MM33520

Human Resource Management

Ang Pua Xuan 3157
Table of contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Company Background
1.2 Equality and Diversity Management
1.3 Workplace Discrimination
2.0 Current research in equality and diversity in the workplace
2.1 Consideration of competitors strategies
2.1.1 Amazon
2.1.2 eBay
3.0 Company Analysis
3.1 Strategic level
3.2 Tactical level
3.3 Operational level
4.0 Recommendation
5.0 Conclusion
6.0 References
1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this report is to determine the management of equality and
diversity in Alibaba Group as well as any process of discrimination at the workplace.

1.1 Company Background

Alibaba Group was established by a former English teacher, Jack Ma on 28
June 1999 in Hangzhou, China.(Alibaba Group, 2021) Alibaba Group is an e-
commerce business company which aim to make it easy to do business everywhere.
Alibaba Group provides platforms and other services to enable businesses to operate
globally and more efficiency. The first business established by Alibaba Group is
Alibaba.com, a B2B trading platform which is a wholesale marketplace for global
trade.(Glowik, 2017) The following businesses are Taobao Marketplace, a C2C online
shopping platform, Tmall, a B2C third-party online and mobile commerce platform
spun off form Taobao Marketplace and Juhuasuan, a flash sales and group buying
marketing platform.(Retail News Asia. 2021) There are also AliExpress, a global
retail marketplace and 1688.com, a domestic wholesale marketplace.(Alibaba Group,
2021) Besides that, Alibaba Group also introduced Alibaba Cloud in order to help
their customers operate their businesses more easier and efficiency through e-
commerce data mining, e-commerce data processing, and data customization on cloud
computing service platform.(Alibaba Group, 2021)

The diagram above shows the business group launched by Alibaba Group.(Glowik,
2017)
1.2 Equality and Diversity Management
Alibaba Group is a global company and therefore equality and diversity
management is very significant. There are some policies introduced by Alibaba Group
that focuses on equality and diversity.
Firstly, Alibaba Group gives equal opportunity and treatment to every
employees without any discrimination on gender, age, race, religion an others.
Secondly, Alibaba Group will not put up with any level of harassment and therefore
introduced Alibaba Group Anti-Sexual Harassment Code of Conduct. Besides that,
Alibaba Group introduced whistle-blower rules in order to make sure that everyone
can report to the compliance officer if there is any violation of the company policy.
(Alibaba Group, 2021) Thirdly, Alibaba Group embraced diverse workforce and held
that diversity is crucial to ensure their innovation in the workplace. Alibaba Group has
a great gender diversity in the workplace as they have around one-third of female
senior management.(Zhang Jie, 2019) Moreover, Alibaba Group do not only recruit
talent in China locally but also established Alibaba Global Talent Development
program in order to develop young international talents.(Alibaba ESG Report, 2018)

1.3 Workplace Discrimination

The equality and diversity management of Alibaba Group looks great but there
are still some workplace discrimination cases in this company. Besides that, some
diversity and equality management are not well implemented.
The first case is gender discrimination on their job advertisements. For
example, Alibaba Group published some job advertisements on their recruitment
website and mentioned a preference for male for positions such as senior tax
specialist, financial risk controller, logistics operations specialist, security specialist,
restaurant operations support specialist, government affairs senior specialist and
crowdsourcing delivery manager.(“Only Men Need Apply”, 2018) Besides that,
Alibaba group published a job advertisement for computer programmers’ motivator
and required the appearance impressive enough to computer programmers and stated
the characteristics can be like Sola Aoi, a female Japanese adult film star or like Song
Hye-kyo, a South Korean actress. Moreover, Alibaba Group sometimes used physical
attributes of its female employees to attract male applicants.(Sonnad, 2015)
The diagram above is the job advertisement for the crowdsourcing delivery manager
in Alibaba Group recruitment website.(“Only Men Need Apply”, 2018)

The diagram above is a message posted on Alibaba’s official Weibo account on

March 7, 2013 which is still on the company’s website as of February 4, 2018.
(Sonnad, 2015)

