According to cox 1994 and thomas 1991, workforce diversification is not only the right thing to do, but it will ultimately enhance the economic performance and global competitiveness of the organization. Next, selected examples of organizations that have experienced specific positive bottom line results from. Primarily, this paper aims to make the concept of diversity management wellknown and useful in the managerial practices. Thomas 1991 goes on to say, mentors must fully appreciate all the.
It is no doubt that diversity management is increasingly becoming a standard of human resources management in contemporary time. Pdf the evolution of diversity management in the usa. I return in the conclusion to the implications of the approaches presented for managing diversity in civil service. Cultural diversity and management the cultural impact on management is reflected by basic values, attitudes, beliefs and. Workplace diversity, hrd, multicultural education abstract. For 28 years, thomas was a leading speaker and author on diversity in the workplace. Benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools 3 where every member must listen and have the chance to speak, are good ways to create dialogues.
However, many organizations have been disappointed with the results they have. Cox and blake 1991 view diversity as a business imperative and highlight that firms should understand how they value diversity to establish a competitive edge. Bettinger penn state university harrisburg keywords. Looking at how leaders, managers and nonmanagerial employees view diversity, it. It includes positive and negative influences of diversity management and the theoretical. Diversity and multiculturalism encyclopedia of life support. To address a critical need of workforce diversity in the hospitality industry, this study. His new diversity paradigm embraces and enhances all areas of business, especially those that are dauntingly complex. Thomas 1995 defines diversity as any mixture of components char acterized by. Roosevelt thomas demonstrates how diversity is far more than a human resources or affirmative action issue.
Talented women and blacks joined the company only to plateau or resign. Successful management of diversity in the workplace. Social contexts, managerial motives and theoretical approaches article pdf available march 2010 with 3,110 reads how we measure reads. Thomas 1995 defines diversity as any mixture of components char. But, increased cultural differences within a workforce also bring potential costs in higher turnover.
Debates and future trajectories theories on diversity and diversity management within the field of organisation studies started to develop in the 80s, mainly under the influence of managerial reports pointing towards the increasing diversity of the future workforce. It starts with the introduction and in that part global workforce diversity management is broadly defined. For example, ibms chairman and ceo sam palmisano pointed to the link between diversity management and the core business at ibm. Cultural layers an individuals cultural experience is a dynamic process. It is a framework that articulates linkages between broader social contexts and managerial responses, initiatives and. Afterwards the meaning of diversity management is changed. Managing diversity is a process by which the organization, not the employees, makes the effort to embrace differences, however, there are no standardized strategies for managing cultural diversity. In a report by deloitte, it is argued that diversity and inclusion lead to improved business. Aluko, olabisi onabanjo university, nigeria abstract. This diversity brings substantial potential benefits such as better decision making, greater creativity and innovation, and more successful marketing to different types of customers. Currently, an increasing number of organizations are attempting to enhance inclusiveness of under represented individuals through proactive efforts to manage their diversity.
Cultural layers an individuals cultural experience is a dynamic process influenced by diverse factors, which vary in nature and shift according to. Much can be derived concerning our understanding of diversity management from the r. Cultural diversity, diversity management, globalization, multicultural organization, organizational. Faculty of health sciences, durban university of technology kev words abstract. Gilbert et al, 1999 define diversity management as a managerial principle used to make hr decisions and implement practices that create greater inclusion of all individuals into formal programs and informal social networks. Referring to thomas and eli 1996, 85, paradigm shift enhances work by rethinking. They cannot be named, but without their input this book would not exist. Di versity can refer to lifestyle tenure, position in the organization, age, sexual preference, functional spe cialty orgeographic location.
Definitions of workforce diversity, diversity and diversity management. Introduction to diversity and diversity management duration. Thomas expands the concept of diversity to include differences and similarities in ideas, as well as functions and people. Thomas temple university diverse explanatory conflict models and intervention strategies reflect key perceptualattributional choices. Stephen butler, cochair of the businesshigher education forum, believes diversity is an invaluable competitive asset robinson 2002. It affects the productivity and efficiency of the workforce in general.
The management of diversity has important ethical, legal, and economic ramifications for the organization. Diversity and multiculturalism encyclopedia of life. Jots v27n1 some essentials of diversity in the workplace. Diversity management is much more than just a multicultural issue. Hays thomas and bendick 12 define it as the mixture of attributes within a workforce that in significant ways. Professor in sociology southern connecticut state university new haven, ct originally written in 1997. Make your goal be not simply a diverse workforce, but equal opportunity for. The law dictated affirmative action and morality required it, so the company did its best to hire minorities and women. Managing cultural diversity integration values and. Managing diversity is a key component of effective people management in the workplace black enterprise 2001. Affirmative action programs focus on minorities and women, and seem to offer little for white males.
