Managing Cultural Diversity as a Societal Approach to Sustainable Human Resource Management

Abstract

The article focuses on Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM), especially on its societal aspects in organizations. It is proposed that the potentially constructive or destructive impact of cultural diversity is a function of the management of that diversity, which is ultimately a reflection of organizational culture. It is argued that the benefits of cultural diversity (e.g., creativity or constructive conflict) will be realized when organizational culture of diversity underlies the management of that diversity. Implications for developing an organizational culture which values diversity is discussed. The paper contributes to the literature linking sustainability to the issues researched in HRM literature. It discusses how the notion of sustainability has emerged and developed. Then some politics in the frame of societal approach to Sustainable HRM are briefly depicted. Afterwards, Diversity Management policy is discussed in more detail. Diversity Management is presented as the crucial manifestation of the societal approach to Sustainable HRM. Finally, some concluding remarks about the role of diversity management in SHRM are delivered. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ss.89.3.13669