mgmt discussion

Step 1: Engage With This Week's Resources

Before writing your post, please complete the following — this is a resource-rich week, so plan your time carefully:

• ???? Read Chapter 7 with your PowerPoint slidesDownload PowerPoint slidesopen for note-taking — pay close attention to the historical and structural dimensions of White identity in the U.S. and the concept of the "Myth of Meritocracy"
• ???? Read the complete text of "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy McIntosh — the chapter includes an excerpt, but the full article is linked in the Chapter 7 Overview and is essential reading for this discussion
• ???? Watch: "Race: The Power of an Illusion — Part III" (60 minutes)

This is the final installment of the documentary series you began in Week 4. Part III examines how U.S. policies and institutions — from the GI Bill to redlining to immigration law — have shaped racial inequality across generations. As you watch, think about how it connects to everything you've read and screened across Units 1 and 2. Take notes on specific examples and arguments you want to bring into your post.

Step 2: Write Your Initial Post

Your initial post has three required parts. Please make sure all three are present before submitting.

Part 1 – Discussion Prompt Response (250–350 words)

One of the most common arguments against affirmative action and diversity programs goes something like this: "My family never owned slaves. I've never personally discriminated against anyone. Why should I be held responsible for something I didn't do?"

It's an understandable sentiment — and it's also the starting point for one of the most important analytical questions in this course.

Using Chapter 7, the complete McIntosh article, the "Myth of Meritocracy," and the full three-part "Race: The Power of an Illusion" series, respond to the following:

Are there ways in which White Americans who have not personally owned slaves or practiced discrimination have nonetheless benefited from — or been advantaged by — the history of slavery and systemic discrimination in the United States?

This is not a question about guilt or blame. It is a question about systems, structures, and history — and how the advantages and disadvantages built into those systems have compounded over time, often invisibly.

As you build your argument, consider:

• What specific policies, programs, or institutional practices does the film series document as having created or reinforced racial advantage — and for whom?
• How does McIntosh's concept of the "invisible knapsack" help explain advantages that feel invisible to those who hold them?
• What does the "Myth of Meritocracy" suggest about the assumption that success is purely the result of individual effort and talent?
• How does your analysis change — or deepen — when you consider the cumulative and intergenerational nature of these advantages?

Take a clear position and support it with specific evidence from the chapter, the McIntosh article, and the film series. Use APA format for all embedded citations.

A note on tone: This is one of the most personally charged topics in the course, and that's by design. The strongest posts will engage with the evidence honestly and analytically — neither dismissing the question nor treating it as settled. Approach it with the same rigor and openness you've brought to every other week.

Part 2 – Your Own Quote (quote + APA citation)

Find a quote from the Chapter 7 reading that resonates with you — something unrelated to the discussion prompt above. Include:

1. The quote — copied accurately, in quotation marks
2. APA citation — author, year, and page number

Part 3 – Your Response to the Quote (100–150 words)

Why did this quote stand out to you? What does it make you think about? What question does it raise for you or for the class?

Choose a quote that will open up a new thread of conversation — something that invites your classmates to think, respond, and engage rather than simply agree.

End your post with a complete APA References section for all sources cited, including the textbook, the McIntosh article, and the film series.

Not sure how to cite the McIntosh article in APA? Here's a quick guide:
McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom Magazine, 10–12.

Step 3: Return and Respond to Your Peers Due: Sunday at midnight

After the Thursday posting deadline, return to the discussion board and respond to at least two classmates. This week's question is one where the range of perspectives in our class is itself part of the learning — seek out a post that approaches the question from a different angle than you did, or that draws on different evidence from the film series.

Strong peer responses this week might:

• Identify a specific piece of evidence from the film or McIntosh article your classmate didn't mention — and explain what it adds to their argument
• Respectfully challenge an assumption embedded in your classmate's reasoning — and explain why
• Connect your classmate's argument to a current workplace or policy example that extends the discussion forward
• Ask a follow-up question that moves from historical analysis to managerial application — what does this mean for how we lead organizations today?

Plan to visit the discussion board on three separate days:

• Thursday — post your initial response
• Friday or Saturday — find a classmate whose argument challenges or extends your own and respond thoughtfully
• Sunday — follow up on any questions directed to you and continue the dialogue

Questions? Reach out by email or stop by my virtual office hours. This is the final discussion of Unit 2, and it brings together nearly everything we've explored over the past several weeks. I'm looking forward to reading your thinking.

~ Dr. Sheryl Rix