Organizational Diversity Management Research Articles

Gender Diversity: An Opportunity for Socially Inclusive Human Resource Management Policies for Organizational Sustainability

The context in which work is distributed, organized, and performed has certainly changed in recent decades. In recent years, shock events such as COVID-19 have contributed to the revision of human resource management (HRM) dynamics, which was previously for “standard work”. Overall, hybrid work is not a novelty but has significantly expanded, particularly in the post-COVID-19 period, creating new opportunities in human resource management, especially for female employees, who often manifest the need to reconcile family and work. The new post-pandemic situation has paved the way for gender sustainability processes in organizations by pushing towards a more general organizational sustainability. In fact, in recent decades, sustainability in companies has ceased to be merely environmental and has expanded its boundaries to a “sustainable” business model, whereby human resource management must also meet organizational sustainability criteria. The literature shows that women add value to organizations. Therefore, companies that take on the implementation of management policies with the aim of gender inclusion are committed to social and organizational sustainability, which leads to strategic ideas of competitive advantages. Starting from these considerations, the main purpose of this paper is to compare several strands of research on organizational sustainability and diversity management using an integrative literature review method that offers the opportunity to discover areas where further research is needed. This allows fields of study to be mapped. This paper, derived from a review, provides insights for line managers and upper management regarding pursuing sustainability goals within organizations’ boundaries. Limitations and potential future research directions are also discussed, contributing to the ongoing development of research on these subjects.

Workforce Diversity in Organizations: A Systematic Review with an Emphasis on Iranian Organizations

Objective: Workforce diversity is an essential phenomenon in organizations. Statistics indicate a growing diversity among the workforce in Iran, particularly in terms of ethnic diversity. This study aims to examine work diversity through systematic review with an emphasis on Iranian Organizations. Methodology: This study employs the PRISMA method to review articles published on the management of diversity in organizations. Of the 140 identified Iranian and international articles, 59 relevant articles were selected. Most articles focus on gender diversity, and other causes of diversity, especially ethnic diversity, have received limited critical studies. Additionally, only a few articles address diversity management and its strategies in organizations, which represents a research gap. Findings: The research findings explored workforce diversity in four categories: the importance of diversity management; diversity management and communication; diversity management and organizational justice; diversity management and workforce productivity. Conclusion: The literature review demonstrated that workforce diversity is considered inevitable not only due to its positive organizational outcomes but also because of legal and ethical requirements in our contemporary world. Furthermore, it can be argued that the performance of diversity management at the organizational level has been overlooked. Notably, most researchers in the United States and Western European countries adopt quantitative approaches, highlighting the significance of qualitative approaches.

The atmospheric attunement of diversity interventions: learnings from a dance performance

ABSTRACT Since the start of diversity management in organizations, interventions have been primarily oriented toward altering individuals’ cognition, missing out on the potential of the embodied and materially mediated character of learning and interacting as experimented with in arts-based interventions. In this study, through ethnographically exploring a dance performance, whose main purpose is to create a community between a diverse cast and audience, we aim to rethink interventions around diversity. In particular, we turn to the notion of atmospheric attunement to investigate how, in this artistic context, a diverse group of people learns to relate differently. From this, we theorize two conditions of possibility for thinking differently about diversity interventions: (1) a sentient focus on atmospheric attuning that collectively connects embodied differences, and (2) the material mediation of nonhuman elements that enables the co-creation of these affirmative experiences. Together, both conditions suggest considering diversity intervention as a politics of affirmative experience.

