Diversity and Inclusion
Summary year 2020-2021
,Theme 1 chapter 1: Basic concepts and Measurement
Diversity: differences among people that are likely to affect their acceptance, performance,
satisfaction or progress in an organization.
🡪 In the 1980s this term became popular but was narrow since it only included race, ethnicity
and sex (narrow diversity). The reasons were:
- Historical power differences
- Surface diversity
- Ascribed status
Why narrow diversity? Refers to differences among people that have historically been the
basis for power differences and serious discrimination and hostility 🡪 some of these
differences are called protected categories. Furthermore, the narrow definition refers to
surface diversity
Ascribed status: social position that is accorded to people because of who they are rather than
what they have achieved.
EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity.
🡺 All qualified applicants will have equal chance for employment without fear of
discrimination based on race, sex, religion, colour or ethnicity.
🡺 Ensures equal consideration, not preferential hiring
AA: Affirmative Action
🡺 Employer will conduct various kinds of outreach to find and attract qualified job
applicants from underrepresented groups
🡺 AA is required for the government and organisations which do significant business
with the federal government
A broader description of diversity (broad diversity) also considers the following:
- Education levels
- Geographic background
- Language
- Value system and other attributes
The reasons therefore include a broad basis for stereotyping as well as that it needs to be
beneficial for everyone. Finally, the categories are socially structured. An argument against
this is that not all kinds of differences are equally important.
Diversity management
managing diversity: how organizations design processes and structures to make these
differences into assets and sources of strength rather than liabilities and sources of weakness.
2
,Diversity management: planned and systematic programs and procedures designed to
improve interaction among diverse people and make this diversity a source of innovation and
increased effectiveness rather than miscommunication, conflict etc.
Early approach: representational diversity
Recently: inclusion (involvement)
Popular sayings: diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance
But think about: diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is choosing the music. And
diversity is going to a party; inclusion is being a member of the party-planning committee.
Why is diversity important?
● Job analysis and design
o Job analysis (mostly done in larger organizations) creates lists of KSA’s to be
sought in the selection round and a list of tasks (including essential functions).
● Selection
o Diversity should be considered in this phase because of 3 reasons:
1. Organizations actively try to diversify their pool of employees
2. Measurement of job-relevant attributes might be affected by test-takers
background. Alternative ways of measuring KSA’s need to be
implemented in the selection process if this would occur.
3. Organizations could want their applicant pools to be more diverse than
former years and there need to be adaptation in the selection process to
handle this the right way.
● Training and socialization
o Training is about learning experiences specifically designed to focus on the job
and work policies
o Socialization is about the process of learning culture, norms and patterns of
work behaviors and applies to informal experiences in work settings.
o Culture assimilation: training program developed to prepare those assigned to
work in another country to interact effectively by learning how to behave
properly and without giving offense
● Performance appraisal/evaluation
o How well people are doing their jobs
o Are based on work assigned to employees
● Job evaluation and compensation
o A system for assigning work to jobs as distinguished from evaluation of the
work performance of employees previously discussed
o Wage gap: refers to the well-documented difference between annual earnings
of men and women
3
, ● Group processes and leadership
o Groups in which people differ from each other leads to two types of results
▪ More effective work and a better product because of the differences
▪ Communication problems or conflicts related to different goals or
expectations
o Leadership is about the process of goal-oriented influence in group and
organizational setting
● Organizational change and development
o Processes and techniques that occur when leaders, consultants or members of
organizations attempt to improve internal relationships and success in
accomplishing important goals
Why is diversity important now?
After 1960 🡪 hiring particularly women and members of ethnic minorities
Implementing AA 🡪 increased demographic diversity at work
Employers could be sued for alleged discrimination 🡪 implementing programs and processes
that would reduce likelihood of lawsuits
In 1980s 🡪 emphasis on diversity management increased
● Misperceptions of demographic change
o Workforce 2000: is a book which was widely claimed to show dramatic
changes to come. 4 trends were discussed in this book:
1. The economy would grow
2. The manufacturing sector would shrink and service industries would
increase
3. These new service jobs would require higher levels of skill
4. Labor force would slowly become larger and would include more older
workers, more females and relatively fewer whites
● Changes in the nature of work
o Work trends have influenced the contemporary focus on D&I these are:
globalization, shift from manufacturing to service work, electronic technology
revolution, increased organization of work around teams rather than individual
jobs, increased reliance on contingent workers etc.
The business case for diversity
Good diversity management = increased profitability
Cox´s argument:
1. Marketing: more effective in understanding customer base
2. Resource acquisition: minority talent will be more likely to like the company
3. Better problem solving: diversity of ideas
4
Summary year 2020-2021
,Theme 1 chapter 1: Basic concepts and Measurement
Diversity: differences among people that are likely to affect their acceptance, performance,
satisfaction or progress in an organization.
