ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY PARADIGMS

(FORMS OR MODES OF THINKING ABOUT DIVERSITY)

[FROM A CORPORATE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE –

DAVID A. THOMAS AND ROBIN J. ELY]

[INTRO] è UNTIL RECENTLY, IF YOU WOULD ASK – ‘WHY SHOULD ORGANIZATION/COMPANIES CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH DIVERSITY’ – MANY MANAGERS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR ASSERTED THAT DISCRIMINATION IS WRONG BOTH LEGALLY AND MORALLY.

BUT MORE AND MORE TODAY MANAGERS ARE VOICING A SECOND NOTION AS WELL è DIVERSITY IS GOOD BUSINESS è “THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY IS A RESEARCH “COTTAGE INDUSTRY” {?}

[EX: COURSE WEB POSTING – “THE DIVERSITY ADVANTAGE,” GORDON NIXON, RBC FINANCIAL GROUP]

èTHE NEW IDEA IS THAT A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE INCREASES ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS è HOW {?} è LIFTS MORALE, BRINGS GREATER ACCESS TO NEW MARKETS, ENHANCES PRODUCTIVITY, AND HAS MANY OTHER POSITIVE IMPACTS].

YET – WHAT DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IS DISCOVERING IS THAT MANY ATTEMPTS TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE HAVE BACKFIRED, SOMETIMES EVEN HEIGHTENING TENSIONS AMONG EMPLOYEES AND HINDERING AN ORGANIZATION’S PERFORMANCE

[EX: MY STUDY OF RACIALIZED LAWYERS – “SPLINTER GROUPS” – CABL/ FACL è EXPRESSLY COMMITTED TO PLETHORA OF DIVERSITY INITIATIVES è INCLUDE VOLUNTARY BRIDGING PROGRAMS, MODEL WORKPLACE PROTOCOLS, EQUITY MODEL POLICIES, MODEL POLICIES ON HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION, MODEL POLICIES ON INTERVIEWING GUIDELINES, SUPPORTING LAW SCHOOL STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS, GUIDELINES FOR “RACIALLY INCLUSIVE AND GENDER-NEUTRAL COMMUNICATIONS,” CONTRACT COMPLIANCE POLICIES, EQUITY PUBLIC EDUCATION (SERIES), EQUITY OMBUDSPERSON POSITIONS OR SAFE COUNSELS AS WELL AS DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT COUNSELS (DHC), “ACCOMMODATION REQUIREMENTS” FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AND “ALTERNATIVE WORK POLICY” PROCEDURES.]

SOME RESEARCHERS ARGUE è DIVERSITY EFFORTS ARE NOT FULFILLING THEIR PROMISE – COMPANIES HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO UNLEASH THE POWERFUL BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY – BECAUSE THEY HARBOUR FLAWED ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY – THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH A BROADER UNDERSTANDING.

[EX: MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THAT WORKPLACE DIVERSITY IS ABOUT INCREASING RACIAL, NATIONAL, GENDER AND CLASS REPRESENTATION – RECRUITING AND RETAINING MORE PEOPLE FROM TRADITIONALYT UNDER-REPRESENTED “IDENTITY GROUPS” è BUT è RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT THINKING OF DIVERSITY SIMPLY IN TERMS OF “IDENTITY-GROUP REPESENTATION” INHIBITS EFFECTIVENESS

WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS? è

1) COMPANIES OPERATING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE MAIN VIRTUE IDENTITY GROUPS HAVE TO OFFER IS A KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE è THIS ASSUMPTION IS LIMITED – AND LIMITING – AND DETRIMENTAL TO DIVERSITY EFFORTS.

[EX: RESEARCH OF SHIBAO GUO AND PER ANDERSSON’S (2005) COMPARING IMMIGRANT PROFESSIONALS IN CANADA AND SWEDEN FOUND THAT WORKPLACE PROCESSES IN BOTH COUNTRIES TEND TO RELY ON A DIFFERENCE-BLIND AND LIBERAL-UNIVERALISTIC APPROACH TO BUSINESS PRACTICES WHICH ASSESSES DIFFERENCES FROM THE DOMESTIC [“ONE-SIZE-FITS ALL”]NORM AS DEFICIENT, INCOMPATIBLE, AND INFERIOR – AND SO, INVALIDATING THE KNOWLEDGE OF IMMIGRANT PROFESSIONALS, PARTICULARLY FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES è EPISTIMOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL {NATURE OF BEING, EXISTENCE OR REALITY} MISCONCEPTIONS OF BOTH “DIFFERENCE” AND “KNOWLEDGE” è FORMS A NEW HEAD TAX TO EXCLUDE THE ‘UNDESIRABLE,’ AND TO PERPETUATE OPPRESSION IN CANADA, SWEDEN AND UNDOUBTEDLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE GLOBAL NORTH AS WELL]

2) [RESEARCHERS ARE DISCOVERING] DIVERSITY GOES BEYOND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IDENTITY GROUP AFFILIATIONS ON A PAYROLL – AND SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE VARIED PERSPECTIVES AND APPROACHES TO WORK THAT MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT IDENTITY GROUPS BRING.

