Diversity Chapter 3 PDF

Diversity  According to Harrison & Klein, 2007 It is the distribution of differences among the members of a unit with respect to a common attribute. According to Knippenberg & Schippers, 2007 A group characteristic that reflects the degree to which there are objective and/or subjective diff...

Diversity  According to Harrison & Klein, 2007 It is the distribution of differences among the members of a unit with respect to a common attribute. According to Knippenberg & Schippers, 2007 A group characteristic that reflects the degree to which there are objective and/or subjective differences among group members. TYPES OF DIVERSITY: 1.Surface-Level Diversity –characteristics that are noticeable when you look at someone on the surface. ex. Age, sex, weight, height and race. 2. Deep Level Diversity – attributes that are not immediately observable. ex. Values, personality, attitude. Distinct Types of Diversity according to Harrison and Klein: Diversity as Separation - It refers to differences on a particular attribute as attributes, beliefs and values. ex: Cultural Values, job,attitudes, political beliefs Diversity as Variety - It refers to differences in knowledge, life experiences ex. Professional background Diversity as Disparity - It refers to differences in status and power.  THEORIES OF DIVERSITY Relational Demography Theory (cited by Pfeffer, 1983) -It represents the earliest works in the team diversity literature which examined the basic characteristics of teams. -this theory suggests that people compare their own demographic characteristics with those of their own teammates to determine whether they are similar or different.  Social Categorization Theory Self-Categorization Theory –maintains that people categorize themselves and others into in-group (those who are similar to them) and out-group (those who are different from them) membership based on surface-level characteristics. It is also called as the “pessimistic view” of diversity. Social Identity Theory –shows that people derive part of their self- esteem from their identity groups. Therefore, people tag positive characteristics in their in-group, and negative characteristics to their out-group. Similarity-Attraction Hypothesis It predicts that diverse teams will be less productive than homogenous teams because homogenous teams share similar attributes and are more attracted to working with one another. Value in Diversity Hypothesis It has been called as the “optimistic” view of diversity. It proposes may ways in which diversity can create value for teams and how that value could overshadow any negative effects of team diversity, providing a competitive advantage. Value in Diversity Hypothesis Problem-solving Argument –diverse teams should produce better decisions via a wider range of perspectives considered and a more thorough analysis of issues. Cost argument –as organizations become more diverse, those are able to integrate diversity more smoothly will realize cost advantages.  Resource-acquisition argument proposes that companies with a good reputation for being inclusive and integrating diversity well will win with the competition for best talent. Marketing Argument diverse companies with a wealth of cultural information among employees will be able to better market their products in foreign markets as well to domestic subgroups of the population. System flexibility argument companies adopting a multicultural approach to managing diversity will be less rigid and more fluid, which will allow them to better respond to environmental changes. Information-processing perspective argues that any time there is a task uncertainty, there is a greater amount of information which must be processes to accomplish a task and obtain good performance. ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY PROCESSES: Biases –tendencies, inclinations or feelings, particularly ones that are preconceived and lack reasoning; they are often implicitly or subconsciously driven. Stereotypes –generalizations or beliefs about a particular group or its members which are unjustified because they reflect over-generalizations and factual errors as well as misattributions to other groups. Prejudices –unfair, negative attitude toward a social group or a person who is a member of that group. Discrimination –is to treat someone in a way less desirable from the way one would normally treat others because of their group membership. Bias in Organization has two components: 1. PREJUDICE – refers to negative attitudes toward an organization member based on his/her culture group identity. 2. DISCRIMINATION- refers to observable behaviour for the same reason. THREE PHASES ESTABLISHED TO ATTEMPT TO MOVE PAST THESE DISCRIMINATI0n THREE PHASES ESTABLISHED TO ATTEMPT TO MOVE PAST THESE DISCRIMINATI0N 1. First- generation affirmative action the organization is concerned with meeting legally mandate requirements for gender and ethnic diversity. 2. Second – generation affirmative action the firm has met affirmative action goals in terms of numbers and the emphasis shifts to supporting female and minority employees 3. Multicultural Organization moves beyond the concept of support for minority membersto the institution of policies that deliberately capitalize on cultural and gender diversity. WHY DIVERSITY IS IN IMPORTANT IN ORGANIZATIONS? Diversity in the workplace promotes the individuality within an organization, acknowledging that every person can contribute with different ,creative and new ideas and solutions. Diversity within a company helps in building a stronger brand and makes the company more interesting and desirable employer. Workplace diversity increases creativity and problem solving. A diversified organization encourages personal growth and development Interacting with diversified staff improves their ability to work in a diverse environment with different styles , cultures and personalities. The Impact of Diversity: Learning- diversity in any situation is a chance for others to learn about people who are different from themselves. Experience and Knowledge- the experiences a person has often are impacted by their background and cultural traits which allows each employee to bring a unique set of skills and strength into the business. International Skills – with globalization become an integral part of business ,its more important that ever to companies to be able to interact in the global market. Reputation – employers who have a reputation for being fair tto workers from all walks of life and having no tolerance for discrimination are far more appealing than employers who do not.  Discrimination- it is the business responsibility to establish what the policies are in regards to discrimination and to ensure that they follow any and all anti discrimination laws Poor Interaction –a lack of understanding or misconceptions about a particular demographic can generate a ton of issues between the affected employees and their interactions. Authority and Trainings- it’s a good that business take the initiate in training their staff on diversity, it can be problematic if mishandled. There maybe some resistance to diversity from staffers and they may see training as forcing them to accept unnecessary changes.