CASE STUDY
Culture and Diversity Concerns at a Party Game Company
Diversity Issues at a Self-Described “Un-PC” Company
To
complete your assignment, read the case study on the Brief section and provide
your responses in the Discussion section.
Brief:
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 company’s
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 Can’t Believe
You’d 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 company’s 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
bachelor’s 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.
Discussion:
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? (Required 2 pages, Bullet point on
Issues)