Diversity and Cross-cultural

Management – week 1
The nature of diversity and
diversity management

1
 Aim and structure
 Aim: to discuss the nature and significance of
diversity and diversity management in
contemporary workplaces
 Structure:
1. personal introductions
2. definition/s and dimensions of diversity
3. core values in diversity
4. managing diversity: business benefits and
challenges 2
 Key references
Bucher R.D. (2010) 3rd edition, chapter 2 ‘Diversity
Consciouness and Success’ in Diversity
Consciousness: opening our minds to people,
cultures and opportunities, London: Pearson,
pp42-76.

Clements P. and Jones J. (2008) 3rd edition, chapter 2

‘Making the case for diversity,’ in The Diversity
Training Handbook, London: Kogan Page, pp12-47.

3
 Background: the emergence
of diversity in the workplace
 global labour migration
 multi-culturalism
 globalisation

 changing demographics
 labour market supply
 leading to new, accelerated employment and
career opportunities?

4
What are your
impressions of
this image?

5
 Diversity consciousness: six areas
of development
(Bucher, 2010; p125)
Examining ourselves and
our worlds

Expanding our knowledge of

Following through others and their worlds

Checking up on ourselves Stepping outside of ourselves

Gauging the level of the

playing field

6
 Process of developing a model of cross-
cultural competency (MSc in International
HRM)
Examining ourselves and
our worlds
- self-awareness
Expanding our knowledge of
Following through others and their worlds
-demonstrating the core - openness to learning
behaviours

Checking up on ourselves
-observing the core principles Stepping outside of ourselves
and values - unlearning and relearning
Gauging the level of the
playing field
-model of cross-cultural
competency

7
 Stages in the model of cross-
cultural competency
 Developing self-awareness.
 Being open to learning about others.
 Adapting personal attitudes.
 Contributing to the formation of the model of
cross-cultural competency.
 Observing the core principles and values of
the model.
 Demonstrating the core behaviours of the
model. 8
Diversity consciousness and success
(Bucher, 2010; p47)

Understanding diversity

Diversity skills Diversity awareness

Diversity consciousness 9
 1. Personal Introductions

 Formally introduce yourself

to a fellow student.
 Informally introduce your fellow
student to the class.

 What are the main characteristics of

formal business introductions?
 What were the main characteristics
used to introduce students? 10
Diversity!

11
Global diversity quiz
 In self-selected pairs, answer as
many of the questions in the quiz
distributed in class that you can.

12
 2. Definition/s and dimensions
of diversity
Defining diversity
 Equality and fairness/ equity: equality at work; equal

opportunities; affirmative action; positive action

 group basis

 ‘The basic concept of managing diversity accepts that the

workforce consists of a diverse population of people. The
diversity consists of visible and non-visible differences
which will include factors such as sex, age, background,
race, disability, personality and work style’
(Kandola and Fullerton, 1994;p8).
13
 Celebrating difference

‘understanding that there are differences among

employees and that these differences, if properly
managed, are an asset to work being done more
efficiently and effectively. Examples of diversity
factors are race, culture, ethnicity, gender, age,
a disability and work experience’
(Bartz et al.,1990; p321).

14
 continued
Dimensions of diversity

o Surface/ deep (Philips et al., 2006)

o Primary/ secondary (e.g. Mok, 2002)
o Visible/ latent

15
Primary Dimensions of
Diversity
 Core characteristics:
- e.g. gender; age; race; physical traits:
appearance, size, accent, style; sexual
orientation
• homogeneity/ heterogeneity
(Mok, 2005)

16
Primary Dimensions of
Diversity
 Core characteristics:
- e.g. gender; age; race; physical traits:
appearance, size, accent, style; sexual
orientation
• homogeneity/ heterogeneity
(Mok, 2005)

17
 3. Core values in diversity
Developing diversity consciousness:
 self-understanding is the basis of

understanding others (French, 2007);

 having such as self-concept involves

examining our group and personal values.

18
 Continued
 Group task: ‘adrift in a balloon.’
 Individual task: identify your personal
values and their importance to you.

 Consider the source/s of these values.

 Consider the effects of these values.

19
 4. managing diversity:
business benefits and challenges

o full employment: exploitation of new niches

o feminisation of workforce & ageing population
o new psychological contract: continuance/ affective/
normative commitment
o flexibility of work (work-life balance)
o Generation Y
o emergence of talent management
 Any other changes?
20
 Benefits of Employee Diversity
 reduced absenteeism and turnover costs
 increased creativity and innovation
 improved problem solving
 less resistance to change (Mok, 2005)

 wider labour markets

 improved employer image: preferred employer
 improved recruitment and commitment
 refreshed group dynamics (Maxwell et al., 2000)
21
Challenges
 stereotyping (Lippman, 1922)
 changing attitudes e.g. rigid mental sets
 managing change e.g. Lewin’s (1947) 3
stage model of freezing, unfreezing,
refreezing
 interpersonal and inter-group relations
 others?

22
 Responsibility for DM in
organisations
 corporate ethics (e.g. Enron compared to
IBM, National Australia Group; The Gap,
Nike)
 corporate social responsibility (CSR)
 CEO and board level
 HR professional conduct (see Maxwell and
Beattie e.g.)
 all managers of people in organisations
 all people in organisations
23
 Summary
 Diversity centres on recognising, even
celebrating, differences among people.
 Diversity dimensions are many and varied.
They are often categorised into primary and
secondary factors.
 Core values underpin diversity and reactions
to diversity.

24
 Key Principles
 Diversity factors are to be understood and
respected.
 Developing a self-concept is an individual
responsibility.
 Everyone is to contribute positively to group
dynamics.

Reflection/ comments?

25
 Further reading
 Maxwell G. and Beattie R. (2004) ‘The Ethics of In-
company Research: An Exploratory Study’ Business
Ethics, vol.52 no.3, pp243-256.

Maxwell G., McDougall M., Blair, S. and Masson M.

(2003) ‘Equality at Work in UK Public Service and
Hotel Organisations: Inclining Towards Managing
Diversity?’Human Resource Development
International, vol.6, no.2, pp243-258.
26