Course Project: Diversity Audit
Objectives | Guidelines | Course Project Milestones | Grading Rubric
| Objective |
For the course project, each student is to select an organization and perform a diversity audit. You will then prepare a paper outlining your research and results.
Review the detailed information contained in the textbook Harvey Case #47, Evaluating Diversity and Inclusion in the Real World: Conducting a Diversity Audit, for preliminary information to assist you.
| Guidelines |
As you progress through the project, you’ll want to use the process flow diagram given below as a guide.
- The objective here is to provide an interpretation of your results and support for all of your conclusions using evidence from your audit and generally accepted knowledge, if appropriate.
- Interpret the data in the Discussion section in appropriate depth. This means that when you explain a phenomenon, you must describe mechanisms that may account for the observation. If your results differ from your expectations, explain why that may have happened. If your results agree, then describe the theory that the evidence supported. It is never appropriate to simply state that the data agreed with expectations and not explain it further.
- Draw what conclusions you can based upon the results that you have.
- You may suggest future directions, such as how the audit might be modified to accomplish another objective.
- Explain all of your observations as much as possible, focusing on mechanisms.
- When you refer to information, distinguish data generated by your own studies from published data.
| Course Project Milestones |
| Week 1 | Select an organization for your Professor’s approval | Required |
| Week 2 | Course Project Draft due | 90 points |
| Week 6 | Final Project Paper due | 200 points |
(See Syllabus, Due Dates for Assignments & Exams, for due date information.)
Week 1: Select Organization
This week, you should be working on Steps 1 and 2 of the project (See the process flowchart in the Course Project tab under Course Home.).
Step 1: Identify the organization you selected for the course project (listed in the Assignment section above). Instructor approval is required. Be prepared to provide the following information (in bulleted format) regarding your selection.
- Describe the industry of the selected organization.
- Explain why you selected this organization.
- Discuss what steps you will need to take to complete the diversity audit (What interviews will you conduct? What other steps will you take? etc.).
Step 2: Identify the criteria that you will use for the audit. These criteria will become the benchmarks that you will later use for evaluating the organization’s diversity initiatives. The criteria must be based on research, not just your opinions. You might also think of the criteria as a list of best practices. There is nothing due associated with Step 2 this week, but you’ll need to complete it to stay on track.
Week 2: Course Project Draft
Step 3: Identify your audit methods. What steps will you need to take to complete the audit? What secondary research will you need to evaluate? This might include company websites, annual reports, news articles, and so forth. What primary research will you conduct? This would include personal interviews (can be conducted in person or over the phone). You might choose to utilize a questionnaire or survey.
Step 4: This involves actually conducting the audit (gathering your secondary research and conducting the primary research). The draft of your course project is due. Be sure to include all four steps in your draft.
Week 2 Grading Rubric
| Category | Points | % | Description |
| Executive Summary | 10 | 11% | This should be summarized in such a way that readers can rapidly become acquainted with your paper without having to read it all. The summary should contain a brief statement of the problem or proposal covered in the major document. |
| Organization Background | 10 | 11% | This should provide information about the selected organization’s background (history, size, culture, industry, organization, etc.). |
| Audit Method | 35 | 39% | Explain the criteria selected for a diverse organization. This should detail how and why criteria was selected. |
| Cohesion/Organization | 35 | 39% | The draft should be well organized and explore concepts in sufficient detail. |
| Total | 90 | 100% |
Suggested Activities Before Week 6 Final Course Project
During Weeks 3,4 and 5, you should begin working on Steps 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the project (See the process flowchart.).
Step 5: Write a description of the organization’s diversity initiatives. The information you need to write this portion of the project is the secondary and primary research that you have completed.
Step 6: Evaluate the organization’s diversity initiatives. This is not an evaluation based on your own opinions. It is an evaluation against the audit criteria (best practices) that you have identified earlier.
Step 7: Write your recommendations. Recommendations should include proposed changes to the organizations current process as well as innovations in the way that the organization conducts audits. The recommendations should flow logically from the description and evaluation of the organization’s diversity initiatives.
Step 8: This is basically pulling together all of the pieces of the project and completing your first draft of the final report.
Week 6: Final Course Project
The course project is due at the end of this week. If you have kept up with the project as outlined for Weeks 1-5, then you have already written the first draft of the report. Use this week to edit the final report, add the title page, table of contents, list of references, and any appendices.
Finalize the Executive Summary (Initial draft was completed in Week 2.). This should be no more than two pages; should include a description of the organization; and summarize the audit criteria, audit methods, description of organization’s diversity initiatives, your evaluation, and recommendations.
