Q. 1.

As you read James Damore’s memo, which parts of it cross into unacceptable speech and which
parts do not? Could he have wri en it in a way so as to not have been fired by Google?
Following are acceptable and unacceptable parts of Damore’s memo:

Not Unacceptable Unacceptable

Acknowledging that women tend to be more open Claiming that women have more "neuro cism"
to human feelings and aesthe cs, a trait o en and lower "stress tolerance" than men, and that
referred to as empathizing. this affects their performance at work.
Implying that women are less interested in or
Recognizing that women generally tend to be
suited for leadership roles, high-stress jobs, or
more coopera ve.
compe ve environments than men.
Women are o en more interested in achieving
Sugges ng that women are less capable of
work-life balance, acknowledging their inherent
handling complex problems, systemizing, or
capability to handle dual responsibili es
coding than men.
simultaneously.
Proposing that Google should lower its standards
for diversity candidates or stop providing
programs for underrepresented groups.

It is difficult to determine whether Damore could have wri en his memo in a manner that would not have
led to his termina on. As an employer, Google has the privilege to dismiss employees who violate its
policies or values, which is typically outlined in the employment contract offered to new hires. However,
if Damore had presented his sugges ons as construc ve feedback or inquiries, rather than as defini ve
prescrip ons or demands, and fostered an atmosphere of open dialogue and discussion with individuals
holding diverse perspec ves or experiences, the outcome might have been different.
All of his claims were based on his personal feelings and biases. If he had provided evidence and sources
to support his claims, par cularly those concerning biological or psychological differences between men
and women, the responsibility would not have rested solely on his shoulders. By aligning his claims with
exis ng proven research or studies, he could have strengthened his argument and made it more credible.

Q. 2. How would you evaluate Google’s response to Damore’s memo? Did Google make a mistake in
firing Damore? Why or why not?
As stated above, the views presented by Damore contained both acceptable and unacceptable elements.
However, Google's decision to terminate Damore was influenced by factors that cannot be disregarded in
today's interconnected digital world, where the global community func ons as a unified en ty. Any form
of mistreatment or devia on from societal standards can have consequences for businesses, even for
prominent corpora ons like Google. Therefore, it is understandable that Google assessed the poten al
impact of Damore's memo on its employees, company culture, and reputa on, considering its code of
conduct. In this regard, Google had a legi mate right in protec ng its employees from harassment,
discrimina on, and hos lity, and in promo ng a diverse and inclusive workplace. Damore’s memo violated
Google’s code of conduct and created a nega ve and divisive environment for many of its workers,
especially women and minori es. Google also had to consider the legal and public rela ons implica ons
of allowing Damore to con nue working there, as his memo could expose the company to lawsuits or
damage its image.
On the other hand, while there are certain limits to free speech and not everything can be said under the
guise of free speech, Google should have allowed and provided room for Damore's right to free speech
and expression within established guidelines. Personally, I believe that Damore's memo was not intended
to be offensive or harmful, but rather aimed to raise valid concerns and offer sugges ons regarding
Google's diversity policies and prac ces. Google's response appeared to be an overreac on to the
backlash and pressure from the media and ac vists, failing to address the underlying issues or engage in
a meaningful dialogue with Damore's arguments.

Q. 3. How would you evaluate Google’s efforts to increase the number of women employees,
par cularly in tech jobs? Which features are fair? Which ones are unfair?
Google has been making con nuous efforts to enhance the representa on of women employees,
especially in technical roles, over the past few years.
To gain an understanding of the level of women's par cipa on in the Google Tech workforce, the following
graphs illustrate the upward trend in the number of women working in Google Tech. (Google Diversity
Annual Report 2023, n.d.).

Women in Google Tech

30.0%

25.0%
% age of Women

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Year

According to the case study, Google's efforts to increase the number of women employees can be
categorized into four categories. In the Communi es and Educa on categories, Google has funded
research aimed at understanding the factors that drive female and minority enrollment in computer
science programs. Addi onally, Google has ini ated programs such as "Made with Code" and "Black Girls
Code," which specifically target African-American girls with coding abili es and support STEM educa on.
In the Hiring category, Google has collaborated with historically black university Howard University to
recruit their students. They have also introduced the "BOLD" program, which aims to recruit competent
interns of color. Lastly, in the Inclusion category, Google has provided a pla orm for young female
entrepreneurs to connect with resources, guidance, and necessary informa on.
In addi on, Google has also introduced a hybrid work culture, which can be par cularly beneficial for
women in achieving a be er work-life balance. (A Hybrid Approach to Work, n.d.)
The table below indicates which features are considered fair and which ones are considered unfair.
 Fair Unfair
Providing mentorship, sponsorship, and
leadership development programs for women
and underrepresented groups, as these can
help them overcome the challenges and gaps,
they face in advancing their careers at Google.
Google is lowering its standards or favoring
Increasing its spending with women-owned
certain candidates based on their gender,
businesses globally, as this can support the
race, loca on or background, rather than their
economic empowerment and growth of
skills or qualifica ons.
women entrepreneurs.
Offering more flexible work op ons and well-
being resources, as these can help employees
balance their personal and professional lives,
especially during the pandemic.

Q. 4. Imagine you are in Danielle Brown’s posi on. How difficult is the situa on facing you? What
would you advise Pichai and Google’s senior leadership team to do going forward?
Brown faced an incredibly challenging situa on at Google. Upon her arrival, the company was already
embroiled in a case with the US Department of Labor concerning gender pay discrimina on. Addi onally,
Google was struggling to make progress in hiring individuals from non-Asian racial backgrounds, leading
to further scru ny and cri cism of the company's diversity efforts and culture. Moreover, Brown had to
navigate the fallout from the controversial firing of Damore, which generated significant backlash.
If I were in Brown's posi on, I would advise Pichai and Google's senior leadership team to do the following
going forward:
1. Release a public statement that references the clauses in Google's code of conduct and work ethics
that promote a diverse working culture. Emphasize the importance of free speech while also
outlining the boundaries regarding expressing opinions for employees. U lize established
company records and documents to provide clarity on Google's stance regarding Damore's
termina on. Listen to and learn from the voices and experiences of employees from different
backgrounds, perspec ves, and iden es, especially those who are underrepresented or
marginalized at Google.
2. Publish an annual diversity report publicly, presen ng comprehensive data and sta s cs regarding
gender, race, ethnicity, and representa on in leadership posi ons. This transparent prac ce
demonstrates Google's commitment as a company to foster inclusivity and diversity.
3. Have the CEO of the company send an email to all Google employees, clearly expressing the
company's posi on and stance on the ma er. Provide a thorough explana on of the policies in
place to prevent similar incidents that may lead to public and media a en on. In essence,
communicate the perspec ve to employees officially, using clear and straigh orward language,
regarding the Damore incident.
4. Organize regular monthly town hall mee ngs with employees to ac vely listen to their
perspec ves and viewpoints on important ma ers. By engaging in these discussions, the company
can gain a deeper understanding of employees' thoughts and ideas, allowing for a collabora ve
approach in shaping the future of the organiza on.
5. Evaluate and measure the impact and outcomes of Google's diversity efforts, using data and
feedback to iden fy gaps and opportuni es for improvement.
Bibliography
A hybrid approach to work. (n.d.). Retrieved July 16, 2023, from h ps://blog.google/inside-google/life-
at-google/hybrid-approach-work/

Google Diversity Annual Report 2023. (n.d.).