Week 2 assignment - Essay Example

Running head: DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations Assignment No. 2 The strategies employedin pursuit of diversity are many and varied, however there are two general approaches resorted to by D&I strategists. One is multiculturalism, which aims at accepting and celebrating individual differences within groups, and the other is color-blindness which emphasizes those commonly shared behaviors and beliefs in order to forge a group identity and sense of belonging. Two perspectives of diversity have been identified which parallel the two general approaches: the information decision-making perspective adheres to the multicultural approach, while the social identity/ self-categorization perspective parallels the color-blindness strategy.

Each of these perspectives and corresponding strategies has their advantages and disadvantages; one approach reinforces individual attributes at the expense of group identity, while the other approach upholds group adherence at the expense of individual identity. The choice of one or the other approach will suit particular businesses, a decision which will rely on the manager’s understanding of his organization and perceptiveness of human nature.Take a position in the debate relating to multi-culturalism and color-blindnessThe report by Plaut, Thomas and Goren (2009) sought to determine the impact of diversity efforts from two positions – that of the cultural majority (i.e., Whites), and that of minorities.

The study showed that multiculturalism on the part of Whites enhanced engagement among minorities, while minimization of differences (i.e., color blindness) among the majority intensified feelings of bias among minorities. I favor multiculturalism rather than color-blindness, because it assures the minority individual of acceptance of his individuality and uniqueness, maintaining his/her cultural identity and according him/her the respect and dignity due as an equal. It further preserves cultures that may otherwise pass on to obscurity, enriching the cultural fabric of the pluralist society.

This plurality is more difficult to apply in other target aspects of diversity such as gender equality. An example is the case of women contending for promotion and equal compensation in traditionally male-dominated businesses (e.g. sports, technological, construction and other heavy industries) (Burke, 2009), and the specifically female dilemma of work-home interference (Beauregard, 2009). Which perspective would produce the best results in a business environment? Why? Two perspectives are identified by Rink and Ellemers (2011): the information decision-making perspective, and the social identity/self-categorization perspective.

The former maintains that demographic differences produce greater value in the group’s knowledge and beliefs that positively influence their collective decisions. The latter states that perceived similarity among group members enhances their sense of belonging within the group, thereby strengthening the cohesiveness among the group members.The perspective that produces the best results for a business depends greatly upon the nature of the business and the production processes the organization employs.

Where the business requires constant creativity and experimentation, a high degree of autonomy and individuality is preferable (Melkas & Harmaakorpi, 2012), in which case the information decision-making perspective is favored. On the other hand, where teamwork and collaborative effort is paramount, then group cohesiveness is preferable, and the social identity perspective would produce better results. What are some the challenges, limitations, and barriers produced by each perspective? The information decision-making perspective is observed to result in lower levels of group identification (Rink & Ellemers, 2011) .

Managers may tend to prefer members of widely divergent groups solely on the basis of their race or ethnicity. This creates a perception of reverse discrimination from the perspective of the Whites, which the managers may be unaware of because they had forgotten to monitor the majority perspective (Kravitz, 2009). Perception of bias in favour of minorities is as divisive in an organization as perception of bias against the minorities, thereby compromising diversification efforts. On the other hand, adopting the social identity perspective causes the manager to lose sight of the result at the minority level, where the more significant impact is soonest felt.

The social identity perspective imposes the common traits of the majority by stressing commonalities, which traditionally negates or disregards the identity and uniqueness of minority cultures and values (Plaut, Thomas and Goren (2009). In either case, Gatta (2009) observed that the theoretical solutions often clash with practical application due to the inconsistencies between what theory proposes and what reality imposes. It is possible that anticipated barriers may not materialize because the situation does not warrant it.

References:Beauregard, T.A. (2009) “Sex differences in coping with work-home interference”, in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Work: A Research Companion, Özbilgin, M. (ed.). Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc., p. 229Burke, R.J. (2009) “Supporting the career development of managerial women: recent evidence”, in Beauregard, T.A. (2009) “Sex differences in coping with work-home interference”, in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Work: A Research Companion, Özbilgin, M. (ed.).

Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc., p. 332.Gotta, M. (2009) “Partners in policy: academic-practitioner collaboration for equity in education and skills training,” in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Work: A Research Companion, Özbilgin, M. (ed.). Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc., p. 301Kravitz, D.A. (2009) “Affirmative action attitudes: more complex than we know,” in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Work: A Research Companion, Özbilgin, M. (ed.).

Northampton, Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc., p. 245Merlaks, H. & Harmaakorpi, V. (2012) Practice-Based Innovation: Insights, Applications and Policy Implications. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag Berlin.Plaut, V.C.; Thomas, K.M.; & Goren, M.J. (2009) “Is Multiculturalism or Color Blindness Better for Minorities?” Psychological Science. 20(4): 444-446Rink, F. & Ellemers, N. (2011) “Managing Diversity in Work Groups: How Identity Processes Affect Diverse Work Groups.” The Glass Ceiling in the 21st Century: Understanding Barriers to Gender Equality.