1500 words

Page 1 Kaplan Business School Assessment Outline

Assessment 3 Information

Subject Code: MBA502

Subject Name: Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence and Diversity

Assessment Title: Assessment 3

Assessment Type: Individual Design of a Professional Workshop

Weighting: 40 %

Total Marks: 40

Submission: Via Turnitin

Due Date: Monday of Week 13

Your Task

Your task is to create a Professional Workshop.

Assessment Description

This individual assignment requires students to demonstrate a comprehensive

understanding of Learning Outcomes 1 to 5 covering topics between weeks 1 to12.

Assessment Instructions

You are an independent consultant and are asked to prepare a Professional
Development Workshop on one of the topics discussed in class during weeks 1 to
12. Develop an Interactive Workshop based on what you have learned in this subject.

1. Part 1 of the assignment consists of a schedule of the practical activities of the workshop
(approximately 1200 words) and is based on topics discussed in class. You can be as creative as
you wish in this part as long as you apply practically the chosen topic in the form of a professional
workshop.
Please take care to consider the following factors when designing your workshop:

• The inclusion of activities that are relevant and interesting.

• The appropriate timing allocated to each of those activities.

• The way in which the topics and activities are integrated.

• The instructions that ensure the activities are facilitated well.

• The potential barriers to the successful implementation of the activities.

• The diversity of activities to suit the varied personalities of the participants.

2. Part 2 consists of final comments (approximately 300 words) summarising what you have
hoped to accomplish through the workshop. None of the parts require any referencing.

Page 2 Kaplan Business School Assessment Outline

Important Study Information

Academic Integrity Policy

KBS values academic integrity. All students must understand the meaning and consequences
of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Academic Integrity and Conduct
Policy.

What is academic integrity and misconduct?
What are the penalties for academic misconduct?
What are the late penalties?
How can I appeal my grade?

Click here for answers to these questions:
http://www.kbs.edu.au/current-students/student-policies/.

Word Limits for Written Assessments

Submissions that exceed the word limit by more than 10% will cease to be marked from the point
at which that limit is exceeded.

Study Assistance

Students may seek study assistance from their local Academic Learning Advisor or refer to the
resources on the MyKBS Academic Success Centre page. Click here for this information.

http://www.kbs.edu.au/current-students/student-policies/

https://elearning.kbs.edu.au/course/view.php?id=1481

Page 3 Kaplan Business School Assessment Outline

Assessment Marking Guide

Criteria F (Fail)
0%-49 %

P (Pass) 50%64 % CR (Credit) 65%74 % D (Distinction)
75% – 84 %

HD (High Distinction)
85%-100 %

Mark

Assessment Content OUT OF 40

Activities are based on
the materials
discussed in class

Activities are not
based on the
materials discussed in
class.

Activities are only
marginally based on the
materials discussed in
class.

Some activities are based
on the materials
discussed in class.

Activities are mostly
based on the materials
discussed in class.

All activities are based on the
materials discussed in class.

/5

All activities are a
practical application of
the chosen topic and
are highly interactive

Activities are not a
practical application of
the chosen topic and are
not highly interactive.

Activities are only marginally
a practical application of the
chosen topic and only
moderately interactive.

Some activities are a
practical application of the
chosen topic and
somewhat interactive.

Activities are mostly a
practical application of
the chosen topic and
quite interactive.

All activities are a practical
application of the chosen topic
and highly interactive.

/10

Activities show an
original and creative
approach

Activities do not show an
original and creative
approach.

Activities show only a
marginally original and
creative approach.

Some activities show an
original and creative
approach.

Many activities show an
original and creative
approach.

All activities show an original
and creative approach.

/10

Clarit y of the activities The instructions are not
clear and the structure
of the workshop is
unconvincing.

Instructions are present but
they are hard to decipher,
and the structure of the
workshop contains many
gaps.

The instructions are
clear enough and the
structure of the
workshop is sufficiently
aligned with its
objectives.

