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There are several projects in Managing Diversity: People Skills for a Multicultural Workplace, Pearson Custom
This excerpt from Instructors Manual includes projects described in the textbook.

(A flow chart suggests to students how these 3 projects can be integrated.

Purposes: 
(1) to help students and their classmates, future leaders in the American workplace, to understand and work effectively with people from the diverse group each student researches.
 (2) to use the interviews not only for information for this project, but also as sources of case studies assigned in Project 2, and for completing Skill Builder 2.8 Learning More About an Organization’s Culture.
 
Students can work as pairs in gathering the information, pooling it together, and then deciding how to divide it so you can each use it in writing a separate (but coordinated) paper and presenting a separate (but coordinated) talk based on the highlights of your paper.  To provide flexibility, some student may work alone or in threesomes, while most are urged to work in pairs.
Step 1.  INDIVIDUALS:  Select a “diverse-other” group.   Students pick a first-ranked and second-ranked group that they know very little about.  Pay special attention to groups not included in the text (American Indians, Arab Americans, Jewish Americans, Bi-ethnic Americans, etc.) and groups in which text information is minimal (Filipino Americans, Japanese Americans, etc.).  Read MD text information on the group.  Don’t repeat text information in the paper. The goal of the research project is to learn more about the target group­to gain insights, skills, and ease in interacting with members of this group in school and work situations.
 
Step 2. Find  a classmate/partner who wants to research the same “diverse-other” group.  Work as pairs in order to (a) generate more information, (b) cut the workload of each partner, (c) bounce ideas off each other and crystallize thoughts by verbalizing them, (d) utilize the various strengths of each partner.
 
Step 3. PARTNERS: Determine information needed.  The two partners must complete the following tasks, dividing the work as they see fit:
·         interview at least 2 workers from the “diverse-other group”  (not class members)
·         interview at least 2 managers who have experience in managing employees of this “diverse-other group.” 
·         gather information about the group from published sources in the library--information that supplements but doesn’t repeat information in the course texts.
 
Step 4.  PARTNERS: Divide the data-gathering tasks as you see fit.  Together the partners need to build a pool of information that will come from the total of 4 interviews and the library sources.  One partner may want to do all 4 interviews while the other does all library research, or each person may want to do 2 interviews each and divide the library research equally, first determining subtopics each person will pursue.  By pairing up, you can end up with more information than if you did it alone.  Don’t duplicate each other’s efforts.  Here are some suggestions:
·         Information categories:  Partners may divide library research by any categories of information they like.  They’re not required to cover the categories used in the MD text, but such categories can be idea starters (myths and facts; stereotypes and prejudices; evolution or history of the situation; current profile including demographics; cultural values, behaviors, patterns, themes; current issues).  For example, partners could cover all these categories or they could cover only one, such as cultural themes, dividing it into subcategories.
·    Interview Ideas:  See “Idea Starters for Sample Interview Questions” in SB 3.2; add your own questions based on the needs of this project and of Project II.
·    Interview for Project II Case Study: You may want to dovetail Project I interviews with information you will need for Project II (or not­you can use any source for Project II).  You could include questions about success stories, war stories, horror stories, that could elicit information for the case studies you’ll need for Project II.
·    Interview for Skill Builder 3.3 Diversity Audit:  You could also dovetail these interviews with information you will need for Skill Builder 3.3 Diversity Audit (again, you can use any firm for this assignment)
 
Step 5. INDIVIDUALS: Gather information.  Each partner gathers her or his part of the information from the library or interview, as agreed upon with partner.
Note:  Link Library for this Text:  http://www.pearsoncustom.com/link/sfsu/ncr/diversity
You will need I.D. and password to access.
 
Step 6. PARTNERS:  Pool all the  information each of you gathered. After gathering the information­from the literature and the interviews, each person make copies for their partner, and then meets with their partner to share the information, which becomes the pool of information that each will  use to write their separate papers.
 
Step 7. PARTNERS:  Agree on how to divide the information to use in  your separate papers.  The partners now decide on a logical way to divide the information into two parts for their separate papers so they will have no duplication in their two papers.  You may use the categories found in text chapters for ideas on ways to organize diversity information.  Then each person separately will take his or her part of the information, organize it, refine it, and write it as his or her individual paper.
 
