,Essentials of Organizational Behaviour, Cdn. Ed. (Robbins)
Chapter 2 Diversity in Organizations
1) The two major forms of workforce diversity are and .
A) surface-level diversity; deep-level diversity
B) surface-level diversity; lateral-level diversity
C) organizational-level diversity; individual-level diversity
D) lateral-level diversity; deep-level diversity
E) physical-level diversity; intellectual-level diversity
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Demographics mostly reflect surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings,
and can lead employees to perceive one another through stereotypes and assumptions. However,
evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less concerned about
demographic differences if they see themselves as sharing more important characteristics, such
as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity.
Diff: 2 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
2) Differences in characteristics like education, ethnicity, regional background, and gender form
part of .
A) individual-level diversity
B) organizational-level diversity
C) lateral-level diversity
D) surface-level diversity
E) deep-level diversity
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Surface-level diversity refers to the differences in characteristics like education,
upbringing, work-status, regional background, and gender. Deep-level diversity, on the other
hand, refers to differences in individual characteristics like personality and values.
Diff: 1 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
,3) Differences in characteristics such as personality and values form part of .
A) surface-level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) lateral-level diversity
D) organizational-level diversity
E) individual-level diversity
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Surface-level diversity refers to the differences in characteristics like education,
upbringing, work-status, regional background, and gender. Deep-level diversity, on the other
hand, refers to differences in individual characteristics like personality and values.
Diff: 1 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
4) While initial meetings may depend on surface-level diversity in making attempts to
understand other individuals, studies show that after time and become more
important to understanding the other individual.
A) stereotypes; assumptions
B) assumptions; judgments
C) values; personality
D) age; wisdom
E) gender; age
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less
concerned about demographic differences if they see themselves in terms of more important
characteristics, such as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity. This type of
diversity is much more subtle, and can be difficult to recognize at first because it relates to
invisible patterns of thought and unstated (often non-conscious) cultural assumptions.
Diff: 3 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
, 5) Which of the following statements is true regarding surface-level diversity?
A) Surface-level diversity will overcome fundamental differences and promote harmony.
B) Surface-level diversity can co-exist with deep-level diversity within an organization.
C) Surface-level diversity does not affect employees' perceptions.
D) Surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings, is mostly reflected in demographics.
E) Surface-level diversity in the workforce can be eliminated by effective diversity management.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Demographics mostly reflect surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings,
and can lead employees to perceive one another through stereotypes and assumptions. However,
evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less concerned about
demographic differences if they see themselves as sharing more important characteristics, such
as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity.
Diff: 2 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
6) Diane and Clarke are two employees in an organization who recently started working
together. Diane is an older, long-tenured woman raised in rural Kansas, who achieved her current
level in the organization by starting as a high school graduate and working her way up the
hierarchy. Clarke is a young, recently hired male college graduate with a business degree, raised
in a Spanish-speaking neighbourhood in Miami. However, both are deeply committed to their
families, share a common way of thinking about important work problems, like to work
collaboratively, and are interested in international assignments in the future. Which of the
following describes the diversity between these two?
A) lateral-level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) surface-level diversity
D) individual-level diversity
E) hierarchical-level diversity
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Although these two employees seem very different from one another, these are
surface-level differences. If they are able to get past these differences and get to know one
another on a deeper level, they will likely find that their deep-level similarities are more
important than their surface-level differences and work very well together.
Diff: 3 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Application
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
Chapter 2 Diversity in Organizations
1) The two major forms of workforce diversity are and .
A) surface-level diversity; deep-level diversity
B) surface-level diversity; lateral-level diversity
C) organizational-level diversity; individual-level diversity
D) lateral-level diversity; deep-level diversity
E) physical-level diversity; intellectual-level diversity
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Demographics mostly reflect surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings,
and can lead employees to perceive one another through stereotypes and assumptions. However,
evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less concerned about
demographic differences if they see themselves as sharing more important characteristics, such
as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity.
Diff: 2 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
2) Differences in characteristics like education, ethnicity, regional background, and gender form
part of .
A) individual-level diversity
B) organizational-level diversity
C) lateral-level diversity
D) surface-level diversity
E) deep-level diversity
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Surface-level diversity refers to the differences in characteristics like education,
upbringing, work-status, regional background, and gender. Deep-level diversity, on the other
hand, refers to differences in individual characteristics like personality and values.
Diff: 1 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
,3) Differences in characteristics such as personality and values form part of .
A) surface-level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) lateral-level diversity
D) organizational-level diversity
E) individual-level diversity
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Surface-level diversity refers to the differences in characteristics like education,
upbringing, work-status, regional background, and gender. Deep-level diversity, on the other
hand, refers to differences in individual characteristics like personality and values.
Diff: 1 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
4) While initial meetings may depend on surface-level diversity in making attempts to
understand other individuals, studies show that after time and become more
important to understanding the other individual.
A) stereotypes; assumptions
B) assumptions; judgments
C) values; personality
D) age; wisdom
E) gender; age
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less
concerned about demographic differences if they see themselves in terms of more important
characteristics, such as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity. This type of
diversity is much more subtle, and can be difficult to recognize at first because it relates to
invisible patterns of thought and unstated (often non-conscious) cultural assumptions.
Diff: 3 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
, 5) Which of the following statements is true regarding surface-level diversity?
A) Surface-level diversity will overcome fundamental differences and promote harmony.
B) Surface-level diversity can co-exist with deep-level diversity within an organization.
C) Surface-level diversity does not affect employees' perceptions.
D) Surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings, is mostly reflected in demographics.
E) Surface-level diversity in the workforce can be eliminated by effective diversity management.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Demographics mostly reflect surface-level diversity, not thoughts and feelings,
and can lead employees to perceive one another through stereotypes and assumptions. However,
evidence has shown that as people get to know one another, they become less concerned about
demographic differences if they see themselves as sharing more important characteristics, such
as personality and values, that represent deep-level diversity.
Diff: 2 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Concept
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
6) Diane and Clarke are two employees in an organization who recently started working
together. Diane is an older, long-tenured woman raised in rural Kansas, who achieved her current
level in the organization by starting as a high school graduate and working her way up the
hierarchy. Clarke is a young, recently hired male college graduate with a business degree, raised
in a Spanish-speaking neighbourhood in Miami. However, both are deeply committed to their
families, share a common way of thinking about important work problems, like to work
collaboratively, and are interested in international assignments in the future. Which of the
following describes the diversity between these two?
A) lateral-level diversity
B) deep-level diversity
C) surface-level diversity
D) individual-level diversity
E) hierarchical-level diversity
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Although these two employees seem very different from one another, these are
surface-level differences. If they are able to get past these differences and get to know one
another on a deeper level, they will likely find that their deep-level similarities are more
important than their surface-level differences and work very well together.
Diff: 3 Type: MC Page Ref: 23
AACSB: Diverse and multicultural work environments
Quest. Category: Application
LO: 2.1 Describe the demographic characteristics of the Canadian labour force.
