MGCR 222-761/771: Intro to Organizational Behaviour

In-class case study (10%)

NAME(S):

CASE STUDY

Kristen considers herself to be an outspoken woman who values social justice,

family and cultural traditions. She aspires to have a meaningful career where she
is able to contribute to a social good while providing for her family of two young
children.

Kristen recently started working at a non-profit organization called En famille,

dedicated to supporting young mothers in the Montreal area. En famille’s values
statement is shared with all new hires and is prominently displayed on the wall of
the lobby. Values – which are intended to shape interactions among both staff
and clients - include empowerment, transparency, honesty and compassion.
When Kristen first arrives, she feels excited to get started – she believes the work
that En Famille does is both challenging and meaningful.

During Kristen’s orientation process led by the HR manager Lucie, Kristen learns
that En famille currently serves approximately 200 young mothers through
parenting and financial planning workshops as well as its individual coaching and
job placement programs. En famille stresses that with enough dedication, young
mothers are capable of achieving meaningful work in any sector they choose. As
Kristen, who is of Cree descent, is introduced to staff members she quickly notices
that among the 20 employees at the organization, there are only three others
who aren’t white. One of these three women holds a senior leadership position.
She also notes that none of the employees are former clients.

This composition seems strange to Kristen since the organization serves a very
diverse population, a majority of whom are people of colour and newly arrived
immigrants. When she asks her superior, Marie-Josée, about the diversity of staff
at En Famille she is told that ‘the organization would love to have a more diverse
staff, but we just don’t get applications from members of minority groups.’ The
HR manager, Lucie, adds that ‘there just aren’t that many people from minority
groups in Quebec that have a relevant degree.’ Upon hearing this from her
colleagues, Kristen feels conflicted. She wants to push back against what she sees

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as seriously questionable assumptions but she’s afraid to rock the boat. She just
got this job a few months ago, and it is allowing her to provide a stable
environment for her family, which is very important to her.

As the months go on, there are several new job opportunities at the organization.
Kristen asks Lucie if she can join the hiring committee to help make a positive
difference in hiring practices. Lucie welcomes her aboard. Lucie is the chair of the
committee, which means she helps to define items discussed and keep track of
time. The committee spends a lot of its time refining the job description but
Kristen wants to talk about how the opportunity will be shared. Lucie responds to
her requests by saying ‘don’t worry about it – we work with a recruiting agency
that will take care of it.’ Kristen feels frustrated by this response, and lets her
colleagues know that she would like to ensure the opportunity is extended to a
more diverse network, including past clients. Her colleagues agree that she is
making a good point and Lucie promises to share her comments with the
recruiting company. While Kristen trusts that her colleagues have good
intentions, she feels disappointed by their response. The item is never formally
added to the agenda for an in-depth discussion, which Kristen takes as proof that
the organization isn’t serious about increasing diversity.

As time goes on and positions are filled, Kristen notes that new hires resemble the
vast majority of staff: female, white, French-speaking people native to Quebec.
She wonders if Lucie shared her comments with the recruiting company or not,
and if it made a difference. She begins to feel weary of the organization, though
she continues to feel satisfied by her work with clients. Perhaps as a result, she
continues to give 100% when interacting with clients but withdraws more and
more from staff interactions and meetings. Kristen wants to talk to Lucie about
hiring practices again but doesn’t want to come across as ‘difficult’ or
unsupportive of the new hires.

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QUESTIONS (total possible value of 20 points)

1. Use the basic OB model to describe three inputs, processes and outputs of
En Famille. [6 points]

2. Compare and contrast two of Kristen’s observations vs. interpretations of

hiring practices at En famille. What might be influencing Kristen’s
perception? [3 points]

3. What are the organization’s espoused values vs. values-in-use? [3 points]

4. In what ways do En famille’s values reflect ‘typically’ Canadian cultural

orientations (see dimensions from Hofstede)? [2 points]

5. How does Kristen express her dissatisfaction with the job? [2 points]

6. Name at least two things that the organization could do to get serious
about diversity in the workplace. Be specific. [4 points]