- Papers should be 6-12 typed pages, not including references, cover sheets, table of contents, appendices, and so forth.
- To be considered complete, papers must include a title page, table of contents, executive summary, appropriate appendices, and reference list (APA format). Substantial points will be deducted for failure to include all of these items.
- See the grading rubric below.
| Grading Rubric |
Your paper should include and will be graded on the following components.
| Category | Points | % | Description |
| Executive Summary | 10 | 5% | Summarize your paper in such a way that readers can rapidly become acquainted with your paper without having to read it all. It will usually contain a brief statement of the problem or proposal covered in the major document(s), background information, concise analysis, and main conclusions. |
| Organization Background | 10 | 5% | Briefly provide information about the selected organization’s background (history, size, culture, industry, organization, etc.). |
| Audit Methods | 30 | 15% | Explain the criteria you have selected for a diverse organization. Detail how and why you came up with the selected criteria. Note that you will want to conduct outside research for more information. It is recommended to use the Keller Online Library. Describe your audit methods and the organizational visits. |
| Description of the Organization’s Diversity Initiatives | 40 | 20% | Describe the organization’s current status and efforts in terms of diversity management. |
| Evaluation of the Organization’s Diversity Initiatives | 50 | 25% | Evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s diversity initiatives against your established criteria for a diverse organization. What is working? What needs improvement? |
| Recommendations | 50 | 25% | Outline your specific recommendations for improvement. Fully justify your recommendations, and indicate the business reasons for the improvements you are recommending. |
| Formatting and Grammar, Title Page, Table of Contents, Appendices, Reference List | 10 | 5% | Points will be deducted for the omission of any required components of the paper and for poor grammar, spelling, or writing style. Failure to properly cite sources may result in additional point deductions or a failing grade. |
| Total | 200 | 100% | A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
Harvey Case #47: from textbook
Evaluating Diversity and Inclusion in the Real World: Conducting a Diversity Audit
Carol P. Harvey
Assumption College
Since organizational change with the goal of an inclusive workplace is the theme for this text, the diversity audit is designed to be a capstone assignment that measures where an organization is in terms of its change efforts. Diversity audits are evaluations based on qualitative and quantitative information about the status of diversity within the organization. Today, many organizations conduct audits for various reasons, such as determining the effectiveness of diversity recruiting and retention efforts, measuring the value of diversity training, and surveying workers about the success of diversity initiatives, such as supplier programs and diversity councils. These audits reveal whether a gap exists between what is being done and what the organization should do in terms of diversity, and are used as a basis for action planning.
Although this assignment is not as involved as a real corporate internal diversity audit, the content is designed to provide students with an opportunity to visit a real organization and to gather enough information to evaluate its progress in terms of its diversity initiatives. In addition to applying material from the course, this project requires students to process the experience of working on a project team where they can learn to deal with the diversity of that group and develop ways to manage that diversity productively. While the team should make recommendations for improving diversity at this organization in the paper and presentation, because of possible legal ramifications, it is not their role to act as actual consultants.
Dividing up the work equitably and preparing the criteria and questions for the interview are part of the assignment. Do not expect your instructor to do this for the group. It is important that the group follow these steps in order.
INSTRUCTIONS
After your instructor forms groups of 4 to 5 students, it is important to follow these steps, in order:
1. Find an Organization that is Willing to Work with Your Group.
The group should meet early in the semester to brainstorm possible organizations that might be willing to participate in this project. As always, it may be easier to gain access if a group member already has an established relationship with an organization such as an internship placement, a job there, or a family member who is employed there. Notice how these connections illustrate an example of privilege. Groups should always have another alternative organization in mind just in case the first choice does not work out. Some companies may refuse because they are afraid of what students may find, are currently involved in a lawsuit, etc. Very early in the semester make contact with someone in the organization. Explain the assignment for what it is: an opportunity for students to learn firsthand how a real organization deals with diversity issues on a daily basis.
The group needs to be realistic about this field assignment. Sometimes small companies of less than 300 employees pose difficulties because of their limited financial and human resources. In contrast, at large FORTUNE 500 companies, it may be difficult to find the right contacts. Some organizations may refuse to cooperate because they are afraid of what the team may learn. Even organizations that are willing to cooperate may find it difficult to schedule meeting times that work for students. So, it is imperative that the team line up both a first choice and at least one backup choice for this project and begin the process early in the semester in case the group encounters difficulties.
