• #MeToo - Just Do It! - Page 503 Read the Case Study entitled, #MeToo - Just Do It!" on page 503. Then, follow the instructions at the end of the case using the 3-Step Problem Solving approach.

Business events that move to strip clubs, e-mails in your own inbox about parts of your body, lewd and vulgar comments, and more commonly but similarly troubling-unfair pay and promotion practices. These are a subset of complaints revealed in a survey conducted by female employees at Nike. The findings ilustrated systematic sexual harassment and discrimination. Supporting these claims are a long history of complaints to HR and lenders within the company about inappropriate behavior by a number of male leaders. Women comprise nearly 50% of the company's workforce, but occupy only 38% of management level and 29% of vice president positions. 1 \% Female employees shared these results with CEO Mark Parker in an effort not only to improve the situa. ton for women at Nike, but also to improve Nike. Their eflorts provide yet another example of how employees are organizing and wielding power and influence to change leadership, culture, and practices at their employers. to HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The allegations and evidence are wide-ranging, but many aftribute misconduct not only to the perpetra. tors, but alse to their superiors who have toleroted or looked the other way. For instance, numerous impli: cated executives are linked to former company presldent Trevor Edwards. His charismatic personality and stellar performance had token him to the heights of the organization, and many believed he was next in line for the CEO job. But many senior leaders who fostering conflict and a culture many describe as discriminatory end abustve to women. THE COSTS. In additon to damaging the careers of the terminated executives, widespread misconduct exposes the company to tremendous legal Hability, reputational damage. investor pressure, and the allenation of women both inside and outside the company. Expanding product offerings for female customers is a major component of the company's strategy. Particularly troublesome for the remaining leaders is the liketihood of a class action lawsult, in which more than 500 employ. ees will seek compensation from Nike for sexual harassment, pay discrimination, and unfair promotion practices. 112 REACTIONS CEO Parker and the remaining senior leadership team have responded in several ways. Parker directly and publicly acknowiedged the problems and opologized to employees in a town hail meeting, established a complaint hotline, set up unconscious bias training. required specific training for managers, appointed Nike's first chlef diversity and inclusion officer. revamped its pay structure and provided raises for approximately 7500 employees, of 10% of its global workforce. Nike also has adopted a gender-blind resume review process, and is fying bonuses more preminently to overall company performance. 19 Part of Parker's apology ineluded, 1 opologize to 2996 of vice president positions. 10% Female employees shared these results with CEO Mark Parker in an effort not only to improve the situation for women at Nike, but also to improve Nike. Their efforts provide yet another example of how employees are organizing and wielding power and influence to change leadership, culture, and practices at their employers. 10 HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The allegations and evidence are wide-ranging, but many attribute misconduct not only to the perpetrators, but also to their superiors who have tolerated or looked the other way. For instance, numerous implicated executives are linked to former company president Trevor Edwards. His charismatic personality and stellar performance had taken him to the heights of the organization, and many believed he was next in line for the CEO Job. But many senior leaders who ascended the ranks were largely male and considered a part of an elite group-F.O.T. or Friends of Trevor:"11 Although Nike claims the behaviors were the actions of an insulated few, and has since fired at least 11 executives as a result, the lact remains that many individuals in power destroyed relationships and undermined the careers of others. Complicit were HR policies, practice. and people who falled to sufficiently act on and provide consequences for inappropriate behavior. These detrimental actions eroded performance, trust, and a sense of justice, along with class action lawsult, in which more than 500 employ. ees will seek compensation from Nike for sexual harassment, pay discrimination, and unfair promotion practices, 112 REACTIONS CEO Parker and the remaining senior leadership team have responded in several ways. Parker directly and publicly acknowledged the problems and apologized to employees in a town hail meeting. establshed a complaint hotline, set up unconscious bias training. required specific training for managers, appointed Nike's first chief diversity and inctusion officer. revamped its pay structure and provided raises for approximately 7500 employees, or 10x of its global workforce. Nike also has adopted a gender-blind resume review process, and is tying bonuses more prominently to overall company performance. ti? Part of Parker's apology inciuded, "lapologize to the people on her team who were excluded, and I apologize if some of those same people feit they had no one to tum to... I want everyone at Nike to kmow their voices do matter and your bravery is making us better:"1/ But even after all of the company's corrective actions, Parker and others feel the work is for from finished. Assume you are CEO Parker and you want to: (1) make amends with the important stakeholders involved, and (2) put Nike on a positive track for the future. Drawing on what you leamed in this chapter what eise would you do? APPLY THE 3-STEP PROBLEMSOLVING APPROACH TO OB Use the Organizing Framework in Figure 12.9 and the 3-Step Problem-Solving Approach to help identify inputs, processes, and outcomes relative to this case. STEP 1: Define the problem. A. Look first at the Outcomes box of the Organizing Framework to help identify the important problem(s) in this case. Remember a problem is a gap between a desired and current state. State your problem as a gap and be sure to consider problems at all three levels. If more than one desired outcome is not being accomplished. decide which one is most important and focus on it for steps 2 and 3. B. Cases have key players, and problems are gen. erally viewed from a particular player's perspective. You need to determine from whose perspective-employee, manager, team, or the organization-you're defining the problem. In this case you're asked to assume the role of CEO Mark Parker. C. Use details in the case to determine the key problem. Don't assume, infer, or create problems not included in the case. D. To refine your choice, ask yourself, why is this a problem? Explaining why helps refine and focus your thinking. Focus on topics in the current chapter, because we generally select cases illustrating concepts in the current chapter. STEP 2: Identify causes. Using material from this chapter and summarized in the Organizing Framework, identify the causes of the problem you identified in Step 1. Remember, causes tend to appear in elther the inputs or Processes boxes. A. Start by looking at the Organizing Framework (Figure 12.9) and decide which person factors, if any, are most likely causes of the defined problem. For each cause, explain why this is a cause of the problem. Asking why multiple times is more likely to lead you to root causes of the problem. For example, do executive characteristics help explain the problem you defined in Step 1? B. Follow the same process for the situation factors. For each isk yourself, why is this a ccuse? By asking why multiple times you are likely to arrive at a more complete and accurate list of causes. Again, look to the Organizing Framework for this chapter for guidance. Did particular policies or practices play a role? C. Now consider the Processes box in the Organiz. ing Framework. Are any processes at the ind Vidual, group/team, or organizational level potential causes of your defined problem? For any process you consider, ask yourself, why is this a couse? Again, do this for several iterations to arrive at the root causes. D. To check the accuracy or appropriateness of the causes, be sure to map them onto the defined problem and confirm the link or cause and effect connection. STEP 3: Recommend solutions. Make your recommendations for solving the problem. Consider whether you want to resolve it, solve it, or dissolve it (see Section 1.5). Which recommendation is desirable and feasible? A. Given the causes you identifled in Step 2, what are your best recommendations? Use material in the current chapter that best suits the cause, Consider the OB in Action and Applying OB boxes, because these contain insights into what others have done. B. Be sure to consider the Organizing Frameworkboth person and situation factors-as well as processes at different levels. C. Create an action plan for implementing your recommendations, and be sure your recommen. dations map onto the causes and resolve the