Cox and blake 1991 view diversity as a business imperative and highlight that firms should understand how they value diversity to establish a competitive edge over their competitors, an ap. One of the main aspects investigated is the concepts relevance for practice and the previous dissemination of diversity management in germanbased companies. Understanding and managing diversity the personnel challenge for leaders contract number grant number program element number authors phelps, michael e. Organizations are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality. Some may argue that managing diversity is a luxury for the civil service leaders of a few. Managing cultural diversity integration values and management. It is the human ditter ences that play an important role in the culture and operation oforganizations brazzel, 1991. A great deal of research has focused on work group diversity, but management scholars have only recently focused on inclusion.
The balanced scorecard, diversity training and mentoring are discussed as a building block. Leadershipcompetencies formanaging diversity jan visagie hermanlinde werner havenga the new understanding of diversity involves more than increasing the number of di. Some essentials of diversity in the workplace robin williams this article presents selected concepts in support of diversity in the workplace and the elements of the processes that lead to success in implementing diversity training programs within a multiculturally diverse workplace. Core dimensions of diversity include age, ethnicity and culture, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and. Ultimately, the key to create, develop, and retain diverse workforce is to find a way to make workforce to feel connected to their company farren and nelson, 1999. As thomas1991points out, diversity management means that managers are having to make longterm commitments to change and shifts in mindsets.
He uses a diversity paradigm to assess organizational readiness to manage diversity, detailing eight options for action and their risks. An emphirical study on relationship between diversity management practices, obstacles. An attributional framework for organizing descriptive and normative theory ralph h. In order to effectively support diversity initiatives in our institutions or to develop workplace diversity programs, we need to first define and deconstruct the issues. Roosevelt thomas fable about the giraffe and the elephant concerning diversity and diversity management. Moriom ferdousi abstract diversity and diversity management in multicultural workforce is increasingly becoming an important issue for the business in the era of globalization. Management being a social discipline deals with the behavior of people and human insight. The answers to these questions became the basis for ibms diversity strategy. In this article, we define diversity management against the backdrop of its predecessor, affirmative action. Thank you all for not only your time, but also for your courage to share, at times very painful, experiences, with me. A diversity perspective on the language challenge thomas. Workforce diversity management in general term has, become a crucial part of organizational competitiveness and effectiveness not just in nigeria public service but in other large corporations globally. In this paper, i build a framework from literature to trace the development of the concept of diversity management in the usa. Cox and blake 1991 view diversity as a business imperative.
Hence, workforce diversity is the biggest challenge and at the same times the biggest opportunity for the 21st century managers. Maznevski 1 994 suggested that racial diversity, as a source of inherent and immutable differences would provide groups with different. I feel very honoured that you showed me such confidence. According to catalysts 2002 women of color in corporate management report. As a result, the inclusion literature is still under develop. Gilbert et al, 1999 define diversity management as a managerial principle used to. Dean karen holcombe ehrhart gangaram singh san diego state university a great deal of research has focused on work group diversity, but management scholars have only recently focused on inclusion. An individual can appreciate differences, be free of bias, and still not know how to manage a diverse work team. Organizational barriers to diversity in the workplace. By focusing on managing diversity and its inclusion of all individuals, the tensions created by affirmative action debates can be ignored 1995. In a globalizing economy companies recognized potential benefits of a multicultural workforce and tried to create more inclusive work environments. Survey results that organisations are slowly awakening to the positive benefits available through a diverse workforce. Professor in sociology southern connecticut state university new haven, ct.
In management theory and business practice, the dealing with diversity, especially a diverse workforce, has played a prominent role in recent years. He defines diversity management as the organisational commitment to recruit, retain, reward and promote a heterogeneous mix of employees, as afroamerican, women, and disabled people 1990. Thomas stresses that four factors are key to implementing any major change initiative. When most of us think of lou gerstner and the turnaround of ibm, we see a great business story. Hays thomas s managing workplace diversity and inclusion is a comprehensive and essential resource for researchers and practitioners alike. Pdf diversity management has recently attracted a lot of attention in both academia and practice.
The multicultural organization academy of management. Diversity management in germanbased business organisations. This illustration is complemented by case studies that provide insights into actual german diversity management practice. Training of diversity alone is not sufficient for the organizations diversity management plan. The importance of diversity in the workplace there are clear signs in the latest leadership, employment and direction l. Project number task number work unit number performing organization names and addresses air command and staff college maxwell afb, al 36112 performing organization report number. Building upon the bold ideas presented in his seminal bestseller beyond race and gender, dr. For the past forty years or so, the united states has struggled with the concept of affirmative action. Looking at how leaders, managers and nonmanagerial employees view diversity. To have relevant professional and legal concepts packaged with socialorganizational psychology research on diversity, inclusion, and their promotion in organizations is a true treasure. Human resource management lecture part 11 change management 1 of 2. An important proposal is that the experience of diversity in an organisation results from pervasive styles of management. Benefits, challenges, and the required managerial tools 2 advantages.
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