Case Introduction This case study is about a fictional small company that makes adult-oriented party games, Games That Get You Cancelled. The company has a reputation for having a culture that is engaging and fun with its informal and joke focus. However, those elements can also have a downside. While the games it makes might be fun for players, the companys values seem to be having a negative impact on diverse groups within the organization. While the company in this case is fictional, the issues discussed are ones that can happen at small organizations; there have been a number of prominent examples that have elements of what is seen here. This case is focused on the topics of diversity and values. As you read the case, think about how the organizational values discussed may have a negative impact on some people at the organization. Think about your own experiences and examples you may have heard about before. How might the organization create a better work environment for all its workers? How might it need to change its organizational values? Case Games That Get You Cancelled is a company that makes party games for adults. Their most popular game is I Cant Believe Youd Really Say That! a card game where players use cards and images to make outrageous and offensive jokes, trying to make the joke that is found to be the funniest, even if it is distasteful. The companys primary product is new add-ons and additional cards for the game that keep it new and fresh for its players. The game has remained a big moneymaker for the organization, with the new add-ons providing a strong revenue stream from existing players and also drawing in new players. The company has approximately 25 employees, with most involved in coming up with new ideas for new cards and expansions. These employees are generally in their twenties (the average employee age is 24.3); 80% are White, 80% are male, and 75% are from middle-class backgrounds. Their employment backgrounds are generally in standup comedy, freelance writing, and improve comedy. Most are college graduates; many employees have degrees in English, Communication, or Art-related subjects. The two founders act as co-leaders of the organization and make all decisions on which new ideas get produced and what the company will do next. They are both White males in their late 30s from upper middle-class backgrounds. One has a bachelors degree in English and the other has an MBA. There is one dedicated Human Resource officer, but the founders are still significantly involved in all employee-related matters. Games That Get You Canceled has a company culture it describes as Completely Un-PC and Keeping it Real. This is a very informal culture where everyone at all levels is supposed to be friends; making other coworkers laugh is very important and no one is supposed to take offense from what others say. To a large degree, their culture embraces the ethos of their most popular game: the funniest joke is the best joke, regardless of how offensive or outrageous it might be. Being informal and mixing the personal and professional is seen as a way to help the creative process. The organization has a dedicated internal chat program, similar to a program like Slack or Discord, that all employees are expected to engage with. People talk directly about work topics in the program, but also less work-related topics. The idea is that all this discussion, work-related and not, will help to spark great new ideas and games. While the company has been very successful, some significant problems have arisen recently. Some female employees have complained that the chat program is used by other employees to hit on them and verbally harass them. The accused often frame this as harmless and relevant to the informal nature of the process of coming up with creative ideas. The organization also has no rules against interoffice relationships or hook-ups. The official policy is that everyone can make their own decisions as consenting adults. Women who complain often find the complaint is either ignored or even that they are slightly retaliated against, with their ideas subsequently receiving less support. Currently, the organization has four Black employees. Recently, a Black employee left; many coworkers were unsure if the person was encouraged to resign. The HR Department has received a number of reports from Black employees about jokes made that seemed to be racist or malicious; these jokes were made by both coworkers and the founders. These reports have usually been shrugged off as the messiness of trying to come up with edgy jokes. As one founder said in an interview with a local newspaper We try to push the boundaries of good taste and even bad taste with every release. Does this mean sometimes we go over lines? You bet! Some Black employees have also felt a need to speak out to management about new cards that seem to be racist, with those objections only sometimes leading to changes. They have often felt the objections were treated as just a nuisance. Some Black employees also feel they have been excluded from social events at the company and that they are often not in the chat channels where the real decisions are made. These concerns have started to become public. A former female employee posted to social media about the sexual harassment problems and several current employees also posted stories of concerning incidents related to sexism and racism. There is concern that these issues becoming public may forever damage the brand.

Pretend you are a consultant brought in to examine the issues related to diversity described in this case. What are some of the types of discrimination you see? Give examples from the case. What are some suggestions you might make to help the organization fix these issues? bullet point issues