s

Organizationa
l Behavior

Chapter 2
Diversity in
Organizations

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 Chapter 2 Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter you should be able to:

 Describe the two major forms of workforce diversity

 Identify the key biographical characteristics and describe how they are
relevant to OB

 Recognize stereotypes and understand how they function in

organizational
settings

 Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its relevance to OB

 Contrast intellectual from physical ability

 Describe how organizations manage diversity effectively

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 Describe the two Major Forms of Workforce
LO 1 Diversity

Diversity Management

Surface-Level Diversity

Deep-Level Diversity

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 Describe the two Major Forms of Workforce
Diversity

1. Surface-level diversity
2. Demographics mostly reflect surface-
level diversity, not thoughts and
feelings, and can lead employees to
perceive one another through
stereotypes and assumptions
Describe the two Major Forms of Workforce
Diversity

2:Deep-level diversity
However, evidence has shown that
people are less concerned about
demographic differences if they see
themselves as sharing more important
characteristics, such as personality
and values, that represent deep-level
diversity.
 Example of Surface-level Diversity and Deep-
level Diversity
To understand the difference between surface-
and deep-level diversity, consider an example.
Luis and Carol are managers who seem to have
little in common. Luis is a young, recently hired
male from a Spanish-speaking neighborhood in
Miami with a business degree. Carol is an older
woman from rural Kansas who started as a
customer service trainee after high school and
worked her way up the hierarchy.
 Example of Surface-level Diversity and Deep-
level Diversity
At first, these coworkers may notice their
surface-level differences in education, ethnicity,
regional background, and gender. However, as
they get to know one another, they may find
they are both deeply committed to their
families, share a common way of thinking about
important work problems, like to work
collaboratively, and are interested in
international assignments..
 Example of Surface-level Diversity and Deep-
level Diversity
These deep-level similarities can overshadow
the more superficial differences between
them, and research suggests they will work
well together.
 Describe the Two Major Forms of Workforce Diversity

Insert Exhibit
2.1

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 Biographical Characteristics and
How Are They Relevant to OB

Those readily available in a personnel

file
 Age
 Belief is widespread that job
performance declines with
increasing age.
 The workforce is aging.

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Biographical Characteristics and How Are
They Relevant to OB

Those readily available in a personnel

file
 Gender
 Few issues initiate more debates, misconceptions,
and unsupported opinions than whether women
perform as well on jobs as men do.
 Few, if any, important differences between men
and
women affect job performance.
 Psychological studies have found women are more
agreeable and willing to conform to authority,
whereas men are more aggressive and more likely
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to have expectations of success, but those 2-11
 Biographical Characteristics
LO 2 and How Are They Relevant to
OB
Those readily available in a personnel
file
 Race and Ethnicity
 Employees tend to favor colleagues for
their own race in performance
evaluations, promotion decisions, pay
raises.
 Different attitudes on affirmative action
or quota filling can affect the
performance of minority groups in the
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 Biographical Characteristics
and How Are They Relevant to
OB
Those readily available in a personnel
file
 Disability
 A person is disabled who has any physical or
mental impairment that substantially limits one
or more major life activities.
 The “reasonable accommodation” is
problematic for employers.
 Strong biases exist against those with mental
impairment.
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 Biographical Characteristics
and How Are They Relevant to
OB
Those readily available in a personnel
file
 Tenure
 The issue of the impact of job seniority on job
performance has been subject to
misconceptions and speculations.
 Religion
 Although employees are protected by federal
law regarding their religion in some countries, it
is still an issue in the workplace.
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 Biographical Characteristics
and How Are They Relevant to
OB
Those not readily available in a personnel
file…
 Gender identity

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 “Discrimination” is to note a difference
between things.
 Unfair discrimination is assuming
stereotypes about groups and refusing
to recognize differences.

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 Define Intellectual Abilityand
Demonstrate Its Relevance to
OB
Ability is an individual’s current
capacity to perform various tasks in a
job
 Two types
 Intellectual abilities
 Physical abilities

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 Define Intellectual Abilityand
Demonstrate Its Relevance to
OB
 Intellectual abilities are abilities needed
to perform mental activities—thinking,
reasoning, and problem solving.
 Most societies place a high value on
intelligence, and for good reason.

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 Number
Aptitud
e
Verbal
Memory Comprehension

Intellectual
Spatial Ability Perceptua
Visualizatio l Speed
n

Deductive Inductive
Reasoning Reasoning
Exhibit
2.2
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 Contrast Intellectual from Physical Ability

 Physical Abilities
 The capacity to do tasks demanding
stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar
characteristics.
 The three main categories of physical
ability are…
 Strength
 Flexibility
 And Other characteristics
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 Contrast Intellectual from Physical Ability

Insert Exhibit 2.3

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 Contrast Intellectual from Physical Ability

 Importance of ability at work increases

difficulty in formulating workplace policies
that recognize disabilities.
 Recognizing that individuals have different
abilities that can be taken into account when
making hiring decisions is not problematic.
 It is also possible to make accommodations
for disabilities.

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 Describe How Organizations
Manage Diversity
Effectively
Attracting,
Selecting,
Developing, and
Retaining Diverse
Employees

Diversity
Effective
in
Diversity
Groups
Programs
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 Describe How Organizations
Manage Diversity
Effectively

Effective
Diversity
Programs Teach
Legal
Framework

Teach the
Foster the Skills Market
and Abilities of Advantages
All Workers
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 Managerial Implications and Summary

This chapter looked at diversity o

rfm
many perspectives paying particular
attention to three variables—
 biographical characteristics,
 ability, and
 diversity programs.

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 Managerial Implications and Summary

 Diversity programs
 Selection
An effective selection process will improve
the fit between employees and job
requirements.
 Diversity Management
Diversity management must be an ongoing
commitment that crosses all levels of the
organization.
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