The instructions are very
clear and the structure of
the workshop is mostly
aligned with its
objectives.

The instructions are completely
unambiguous and there is no
doubt the workshop will
achieve its desired outcomes.

/10

Final comments The final comments do
not summarise what was
hoped to be
accomplished through
the workshop.

The final comments only
marginally summarise
what was hoped to be
accomplished

through the workshop.

The final comments
satisfactorily summarise
what was hoped to be
accomplished through the
workshop.

The final comments
summarise well what was
hoped to be
accomplished through the
workshop.

The final comments are
excellent.

/5

MBA50

2

Emotional Intelligence,

Cultural Intelligence and

Diversity

Workshop Week 8

DIVERSITY: Challenges and

Opportunities

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2

Learning Objectives

• Understand that cultural diversity poses both
opportunities and challenges for business
managers

• Examine the negative impacts of diversity in
the workplace

• Consider the positive benefits of diversity in
the workplace

Defining Diversity

A popular attempt to explicitly define

diversity conceives it as “a situation that

includes representation of multiple (ideally

all) groups within a prescribed environment,

such as a university or a workplace”.
(Dietz, 2007)

Inherent Diversity

These are diversity traits by birth heritage which are
mostly enduring over a person’s lifetime, although
changes can still occur in some cases:

• Race

• Age

• Gender

• Sexual orientation

• Family-ties

• Country of birth/nationality

• Cultural heritage

• Religious heritage

Acquired Diversity

These are acquired over a person’s life-time and are
dynamic and changing.

• Personal and professional experience

• Cultural background

• Political affiliation

• Citizenship

• Educational background

• Socio-economic strata

• Adopted faith

• Marital status

Surface-Level Diversity vs

Deep-Level Diversity

• Surface-level diversity refers to the observable
demographic and other overt differences among
members of a group (e.g. race, ethnicity, gender,
age, physical capabilities).

• Deep-level diversity refers not just to
demographics but also to differences in the
psychological characteristics based on
“experience and thinking styles” such as beliefs,
values, attitudes etc.

(Casper, W.J., Wayne, J.H. and Manegold, J.G., 2013 )

Activity

• In groups, identify as many surface-level

and deep-level diversity factors among

yourselves as you can.

• How many do you share in common?

• Which ones are isolated to just one group

member?

Diversity: Global Challenges

• Workplace challenges are varied depending on the county.

• For example, some countries do not grant equal rights for
people of all sexual orientations.

• In other cases, tough immigration measures restrict or prevent
the free flow of labour in the global economy.

• Gaps in gender-based equality are prevalent even in a
majority of advanced economies.

• The inclusion of certain and ethnic and cultural groups may
also be limited in some workplaces.

Activity

• Each group will be allocated one of the following groups:

– LGBTI

– Migrants

– Women

– People with disability

– Indigenous Australians

– Older workers

• Use your smartphone device to research, and report back to the
class, on the following areas:

– In what ways does your group encounter workplace discrimination?

– What are the direct and indirect consequences of that discrimination?

– In what ways can that discrimination be eradicated?

The Diversity Factor

• The key ideal of introducing diversity into
organisations is to work towards achievement of a
world where everyone can achieve their potential
on a level playing field.

• As workplace demographics shift, the work
landscape is changing with a melting pot of
different backgrounds.

• How are leaders and managers responding to this
diversity?

What are Diversity Challenges?

• Diversity challenges are any obstacles,
roadblocks, and discouraging situations in
reaction to diversity in the workplace.

• Sometimes it comes in the form of active
management resistance.

• In other cases, it’s due to a lack of self-
awareness and a dearth of soft skills.

Diversity Challenges at the Top

• Despite changing demographics at work, many senior level
roles are still held by white males in the majority of
companies.

• Many such senior managers feel misunderstood or held to
standards that do not seem fair. Termed as “white angst”, this
underlying feeling of anger and resentment is an
uncomfortable subject that often is not openly discussed.

