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Diversity Question

Linnea Ista lkista at unm.edu
Tue Sep 28 14:00:44 EST 1999



kc wrote:

> This is most applicable place I can find to post this.  Hope you give me
> some input and comments (I am trying to decide if I should ask for this to
> be rewritten).
>
> This is an excerpt from a document that students and engineers from Europe
> read in order to familiarize themselves with the business in the US before
> coming to the company that I work at.  This is an additional tip at the end
> of the document so there is no lead in or followup regarding this subject.
>
> "The US is ethnically diverse.  To effectively conduct business within its
> borders, one must be open and flexible.  There may also be some differences
> with regard to gender and positions of power.  In the past, women in the US
> have been delegated to the lower ranks of the business structure, however
> this is rapidly changing."
>
> What does this mean to you?  What's your impression?  Would you want this in
> your companies inprocessing documentation?

Hmmmm. It seems to be that they are trying to get across that one cannot treat
women as inferiors, in an extremely gentle (and wimpy) way. I think it might be
better to phrase it something like "You may also experience some differences in
the way gender and power are linked. Although in the past, women have been
relegated to the lower ranks of the business structure, this is no longer the
case. You should be very careful not to make assumptions about the relative
positions of people within the company based on gender, race or ethnicity."

Or something to that effect.

Linnea







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