[THIS IS THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS è NOW LET’S ‘DECONSTRUCT’}

1) ASSIMILATION PARADIGM {“WE’RE ALL THE SAME”}

2) DIFFERENTIATION PARADIGM {“WE CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES”}

3) INTEGRATION PARADIGM {“WE INCLUDE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES”}

QUESTION:

1) WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE THREE DIVERSITY PARADIGMS?

2) WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY WORK IN A WORKPLACE?

THIS IS WHAT DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IS DISCOVERING ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THESE PARADIGMS IN THE WORKPLACE {FROM A CORPORATE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE – DAVID A. THOMAS AND ROBIN J. ELY}è

ASSIMILATION PARADIGM DIFFERENTIATION PARADIGM

PREMISE – “WE ARE ALL THE SAME.” “WE CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES.”

STRATEGY – HIRE DIVERSE EMPLOYEES; MATCH DIVERSE EMPLOYEES TO

ENCOURAGE UNIFORM BEHAVIOUR NICHE MARKETS – CULTURAL

BACKGROUNDS CONSIDERED BUSINESS ASSET

ADVANTAGE – PROMOTES FAIR HIRING EXPANDS MARKETS.

DISADVANTAGES – SUBVERTING DIFF- PIGEONHOLED, STAFF CAN’T IN-

ERENCES TO ENCOURAGE FLUENCE MAINSTREAM WORK .

HARMONY, COMPANIES MISS [DIVERSIFY WORKFORCE NOT

OUT ON NEW IDEAS. THE WORK]

FEELING DETACHED FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES FEEL EXPLOITED AND

WORK, EMPLOYEES’ UNDERPERFORM EXCLUDED FROM OTHER OPPORTIES.

EXAMPLE:

AT A CONSULTING COMPANY EMPHASIZING QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS, MINORITY MANAGERS ENCOUNTER SKEPTICISM WHEN THEY SUGGEST INTERVIEWING CLIENTS. LABELING THE INCIDENT AS RACIAL DISCORD, THE FIRM DOESN’T EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL VALUABLE NEW CONSULTING APPROACH.

TO IMPROVE OVERSEES OPERATIONS, A CANADIAN BANK ASSIGNS EUROPEANS TO IT FOREIGN OFFICES. THEY EXCEL – BUT THE COMPANY DOESN’T KNOW WHY. NOT INTEGRATING DIVERSITY INTO ITS CULTURE AND PRACTICES, IT BECOMES VULNERABLE: “IF THE FRENCH TEAM RESIGNS, WHATWILL WE DO?!”

THE INTEGRATION PARADIGM

THE INTEGRATION PARADIGM TRANSCENDS ASSIMILATION AND DIFFERENTIATION – PROMOTING EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND VALUING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, BY ORIENTING TOWARD INCLUSION OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES TO BROADEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL/COMPANY FRAMEWORK.

{*MANY DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT RESEARCHERS CONTEND THAT “THE INTEGRATION PARADIGM” INCORPORATES ASPECTS OF THE FIRST TWO PARADIGMS BUT GOES BEYOND THEM BY CONCRETELY CONNECTING DIVERSITY TO APPROACHES TO WORK}

EXAMPLE:

A PUBLIC-INTERST LAW FIRM’S ALL-WHITE STAFF’S CLIENTS ARE EXCLUSIVELY WHITE. IT HIRES FEMALE ATTORNEYS OF COLOUR, WHO ENCOURAGE IT TO PURSUE LITIGATION CHALLENGING ENGLISH-ONLY POLICIES {LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS?}. SINCE SUCH CASES DIDN’T FALL UNDER TRADITIONAL PRO BONO WORK, THE FIRM IGNORED THEM. BY TAKING THEM, IT BEGINS SERVING MORE WOMEN – IMMIGRANTS – AND ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF ITS WORK. THE LAWYERS OF COLOUR FEEL VALUED, AND THE FIRM ATTRACTS COMPETENT, DIVERSE STAFF.

DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT RESEARCHERS [NEW STRATEGY] SUGGESTIONS FOR ACHIEVING INTEGRATION:

1) ENCOURAGE OPEN DISCUSSION OF CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS è [TO ‘FIT IN’ MINORITIES OFTEN AVOID SHARING THEIR VIEWS – HOWEVER, OPEN DISCUSSION OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES ENGAGES PEOPLE MORE FULLY IN WORK AND WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS].