• This phenomenon can occur when employees are not helped
to find suitable ways to embrace the diversity with which
workplaces are characterised today.

(Klimley AW, 2011; Kochman,T. 2011)

Lack of “Soft Skills”

• Hard skills generally involve “learned” skills and are often
reflected in a leader’s level of education or training.

• Soft skills, on the other hand, are often intangible and difficult
to quantify or learn. They are often what we call people skills.

• Leaders who understand how to use people skills and
motivate their teams – especially in an era of diversity – are
those who will stand out.

• It takes self-aware leadership to realise the behaviours that
not only reflect on themselves, but also the impact on their
teams, customers and ultimately their company’s success.

Activity

• The following link contains a list of 87 soft
skills:
http://training.simplicable.com/training/new
/87-soft-skills

• In groups, see if you can come to an
agreement on the top ten that you think
are most vital when it comes to managing
a diverse team.

http://training.simplicable.com/training/new/87-soft-skills

Diversity Fatigue

• Diversity fatigue occurs when firms try to deliver diversity
training or cultural change programs but encounter resistance.

• Sometimes this is because their efforts are seen as a box-
ticking exercise. In other cases, employees have become
cynical after witnessing inappropriate behaviour (post-training)
with no action taken in response.

• Another contributing factor is an over-emphasis on diversity
makes some people question whether hiring decisions are still
based on merit.

• It can also require quite a bit of effort to manage diversity well,
and this can be exhausting for those responsible for changing
such cultures within organisations.

Diversity-Related Incivility

Source: Clayton Sr., CB 2010, ‘A new way to build the business case for

diversity based on the numbers: The Diversity Profit Equation (d/PE)’,

Diversity Factor, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 1-10.

• The pain that racism, sexism, homophobia and

other forms of bigotry cause cannot be conveyed

sufficiently by charts and graphs.

Diversity-Related Incivility

Source: Clayton Sr., CB 2010, ‘A new way to build the business case for diversity based on the

numbers: The Diversity Profit Equation (d/PE)’, Diversity Factor, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 1-10.

• As the diagram below indicates, this incivility

results in increased costs and decreased

productivity … even when the incivility is

witnessed rather than experienced.

Witnessing Incivility
• The Institute for Diversity has found more than 71

percent of employees witness an average of four

derailing behaviours per year.

• When asked about these acts in a follow-up study,

two out of three acts of incivility were said to be

diversity related.

• These diversity related acts of incivility (DRIs) were

believed to be associated with the primary

dimensions of diversity – race, gender, age, religion,

and sexual orientation.

Activity

• Have you ever witnessed diversity-related

incivility in the workplace?

• In groups, share your stories. In particular,

please focus on the following:

– How did this affect you?

– How did the employee react?

– How did the manager deal with the situation?

– If you were the manager, what would you

have done differently?

Prioritising Diversity

• Prioritising diversity in a way that simultaneously
culminates in greater organisational performance is
comprised of two factors:

– Diversity climate: “Employees’ perceptions regarding the
extent to which an organisation values and integrates
diversity and supports it through fair employment
practices.” (Singh et al 2013)

– Psychological safety: “Feeling able to show and employ
one’s self without fear of negative consequences to self-
image, status, or career.” (Kahn 1990)

Prioritising Diversity

Diversity climate Psychological safety
Employee

performance

(Singh et al, 2013)

ACTIVITY:

Each group will be allocated one of the two main components from the model:

• If you’ve been allocated diversity climate, identify a list of actions that could

help employees perceive that the organisation genuinely values diversity.

• If you’ve been allocated psychological safety, identify a list of actions that

could help employees feel that they can express their true selves at work.

Summary

• This workshop presented some of the key

challenges and opportunities that diversity

in the workplace causes.

• Next week we shall explore some of the

strategies to promote diversity and

inclusiveness in work environments.