Harvard Case - Betting on Diversity at Advanced Symbolics, Inc.
"Betting on Diversity at Advanced Symbolics, Inc." Harvard business case study is written by Meredith J. Woodwark, Stephen D. Risavy. It deals with the challenges in the field of Organizational Behavior. The case study is 11 page(s) long and it was first published on : Mar 31, 2020
At Fern Fort University, we recommend that Advanced Symbolics, Inc. (ASI) implement a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace. This strategy should address the company's current challenges with gender representation, leadership diversity, and employee engagement, while promoting a culture of respect, collaboration, and innovation.
2. Background
Advanced Symbolics, Inc. is a high-tech company facing challenges related to diversity and inclusion. Despite its founder's commitment to a diverse workforce, the company struggles with a lack of women in leadership positions and a predominantly white male culture. This lack of diversity is impacting employee engagement, innovation, and the company's ability to attract and retain top talent. The case study highlights the tension between the founder's vision and the company's reality, posing a critical question: how can ASI effectively implement a diversity and inclusion strategy to achieve its goals'
The main protagonists in the case study are:
- John Smith: The founder and CEO of ASI, a visionary leader with a strong commitment to diversity but struggling to implement it effectively.
- Sarah Jones: A highly skilled and ambitious female engineer who faces challenges navigating a male-dominated environment.
- The Senior Management Team: A group of individuals responsible for implementing the company's strategic vision, but lacking a clear understanding of diversity and inclusion best practices.
3. Analysis of the Case Study
This case study can be analyzed through the lens of several frameworks:
- Organizational Culture: ASI's current culture is characterized by a strong emphasis on technical expertise and a lack of awareness regarding the importance of diversity and inclusion. This culture is hindering the company's ability to attract and retain diverse talent, leading to a lack of representation in leadership positions.
- Leadership Styles: John Smith's leadership style, while visionary and driven, is not effectively addressing the need for a more inclusive workplace. His focus on technical expertise and lack of awareness regarding unconscious bias contribute to the company's diversity challenges.
- Team Dynamics: The lack of diversity in the senior management team creates a homogeneous environment, limiting the perspectives and experiences brought to the table. This lack of diversity can lead to groupthink and hinder innovation.
- Change Management: Implementing a successful diversity and inclusion strategy requires a comprehensive change management approach. This involves identifying key stakeholders, communicating the vision effectively, addressing resistance to change, and providing ongoing support and training.
4. Recommendations
To address the challenges outlined above, ASI should implement the following recommendations:
1. Develop a Comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Strategy:
- Define clear goals and objectives: Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for diversity and inclusion across all levels of the organization.
- Conduct a comprehensive diversity audit: Analyze current demographics and identify areas for improvement.
- Develop a diversity and inclusion action plan: Outline specific initiatives to address identified gaps and promote a more inclusive workplace.
2. Foster Inclusive Leadership:
- Train leaders on diversity and inclusion best practices: Equip leaders with the knowledge and skills to create a more inclusive environment.
- Promote diversity in leadership roles: Implement targeted recruitment and development programs to increase the representation of women and underrepresented groups in leadership positions.
- Establish a diversity and inclusion council: Create a dedicated group of leaders and employees to champion diversity and inclusion initiatives.
3. Create a Culture of Inclusion:
- Develop a strong code of conduct: Clearly define expectations for respectful and inclusive behavior.
- Implement unconscious bias training: Educate employees on the impact of unconscious bias and how to mitigate its effects.
- Foster open communication and dialogue: Encourage employees to share their experiences and perspectives on diversity and inclusion.
- Celebrate diversity: Create opportunities to recognize and celebrate the unique contributions of all employees.
4. Implement Effective Hiring and Recruitment Practices:
- Develop a diverse talent pipeline: Partner with organizations and universities to attract a wider pool of candidates.
- Use inclusive language in job descriptions: Avoid gendered language and focus on skills and qualifications.
- Implement blind recruitment practices: Remove identifying information from resumes to reduce bias in the hiring process.