Step 8.  INDIVIDUALS:  Write the paper - on your own. Each person will write a separate paper, 4 to 6 pages, typed, double spaced, plus a cover sheet, outline, and reference page.  They should be sure to use subheads and proper documentation with endnotes.  (See BSG.)
      Write a detailed topic outline.  Use it to help you organize the information.
      Write the main part of your individual paper.  Write the introduction and main body of your paper--drawn from library sources and interviews, that part of the pooled information that you agreed to cover in your separate paper.  Integrate interview and library information.  Use interview info as examples, human interest stories, etc.
      Don’t report the interviews in separate paragraphs or section. 
      Document library and interview info throughout the paper with footnotes or endnotes; reference them in your References section.  Internet sources:  give author if available, article title, date, internet address.
 
      Write “specific suggestions to managers” as the last section of  the individual paper - based on the unique traits and needs of this particular group.  Don’t just give general suggestions that would apply to any employee. This section should be similar to the leadership challenges and opportunities section in the text chapters 5-12.  Your paper should include:
·         cover sheet
·         outline
·         body­intro, discussion of major points, recommendations to managers as the concluding section (no “conclusion” needed)­all w/subheads and proper documentation (endnotes or footnotes)
·         references page 
 
Step 9.  PAIRS:  Turn in individual papers as a packet.  Partners: put your separate papers together.  Make sure each paper has all parts mentioned in steps 8-10.  Attach a joint cover sheet that states how partners divided the info.   
Step 10. INDIVIDUALS: Make a Separate Oral Presentation - on your own but coordinated with partner:  Sign up to give separate, but consecutive, talks.  Each of you will present a separate talk, giving the highlights of your paper:  what you found out and leadership strategies you recommend.  Practice from brief notes staying within a time frame of 3 to 5 minutes each
Note:  University policy, plagiarism:  Document research papers properly with endnotes or footnotes and reference page.  Using another’s copyrighted ideas or words without proper credit is plagiarism and by university policy can result in probation, suspension, or expulsion. 
 
HOW YOUR PAPER WILL BE GRADED 
Write a business research report (main body about 4 to 6 pages, typed, double-spaced.  Include these parts:
1.      Cover/title page with specific title, etc.­but don’t use a plastic or cardboard report cover. 
2.      Topic Outline See BSG ch 2 on prepare & use an outline; use outline parts as headings in paper.
3.      Introduction section that gives a brief overview of what you will discuss.
4.      Body of paper should flow logically, include specific headings and subheadings that indicate content (NOT introduction, body, conclusion!), and should reflect plan shown in outline.  Don’t use info already in course textbook.
5.      DOC=Endnotes, footnotes, reference section that lists at least 3 credible published sources besides textbook, encyclopedia, census, and interviews.  Newspapers and credible websites are fine if you give complete sources: author, article title, date, publishing organization, date (page number for newspaper; website address for website).  Goal: reader can easily find and evaluate source.            NOT adequate for endnote or reference page is only a website address alone. 
Both content and English usage must be adequate in order to receive a passing grade. Format as given above.  See BSG chapters 2 and 6 for guidance. 
Instructor feedback on your paper will be coded­refer to BSG, page v to decode it, identify the writing problem by BSG item number and find that item number in the book for info on how to correct errors.
A paper rewrite will be accepted, and the grade will be averaged with your original paper grade - you must submit the original with the rewrite; see schedule for deadline.
 
HOW YOUR TALK WILL BE GRADED: 
·         3-to-5-minute talk, giving the highlights of your paper: 
·         Select the most interesting aspects of your paper.  DON’T’ READ PAPER!!!
·         Review BSG Ch 5 Talks
·         Evaluation form, p.135 BSG will be used for grading
·         5 major categories: intro, visual aids, body, conclusion. Each counts 20% of talk grade.  Feedback is given on “other delivery” aspects but not part of grade.
·         Practice from notes.  Make speech notes; don’t read your paper. See BSG for suggestion
·         Visual aid(s) essential for “A” –Powerpoint, my laptop (CD or memory stick)
·         Reminders:  Use attention-getting intro. Keep visual aids simple, show one point at a time (Powerpoint: formatàslide designàanimation schemesàfade in one by oneàapply to all slides).  Don’t read from screen­don’t turn back on audience. Don’t read or memorize.
GRADE­After you give your talk, pick up your evaluation form with grade at end of class.

 
See Skill Builder 3.3 for information on conducting a Diversity Audit of a corporation.
You will need a cover page, and outline; body of paper should reflect the steps in the audit process:
Step 1:  Observation and Info Gathering
·         Report of physical setting
·         Report from interviews of managers and employees
·         Analysis of written materials from the corporation
·         Observations about how people spend time, their career paths, how long they stay in jobs, and what they are talking and writing about
Step 2. Review and analysis

• patterns and themes that you perceive, inward or outward focus, weak or strong corporate culture,  fragmentation or inconsistency
• Conclusions about how well the corporation is managing diversity.

