Cityside Case Study Essay

Several problems were found with Cityside’s approach to diversity at work. Similar to the Spencer Owens case study, Cityside created a diversified work environment but not a diversified work output. The aggressive hiring of minorities to match the bank’s customers perfectly reflects the Access-and-Legitimacy paradigm. This strategy was undoubtedly an important one for the bank as more African-American middle class families moved into the neighborhood. The bank needed to offer the “similar-to-me” environment in order to attract and retain customers. The disadvantage with this paradigm is that an employee’s true potential could easily be overlooked. Their similar-to-me effect supersedes other possible interests or talents. This was the case at Cityside. If a black banker was successful in the external division, he/she would be offered a higher position on the retail side. The schism within the Sales Division prevented the bankers to pursue his/her talents. As a result, Cityside could not benefit from its diversified employees. Furthermore, resentments towards white bankers grew among the minority bankers and left them feeling exploited. Secondly,white bankers openly expressed their biased perception on why black bankers should be kept in the retail division. White …show more content…
Diversity succeeds when upper management wholeheartedly buys-in equal treatment, reward, and punishment for everyone regardless of an individual’s differences. Thus, the first step should have been to ensure the complete support of the upper management for diversity, as their acceptance is a crucial element in determining the attitude of the entire organization. The top-bottom trickle in the organization can be facilitated via mentoring of junior personnel by senior personnel, which will eventually ensure diversity a place in the company