The second case is sexual harassment and assault in Alibaba Group. One
female employee raped by her boss, Wang Cheng Wen during their business trip. At
first, the female employee reported this matter to the company but the company
refused to fire Wang and held that the company cannot fire him just for her reputation.
However, the issue went viral on the Internet and get high attention from the public.
Finally, Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang announced that Wang will be fired and never be
hired as he violated the company policy. Besides that, the company promise will take
good care of the female employee.(Lau, 2021)
The third case is regarding the diversity issue in Alibaba Group. Alibaba
Group is good at gender diversity as they have one-third of female senior
management. However, there is one issue in workforce diversity which is race
diversity. This is because most of their senior management are Chinese only one of
the senior management is non-Chinese. J.Michael Evans who is the director and
president is the only non-Chinese in senior management. As a global company, it is
very important to have diverse race of senior management.(Alibaba Group, 2021)

The diagram above shows the senior management of Alibaba Group.(Alibaba Group,
2021)

2.0 Current research in equality and diversity in the workplace

Equality means that everyone is treated equally which have equal rights,
opportunities and others.(Kumra and Manfredi, 2012) Diversity means understanding
and accepting differences among people. These differences consists of age, gender,
religion, status, ethnicity, sexual orientation and others.(Yadav and Lenka, 2020)
Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of people according to their
background such as age, gender, religion, sexual orientation and others.(apa.org.
2019)
There are a lot of researches for equality and diversity management in the
workplace. There are basically three levels of equality and diversity management.
1. Strategic level
 Leadership role
 It was held that the leaders from lower organizational level are as important as
top management level in managing equality and diversity at the workplace. Moreover,
leadership style has big influence to how leader will in equality and diversity
management. Transactional leadership values work standards, employee compliance
and task assignments. The way they influence employee behavior is by prizes and
punishments which may cause demotivation and promotes bias in company.
Transformational leader motivate and inspire followers to work hard together and
willing to sacrifice their self-interest for the success of the company. Transformational
leaders can affect their company on equality and diversity management because it is
their business imperative and ethical responsibility instead of because of government
rules.(Rahman, 2019)
 Visions, Missions, Objectives and Policies
The incorporation of equality and diversity into company's visions, missions,
business objectives and make sure that them becomes the core activities. Make sure
there is equality and diversity policies listed down in the company. The employees
may involve in the design and application of equality and diversity policies.(Kathy
Monks,2017)
2. Tactical level
 Recruitment and Selection
Increase the representation of female and minorities. Recruit for multicultural
workforce and avoid attraction-selection-attrition during recruitment.(Shen, Chanda,
D'Netto and Monga, 2009)
 Training and Development
Diversity awareness training is crucial as it build understanding of the value of
diversity to the employees. Company must make sure it provides equal opportunities
for promotion and individual growth to all employees.(Kathy Monks,2017)
 Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal must be objective not subjective, related to their job
and without special treatment to every employees. Individual’s performance should be
pay attention to during employees’ appraisal, not their background. Carry out a
cultural and management audits for employees' appraisal can improve fairness.(Avijat
Niroula,2017)
 Pay equality
 An equal pay and a performance-based pay system must be adopted. Every
employees must be paid according to their position and job. If a female did the same
job as a male, she should be paid the same as the male.(Shen, Chanda, D'Netto and
Monga, 2009)
 Affirmative action (AA) and equal employment opportunity (EEO)
Affirmative action and equal opportunities are statutory requirements and the
company must follow them without exception. Affirmative action is a method of
supporting protected groups such as minorities or female who are traditionally
discriminated against and ensure that they have equal opportunities and equally
treated as others from majorities. Equal employment opportunity prohibits job
discrimination at the workplace. Company must make sure that no one will be
discriminate during employment process.(Avijat Niroula,2017)
3. Operational level
 Educating employees
Encourage Communication and establish a place offline and online for
employees that allows conversation and encourages opinions given.
Communicate the value of every employee and ensure that they realize their
importance to the company regardless of their gender, age, status and others.
Having diverse teams or groups in the workplace. Make sure this practices in
all levels of the company.(Forbes Council, 2021)

