The cultural diversity phenomenon in organisations and different approaches for effective cultural diversity management: a literary review

Abstract

PurposeTo make a literary review related to effective management of cultural diversity in organisations and to systematically bring up different views put forward regarding this issue.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the literature which covers the “diversity management” and “cultural diversity management” is reviewed in detail and then tried to explore the contributors’ different views about the effective cultural diversity management approach. In the paper these different perspectives about this matter are classified.FindingsThe answer to the question of how cultural diversity should be managed effectively cannot be given easily. There are various typologies about the organisational and managerial literature. In order to be able to effectively manage cultural diversity in organisations, it is beneficial to develop a “cultural diversity management model” peculiar to the organisation by considering the positive and negative sides of different perspectives located in this study.Research limitations/implicationsBecause the main aim is to make only a detailed literary review and bring up different views through a classification, there are no theoretical interpretations nor personal critiques about the writers’ different perspectives in the paper.Practical implicationsThe researchers of this topic would be able to make empiric and theoretical evaluations in the frame of perspectives explored in the paper.Originality/valueThis paper will provide a contribution to cultural diversity in organisations related to its management as an anthology and will be a systematic knowledge base for researchers.