Ethnicity and perspectives of diversity

management in Republic of North

Macedonia
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MARJAN MLADENOVSKI, HEI EURO COLLEGE, N.MACEDONIA
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Introduction

 global trend of increased opening of the labor market to all social groups and individuals
 democratic and humanist principles in terms of equality
 strong economic support in a direction of utilization of the overall economic potential

 diversity is a wide category (positive effects and problems)

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Macedonia as unique model

 Ohrid Framework Agreements in 2001

 multiethnic state and multicultural society
 reality – relations between young Macedonians and Albanians
 smallest social distance between the ethnic communities in the business sector
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Methodological approach

 Illustration - through the perception of the 100 young students (age 18 – 26) from Kumanovo (“Little Macedonia”)
 first group - students of University of Tetovo, Faculty of Business Administration – dispersed studies in Kumanovo
(Albanian ethnic community)
 second group - students of the Faculty of Business Administration on HEI “Euro College” in Kumanovo (Macedonians and
smaller ethnic communities)
 studies which produce managerial staff
 research sample based on the phrase “convenient sample”
 horizontal relationships – work in the same office, opening a joint venture
 vertical relations - employment, promotion or working for a member of the “different” ethnic groups
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Work in the office

ethnic structure age structure

  Would you mind working Would you mind Would you mind working in
in the same office with working in the same the same office with Rome It bothers me to work in the same office with an Albanian
Albanian office with Macedonian Macedonian yes no partly
Ethnicity yes no partly yes no partly yes no partly
age 18-19 50,00% 16,70% 33,30%
Macedonian 25,0% 60,7% 14,3%  -  -  - 10,7% 71,4% 17,9%
Other smaller 0,0% 100,0% 0,0%  -  -  - 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% age 20-22 20% 66,70% 13,30%

Albanian  -  -  - 16,7% 83,3% 0,0% 16,7% 77,8% 5,6%

age over 23 14,30% 85,70% 0
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Opening a joint company

ethnic structure age structure

  Would you open a joint Would you open a joint Would you open a joint
company in a partnership company in a company in a I would open a joint partnership with Albanian
with Albanian partnership with partnership with Roma
Macedonian yes no partly
Macedonian
Ethnicity yes no partly yes no partly yes no partly age 18-19 33,30% 33,30% 33,30%
Macedonian 28,6% 46,4% 25,0%  -  -  - 28,6% 42,9% 28,6% age 20-22 26,70% 53,30% 20%
Other smaller 33,3% 66,7% 0,0%  -  -  - 33,3% 33,3% 33,3%
age over 23 28,60% 42,80% 28,60%
Albanian  -  -  - 83,3% 11,1 5,6% 55,6% 33,3% 11,1%
%
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Advantage in employment of a member of “their
own” ethnic community
ethnic structure gender structure
As a manager would As a manager would you As a manager would
you rather hire a rather hire a member of you rather hire a
It would rather employed a member
member of your own your own community member of your own of their ethnic community instead of
community instead a instead a member of other community instead a Gender
a member of the Roma ethnic
member of other community (Macedonian) member of other
community (Albanian) community (Rome) community Macedonian Albanian Totally
yes 58,30% 54,50% 56,50%
Ethnicity yes no yes no yes no Male
no 41,70% 45,50% 43,50%

Macedonian 60,7% 39,3% - - 60,7% 39,3% yes 62,50% 14,30% 47,80%

Female
no 37,50% 85,70% 52,20%
Other smaller 0,0% 100,0% - - 0,0% 100,0%

Albanian - - 16,7% 83,3% 38,9% 61,1%

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Advantage of promoting a member of “their own”
ethnic community
ethnic structure
gender structure
Would he as a manager Would he as a manager Would he as a manager
rather promote a member of rather promote a member of rather promote a member of
his community before a his community before a his community before a It would rather promoted a member
member of another member of another member of Roma ethnic Gender
of their own ethnic community before Albanian
community (Albanian) community (Macedonian) community
a member of Roma ethnic community Macedonian Totally
yes 25% 40% 31,80%
Ethnicity yes no unknown yes no unknown yes no unknown Male
no 75% 60% 68,20%
Macedonian 46,4% 53,6% 0,0% - - - 39,3% 60,7% 0,0%
yes 50% 0% 34,80%
Female
Other smaller 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% - - - 0,0% 100,0% 0,0% no 50% 100% 65,20%

Albanian - - - 22,2% 72,2% 5,6% 22,2% 72,2% 5,6%

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Acceptance of a manager from another ethnic
community
ethnic structure gender structure
  Would you mind to have for Would you mind to have for Would you mind to have for
a (boss, manager) an a (boss, manager) a a (boss, manager) a Roma I would mind to have a superior/
Albanian Macedonian Gender manager member of Roma ethnic
Ethnicity yes no unknown yes no unknown yes no unknown community Macedonian Albanian Totally

Macedonian 35,7% 64,3% 0,0%  -  -  - 35,7% 64,3% 0,0% yes 33,30% 50% 40,90%
Male
no 66,70% 50% 59,10%
Other smaller 0,0% 100,0% 0,0%  -  -  - 0,0% 100,0 0,0% yes 37,50% 0% 26,10%
% Female
no 62,50% 100% 73,90%
Albanian  -  - -  0,0% 94,4% 5,6% 27,8% 66,7% 5,6%
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Conclusions

 Generally - in each of the studied future situations in which the youth could find themselves with different ethnic
communities – could expect some difficulties.
 Sharing a joint office do not represents a bigger problem.
 Business partnership with the “others” – unacceptable for Macedonians.
 “Employment of their own” – priority of the Macedonians, slightest confidence towards the Roma.
 Promotion of their “own” – again priority for the Macedonians, the Roma with least chances for promotion.
 Manager from different ethnic community – acceptable situation, the Albanians most reserved towards the Roma.
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Thank you for your attention!