Managing Diversity in the Workplace

Managing Diversity

• Diversity encompasses various demographic, cultural, and personal traits among employees and customers.
• Surface-level diversity involves observable traits like age, sex, and race.
• Deep-level diversity includes learned characteristics such as personality and attitudes.
• Diversity management strategies like training and mentoring can reduce stereotypes and enhance organizational performance.
• Affirmative action focuses on legal equality, while diversity encompasses broader differences.

Deep-Level Diversity & Diversity Paradigms

• The Big Five personality traits (OCEAN) include: Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.
• Diversity paradigms include: Discrimination & Fairness, Access & Legitimacy, and Learning & Effectiveness.
• Learning & Effectiveness paradigm integrates deep-level diversity to enhance effectiveness and collaboration.

Leadership

• Leaders focus on vision and long-term goals, while managers emphasize productivity and short-term objectives.
• Leadership theories include Trait Theory, emphasizing traits like drive and self-confidence.
• The Behavioral Approach focuses on leadership behaviors like initiating structure and consideration.
• Situational Leadership theories, like Fiedler's Contingency Theory and Hersey and Blanchard's model, adapt leadership styles to specific situations and follower readiness.

Leadership Theories (Class 24)

• Path-Goal Theory: Leaders clarify paths to goals using directive, supportive, participative, or achievement-oriented styles.
• Normative Decision Theory: Determines appropriate levels of employee participation in decision-making (autocratic, consultative, group).
• Charismatic Leadership: Focused on strong relationships with followers.
• Transformational Leadership inspires followers beyond personal interests towards group success through charisma, motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.

Motivation and Performance (Class 25)

• Motivation is influenced by effort, ability, and situational constraints.
• Needs include lower-order needs (safety, physiological) and higher-order needs (relationships, achievement).
• Rewards are categorized as extrinsic (tangible) and intrinsic (personal satisfaction).
• Equity Theory: Employees compare input/output ratios to others; perceived inequities influence motivation.

Advanced Motivation Theories (Class 26)

• Expectancy Theory: Motivation = Valence × Expectancy × Instrumentality (where valence is the value of reward, expectancy is effort-performance link, instrumentality is performance-reward link).
• Reinforcement Theory: Behavior is shaped by consequences (positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction).

Study Notes for MGT 3200 - Class 27

• Reinforcement Theory: Schedules of reinforcement (continuous, intermittent – fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, variable interval) influence behavior.

• Goal-Setting Theory: Specific, challenging goals with feedback improve motivation and performance.

• Integrated Motivation Model: No single approach fits all; various factors like needs, goals, and equity considerations impact motivation.

• Key dates for upcoming Course elements (exam 3) and assignments are provided.

This quiz explores the concepts of diversity, including its various forms such as surface-level and deep-level diversity. Participants will learn about the Big Five personality traits and diversity management strategies that improve organizational performance. Test your knowledge on how effective leadership and diversity paradigms contribute to a thriving workplace.