2) ELIMINATE ALL FORMS OF DOMINANCE (BY HIERARCHY, FUNCTION, RACE, GENDER, ETC) THAT INHIBIT FULL CONTRIBUTION è [E.G., WHEN FIRMS OPENED THEIR ANNUAL STRATEGY CONFERENCE TO PEOPLE FROM ALL HIERARCHY LEVELS, EVERYONE KNOWS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VALUED].

3) SECURE ORGANIZATIONAL TRUST è [TENSIONS NATURALLY ARISE IN A DIVERSE WORKFORCE WHERE PEOPLE SHARE MORE FEELINGS AND IDEAS. ACKNOWLEDGING TENSIONS DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO DIVEERSITY, AND ALLOWS FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF RESOLVING THEM].

DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IS BEGINNING TO SHOW è HOW CONNECTING THE NEW DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY TO THE ACTUAL DOING OF WORK HAS LED SOME ORGANIZATIONS TO MARKEDLY BETTER PERFORMANCE è LEADERS WHO REALIZE THAT INCREASING DEMOGRAPHIC VARIATION DOES NOT IN ITSELF INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS – HOW A COMPANY DEFINES DIVERSITY [AND WHAT IT DOES WITH THE EXPERIENCES OF BEING A DIVERSE ORGANIZATION] DELIVERS ON THE PROMISE.

1) THE DISCRIMINATION-AND-FAIRNESS MODEL OF DIVERSITY [ASSOCIATED WITH ASSIMILATION PARADIGM]

THIS IS THE MOST DOMINANT WAY OF UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY è THROUGH THIS LENS PEOPLE FOCUS ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, FAIR TREATMENT, RECRUITMENT, AND COMPLIANCE WITH “FAIR EMPLOMENT PARTICES” REQUIREMENTS.

A) PROGRESS IN DIVERSITY IF MEASURED BY HOW WELL THE COMPANY ACHIEVES ITS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION GOALS èTHE STAFF GETS DIVERSIFIED BUT THE WORK DOES NOT.

B) RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE USUALLY RUN BY LEADERS WHO VALUE EQUAL TREATMENT AND DUE PROCESS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND WHO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO USE “TOP-DOWN” DIRECTIVES TO ENFORCE INITIATIVES BASED ON THOSE ATTITUDES [EX. LARGE BUREAUCRACIES LIKE ARMY]

LIMITATIONS

C) THE COLOUR-BLIND, GENDER-BLIND IDEAL IS BUILT ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT “WE ARE ALL THE SAME” OR “WE ASPIRE TO BEING ALL THE SAME”

D) UNDER THIS MODEL OF EQUALITY IT IS NOT DESIRABLE FOR DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WORKFORCE TO INFLUENCE THE ORGANIZATION’S WORK OR CULTURE.

E) THE COMPANY SHOULD OPERATE AS IF EVERY PERSON WERE OF THE SAME RACE, GENDER, AND NATIONALITY.

F) NOT ONLY DOES THE DISCRIMINTION-AND-FAIRNESS MODEL INSIST THAT EVERYONE IS THE SAME, BUT, WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON EQUAL TREATMENT, IT PUTS PRESSURE ON EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM DO NOT COUNT [BLACK WOMEN AND BRAIDS - ASSIMILATE].

THE ACCESS-AND-LEGITIMACY MODEL OF DIVERSITY [ASSOCIATED WITH CELEBRATION OF DIFFERENCES]

WHAT ARE THE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY USED THE ACCESS-AND-LEGITIMACY MODEL {?} è

THE TAKES HOLD WHERE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PUSHED FOR ACCESS TO – AND LEGITIMACY WITH – A MORE DIVERSE CLIENTELE – BY MATCHING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE ORGANIZATION TO THOSE OF CRITICAL CONSUMER OR CONSTITUENT GROUPS

[EX è CONSUMER-PRODUCT COMPANIES HAVE USED MARKET SEGMENTATION BASED ON GENDER, RACIAL AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN ORDER TO CREATE DEDICATED MARKET POSITIONS FOR EACH SEGMENT]

THEY ARE ALMOST ALWAYS COMPANIES THAT OPERATE IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THERE IS INCREASED DIVERSITY AMONG CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS, OR THE LABOUR POOL – THEREFORE, DIVERSITY IS A CLEAR OPPORTUNITY OR AN IMMINENT THREAT TO THE COMPANY

ADVANTAGES

1) INCREASES DIVERSITY AMONG CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS, OR THE LABOUR POOL – AND THEREFORE, DIVERSITY IS A CLEAR OPPORTUNITY OR AN IMMINENT THREAT TO THE COMPANY

DISADVANTAGES

2) IT CAN LEAVE SOME EMPLOYEES FEELING EXPLOITED è MANY ORGANIZATIONS USING THIS MODEL HAVE DIVERSIFIED ONLY IN THOSE AREAS IN WHICH THEY INTERACT WITH PARTICULA NICHE-MARKET SEGMENTS è OFTEN THE LARGER ORGANIZAITON REGARD THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE EMPLOYEES AS MORE LIMITED OR SPECIALIZED è ALSO, WHEN COMPANIES NEED TO DOWNSIZE OR NARROW THEIR MARKETING FOCUS, IT IS THE SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OFTEN FIRST TO GO.

