Case Study 2.1 Problems at Cracker Barrel Hendrick - African American Associate Manager Hendrick Humphries was an African American associate manager at a Cracker Bar Bill - General Manager, who oversees both Steve and Ken half years with the company was generally excellent, according to company records restaurant in Illinois from 1999 to 2001. His performance during his first two Hendrick's manager Joe often said that Hendrick was his best associate manager Hendrick received several bonuses and raises during this period. Then Joe was Steve routinely made racially derogatory remarks, such as stating that all Ainican Americans are "drunk or high on drugs or that "all Mexicans have a bunch of kids Euro-American coworkers told Hendrick that Steve had stated that he was there for During Steve's first month on the job, he issued five disciplinary reports on Hen a product of Steve's prejudiced mindset. Hendrick was naturally upset over this and drick, alleging a range of misconduct, all of which Hendrick says were groundless and ferred, and Hendrick got a new manager, Steve, who took over as a temporary Hendrick's friend Aretha worked an earlier shift and reported to manager en 76 Managing Diversity Cast of characters: Joe - Hendrick's former manager Steve - Hendrick's new manager Aretha - African American employee Ken - Aretha's supervisor placement. That's when Hendrick's problems began. the white people" and "was going to take care of the white people." complained about it to Bill, the generalimanager who oversees Steve. But Bill nende Hendrick's Aretha complained to Hendrick that Ken was treating her as badly as Steve was then ing Hendrick. Shortly thereafter, Ken fired Aretha. Hendrick again went to general manager Bill, saying "I think Ken fired Aretha strictly because she is African American. You know, I am having the same problem with Steve. Do you remember that I reported to you the kinds of things he's been say ing and doing?" Bill scolded Hendrick for "going outside the management group" and demanded he schedule a meeting with Ken to discuss the Aretha issue. The day before the meeting, Steve confronted Hendrick: You failed to lock the safe last night. You're fired." Hendrick says he knows he locked the safe. 1. What surface problems are noticeable? 2. Can you dig deeper and get at root problems? 3. What do you think of the way the various managers have acted? If you were Hendrick, what would you do next? References