The author agrees, that, discrimination leads to worplace conflict. It is absolutly necessary to understand that today more than ever cultural diversity is an important fact of life and business, due to the changing face of society, and therefore, the workplace. It is growing ever more essential for people to interact with others outside of their racial, ethical, religious, regional, and social boundaries. To stay on top of competitors, especially in the 21st century and going forward, companies must change their approach, and see diversity not as a necessary evil or a mere threat, but as a source of enrichment and opportunity that may bring a wealth of benefits to the company.
In an examination of the U.S. workplace (companies) and specifically looking at management positions, it is clearly evident that minorities are “under” represented. The reasons behind this seem to vary depending on which point of view it is looked at. Some argue that minorities “have not been in the labor pool long enough to work [their way] up”. It is ridiculous to believe this, because there are plenty of qualified minorities for any of those jobs. Others argue “minority employees do not know the rules that allow one to ‘win’ in the corporate ‘game”” (jalmc, 2002). If this is true, then what is keeping them from learning these “rules” and what can be done to teach them? It is the author’s personal experience that there is an inherit distrust on the part of today’s managers (typically white males who grew up with little exposure to people from other cultures) in the abilities of others outside of the white, male work-force.
At the time many of today’s leading managers, or CEOs were in school, they were taught “that blacks had smaller brains than whites” and that women were not as smart and were overly emotional. The attitudes and beliefs of these men have “undoubtedly [been] influenced by such training”. They have a deep seeded belief that women, blacks, and in effect, all others than themselves are less competent, and they believe it to be true to a biological, molecular level at least that is the author’s feeling. This is true of the older generation, but what of the younger, civil rights, generation (aitch, 2002)? It seems that “. . . the younger executives coming in now are worse; they are less tolerant, high on their big M.B.A. education.
Their attitude is that the laws will take care of everything. They have little personal concern with doing what is right”. The training received by most of these managers has usually been “based on the assumption that ‘managing’ means managing a homogeneous white, male work force” and not on managing any type of diversity whatsoever. With this in perspective, is it any wonder why minorities are leaving organizations to open their own businesses (aitch, 2002)? Their corporate managers cannot relate to them – not as employees, co- workers or people. When promotion time comes around, the managers promote only what they know – other white males.
“People are comfortable with others who look, act, and think like themselves. So the people in power bring in others like themselves”. This means that as a minority, a person can only go so far in an organization. No minority feels comfortable in such an atmosphere, which is why so many of them are leaving the corporate scene and starting their own businesses. A person can be their own boss and not have to deal with the issue, at least at that level. It is unfortunate to note, however, that most of minority owned businesses fail in their 1st year of operation (jalmc, 2002). America has always been called a great “melting pot”, but it is only true in one sense (eeoc, 2002).
What no one seems to realize is that this phrase only held true for the European immigrant experience, not those from Africa, not those from Asia, or those from South America. Although people of European decent still hold the “majority” position, it is clear and quite frightening to some, that the same people that were excluded from the “melting pot” are becoming the “majorities” in major cities all across the country. It is estimated that by the year 2020, the “minorities” of today will be the majorities of “tomorrow”. America can no longer “ignore the demographic trends in the society; we hire society into our workplace… we are society”.
The laws, as some believe, will not take care of it; the law can barely take care of itself. To combat these problems and help alleviate tensions among the different ethnic groups, all organizations should integrate cultural diversity into the workplace. There are many means by which to approach this. Some companies should offer management courses dealing with racial and gender related issues. In others, the focus should be placed on coaching women and minorities how to be successful in the white, male, dominated business environment. Still other organizations should develop means of ensuring the “upward mobility” of women and minorities on an executive level.
Many of these organizations also should celebrate the different cultural holidays. This serves a dual function in that it not only makes minorities fell welcome, it also serves as a way of exposing white America, and specifically the white, male mangers, to part of what this person is. This will introduce to them something that they more than likely would not have gone out and discovered on their own. It will show them that different does not mean bad and that there is nothing to fear. With this exposure, managers and their minority employees can at least begin to share some common knowledge and stand on common ground. Therefore, do not walk away from [diversity]; walk up to it (McBride, 2001)”.
