Introduction
Culture can be said to represent a wide variety of human behavior that is learned. It involves a complex whole of beliefs, knowledge, morals, art, customs, and any other behavior acquired by any member of the society. Cultures and human societies are not the same thing but they are intricately connected because culture is something that is created and transmitted to others in society. Children acquire cultural traits by an interactive process. They receive inputs from the environment and others which help shape how they behave and think. It is the reason why there is a wide variety of cultural differences in children’s behavior and beliefs. Language is among the different ways in which culture affects a child’s development. This is because it shapes how a child thinks or reasons ( Tint, 2017) . The content of what people talk in their conversations plays a big role in defining how a child will think or behave.
Effects of Primary Dimensions of Diversity on Job Performance
The primary dimensions of diversity have an effect on job performance either in a positive or negative manner. In a workforce society, females, individuals with mental/physical disabilities, the aged, and those with certain sexual orientation are considered less productive and, therefore, denied a chance to integrate with others by being marginalized and excluded. On the other hand, marginalization is also apparent to individuals who belong to minority races and ethnic groups at the expense of dominant groups because they lack socioeconomic and political power. This affects job performance in a workforce society because of lack of diversity. Diversity entails the involvement of all individuals in the production process irrespective of their age, race, sexual orientation, characteristics, or otherwise in order to maximize on their productivity.
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The Cartoon Caricature Scenario
The cartoon caricature of the black American employee posted on the bulletin board at his workplace is a clear case of racism in its most overt form. This can be compared to cases where certain groups of people tell jokes using stereotypes such as the cartoon caricature that was posted on the bulletin board for all to see (Shusta et al., 2015). This type of discrimination can sometimes be perpetuated by company policies which, on the surface, look neutral. For instance, imposing work practices which favors a particular dominant group.
The worst thing the supervisor can do when trying to resolve the issue is pretending that the situation does not warrant any stern action. This is because many organizations ignore subtle or implicit forms of racial discrimination at the workplace by telling the aggrieved persons not to be too sensitive or that they are just imagining it. The supervisor needs to deal head on with the situation. He needs to summon the offending employee and take stern action against him in line with existing company policies related to racial discrimination. This is because organizations need to create a culture of inclusion and not exclusion. They need to value diversity in the workplace for increased harmony and productivity. However, sometimes, organizations simply attempt to assimilate different cultures and races without taking cognizant of the fact that each individual brings some sort of value to the organization. It is in this regard that organizations need to be prepared to take stern action against any employee who enacts or displays any form of racist behavior at the workplace because not only does that behavior creates tensions and disharmony at the workplace but also affects productivity. There are government agencies which deal with discrimination cases at the workplace which can also be used to resolve such issues (Shusta et al., 2015).
To curb the spread of the racist behavior at the workplace, the management of the affected organization needs to carry out an educational campaign to sensitize them on how to deal with cases of racism and racist incidents rather than sweeping such incidences under the carpet. This is because there is a cost such organizations can pay by ignoring such incidences. The greatest cost will be a decline in job performance due to low morale by employees who feel that they are racially segregated. This can have a negative impact on the productivity of the organization including its reputation. Decreases employee commitments toward the organization’s goals and objectives can have a heavy toll on the company. The supervisor therefore, needs to apply all the necessary disciplinary measures in line with the company’s policies on workplace discrimination. This will act as a deterrent measure for others who could have done the same if the company simply ignored or downplayed the incidence. Such an incidence can have a negative effect on racial relations in the company if not addressed adequately. In this respect, the offended race could also seek to retaliate and this can further deepen divisions at the workplace and kill the spirit of teamwork. No organization can run effectively if some employees do not believe in its goals and objectives and if they feel excluded from the normal operations at the workplace (Shusta et al., 2015).
Stereotypes and Suspicions
The scenario that stereotypes the four Hispanic juveniles as criminals even though they were going about their business is a classic example suspicion faced everyday by minority groups. These groups of people are viewed as deviant and problematic. This example shows that race, racism, racial stereotyping, profiling, and suspicions are still a reality. The businesses of the traders remain closed even though there is no threat posed by the Hispanics. The fact that they are Hispanics and that they are dressed in a certain manner is enough to stereotype them as gang members. This type of perception and suspicions are used to criminalize minority or ethnic groups. It is important for the security guard and management of the business premise to get their facts clear in order to unmask institutional and personal bias which escapes their notice which can shape the social situations in which they live. They must resist the urge to be subjects to stereotypes so as to eliminate the possibility of finding out if in fact it is true (Shusta et al., 2015).
