4-1. Recently, the movie The Class was shown at the New York Film Festival, to the displeasure of many French. The actors were young Parisians. According to one movie critic:

With their cell phones and pouts, these bored, restless junior high school students look pretty much the fidgety progeny of Anytown, U.S.A. One difference being that these African, Arab, and Asian Parisians live in a country that insists its citizens have only one cultural identity, even if its identity—as France’s smoldering suburbs vividly suggest—many of these same young people don’t feel welcome to share.162

Many French believe that Americans are obsessed with issues of race and ethnicity, particularly with tracking statistics where people are “artificially” put into “airtight” categories (whites, blacks, Hispanics, and such). France does not even include this type of information in its census, believing that this is against a common French identity as a republican ideal. Do you think it is meaningful to classify people into types? Why do you think the United States, contrary to the French, insists on classifying people? Are there any advantages and/or disadvantages in doing this? Explain.

4-2. The European Parliament recently voted 504 to 110 to scold companies for “sexual stereotyping” in marketing their products. One reporter noted that “The lawmakers’ ire has many targets, from a print ad for Dolce & Gabbana (which has a woman in spike heels pinned to the ground and surrounded by sweaty men in tight jeans) to Mr. Clean, whose muscular physique might imply that only a strong man is powerful enough.” The concern, according to the committee report, is that stereotyping in such ads can “straightjacket women, men, girls, and boys by restricting individuals to predetermined and artificial roles that are often degrading, humiliating, and dumbed-down for both sexes.”163 Do you believe that gender stereotyping in marketing leads to discrimination? Can you think of some examples that illustrate advertising stereotypes? Could this have an effect on how employees perceive the company? Do you think companies should consider how they market their products as part of their diversity efforts? Explain.

4-3. Consider the Manager’s Notebook, “Religious Differences Moving to the Forefront of Inclusiveness.” Do you think that the owners of a company, major shareholders, or top management have a right to use their religious beliefs as a basis for establishing HR policies for employees? Why or why not? Explain.

4-4. According to Laura D’Andrea Tyson, Dean of the College of Business at London Business School, in both the United States and Europe women often choose to opt out of high-powered jobs. In her words: “The opt-out hypothesis could explain why, according to a recent U.S. survey, 1 in 3 women with an MBA is not working full-time, versus 1 in 20 men with the same degree. Today, many companies are recruiting female MBA graduates in nearly equal numbers to male MBA grads, but they’re finding that a substantial percentage of their female recruits drop out within three to five years. The vexing problem for businesses is not finding female talent but retaining it.”164 In your opinion, how large is the opt-out phenomenon, what are its causes, and what can companies do to retain talented women?

4-5. Consider the Manager’s Notebook “The Rise of the Older Worker.” Do you think that young employees now appreciate the wisdom of older workers more than at earlier times? Why do you think the U.S.A has traditionally held older workers at a disadvantage in comparison to other industrialized nations such as Germany, Japan, or Korea? Explain.

4-6. A recent report suggests that pay disparities by gender remain essentially the same whether or not the most senior executive is a man or a woman.165 Why do you think this is the case? Explain.

4-7. Many U.S. computer companies fear that if they do not hire foreign talent, then competitors in other countries will. What is your position on this? Explain.

4-8. Doug Dokolosky, a former IBM executive who specializes in coaching women, argues that “to reach the top requires sacrifice and long hours. If that is your ambition, forget things like balancing work and family . . .” Do you think most U.S. firms just pay lip service to family accommodation policies? Can you think of any noteworthy exceptions?