Enhancing Equality, Reducing Discrimination, and Improving Decision Making: The Impact of Diversity Management in South African Organizations

Research objective: The research aimed to examine the impact of workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organizational performance within the hotel industry in South Africa. Methodology: The study utilized four data sources, namely interviews, archival data, discussions, and observations. Semi-structured interviews served as the primary means of gathering information for this research. Findings: The interviews revealed four major categories: "Recruitment and Work Experience," "Emotional Factors in Hotels," "Workplace Inequality," and "Workplace Discrimination." These findings highlight the significance of diversity management in addressing and eliminating inequality and discrimination, as well as enhancing worker performance and decision-making. As a result, it is essential for the government to promote and support increased investment in implicit bias (or unconscious bias) training for both White and Black individuals. Keywords: Diversity Management, Inclusion, Discrimination, Inequality

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Medical School Admissions in Canada

Medical schools promote admission pathways as well as diversity and inclusivity to prospective students who are underrepresented in medicine (UIM) primarily via their websites. Research from organizational structures supports the use of instrumental values (which focus on behavior and core beliefs), rather than terminal values (which focus on the end goal), to promote diversity. To characterize the use of instrumental and terminal values to promote institutional diversity and inclusivity on Canadian medical school websites. This qualitative study analyzed the contents and themes of Canadian medical school websites based on a theoretical value framework and an organizational diversity management framework. A literature review was conducted to explore the use of instrumental and terminal values in promoting diversity and inclusivity, and a codebook was created that outlined the characteristics of these values. The content of all application pathway websites for UIM applicants to all Canadian medical schools was coded between July and August 2022. Use of terminal vs instrumental values across the UIM-targeted admission websites of medical schools. Twenty-two websites for 17 Canadian medical schools were included. Content on most of these websites promoted diversity in response to government policies or public accountability and often supported a dominant culture while treating diversity as an exception. The use of terminal rather than instrumental values was also more prominent on websites that targeted Indigenous prospective students compared with Black prospective students and applicants with lower socioeconomic status (11 [50%] websites vs 5 [23%] and 4 [18%] websites). Instrumental values, although seldom used, promoted diversity as a means to improve health care and training for all students in a program. Results of this qualitative study suggested that medical schools in Canada promoted diversity and inclusivity to prospective students primarily as an end goal rather than as a core value. Medical schools should highlight the benefits of diverse lived experiences and reinforce their commitment to diversity and inclusion by aligning their website content with their ongoing work in this area.

Advocacy and Management of Diversity and Inclusivity in Organizations

Our study examines the definitions of these two terms and seeks to comprehend the significance that both Diversity and Inclusion hold in workplace organizations since the old term "Diversity" has been replaced by the new term "Inclusion". In today's organizations, diversity and inclusion (D&I) are fundamental values. Miscommunication is a constant result of people using the same words but not always meaning the same thing. Is diversity management just another popular idea like teamwork, cutting costs, or re-engineering? Diversity should be of importance to organizations since it presents a new problem for them to tackle. There is little doubt that the majority of organizations have already dealt with or will eventually deal with the issue of diversity, notably in the area of personnel diversity. Understanding and valuing individual differences is the first step in managing diversity. It improves efficient management techniques by preventing prejudice and encouraging inclusivity. Even with competent management, it may be challenging for someone to work well with a varied group. The modern definition of workplace diversity is more inclusive and takes into account character, maturity, aesthetics, aptitudes, schooling, experience, etc., in addition to conventional considerations. This is in contrast to the earlier definition, which could only be used to describe representations of various ethnic, gender, and religious origins. The current emphasis on workplace diversity is on promoting originality within an organisation and understanding that every person may offer something exceptional to the company.

Diversity and inclusion management in sport organizations: an integrative literature review

ABSTRACT Research question Diversity and inclusion management (DIM) is central to organizational science and studies of sport’s contribution to diversity and inclusion in society are plentiful, e.g. through the “sport for development” field. But what is the status of existing research about DIM within sport organizations? Research methods This paper draws upon an integrative literature review of DIM in sport organizations (n = 124). Data consist of articles gathered from Web of Science and the databases of Human Kinetics, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis and SAGE. Results and Findings The analysis generated five categories of findings: a lack of focus on the management part of DIM; the use of “organizational culture” as an all-embracing concept; an instrumental approach to “diversity” in particular; the key role of education in improving future DIM practices in sport; and an Anglo-Saxon bias. Implications This article advances the idea of a relational management of “diversity” and “inclusion” in sport organizations for integrative purposes. It is proposed to examine this relational management through a social-scientific approach to three research gaps, which are key to future empirical research on DIM challenges in sport organizations.