As an officer in such a situation you are supposed to let the four Hispanic juveniles go about their business without interfering as long as they pose no threat. The Hispanic juveniles have a right to move freely even though it is in a predominantly white neighborhood. The officer should be aware of the fact that the reaction of the security guard and the merchants is a case of stereotyping and unwarranted suspicion. This is because the Hispanics have not displayed any action to warrant the reaction. The only reason that the white merchants and guard have reacted in such a manner is because of the juveniles’ ethnic background. The officer should inform the merchants that there is nothing to worry about since the juveniles have so far not posed any threat to their establishments (Shusta et al., 2015).
Therefore, being Hispanic in the American society may expose one to suspicions and perceptions of being dangerous and a threat to society. This situation is as a result of lack of understanding and knowledge about people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds from your own. It stems from the way a certain dominant culture views and perceives a different minority ethnic group such as the Hispanics. Stereotypes like them being criminals, gang members, drug dealers and such forms the way a certain dominant group views the other. This is the reason why the white merchants closed their businesses for fear of being robbed or attacked. This type of suspicion is unwarranted because it brings a lot of unnecessary tensions and conflicts in society. These judgments play a great role in creating divisions in society and intercultural conflicts. Experience indicates that there exist harmful consequences of negative beliefs about Hispanics and their perceived criminal tendencies. However, studies indicate that this type of suspicions and stereotyping is part and parcel of the American culture. Nonetheless, attention needs to be paid on how ethnic stereotyping and suspicions can influence the behaviors and attitudes of the targets. This is because sometimes if you suspect someone for being something that he is not there is a tendency that he can become what you think he is to prove you right (Shusta et al., 2015).
Relations among Community Groups
In the case of multicultural conflict between the American black community and the American Korean community, the officer should use tact to resolve the issue. The first thing he should do is to select a few representatives from both groups so that they can acknowledge that there is a problem which they need to work together to resolve. They should do these by identifying the root causes of the problem among them. These problems should then be made explicit and be reconciled. This then should help the groups to create a common vision of what they can achieve together and how to do it. This should be followed by a determination of what they need so as to sustain the ability to continue working together to manage the problems that caused the conflict and to maintain peace.
The officer should be able to guide the two groups in this process of improving their relations. He should be able to help the group leaders to acknowledge that they have a problem which needs to be resolved. By sitting together with the leaders and allowing them to ventilate over the issues, the officer will give the two groups the chance to identify their main problems. Without first acknowledging that there is a problem no one will be committed to work and solve the problem. Some techniques that the officer can use to help the two groups acknowledge that there is a problem and commit to work together include a) facilitating the dialog b) provide information to the groups to show them how a particular issue is affecting them and why working together serves their purpose c) Bring the group leaders together to agree to tackle the problem amicably d) placing emphasis on the importance of reconciliation and e) drafting a commitment statement for the groups with the promise of maintaining peace.
The officer should then set on the path of reconciliation of helping the groups to make amends by offering restoration for the groups to come together again. This involves offering some sort of reparation for both groups as part of the healing process. This is because the conflict could have caused a community brokenness which needed to be healed. Reconciliation will help the two groups to move past their differences. The conflict transformation process should also take the future into consideration. Resolving the conflict should not be temporary but permanent. The resolution should create some sort of vision for the groups which will help them maintain harmony in future. The officer could ask the two groups to develop action plans for themselves. Finally, the officer should engage the leaders of both groups at all levels to help sustain the alliance. This will involve him inviting other representatives from both groups to make them agree with the decisions which both groups have made. This will help the two groups to have a general consensus on what has been resolved. This will help to further cemented and reinforce the resolutions made by both groups ( Tint, 2017) . In this way tensions will reduce and the groups will avoid conflicts with each other. The process will only succeed if the officer will use tact and a lot of skills to handle the situation.
References
Shusta, R. M., Levine, D. R., Wong, H. Z., Olson, A. T., & Harris, P. R. (2015). Multicultural law enforcement: Strategies for peacekeeping in a diverse society (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Tint, B. (2017). Diasporas in dialogue: Conflict transformation and reconciliation in worldwide refugee communities . Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
