Suchergebnisse

Women Sales Managers Volume 11 Number 2 of The Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing includes an article by Alan J. Dubinsky, Lucette B. Comer, Marvin A. Jolson and Francis J. Yammarino entitled "How should women sales managers lead their sales personnel?"

A gender war erupted when Anita Hill accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. These allegations divided Americans and brought sexual harassment to the forefront of issues in the work environment. Suddenly, sexual harassment had to be clearly defined. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's definition is "Sexual harassment is any unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature."(7) The problem, however, lies in the difference of opinons in defining which behaviours constitute sexual harassment. One individual may find a crude joke funny while another individual may find it humiliating. It has been well documented that when employers establish an effective sexual harassment policy, most of the harassment cases can be handled within the company. This eliminates substantial costs that could be incurred by litigation, unproductive management, employee morale, and even community embarrassment. The hallmarks of an effective policy include communication and clarity. The employer should provide the employees with a confidential and retaliation‐proof system to report sexual harassment. This will encourage victims to come forward so the company can correct any current or future problems.

Managing cultural diversity in the workplace and attempts to abolish affirmative action are emerging as some of the most important issues facing American business in the 90s. The relationship between affirmative action and diversity may start in their definitions. Affirmative action was born during the Civil Rights Movement in an effort to reverse the effects of generations of racial discrimination (the concept and the laws which governed it broadened over the years to include women and other traditionally disadvantaged groups). It is federally mandated law to combat discrimination. Diversity on the other hand, is an organisational effort that aims to modify organisation standards, procedures, and management practices that hinder creativity, productivity, and advancement of all employees.

Organisations are facing enormous changes in the demographic composition of the workforce. Racial groups that have traditionally been professionally isolated from one another are working together as more minorities are assimilated into the workforce (Lewan, 1990). The Hudson Institute's Workforce 2000 statistics project that women, minorities, and immigrants will soon make up the majority of new entrants into the American workforce (Johnston & Packer, 1987). This diversity brings numerous racial and cultural differences into corporations. As a result, managing diversity increasingly appears on the agendas of organisational leaders (Cox & Blake, 1991).