Category: Management

Diversity in the Workplace
This case describes Hewlett Packard Enteprise’s “Dandelion Program,” which has developed a new service offering for the company’s clients by drawing on the special talents of people with autism. The company has deployed “pods” organized around 8 or 9 employees with autism, to function as high performance mini-ecosystems, which have turned out to be 30% more effective than average service teams (in some areas).

In this assignment, you are asked to analyze Hewlett Packard Enterprise – The Dandelion Program. The case centers around questions of how to adapt this successful model to new demands in a different service domain, specifically, cybersecurity and defense related areas. The case also explores how the company is innovating and refining its assessment and training processes in support of the program.

A case study is a description of a real-life business situation that allows you to apply management concepts already learned while examining theoretical concepts. Think of a written case analysis as a report being handed in to a manager for their study and subsequent action.

To effectively analyze a case study, you should read the entire case attempting to avoid any conclusions about the case the first time you read it. This will allow you to gather the relevant data about the situation before you propose any solutions or make any judgements. It is helpful to re-read the case several times to ensure that you haven’t missed a key detail.

Use the course materials to help analyze the case. Consider any discussions in the text or articles and, if necessary, map out organizational structures, list key components, and write down questions that come to mind. Consider that cases such as this one, like real life, may include details and issues that aren’t relevant to the diversity issues. Organizational life is messy and complex and, often, it is critical that a diversity expert or human resource staff person be able to sort out the information that is relevant to the diversity issue.

Resist the temptation to report on every detail. In a diversity initiative, an organization may not be able to address every detail and must focus on the central issues in the situation. As you write your analysis, ask yourself how you know any particular fact or interpretation to be true and whether you have sufficiently justified your interpretation with actual data.

You may find these directions helpful in structuring your case analysis paper:

Write a summary of the case. Be succinct and generally keep the length to one paragraph.
Identify the key people if applicable. What are their names, titles, importance to the case and problem?
Identify the key issues or problems and then focus on what you think is the most important. Begin integrating your learning. Refer to your textbook chapters, additional reading, references you found that relate to this diversity issue or offer insights or suggestion for the problem identified, and the case itself that relate to this case and the problem you identified.
Propose a solution or multiple solutions. Support your proposed solutions with material from the readings. This is critical for you to present because solutions will demonstrate your new learning.
Make a recommendation. Provide a solid support full of detail from your readings. Please do not expect the instructor to “read your mind.”
The paper should be 4-6 pages, double-spaced, with 12-size fonts. Please submit the assignment only as a Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) attachment. Please include your name and title of this assignment. Title the file with your name as follows: First and last name, M5CSA.