Theorizing Status Distance: Rethinking the Micro Theories of Representation and Diversity in Public Organizations

Sandra Groeneveld,Kenneth J Meier

doi:10.1177/00953997211028825

Sandra Groeneveld, Kenneth J Meier

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997211028825

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Journal: Administration & society	Publication Date: Jun 30, 2021
Citations: 9	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Leiden University, Cardiff University

Abstract

Through bringing the concept of status distance to representative bureaucracy and diversity management literature, this article develops new hypotheses that can guide future studies on representation and diversity in public organizations. First, including status distance brings consideration of the tensions that minority representation creates between integration within the workforce and the pressures on minority bureaucrats to actively represent clientele. Second, the way status distance plays out in the interaction of bureaucrats with co-workers and citizen-clients depends on characteristics of the national and organizational environment and type of service.

Highlights

Both in the empirical literature and in practice, representative bureaucracy (RB) and diversity management (DM) overlap in their advocacy for more diversity in organizations but are distinct in their objectives
This article outlined an argument that the literature on RB and DM can be combined for the mutual benefit of the research agendas in both fields
The DM literature in contrast is concerned with diversity per se, not the representation of specific groups and has overall organizational performance as its dependent variable rather than benefits targeted to disadvantaged groups

Summary

Introduction

Both in the empirical literature and in practice, representative bureaucracy (RB) and diversity management (DM) overlap in their advocacy for more diversity in organizations but are distinct in their objectives. We argue that bringing the concept of status distance to both literatures may serve as a way to integrate the literatures and bring new research ideas to the research agenda of scholars studying representation and diversity in public organizations. To this purpose, we use the concept of status distance to connect the theoretical arguments in both literatures about how and why sociodemographic characteristics of bureaucrats matter in their interaction with co-workers and citizen-clients. The argument and its potential contribution to the literature are briefly discussed

A Brief Intellectual History of RB

A Brief Intellectual History of DM

Conclusion and Future Research