🡪 In the 1980s this term became popular but was narrow since it only included race, ethnicity
and sex (narrow diversity). The reasons were:
- Historical power differences
- Surface diversity
- Ascribed status
Why narrow diversity? Refers to differences among people that have historically been the
basis for power differences and serious discrimination and hostility 🡪 some of these
differences are called protected categories. Furthermore, the narrow definition refers to
surface diversity
Ascribed status: social position that is accorded to people because of who they are rather than
what they have achieved.
EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity.
🡺 All qualified applicants will have equal chance for employment without fear of
discrimination based on race, sex, religion, colour or ethnicity.
🡺 Ensures equal consideration, not preferential hiring
AA: Affirmative Action
🡺 Employer will conduct various kinds of outreach to find and attract qualified job
applicants from underrepresented groups
🡺 AA is required for the government and organisations which do significant business
with the federal government
A broader description of diversity (broad diversity) also considers the following:
- Education levels
- Geographic background
- Language
- Value system and other attributes
The reasons therefore include a broad basis for stereotyping as well as that it needs to be
beneficial for everyone. Finally, the categories are socially structured. An argument against
this is that not all kinds of differences are equally important.
Diversity management
managing diversity: how organizations design processes and structures to make these
differences into assets and sources of strength rather than liabilities and sources of weakness.
2
,Diversity management: planned and systematic programs and procedures designed to
improve interaction among diverse people and make this diversity a source of innovation and
increased effectiveness rather than miscommunication, conflict etc.
Early approach: representational diversity
Recently: inclusion (involvement)
Popular sayings: diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance
But think about: diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is choosing the music. And
diversity is going to a party; inclusion is being a member of the party-planning committee.
Why is diversity important?
● Job analysis and design
o Job analysis (mostly done in larger organizations) creates lists of KSA’s to be
sought in the selection round and a list of tasks (including essential functions).
● Selection
o Diversity should be considered in this phase because of 3 reasons:
1. Organizations actively try to diversify their pool of employees
2. Measurement of job-relevant attributes might be affected by test-takers
background. Alternative ways of measuring KSA’s need to be
implemented in the selection process if this would occur.
3. Organizations could want their applicant pools to be more diverse than
former years and there need to be adaptation in the selection process to
handle this the right way.
● Training and socialization
o Training is about learning experiences specifically designed to focus on the job
and work policies
o Socialization is about the process of learning culture, norms and patterns of
work behaviors and applies to informal experiences in work settings.
o Culture assimilation: training program developed to prepare those assigned to
work in another country to interact effectively by learning how to behave
properly and without giving offense
● Performance appraisal/evaluation
o How well people are doing their jobs
o Are based on work assigned to employees
● Job evaluation and compensation
o A system for assigning work to jobs as distinguished from evaluation of the
work performance of employees previously discussed
o Wage gap: refers to the well-documented difference between annual earnings
of men and women
3
, ● Group processes and leadership
o Groups in which people differ from each other leads to two types of results
▪ More effective work and a better product because of the differences
▪ Communication problems or conflicts related to different goals or
expectations
o Leadership is about the process of goal-oriented influence in group and
organizational setting
● Organizational change and development
o Processes and techniques that occur when leaders, consultants or members of
organizations attempt to improve internal relationships and success in
accomplishing important goals
Why is diversity important now?
After 1960 🡪 hiring particularly women and members of ethnic minorities
Implementing AA 🡪 increased demographic diversity at work
Employers could be sued for alleged discrimination 🡪 implementing programs and processes
that would reduce likelihood of lawsuits
In 1980s 🡪 emphasis on diversity management increased
● Misperceptions of demographic change
o Workforce 2000: is a book which was widely claimed to show dramatic
changes to come. 4 trends were discussed in this book:
1. The economy would grow
2. The manufacturing sector would shrink and service industries would
increase
3. These new service jobs would require higher levels of skill
4. Labor force would slowly become larger and would include more older
workers, more females and relatively fewer whites
● Changes in the nature of work
o Work trends have influenced the contemporary focus on D&I these are:
globalization, shift from manufacturing to service work, electronic technology
revolution, increased organization of work around teams rather than individual
jobs, increased reliance on contingent workers etc.
The business case for diversity
Good diversity management = increased profitability
Cox´s argument:
1. Marketing: more effective in understanding customer base
2. Resource acquisition: minority talent will be more likely to like the company
3. Better problem solving: diversity of ideas
4