Impact of training and development interventions for diversity & inclusion: proposing an organizational schema

PurposeTransformation and involvement from every organizational function are essential in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The paper explores the role of training and development (T&D) interventions in building a diverse and inclusive workplace.Design/methodology/approachThrough the review of existing research studies, the authors report and discuss how T&D function supports fostering a diversity and inclusion (D&I) mindset in the workplace and propose an organizational schema that facilitates the systematic design and implementation of T&D interventions for D&I.FindingsBased on the literature an organizational schema was developed which indicated that to foster a D&I mindset in the workplace, it is important that diversity training is designed after considering established diversity theories. Further diversity training can be conducted in two phases, where phase 1 would focus on awareness training and phase 2 on skill training. This would lead to an increase in employee competency development including knowledge, skills, behavior, and a positive attitude toward a D&I mindset.Practical implicationsHR and training managers can benefit from the paper indicating that for achieving effective results from diversity training, it must draw insights from established diversity theories. Through the organizational schema discussed in the paper, organizations can minimize the negative attitude and behavior that emerge from social categorization with the help of systematic T&D where employees are made self-aware of their prejudice and discrimination and further equipped with relevant skills to manage diversity.Social implicationsA positive mindset incorporated by employees at a workplace with reference to Diversity & Inclusion through structured D& I training can percolate beneficially to the society as a whole.Originality/valueThe study is a rare one that explores the impact of T&D on D&I. The novelty of the research lies in the organizational schema presented in the study exploring how HR practitioners must systematically design T&D for D&I combining both theory and practice to achieve long-term organizational diversity management objectives.

Problems in Implementing Adequate Equal Employment Opportunity Laws and Diversity Management in Organizations

Organizations need to be effective and timely manage diversity. Efficient diversity management within organizations helps them to build a satisfied and happy workforce that feels safe at the workplace. A happy workforce translates into higher revenues through satisfied and loyal customers. Equal Employment Opportunity is a means to achieve effective diversity management within organizations. However, there is a gap in the literature in providing a roadmap for an organization to build a strong employee base. Therefore, this paper examines the literature and tries to identify critical issues in implementing adequate EEO law and diversity management. This paper concludes with recommendations for organizations to implement adequate EEO laws for a better work environment, which results in higher revenue generation, greater brand image, and customer satisfaction.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Employee Perceived Organizational Performance, Job Satisfaction, and Diversity Management Among the U.S. Federal Public Health Agencies

This study identified personal and organizational environmental factors associated with perceived organizational performance (POP) and moderation of race/ethnicity in these relationships with POP in the U.S. federal government employees among 10 health agencies. Cross-sectional, nationally representative data were obtained from the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys, completed by 117,353 (weighed 190,736) employees among 10 health agencies. We employed multivariable linear models of POP to examine associations between job satisfaction and organizational environmental factors and POP and to assess the effects of racial/ethnic minority as a modifier on these relationships after controlling for sampling weights. Job satisfaction, trust in leadership, organizational procedural justice, and diversity management were positively associated with POP. Significant moderating effects of race/ethnicity were observed in the relationships of POP with job satisfaction and diversity management. In the conclusion, we discuss how federal public health agencies strategically develop management practices, particularly for employees of color.