2. Conduct Secondary Research.
Secondary research resources are materials gathered for another reason. Internal examples include annual reports (a good source of mission and value statements), press releases, employee handbooks, and any other materials that the organization can provide. Explain to your contact person that the group would like to be as knowledgeable as possible about the organization to maximize the time on the visit. So any material that can be sent and read by the group before the visit will help the group to prepare. Remember that researching an organization’s Web site is a good way to begin and can offer useful information, but it is only the public face that the organization chooses to present.
Students should also conduct thorough external secondary research on their organization for additional material. Utilizing various library databases, students may discover very useful information. For example, small local companies are often the subjects of newspaper articles that can be found in newspaper databases. Larger companies may have been involved in discrimination lawsuits that are detailed in legal databases, and students are not apt to be told about these on visits.
3. Preparing to Visit the Organization.
Make an appointment to interview at least three company representatives, managers and/or employees. If you can interview people from different functions and areas and levels (human resources, training, managers, and hourly employees), it will provide different perspectives and richer data. Although all team members do not need to go on the interview, at least two or three should participate to minimize bias. Because many organizations are reluctant to let students tape-record interviews, it is more realistic to be prepared to take notes. Of course, multiple visits would probably provide richer data, and some organizations will give students the time for this, but many will not.
When making an appointment, it can be helpful to arrange for a tour of the organization. Student groups may discover interesting observations that contrast with the information that they will be given. For example, one student group visiting a medium-sized manufacturing plant observed that the entire manufacturing workforce was composed of Asian women. They later learned that one of the top managers believed that Asian women had small hands that made assembling electrical components easier. So he instructed his supervisors to hire only Asian women in the assembly area. Job applications from all others were immediately discarded.
Before visiting the organization, the whole group should meet to work on three items:
1. Establishing criteria (i.e., standards) for a diverse organization,
2. Preparing a list of thoughtful questions about diversity that the group will explore on the visit(s), and
3. Reviewing the semester’s readings for ideas about how theory may apply to this organization. If the team has gathered, read, and thoroughly discussed the secondary data, it will help the group to accomplish these tasks more effectively and efficiently.
Examples of possible criteria that can be considered and then evaluated include, but are not limited to, topics discussed throughout the semester such as the following:
• Support for diversity from top management
• Managers held accountable for hiring, coaching and promoting diverse employees
• Diversity included in the organization’s mission and/or value statements and in the organization’s planning process
• Representation of diverse people (race, gender, age, ethnicity, physical and mental challenges, etc.) in all levels of the organization and the board and in advertising and publications
• Human capital programs that aid in the recruitment, support, and retention of a diverse workforce, such as special recruiting efforts, flexible work arrangements for parents and/or older workers, employee resource groups, mentoring programs, partner benefits, flexible holiday policies, etc.
• Effective diversity training that is ongoing, required for all levels of employees, and routinely updated and assessed for effectiveness
• Supplier diversity programs
• Corporate social responsibility programs that contribute resources people, financial resources, etc., to a range of causes that benefit diversity groups of people
• Evidence that the organization is inclusive, i.e., diversity is connected to the main mission of the organization
Remember that the group’s criteria for what would make an inclusive diverse workplace must be tailored to the mission, size, resources, location, etc., of the organization selected. For example, a nonprofit hospital located in a very diverse community will be very different from a FORTUNE 500 company with a headquarters in New York City and branches located in many countries. Consult Table 1 in Bourne’s article on “The Inclusion Breakthrough…” under “The New Baseline” for additional ideas in developing your criteria for a diverse organization.
4. Visiting the Organization/Conducting Primary Research.
Make an appointment that is convenient for your contact. Dress professionally; be on time, polite, and respectful of your contact’s time constraints. If the group is thoroughly prepared and is knowledgeable about the organization, it will show. Occasionally, student teams are asked that the name of the company be kept confidential. If this issue comes up, it is important that you be honest. The teacher will have to know the true identity of the organization to assess the team’s work. However, a fictitious name can be used for the paper and class presentation.
Try to gather additional information through observation. Be sure to pay attention to “subtle” cues of inclusion or lack of inclusion. (i.e., is there evidence that they really do what they say they do?). One helpful way to do this is to analyze the organization’s culture in terms of Schein’s levels of culture (see Box).
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Surface Level Artifacts (visible)
Includes organizational structures, processes, dress, rituals, physical layout, etc.
Values (espoused & operational)
Espoused values are what the organization says it values in terms of strategies, philosophies, etc., not necessarily what they do, which are operational values
Basic Underlying Assumptions
Real source of values and behavior; Philosophies that are sometimes unconscious and difficult to change
Adapted from Schein, E. (1997). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p. 16–27.
