Managing workplace diversity

• Main Authors: CHUA, Roy Y. J., JOSHI, Havovi
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2015
• Subjects: Workplace diversity; Asian context; globalisation; career; gender; race; religion; culture; sexual orientation; social issues; inclusion; diversity management; human resources; organisational behaviour; sensitivity; Human Resources Management; International Business; Organizational Behavior and Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cases_coll_all/137; https://cmp.smu.edu.sg/case/2441
• Institution: Singapore Management University

This series of eight short two-part cases (“caselets”) is written to highlight some of the most challenging and potentially destabilising moments in everyday work life in the Asian context. With globalisation, many Asian organisations are becoming increasingly diverse. As managers and employees, we often have to deal with tensions arising from workplace diversity. At some point in our career, we will inevitably encounter these difficult situations either as seen by the protagonists of the cases or as the bosses who have to manage the protagonist; or we might be friends, colleagues or family members of the protagonist. It is hence important that we put some thought into how these situations can be managed from these perspectives. These caselets are written to capture some challenging diversity-related situations pertaining to gender, race, religion, culture, and sexual orientation. We recognise that the instructor cannot possibly do justice to these cases in an 80 minute class. It is also not our goal to solve the larger social issues that are implicated in these cases. Our aim is primarily to help students better appreciate the root causes of these tensions and challenges, and collectively think of ways to better handle them. This case is designed to help students think critically about diversity at the workplace, and the challenges it raises. Through classroom discussion, students are encouraged to think carefully about how they would manage such situations.