The Measure of the System of Preparing and Employing Human Resources for People with Disabilities "A Comparative Study between the United Arab Emirates / Jordan / Egypt"

The study aims to activate the system of preparing and employing human resources with disabilities in Jordan, Egypt, and the UAE, to achieve several goals: Identify the most important rights of persons with disabilities under the aforementioned United Nations Convention, presents and discusses the most important problems of diversity management in administrative organizations, especially public ones, study and analysis of the legal and regulatory frameworks for the employment of persons with disabilities in the three comparable countries. The method adopted a content analysis that is consistent with the research method and the comparative method in Jordan, the UAE, and Egypt. The results of the study concluded: There is a link between poverty and disability, and this requires taking care of people with needs to enhance the ability of societies to sustain themselves, diversity of options enhances the successful management of human resources for persons with disabilities, and the senior management and human resources management requires the inclusion of persons with disabilities within the institutions through training and qualifying them to carry out the functions assigned to them and to reach fruitful results. The study recommended spreading awareness and societal culture calling for changing the negative perception of the disabled, providing suitable job opportunities for people with disabilities, overcoming the obstacles surrounding them in the various fields of work, and adopting an integrative strategy to manage diversity in state institutions to ensure the achievement of difference and diversity in human resources.

Reducing Ambiguity Around Diversity in Organizations: A Review

In the United States, diversity is a popular yet ambiguous concept. To offer clarity, I review the literature on diversity in organizations that have shaped our conversations for the last 50 years. I first review the historically-informed approaches that shed light on the roots of the ambiguity around diversity management in organizations. I then review selected social psychological literature on diversity, particularly the works that inform diversity practices. Finally, I review the literature that explores the advantages of diversity in groups and the benefits of implemented diversity initiatives in organizations and the literature that examines the disadvantages of group diversity and when diversity initiatives fail in organizations. I integrate these three bodies of literature to offer a review of organizational diversity literature that will help readers and writers reduce ambiguity around the term diversity and better specify what they mean when referring to “diversity in organizations.”

Are Organizational Gender Diversity Management Practices Effective?

While organizations use gender diversity management (GDM) to promote women’s participation, it can have negative unintended consequences for their integration. However, integration is seldom accounted in GDM evaluations as it traditionally focused just on women’s representation. We develop a novel network-based measure of gender diversity which accounts for both representation and integration in a team. Specifically, we evaluate the relative effectiveness of different approaches to GDM using both, the traditional and the new gender diversity measures. This is analyzed using Bayesian Informative hypothesis evaluation of network information from 401 teams across nine countries and six sectors. We find GDM practices to largely be ineffective. This could follow from current efforts being misguided by traditional measures to focus on representation at the cost of integration. In fact we found the traditional measure to inflate the effectiveness of practices, as compared to the new measure. Our findings suggest that policymakers must consider integration along with the representation of women to understand the net effectiveness of GDM.

The Effect of Diversity Management on Organizational Performance: The Case of Ethio-Telecom South West Region

The aim of this paper is examining the effect of diversity management on organizational performance by focusing on Ethio-Telecom (Ethiopian Telecommunication) South West region offices. Using Survey research design a quantitative data was randomly collected from a total of 120 employees. Path analysis was conducted to test the three research hypothesis. The result of empirical analysis showed that organizational diversity management constructs or dimensions (ethnicity, gender, and religion) are positively related with organizational performance. Hence, diversity management can positively influence employee productivity, satisfaction, creativity and innovation and better decision making there by fostering organizational performance.

The effect of team value diversity on team performance: The mediating role of relationship conflict and the moderating effects of organization citizenship behavior and leader-member exchange quality

This paper aims to investigate the mediating role of relationship conflict and moderating role of organization citizenship behavior and leader-member-exchange quality on the relationship between team value diversity and team performance. Data was collected from 263 employees of the telecom sector addressing the variables of value diversity, team performance, relationship conflict, OCB and LMX. Regression analysis found that team value diversity negatively affects team performance, and relationship conflict significantly mediates this relationship. It was also found that OCB and LMX significantly moderate the relationship, such that in the presence of these two, value diversity doesn’t affect team performance rather team performance is positive when these two are present. The findings of this research confirm that for effective management of team diversity in organizations, team leaders must also wisely manage relationship conflict.