2.1 Consideration of competitors strategies

2.1.1 Amazon
 Amazon is an e-commerce company which is one of the Alibaba Group’s
competitors. Amazon has their own equality and diversity management at their
workplace.
 Amazon promised to increase the number of representation of employees from
diverse backgrounds at every level of their company. Besides that, Amazon
aimed to double up the amount of Black directors and vice presidents. Amazon
also work with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a nonprofit
organization in order to achieve the equality for Black people. Moreover,
Amazon is the supporter of marriage equality and they protect LGBTQIA+
people’s rights. Amazon provided a lot of benefits for LGBTQIA+ people such as
 gender transition benefits, transgender-inclusive health benefits, professional
development opportunities and others.(US About Amazon. 2021)
 Amazon established Amazon Future Engineer program in order to help and
educate children and young adult all over the world to learn computer science.
Besides that, Amazon empowered female to lead in the technology industry and
tried to eliminate the gender gap in this industry.
 Amazon organized some internal conferences and learning programs for the
employees such as AmazeCon, AmazeWIT and Conversations on Race and
Ethnicity (CORE) in order to promote equality and diversity at the workplace.
(US About Amazon. 2021)

However, Amazon has a problem of lack of diversity in their senior

management. More than 70% of their senior management are White people, 20% of
Asian and the rest are only a little.

The diagram above shows the Race & Ethnicity at Amazon — US.(US About
Amazon. 2021)

2.1.2 eBay
eBay is an e-commerce company which is also Alibaba Group’s competitor.
eBay has their own equality and diversity management at their workplace too.
 Improved their global recruiting practices
 Pay equal for male and female for the same job
 eBay’s Rights Policy Statement noted that they will not tolerate discrimination
and harassment whether physically or verbally.
 However, eBay has a problem of lack of diversity in their workforce. Their
workforce are mainly Asian and White people. This is not healthy for a global
company where their workforce are mostly made up of two races and ethnicity only.

The diagram above shows the Race & Ethnicity at eBay — US.(Ebayinc.com. 2021)

3.0 Company Analysis

3.1 Strategic level
Leadership Role Visions, Missions, Objectives, Policies

Alibaba Jack Ma- Transformational(The - Alibaba Group has their own code of
key to transformational ethics(Alibaba Group, 2021)
leadership, 2018)
Amazon Jeff Bezos- Transactional(JP - Amazon aimed to double the number
MANGALINDAN, 2014) of U.S. Black Directors and Vice
- Presidents and increase the number of
Transformational(Norhouse,P.G, female in tech and science roles by
2013) 30% year-over-year.(US About
Amazon. 2021)
- There is Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics set by Amazon(US About
Amazon. 2021)
eBay Pierre Omidyar- - Ebay intended to bring diverse
 Transformational(Lauer, 2020) perspectives to job
advertising(Ebayinc.com. 2021)
- Amazon stated that they accept and
respect everyone as a unique individual
and aimed to fairly treated to everyone
in the workplace.(Ebayinc.com. 2021)

3.2 Tactical level

Recruitment Training Performance Pay Affirmative
and Selection and Appraisal equality action
Developme (AA) and
nt equal
employmen
t
opportunity
(EEO)

