Chamberlain College of Nursing (Essay Sample)

Instructions:

This assignment is designed to shift your viewpoint just a bit and hopefully help make clear what it is like to be different from the mainstream of society, as well as how the perception of normality is based on how closely you resemble the majority of people. There are two concepts at work. One is institutionalized discrimination, in which groups or categories of people are placed at some level of disadvantage by the normal way that society operates. The other is the fact that we can learn to appreciate that differences do matter and that becoming aware of those differences will make interactions with others much easier.
Spend a morning living in a world that is designed for someone else. Here's how: Hold a ping-pong ball or a similar object in your right hand (left if you are a lefty) and then slip a sock over it and tie or tape it in place. Keep your fingers folded around the ball inside the sock and try to go about your normal activities. The two main things you want to avoid are letting the ball get out of your closed hand and getting the sock wet.
Most of us are right-handed, and this should give you some sense of how much of our daily activities revolve around that fact. When you must use your left hand rather than your right, things seem to be a bit awkward, don't they? If you want a real example, try to use a wall-mounted pencil sharpener, open a bottle of wine with a corkscrew, or turn the pages of a book. Are lefties at a disadvantage? Go price a set of left-handed golf clubs. Naturally, left-handed people have adapted to the right-handed world to the extent that most are ambidextrous.
Lefties, what did you get from this? Did your life become just a bit easier?
Your assignment is to write a brief two- to three-page essay paper, double-spaced, on the importance of understanding cultural, ethnic, and gender differences by managers and professionals in a business setting. Connect your observations and ideas to the materials and readings covered so far in the class. Don't forget to include your experience with the ball and sock experiment in your paper, and be sure to relate the experiment to the importance of understanding diversity and applying this knowledge in the workplace. Please follow APA formatting requirements for this assignment, including a title page, and proofread to be sure that you have no spelling or grammatical errors.

source..

Content:

Appreciate the Differences
Heather Brandon
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Cultural Diversity in the Professions
350
Phil Lewis
January 5, 2015
Introduction
Work place provides an environment where there are people of different ethnic backgrounds, (Morgan & VaÌrdy, 2006). All businesses can benefit greatly from diversity due to its ability to bring people of diverse ideas, talents, fresh ideas and perspectives. It is therefore important that managers understand cultural, ethnic and gender differences in the workplace.
The Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic and Gender Differences by Managers and Professionals in a Business Setting
Although diversity has long been considered as a representation of races, backgrounds and cultures, today, it has a wider perspective. Apart from these variables, in modern world, diversity includes skill set, personality, age, education and cognitive styles among other more variables, (Patrick & Kumar, 2012). Culture defines the way people think and behave. Understanding cultural diversity in the work place is very important since it helps the managers in appreciating the differences and unique potentials of individual workers. Cultural, ethnic and gender differences should not be used as an avenue for conflict but rather should act as an opportunity for growth.
There are numerous advantages of having a diverse workforce and therefore any successful manager should have the necessary skills to manage diversity in the workplace. Understanding the importance of ethnic, cultural and gender differences among the employees helps organizational managers to harness a pool of most talented employees, (Tchibozo, 2013). A diverse workforce has the advantage of bringing into board different ideas, experiences, skills and abilities that makes it easier to solve any challenge that comes in the way. Research has shown that discrimination and lack of understanding of employeeâ€™s cultural diversity is counterproductive. Therefore, it is critical that any manager understands the cultural diversity, appreciate employees regardless of race, ethnic, and gender in order to realize their maximum potential.
When I held a ping-pong ball in my right arm after slipping a sock over it and tying it, it provided me with a unique experience. When I tried to go about my normal activities, I found it hard to perform my normal chores while trying to kip the ball away from slipping and the sock getting wet. Additionally, since I am used to using my right hand, it seemed awkward trying to use my left hand to carry out my duties.
This scenario taught me to appreciate my abilities and those of others, since it showed how important it is to have diversity. When this is analogized to real life situation in work place, it shows that having diverse employees with diverse capabilities helps to complement the efforts. What a lefty cannot do, a right-han...

Get the Whole Paper!

Not exactly what you need?

Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:

Order

Chamberlain College of Nursing (Essay Sample)

Other Topics: