Semester Syllabus

MGT1110E: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

University of Economics and Finance (UEF)
Faculty of Business Administration

Instructor: Dr. Anh K. Pham (“Steve”)

Email: anhpk@ms.uef.edu.vn
Phone: +84 986165622

ASSIGNMENT
Explore the relevant content of talent management from the textbook Dessler, G., & Tan, C. H, (2009).
Human Resource Management: An Asian Perspective (2nd Ed.) or/and any sources from the internet
search or your readings (journals, magazines, etc.), and carefully read the following case study.

Google's Search for Diverse Talent

Google dominates Internet search, a position that has made it one of the largest U.S. businesses, with
$75 billion in revenues. In a matter of seconds, with its powerful software, the Google search engine can
give you the quickest route to your destination, the history of Peru, or the funny video your friend was
telling you about. But despite all that search prowess, Google has been struggling to find diverse talent.

Given a growing body of evidence that associates diversity with success in innovation and superior
financial performance, Google's management has made diversity a goal. Like most tech giants in Silicon
Valley, the company has far to go. In 2014 Google published its first report on employee diversity,
which showed a workforce of mainly white and Asian males. Three years later, a follow-up report
showed only slight improvements to 69% male (75% of leadership positions and 80% of technical jobs),
56% white, most of the rest Asian. Representation by Hispanic and black workers was in the single
digits.

The drive toward diversity is mainly built on going public with the numbers and directing resources to
hiring, education, inclusion efforts, and support for employee affinity groups such as Women at Google
and the Greyglers (older employees). Although the company hired a vice president of diversity, there is
neither broad leadership from the top nor a reward structure for high performance on diversity and
inclusion. Rather, individuals with an interest in making progress are taking up various initiatives. The
company has offered training in identifying and addressing biases. Recruiters are encouraged to consider
candidates from other than the few top universities the company has targeted in the past. A program
called Google in Residence sets up Google engineers at historically black colleges and universities, with

the hope they will connect with top black talent there.

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Various managers encourage their peers to mentor employees of color or consider diversity issues.
Among them, Michael Gardner, who works in Ann Arbor as an account manager, started an Inclusion
Week at which the Michigan employees participated in presentations and conversations on the topic.
Jack Chen, in the New York office, leads an employee group focused on making the company a great
employer for persons with disabilities.

As Google struggles to get results from its campaign for greater diversity, a new hurdle has arisen. Two
former employees sued the company for setting race- and gender-based quotas that discriminate against
white males. They described a desperate effort by recruiters to raise numbers of unrepresented groups,
overlooking qualified white men in the process. The lawsuits present the risk that the public relations
problem of discrimination will be replaced by the legal problem of reverse discrimination.

Questions

1. Which problem do you think is more serious at Google: possible racial discrimination or possible
reverse discrimination? Why?

2. Suggest two ways Google could improve how it provides equal employment opportunity and manages
its talent objectives.
Sources.- Lauren Weber, "White Men Challenge Workplace Diversity Efforts," The Wall Street Journal, March 14, 2018, https://www.wsj .com;
Nitasha Tiku, "New Lawsuit Exposes Google's Desperation to Improve Diversity," Wired, March 2, 2018, https://www.wired.com; Ellen Huet and Mark
Bergen, "Google Sued by Ex-recruiter Alleging Anti-white, Asian Bias," Bloomberg News, March 1, 2018, https://www.bloomberg.com; Kaya Yurieff,
"Google Struggles to Increase Workforce Diversity," CNNMoney, June 29, 2017, http://money.cnn.com; Ellen McGirt, "Google Searches Its Soul,"
Fortune, February I, 2017, pp. 49-56.

Requirements
Choose ONE of the above questions from this case study and give your answer with your personal
opinions or perspectives to the matter/question in the real world. Your answer should not be exceeding
300-350 words.

Student’s full name: Nguyễn Văn Quyền

Student’s ID: 205014899

REPLY TO ASSIGNMENT

Although racism remains Google's most serious problem, both racism and discrimination are
relevant because they both mean discrimination. Google's goal is to diversify the human resources
department, not to become involved in pointless fights. Is the caliber of the personnel, not the skin color.
Despite the hiring of a vice president of diversity, the corporation lacks broad leadership from the top
and a reward structure for high diversity and inclusion accomplishment. A program dubbed "Google in
Residence" at historically black colleges and institutions is the source of racial discrimination in
employment in the hopes of connecting with people who aren't interested. Best African-American talent
this is the starting point for the reversal of the racist incident. As Google failed to see results from its
diversity program, a new barrier emerged. Two former employees sued the corporation for establishing
quotas that discriminated against white men based on race and sex. They depict an employer's desperate
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desire to boost the number of underrepresented groups while neglecting talented white men. Public
relations discrimination lawsuits will be superseded by a legal issue of reverse discrimination.
According to the vov.vn newspaper, Google made numerous errors in its employee recruitment
procedure in 2021, when the "giant" failed to focus on "people of color" with high working quality. A
complaint has been filed against Google in federal court in San Jose, California (USA), alleging that the
company has a systematic racial bias against black employees. The plaintiff in the lawsuit, April Curley,
claims that Google has a "racially discriminatory company culture" that favors white men. As a result,
black employees account for only 4.4 percent of the workforce, and their representation among
management and technical experts is significantly lower at 3%. Not only had they been discriminated
against, but the claims also claimed that holding company Alphabet had subjected individuals of color to
unpleasant work settings, such as requiring them to present identification on a frequent basis or being
interrogated by security.This problem really becomes serious if Google doesn't have a thorough solution
in human resources department, don't bury talent just because of their skin color, this is really crazy and
can will make the credibility of the company built so long go down day by day. Be fair to everyone no
matter who you are, whatever position you are in. We are one !

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