a) Select an organization from the list provided in Week 2 Content. Indicate you
ID: 442976 • Letter: A
Question
a) Select an organization from the list provided in Week 2 Content. Indicate your choice by posting it in Week 2 Topic #1. Be sure no one else has already selected your firm. You will be using the same organization for both weeks 2 and 8 but your focus will be different in each assignment.
b) Complete an assessment of the organization's responses to diversity and multiculturalism using a guide provided by your faculty.
c) Prepare and post the report on your assessment by midnight Sunday October 18, being sure to first clear it through Turnitin. Post your report as a response to the week 2 discussion topic.
d) Contribute to a follow-up all-cohort discussion that critically analyzes the implications of the cohort's findings for organizations in general and for the ones you have studied in particular.
Important Note: This assignment must be based only on information about the organization that is publicly available
Explanation / Answer
Becoming a leader in diversity recruitment and development has not been an easy task for a company that serves 56 million customers everyday across 118 countries. But it has required a vision that places diversity central to every element of the workplace and product line.
McDonalds has had its share of challenges in recent years, most notable for constant attacks against its high-calorie menu. Campaigns like Eric Schlosser's 2001 book FastFood Nation and Morgan Spurlock's 2004 movie Supersize Me added further ammunition. These public outcries invited scrutiny to internal practices and a company culture that many alleged didn’t emphasize enough on nutritional and safety issues. They also weren't attracting credentialed talent.
And so the company initiated a complete cultural change. While Hamburger University is almost 50 years old, a new training and development program was setup not only to mentor restaurant crew but also to emphasize leadership development and identify high potential employees. They also hired a nutrition director—a former clinical dietician—to keep consumers informed and engaged on the dietary elements of its products.
Of course, evolving from a PR campaign to a strategic hiring strategy took years to implement. However, once Harris got the C-suite to prioritize diversity, the progress became distinctly easier. In fact, the multiculturalism and varied job profiles of her present team are a testament to her work for the past 34 years at McDonald's. From a senior management team that was predominantly white and male, women and people of color make up 73% of the company's total workforce today.
And today the many members of the inclusion and diversity team present a unified message: Ensuring a sustained talent pool within the organization led by a top-down commitment to diversity recruitment and leadership development. One that expands to supply chain, nutrition, community involvement, corporate responsibility as well as external branding.
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