Google's Diversity Debate (A)

How should Google move forward with its diversity program in the wake of a highly publicized internal debate on the issue?
Todd Jick  | Fall 2018
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Google, like many tech companies, trailed behind in the gender and racial diversity of its employees and top management. Google set out an extensive change plan to improve its diversity profile starting, and publicized its plans on the corporate website. James Damore, a Google engineer, posted his own arguments against gender diversity on an internal company website, prompting a firestorm reaction—and ultimately leading to his firing. In the aftermath, Google was challenged for both doing too much on “diversity” and too little. This case asks students to consider what approaches Google should take to move the company forward toward its diversity goals.

Case ID: 190409A

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