Question

During a diversity management session, a manager suggests that stereotypes are a necessary part of working with others. "I have to make assumptions about what’s in the other person’s head, and stereotypes help me do that," she explains. "It’s better to rely on stereotypes than to enter a working relationship with someone from another culture without any idea of what they believe in!" Discuss the merits of and problems with the manager’s statement.

Answer 1

Answer: Stereotypes can have positive (merits) and negative (problems) traits attached to it.

Explanation:

A stereotype is an over generalized, predetermined belief about a category of individuals.

Merits:

Stereotypes can help to make a perception of someone, thus filling in missing information about that person.

Stereotypes can also place individuals into certain pre - established groups, which help to organize info much more efficiently.

Stereotypes can allow one to respond to problems quicker by applying past experiences that may seem similar to the current situation.

Problems:

Generalizations about people are made, as their differences are ignored and assumptions about them are created.

Stereotypes can create employee discrimination. This is when an employee is treated differently because of a certain category that they belong to.

Stereotypes can also make it difficult for people to change their perceptions of a person with regards to qualities that may be in conflict with the stereotype.