I think the critique that Silicon Valley companies are deliberately, systematically discriminatory is incorrect.
— Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist, addresses the tech diversity question in an interview with New York Magazine. He cites two reasons for his view: Referring to the mixture of whites from the U.S. and from Europe, and Asians from different countries who work in tech, he says these companies are like the United Nations internationally. Second, he says tech companies are dying for talent… The motivation to go find talent wherever it is is unbelievably high.
Andressen also sees two issues with the meritocratic ideal of Silicon Valley in which he believes: [It] is compromised by two things right now: One is educational skills development, and the other is access. In other words, it s all about who entrepreneurs know. He says VCs are working on broadening out the network so that everybody who could contribute can get access to the network.
He also said his views apply not only to the ethnic-diversity issue but also to the gender-equality issue.
Speaking of meritocracy and gender, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expanded yet again on controversial comments he made two weeks ago that women shouldn t ask for raises — comments from which he quickly backed away. In an interview with CNBC, Nadella said finally … we all live in a meritocracy… but that there are real issues even in meritocracies and have to be talked about. They don t affect everybody the same way. If you re a minority, it affects you differently. He said his answer (to the question of how women should advocate for their careers) was insensitive, and that he just gave a very generic answer — based on, quite frankly, what I ve believed and how I ve practiced and lived my life — without thinking through, what if someone was faced with bias in their career? How would they feel by sort of getting advice that says, Be passive ?
Last week, Nadella announced that Microsoft employees will get additional diversity training and said the company will boost efforts to recruit more diverse talent to Microsoft at all levels of the company.
Photos of Marc Andreessen, left, and Satya Nadella, right, from Bay Area News Group archives
