
• skills in working with diverse colleagues
• Distributed across multiple sessions that are each a minimum of 4 hours
• Is active in terms of using role play/simulations
• Focuses on a single diversity attribute (e.g.., race, gender) at a time

Question 36

1. According to Shore et als., (2018) model of workplace inclusion, management should focus

Answer 36

c) on strategies that both enhance inclusion and prevent exclusion

Question 37

2. Which of the following statements is true about diversity training?

Answer 37

a) It should be abandoned as it is completely ineffective.

b) It can be effective if it involves very short training sessions over a limited
time.

c) It may be more effective if done over an extended period of time and with a focus on raising diversity awareness

d) It may be more effective if done over an extended period of time and focusing on both diversity awareness and skills development

D!