According to Schein, in order to understand organizational culture, one must look at an organization in terms of these three levels. For example, as an outsider, you may see things (artifacts), but not really understand what these things mean, until you know more about the espoused values and the underlying assumptions. This suggests caution in interpreting what you may observe on the site visit. For example, a team visited the corporate headquarters of a large corporation lauded in the business press for its innovative diversity programs and met with the manager in charge of the national program. Her office was small, had no visible secretarial support, was set off by movable partitions and was located in a hallway. The students interpreted her physical layout as meaning that diversity really was an “espoused” (what they said), not an “operational” (what they do) corporate value. In truth, her real office was being renovated!
Sometimes teams discover interesting things on their visits about the racial, ethnic, gender, and age makeup of the various levels and divisions of the work-force. This is very helpful because some organizations may be reluctant to provide concrete numbers on the demographics of their workers. For example, is there signage in Braille, Spanish, or another local popular language? Do all the Asian workers sit together at lunch? Is this organization going beyond what is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act in terms of accessibility? However, as in the previous example, students need to dig deeper into the organizational culture in order to accurately assess the true meanings of what they see.
In another instance, a team was interviewing the manager of a store that is part of a huge national retail chain. He proudly pointed out that his organization makes it a goal to provide jobs to physically challenged workers and even featured physically challenged customers in their advertising campaigns. There was a notice encouraging physically challenged workers to apply for jobs posted in the entrance, etc. However, at this store, the team found that these workers were assigned to work only in the stockroom, unseen by the customers. This provides an example of an initiative (revealed through the artifact) that may be supported at corporate level (espoused), but lacks accountability to make it operational at the local level. The manager’s basic assumption was that his corporation was not taking this program seriously.
Sometimes student groups can obtain interesting artifacts on the site visit(s) that will be helpful in writing their papers or can be visual aids in class presentations. Teams have returned with both useful and sometimes comical examples of how an organization promotes diversity and inclusion, such as written materials (copies of company newsletters, employee handbooks, and value statements) and artifacts (diversity coffee mugs for every member of the class, pictures of an all-white, middle-aged, male board of directors, and even a beaded diversity key chain). It is part of the learning experience for the group to determine the value of these artifacts to determine if diversity is really valued, i.e., operational, or merely an espoused value at their organization.
5. Post-Visit Activity.
Once the visit is completed, the real work begins. This is the most important part of the process and may require several team meetings. Groups that do well on this assignment take ample time at this stage. The entire group should meet and debrief. In terms of diversity, what did they really see? What does it mean in terms of the organizational culture? What did they learn? How did the visit support or refute what they had learned through their secondary research? What seems contradictory? What evidence is there of true inclusion? How can the theory learned during the semester, help to explain what they know about the organization?
After thoroughly discussing the data, the group should evaluate their organization against their established criteria for a diverse organization. At this point, the group may find that they omitted some factors and may want to add additional criteria.
6. Written Report (NOTE: Your Instructor May Assign Different Length and Additional Content Requirements).
Each team also will prepare a 12- to 14-page paper that explains their findings in detail. The paper should be free from spelling and grammatical errors, cite all
sources and interviews in a bibliography, and contain any additional helpful material in an exhibit section (copies of organizational value statements, relevant press releases, company newsletters, etc.).
The report should detail the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s diversity initiatives and be organized as follows:
• A one-paragraph executive summary
• One page describing the company background (history, size, industry, organizational structure, etc.)
• One to two pages explaining the group’s criteria for a diverse organization
• One to two pages describing the visit(s)
• The remainder of the paper should focus on evaluating the organization’s efforts in terms of the diversity concepts covered in this course, particularly in Section III of this text. (i.e., Where is this organization in terms of Thomas and Ely’s paradigms? In which of the four phases detailed in “The Inclusion Breakthrough . . .” article is this organization in and why? What evidence is there of a business case for diversity in this organization?)
• A conclusion with the team’s recommendations for change and a team grade (A, A–, B+,B,B–, etc.) for this organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Bibliography, exhibits, etc.
7. Presentation.
The variety of student projects and the lessons about diversity management should be shared with the rest of the class. It is particularly interesting to see the different approaches and contrasts of the organizations. Each team of students should make a class presentation that details the results of their diversity audit.
At a minimum, the presentation should include a short company background, a list of the group’s criteria for a diverse organization, anything particularly interesting learned from the visit(s), and an explanation of the group’s evaluation of their organization, linked to the textual theory, in terms of how it attempts to manage diversity and inclusion.