THE (EMERGING) INTEGRATION MODEL

REFERS TO COMPANIES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED AN OUTLOOK ON DIVERSITY THAT ENABLES THEM TO INCORPORATE EMPLOYEES’ PERSPECTIVES INTO THE MAIN WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION AND TO ENHANCE WORK BY RETHINKING PRIMARY TASKS AND REDEFINING MARKETS, PRODUCTS, STRATEGIES, MISSIONS, BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND EVEN CULTURES.

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF PLURALISM è BRING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

AFFECTED THE WORK IN TERMS OF EXPANDING NOTIONS OF WHAT ARE [RELEVANT] ISSUES AND TAKING ON ISSUES AND FRAMING THEM IN CREATIVE WAYS THAT WOULD NEVER BEEN DONE [WITH AND ALL WHITE STAFF].

EIGHT PRECONDITIONS FOR INTEGRATION MODEL

1 THE LEADERSHIP MUST UNDERSTGND THAT A DIVERSE WORKFORCE WILL EMBODY DIFFERNET PERSPECTIVES AND APPROACHES TO WORK, AND MUST TRULY VALUE VARIETY OF OPINION AND INSIGHT.

2 THE LEADERSHIP MUST RECOGNIZE BOTH THE LEANING OPPORTUNITIES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THE EXPRESSION OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES PRESENTS FOR AN ORGANIZATION.

3 THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE MUST CREATE AN EXPECTATION OF HIGH STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FROM EVERYONE {MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ALL TO CONTRIBUTE FULLY}.

4 THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE MUST STIMULATE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT {EX: THROUGH TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS}.

5 THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE MUST ENCOURAGE OPENNESS {HIGH TOLERANCE FOR DEBATE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONFLICT IN WORK-RELATED MATTERS}.

6 THE ORANIZATIONAL CULTURE MUST MAKE WORKERS FEEL VALUED {EMPOWERS PEOPLE FROM WITHIN AND REWARDS INITIATIVE}.

7 THE ORGANIZATION MUST HAVE A WELL-ARTICULATED AND WIDELY UNDERSTOOD MISSION {CLEAR MISSION PROVIDES A FOCAL POINT THAT KEEPS THE DISCUSSION CENTRED ON ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GOALS}.

8 THE ORGANIZATION MUST HAVE A RELATIVELY EGALIGTARIAN, NON-BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURE {A STRUCTURE THAT PROMOTES THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND WELCOMES CONSTRUCTIVE CHALLENGES TO THE WAY OF DOING THINGS – NEED TO SEPARATE THE ENABLING ELEMENTS OF BUREAUCRACY FROM THE DISABLING ELEMENTS}.

EX: GLOBAL WORKPLACE SURVEY BY TOWERS PERRIN è http://www.towersperrin.com/tp/getwebcachedoc?webc=HRS/USA/2008/200802/GWS_handout_web.pdf

The survey of nearly 90,000 workers worldwide, including 5,000 Canadians, showed "employees do not believe their organizations or their senior management are doing enough to motivate them to go the extra mile at work and contribute to their companies' success."

Only 23% of Canadians and 21% of employees worldwide feel engaged, the survey found. Further, 32% of Canadians are "partly to fully 'disengaged,'" Towers Perrin said.

The survey comes as Canada's unemployment rate dips below 6% for the first time in 33 years, making it easy for unhappy employees to pack up their desk and find another gig. Indeed, only one third of Canadians have no plans to change their current jobs. However, roughly 52% of the 23% of Canadians who feel engaged at work plan on sticking with their current employers, the survey found.

Despite the lower percentage of employees who feel engaged, workers appear to be craving challenges. About 90% of workers in Canada, and 84% globally, said they "enjoy challenging work that allows them to learn new skills," the survey found. Further, 69% of workers in Canada, and 58% globally, "stated they tend to invest time and effort beyond what is required."

THESIS: EMPOWERING AND ENABLING PEOPLE BY INTEGRATING THEIR PRESPECTIVES AND APPROACHES TO WORK INTO THE ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK IS THE FOUNDATION OF ORGANIZAITONAL EFFECTIVENESS.