Equal Opportunity in the Workplace Theme: Lack of Diverse Culture in Engineering Cause for Less Inventive Design?

According to Stereotypes: Negative Racial Stereotypes and Their Effect on Attitudes Toward African-Americans, by Laura Green:  Stereotypes are “cognitive structures”, that the perceiver uses as a judgement of all people of ‘their kind’.  Perceiver's knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about human groups The stereotype is based upon the perceiver’s knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about the group of people to which the person being judged belongs to (race, sex, age, etc.).  “These cognitive constructs are often created out of a kernel of truth and then distorted beyond reality” (Hoffmann, 1986).  “Racial stereotypes are constructed beliefs that all members of the same race share given characteristics. These attributed characteristics are usually negative” (Jewell, 1993).

Graphical References, from paper by Patricia Devaney, Director of the Office of Science Outreach, March 1, 2004 The first graph shows evidence of a lack of African American, Hispanic, and Native Americans with Engineering degrees. Second graph could be used as evidence for counter- argument. Shows amount of young Caucasian people getting Ph. D’s decreasing.

Stakeholders: People with degrees and/or jobs in engineering –Might all be scrutinized and become harder to do job –Job cuts to accomindate for more cultural workforce People of race other than “white” or of mixed ethnicity –More interest in the field of engineering, due to unbias employment opportunities People of ‘white’ skin color interested in the field of engineering –More competition for jobs and in schooling –Increased dislike for minorities in the workforce by people of white skin Companies that hire engineers without racial bias –Seen as ethical companies because of move to ‘please’ a public issue –Will have a more diverse product that pleases more people Ethically unmotivated corporations –Will gain a bad reputation because of not moving to be unbias by supporters –Will be seeked out by people not wanting to work at diverse companies People who use the designs of engineers –A more pleasing product –A new product that might be innovative, revolutionary, or sets a new standard for other products of the same or equivilent use

Claims behind Case Because of the bias in the field of engineering, designs are less creative and cutting-edge than possible It is the ethical responsibility of all corporations to change to be more culturally diverse Society affected by role of Corporations The diverse culture in the workplace gives enlightenment and brings fresh ideas to the table

Supporting evidence

And… Questions/comments/grilling from Sheard?