Ops 301: Class 14 Diversity

This topic matters as it relates to what I'm studying in this module because when working in any industry it is beneficial to know about and understand how diversity affects different people.

What occurred during the same time as the beginning of the decline of women in computer science?

• The decline of women in computer science happened at the same time as personal computers became popular and were marketed mostly towards men and boys, creating a stereotype of computers as a "male" hobby.

Why does it matter that males had been playing on computers growing up?

Boys' familiarity with technology from growing up playing computer games and tinkering gave them an advantage in pursuing computer science careers, while girls with less computer exposure growing up were less likely to consider these fields.

When are diversity efforts most successful?

• The article states that integrating diversity efforts into a company's business strategy and having support from senior leadership makes them successful.

Why do diverse companies perform better?

• Companies with diverse workforces are better equipped to understand and serve diverse customer bases, resulting in better performance.

Give an example of how a diverse company can serve a diverse user base or vise-versa.

• Diverse companies are more innovative and creative, bringing new ideas and approaches. Airbnb is an example of a company that serves its diverse user base by implementing initiatives to address discrimination and bias on its platform, encouraging hosts to take an "anti-bias" pledge, and increasing diversity within its workforce.

Things I want to know more about are why this country is so sensitive.

References

Emerson, J. (2015, July 21). Why diversity matters to your tech company. USA Today. Company Diversity

Henn, S. (2014, October 21). When Women Stopped Coding. NPR. Women in Coding