How Your Paper Will Be Graded: See Project 1 evaluation information.
 

 
Skill Builder 3.1 and Presentation
From information gathered in interviews, each student writes a real-life case study and a solution key.  Because of limited time in presenting case studies in class, students pair up for class presentations, but each person writes a completely separate case and solution key.  Partners meet, read each other’s cases, and jointly select one of the two to present together in class.  For the classroom presentation, student play the roles of joint group facilitators or trainers in leading class groups to analyze and discuss the case. 
 
Step 1.  Partners:  Case Information - get case information from interviews 
If feasible, students use information from interviews conducted in Project 1. If not, they must conduct further interviews in order to get information about problems that managers and employees have faced, problems rooted in diversity issues.
      For example, partners decide to do their case studies on persons with disabilities, they’ll need to interview disabled workers and their managers and perhaps their coworkers in order to get realistic, valid incidents. 
      If appropriate, students should reassure interviewees that real names will not be used in the written or oral cases.  Interview questions that often lead to good case studies are those that ask for war stories, horror stories, etc., that involve a diversity issue.
 
Step 2.  Individuals:  Each student writes a case study and solution key 
Separately, each of the two partner writes a case study and solution key, so the partners will have two separate cases.  The case study and solution key should run about 3 to 5 pages typewritten, double spaced.
   Example:  If partners interviewed Latino American workers, each partner will select a war story or horror story and write a case study based on the experiences of one or more Latino Americans and their interactions with employees and/or managers in the workplace.
 
Don’t spell out the problem in the case:  The case study should have hidden within it some problems or potential problems that the manager and/or organization need to address.  It’s up to the students (who are given the case to analyze in class) to recognize what these problems are.  The case should merely give them some clues, not tell them what the problems are.  Writing a case is similar to writing a murder mystery--you don’t want to give away too much too soon!
      A common student error is to give some analysis, and even some solution, in the case.   The student case writer should save these comments for the solution key.  In order to make the case realistic, the case writer should give readers only the information they would have if they were bystanders in this situation.  What makes a case realistic is that it’s like being on the job, and you have to figure out what’s really going on and what to do about it.
 
At the end of the case, ask one or more specific case questions.  These questions should help all the readers to focus on the same outcome, and the solution key should address those questions.
 
Write the  Solution Key. The solution key is like a mini-instructor’s manual that gives the case writer’s analysis of the case--what the root causes  are and how the writer would solve the problems.  This is the place to provide suggestions, recommendations, preventive strategies, and/or effective approaches to such problems.  The solution may be based on interview information, the MD text, library sources, and the writer’s own experience and common sense.
 
Step 3. Partners:  Case Presentation, Diversity Training Session 
Decide which case to present in class; conduct a diversity training session of 10-15 minutes.
After partners write their separate cases and solution keys, make copies for each other, they meet and decide which of the two cases would be most effective for a classroom presentation.  They sign up together to make a joint classroom presentation of the case.  They can think of the presentation as holding a diversity training session with a work group (the class).  Partners decide how they will work together to conduct a diversity training session of 10 to 15 minutes.  Partners should keep in mind that they’ll receive separate presentation grades, so they want to share participation in a fairly equal manner.  The following tasks must be done:
·         Make copies of the case to hand out to all class members.  
·         Assign class members to small groups of 4 to 7 members each unless this has already been done by the professor or a previous pair of presenters.
·         Briefly introduce the case.  Instruct the teams to analyze the case, to discuss it, to make recommendations for solutions, and to appoint a member to report the solution.  Either allow time for people to read the case or ask them to follow along as one of the presenters reads it.
·         Lead a class discussion of the case analysis and solutions, asking for each group’s suggestions.
·         Give feedback from the solution key on any concepts or solutions not mentioned by the class. 
Partners receive separate grades on their effectiveness in conducting the training session, including how well they present case, involve the class, facilitate discussion, give feedback, and manage time, as well as overall how well they use the case study as a learning tool.






At 11:52 AM 8/18/2008, Kelly Weeks wrote:

Hi everyone.  I am looking for a class project for my new "Diversity in
the Workplace" class in the spring semester.  I need a project where
students gather and analyze some behavioral data of some sort.  It
shouldn't require high levels of stats, since this is an undergrad course.
 Do any of you do
anything like this in your courses?  Can you please send me some examples
of course projects?

Thank you,

Kelly Weeks
kweeks@centenary.edu

fax 650 345-9101