Synthesis Presentation Assignment The CEO of this marketing research company is missing out on a very valuable asset, by restricting his hiring practices to include only those candidates from generation X and before. His inability to understand or trust employees from a younger age group is a personal problem. He should not allow his personal feelings about the younger millennial generation to handicap his logical decision making faculties. This sweeping generalization in nothing short of stereotyping, which applies a negative connotation or bias to a singular person or group in order to judge them. Millennials grew up with technology and have an intimate understanding and therefore intuitive databank of social networking and electronics. This is obviously a positive competitive edge could easily be a complimentary enhancement to any marketing research firm. His practice of discriminating against youths is actually unethical, but despite that fact, it is not illegal. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This commission enacted a law known as the “Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967� but, despite the name, this law is not inclusive of the youth, encompassing within its reams legal recourse for those specifically over 40. Notwithstanding having stumbled their way into several opportunistic contracts for market research with new companies, this firm lacks in diversity and will not have the entire picture essential for business growth when doing research, simply because of unsound hiring policies. Differences in age across generations create a cultural spread where dissimilar views or understandings of the same problem can lead to miscommunication. If this communication issue is resolved, there is ample opportunity for this company to realize that there is in fact a thriving market with whom this younger generation can strongly identify. This is problematic enough when you are working side by side in a similar culture and this problem will only be exacerbated
as the younger market audience tries without success to convey their ideas to the marketing firm. However, this market research firm seem extremely disconnected from there test audience and should take immediate actions to resolve this disparity. Organizational growth can be justified in a simple statement, if your business is not growing it is shrinking. The leadership style of this marketing firm’s CEO is dictatorial. It is a proven fact that micromanagement, the practice of over controlling others and their work, will lead to unmotivated and resentful employees. This destructive practice exists in many offices and organizations globally, despite wasting everyone’s time, micromanagement is still often employed. In order to take this firm to the next level of success he needs to add diversity to his workforce and begin to empower his employees so that they can function efficiently without his input or constant, overbearing advice. By utilizing empowerment techniques the CEO can transition his company to a flatter organization model. A flat organization model is more efficient because more people are making choices. The lack of bureaucracy and hierarchy means decisions get made faster. The increased operational speed and ability to manage more of a workload can be attributed to the effects of empowerment. Without changing his fundamental dislike and distrust of young workers this CEO is wasting the time and efforts of his company. The ethical dilemmas created by prejudice are going to be hard to overcome and will require a complete transformation of this CEO’s beliefs and values. Miscommunications and stereotyping within a company’s native culture and region will become even worse as the firm moves to transition into foreign markets.