Making Change Happen: Exploring the Change Discourse of Managers in a CSR Context

Diversity managers bear the responsibility of developing and implementing diversity policies. Despite advances in the legislation to fight discrimination, they often encounter resistance and need to generate change and to influence behaviors in the firm. Hence, they develop strategies to implement diversity within the organization. Based on the structuration approach developed by Giddens, and Barley and Tolbert, this research examines the discourse of diversity managers to generate change and institutionalize diversity. Based on a series of 37 in-depth interviews with diversity managers and experts in France, we identified eight scripts for diversity management in organizations. Whereas some scripts have the potential to generate change, others foster a “business as usual” vision of diversity and are in fact non-diversity scripts. This research sheds light on the role of discourse in promoting diversity in firms. To disrupt organizational practices, discourse needs to unveil hidden prejudice, and to be embedded in legislation, time, and space.

Diversity As I Say, Not As I Do: Organizational Authenticity and Diversity Management Effectiveness

This research examined how a misalignment between an organization’s espoused values and its realized practices regarding diversity affected employees’ affective commitment, organizational identific...

Cultural Intelligence and Establishment of Organizational Diversity Management Practices

Drawing from upper echelon theory, this study examines Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) level of cultural intelligence as a predictor of the establishment of discretionary diversity management practices during their tenure. Cultural intelligence in this case represents a psychological and cognitive individual difference that we contend combines with functional expertise to bolster attention to diversity management. CHRO transformational leadership behaviors are modeled as an intervening process, conceived as the lateral and upward influence enacted by CHROs to impact structural-level change. This novel perspective stems from phenomenological insights and an early perspective of transformational leadership behaviors that has received little attention. We test our arguments with primary and secondary data collected from a sample of 193 CHROs and their respective institutions. Findings shed light on a largely unexplored functional role among top management ranks. We delineate contributions for research and consider the practical relevance for organizations at a time of heightened attention to diversity issues.

Diversity Management in Organizations in Brazil: A Literature Review / Gestão da Diversidade nas Organizações no Brasil: Uma Revisão de Literatura

The scientific production on Diversity Management in Brazil brings together several themes (religious diversity; ethnic-racial issues; gender and sexuality issues; and cultural issues). The objective is to present a literature review on Diversity Management in Organizations in Brazil based on a literature review in the Google Scholar, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Scientific Periodicals Electronic Library (SPELL) databases. It is considered that there is an increase in publications on Diversity Management; that the studies are crossed by several themes that can be brought together in the concept of Diversity; that the theme of Gender and Sexuality has had a greater focus. Therefore, it is evident that the management of diversity in Brazilian organizations is already a reality, when one observes publications of case studies that can be used in training at technical, undergraduate and graduate levels.

Exploring the influence of CEO and chief diversity officers' relational demography on organizational diversity management

PurposeDrawing on the relational demography literature and a social identity perspective, several research propositions in which the authors postulate that demographic characteristics (e.g. gender and race) of senior leaders will influence the implementation and effectiveness of diversity management practices were presented. Specifically, the authors focus on the Chief Executive Officer/Chief Diversity Officer (CEO/CDO) dyad and explore independent and joint effects of CEO and CDO majority–minority group status on workplace diversity outcomes, outlining key identity-based and relational moderators (e.g. value threat, relational identity and leader–member exchange) of these relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe literature on relational demography and leader–member exchange to develop propositions for future research was integrated.FindingsThis is a conceptual paper. There is no empirical data reported testing the propositions.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors extended theory and research on relational demography by focusing on senior leaders in the organization and proposing that the influence of CEO and CDO demographic characteristics on the enactment of diversity practices may be contingent on key identity-based and relational processes.Originality/valueThe authors are not aware of any studies investigating how personal characteristics and relational processes relating to the CEO and CDO may influence the implementation and effectiveness of workplace diversity management practices. In a similar vein, the authors contribute to the research literatures on relational demography and social identity by extending the application of these theories to senior leaders in organizations and in relation to the work of CEOs and CDOs.