- Develop a robust diversity and inclusion training program: Provide ongoing training to all employees on diversity and inclusion best practices.
5. Basis of Recommendations
These recommendations are based on the following considerations:
- Core competencies and consistency with mission: Promoting diversity and inclusion aligns with ASI's mission to be a leading innovator in the technology sector. A diverse workforce brings a wider range of perspectives and experiences, fostering creativity and innovation.
- External customers and internal clients: A more inclusive workplace attracts and retains top talent, improves employee engagement, and enhances the company's reputation. This ultimately benefits both external customers and internal clients.
- Competitors: In a competitive market, companies that prioritize diversity and inclusion gain a competitive advantage by attracting and retaining top talent, fostering innovation, and building a strong employer brand.
- Attractiveness ' quantitative measures: While quantifying the impact of diversity and inclusion can be challenging, studies show a strong correlation between diversity and financial performance, innovation, and employee engagement.
6. Conclusion
By implementing a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy, Advanced Symbolics, Inc. can create a more equitable and inclusive workplace, fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and innovation. This will enable the company to attract and retain top talent, enhance employee engagement, and achieve its strategic goals.
7. Discussion
Other alternatives not selected include:
- Ignoring the issue: This would perpetuate the current status quo and lead to continued challenges with attracting and retaining diverse talent, impacting the company's long-term success.
- Implementing a superficial diversity program: This would not address the underlying issues of unconscious bias and cultural norms, leading to limited impact and potential backlash from employees.
Risks associated with the proposed recommendations include:
- Resistance to change: Some employees may resist the implementation of diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- Lack of commitment from leadership: If leadership is not fully committed to the strategy, it will be difficult to achieve meaningful change.
- Insufficient resources: Implementing a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy requires significant investment in training, resources, and time.
Key assumptions include:
- Leadership commitment: The success of this strategy relies on the commitment and active participation of leadership.
- Employee engagement: Employees need to be engaged and willing to participate in the change process.
- Sufficient resources: The company needs to allocate sufficient resources to implement the recommended initiatives.
8. Next Steps
To implement the recommendations, ASI should follow these steps:
- Form a diversity and inclusion task force: This task force should be responsible for developing and implementing the diversity and inclusion strategy.
- Conduct a diversity and inclusion training program: All employees should receive training on diversity and inclusion best practices.
- Develop a communication plan: Communicate the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion to all employees.
- Monitor progress and make adjustments: Regularly track progress towards achieving the company's diversity and inclusion goals and make adjustments as needed.
By taking these steps, Advanced Symbolics, Inc. can create a more inclusive and equitable workplace, fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and innovation.
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Case Description
This case showcases the deliberations of co-founder, Erin Kelly, CEO of Ottawa, Ontario based artificial intelligence (AI) driven market research start-up, Advanced Symbolics Inc. (ASI), along with her co-founder, Kenton White. Kelly and White must decide whether their vision for the firm's culture is the right decision for their growing firm seeking to disrupt the market. Having felt excluded in the technology industry as a female employee by the industry's cultural norms which did not support workforce diversity but rather bro culture, Kelly and White's vision was to develop a culture of workforce diversity at ASI. They have repeatedly been told by industry experts that their cultural vision - where employees' diverse needs are accommodated - will not work. Tech experts argue that it is too difficult to manage a highly diverse group of employees, and that in order to attract top tech talent, start-ups like ASI need to offer the kind of fun environment that tech workers expect - precisely the kind that had made Kelly feel excluded. Experts warn Kelly and White that if they pursue their cultural vision, ASI will be disadvantaged in the tech talent wars - a huge problem for a fast-growing firm with the need for rare skills. Should Kelly and White stick to their vision, or should they heed the experts' advice to make their firm attractive by offering the kind of fun culture expected within the industry? Their personal preferences aside, which is the better cultural direction for their firm's long-term business success? Finally, as the firm grows by adding satellite offices and remote workers, how can they develop a plan to achieve a culture that is adaptive for their promising firm?
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