It is expected that the group will use visual material (PowerPoint slides, handouts, material supplied by the organization, etc.), rehearse their presentations so that individual speakers do not repeat each other’s material, not exceed the time limits set by the instructor, and be prepared to answer questions from the class.
At the conclusion of the talk, the group, without revealing the grade that they assigned to the organization, should ask for a show of hands from the class members as to what letter grade from A to F should be assigned to this organization. Then, they can reveal what grade the group gave the company for their diversity efforts and the rationale behind the decision.
Bibliography
Schein, E. (1997). Organizational culture and leadership. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass), 16–27
Writing Assignment
Assessing Group Diversity, Process, and Conflict Resolution
During the completion of this group project, you have had the opportunity to interact with students who may be different from you in some less visible ways. In addition to visible social identity group differences, such as race, and gender, often, differences in terms of personality, time management, leadership styles, values, etc., can cause conflict in terms of the quality, satisfaction, and completion of group projects, both in classes and in the workplace. Since you are finishing a course on “diversity” management, this is a good time to assess the issues of productivity, individual difference, and conflict resolution in terms of this work group.
Using the project journal that you have kept during the semester, write a 4–5 page paper that analyzes the group performance in terms of the group process, i.e., how effectively this group worked together. In your paper, be sure to answer the following questions, but do NOT use any actual names of group members:
• What were the primary differences in terms of working style that helped or hindered this group from accomplishing their objectives for this project?
• How did the group effectively or ineffectively deal with these differences?
• Did someone assume a leadership role? Was the leadership style effective or ineffective? Why?
• If there were conflicts or conflict avoidance in this group, apply Parker’s article, “The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing Differences and Conflict” to evaluate the resolution or lack of resolution of the conflicts.
• In retrospect what could the group have done differently to produce a more effective project? What could the group have done differently to do it more efficiently?
• From this assignment what have you learned about diversity that can be applied to productively managing the differences that are “invisible” in the workplace?
Diversity on the Web
Evaluating Organizational Commitment to Diversity by Auditing Web Sites
In the twenty-first century, Web sites are an important channel of communication between organizations and their external stakeholders. If an organization is serious about its commitment to diversity, one would expect that this would be reflected in the design, content and graphics, of the Web site. Potential employees, customers, suppliers, etc., often turn first to a Web site before initiating interaction with an organization. If diversity is really integral to the mission and values of an organization, information on diversity should be easily accessible, informative, and well integrated into the Web site.
Your instructor will select an industry such as health care, hospitality, manufacturing government, education, sports, etc., or specific Web sites that members of the class will use for this assignment. Then prepare a report on the following
1. Evaluate how accessible diversity related material is on this Web site. Is there a direct link from the home page? What type of results does entering the term “diversity” in a search box yield? Or, do you have to explore on your own? Sometimes searching under “careers” or “press releases” will produce some diversity related results. On some Web sites, students will have to explore deeply into Web pages to find material related to diversity. What does this say about the organization’s commitment to diversity?
2. Evaluate the usefulness of the diversity information to potential employees, customers and suppliers. Is the diversity material related to the organization’s business case for diversity, core values, mission, etc., the way that the organization does business? How current is the diversity-related material? For a good example explore Hewlett Packard’s Web site at
3. Evaluate the appropriateness of the photographs and graphic material that relates to diversity. Some Web sites will feature photographs of diverse employees and customers, yet not link this material to the verbal content. Some reuse the same pictures on different pages, etc. On the Hewlett Packard Web site, notice the photos they use and the diversity value chain graphic available at
4. Using the Web site that you were assigned for this project, assume that you are a) a potential employee, b) a potential customer and c) a potential supplier or subcontractor. What perceptions might you have about this organization’s commitment to diversity based solely on the Web site? Looking at this Web site, do you think that it encourages or discourages diverse employees to apply for jobs in this organization? Why or why not?
5. What internal management issues can affect the prominence that diversity gets or doesn’t get on an organization’s Web site?
6. If students report their findings to the class, they can briefly demonstrate the best and worst features of the Web sites and the following question may then be used for class discussion:
Assume that you are a (female, over 55, racial minority, person with a physical challenge, gay or lesbian, etc.) job applicant and you have read ads for job openings for which you are fully qualified in all of the companies presented in class. What perceptions might you have of each company before you even walk in the door? Would you still apply? Why or why not?
(Understanding and Managing Diversity, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions p. 328).
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