Alibaba - Carry out -Alibaba - Alibaba - Not - Having

Alibaba carry out employees will found issue with
Global Talent comprehens be rated gender
Development ive training according to discriminati
to recruit system at all well they on on job
talents levels and fulfill advertiseme
globally(Aliba there are Alibaba’s six nt and
ba ESG senior core values sexual
Report, 2018) executive which are harassment.
participated customer first, (“Only Men
and teaching teamwork, Need
for these embrace Apply”,
employees. change, 2018, Lau,
(Alibaba integrity, 2021)
ESG passion and
Report, commitment.
2018) (Alibaba ESG
 Report, 2018)
Amazon - Aimed to - Carry out - Amazon used - Female - gender
increase Career stack ranking was paid inequality
diverse Choice for their exactly and
representation program for performance same as workplace
at all levels of employees appraisal male for harassment.
company.(US to improve where the same (Catie
About their skill in employees are job. Keck. 2021)
Amazon. order to ranked and the Minorities -Employed
2021) work in a worst- was paid Veterans
higher role. performing 99.2% and
(US About ones will be that white Military
Amazon. fired. employee Spouses(US
2021) (profit.co,no s get for About
date) the same Amazon.
job.(US 2021)
About
Amazon.
2021)
eBay - eBay - eBay - Not found - Female - eBay was
partnered with provides earned sued for
a third-party inclusive exactly sexual and
company to leadership what male age
carry out a training to earned for discriminati
comprehensiv train their the same on by
e audit of their managers role in the employee.
recruiting with their United (Corbin, K.,
systems in abilities to States. 2011)
order to promote a Moreover,
improve their more female get
global inclusive 99.7% of
recruitment. environment male's
(Static.ebayinc in the earning
 .com. 2020) workplace. for the
(Static.ebayi same job
nc.com. globally.
2020) (Static.eb
ayinc.com
. 2020)
3.3 Operational level
Educating employees
Alibaba - Alibaba established “AliWay” for employees to freely give their
views online.(Alibaba ESG Report, 2018)
Amazon - Amazon carry out Connections which is a real-time, company-wide
employee feedback mechanism that enable employees to give their
opinions.(US About Amazon. 2021)
eBay - Supporting working parents in balancing their working and family life
such as provided back-up child care services.(Static.ebayinc.com. 2020)

4.0 Recommendations
There are some recommendation for the company in order to better managing
equality and diversity and avoid discrimination at the workplace.
 Holding a campaign about equality and diversity at the workplace for every
employees includes senior management. It is significant to make sure everyone in
the company understand why they need this and how important it is instead of
just forced to do so due to the company policies.
 Make sure the company policies regarding the equality and diversity at the
workplace and discrimination are clear. The policies must list down every
guidelines or rules in detailed without vague. For example, list down what action
will be considered as discrimination and what punishment will be given. Besides
that, strengthening the anti-discriminatory policies in order to avoid
discrimination or harassment happened in the company. This is because smooth
policies may not useful enough to stop people from violating the policies.
 Make sure there is a third-party channel for employees to report in case there is
any discrimination happened in the workplace and make sure that department will
be fair to everyone and will not influence by any person even the director of the
company.
 No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. Welcoming public such as social media
or non-governmental organizations to supervise them on their equality and
diversity management is a good choice. Set up a path for public to give their
opinion, advice, complaints and treat the matters seriously.
 Create a fair and inclusive culture in the workplace. Make sure every employees
are treated equally. Every employees can give their opinions no matter what their
position are, what gender they are or how old they are and their opinions are
respected and heard. Besides that, everyone have equal opportunity to promotion,
training and they can become the senior management of the company if they are
capable of. Moreover, accept and respect multiple religious and cultural practices
in the workplace if the company hired different cultures of employees. For
example, the company may prepare a room for Muslim to do their prayer.
 Recruit talents globally without looking at their race, age, gender, religion and
others. The makeup of diverse senior management is significant as they are
making decisions and set the strategies for the company. This is because each
country has their own culture and as a global company, it is very significant to set
strategies vary to different countries. For example, an Indian senior management
can give his opinions for the company strategies in India.
 Welcome a multilingual workforce. Language barrier is a serious issue if the
company have diverse employees. The company can provide training for every
employees to learn new languages, so that employees are able to understand what
other people say and feel that they are included.

5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the issues of workplace discrimination had to be treated
seriously. It must not happened at the workplace as it brings a lot of disadvantages to
the company such as the company image may be affected. Alibaba Group did take
this matter seriously and therefore established a lot of policies to avoid discrimination
and promote equality and diversity at the workplace. However, the crucial part is fully
implement and execute those policies, otherwise the policies will be only with an
empty shell. The people is the key part in this event as each person have their own
thinking and point of view. Sometimes, it is very difficult to change a person’s
thought. Therefore, the company must do their best to influence them and lead them
to the right path. Otherwise, they might not follow the company policies and
discrimination at the workplace will happen again in the future.
(2759 words)

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