Compare and contrast the diversity management definition is offered in this chapter. What elements are common, where do they differ and why?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Key points pulled from text include: Olsen and Martins (2012) define diversity management broadly as “the utilization of human resource (HR) management practices to (i) increase or maintain the variation in human capital on some given dimension(s), and/or (ii) ensure that variation in human capital on some given dimension(s) does not hinder the achievement of organizational objectives, and/or (iii) ensure that variation in human capital on some given dimension(s) facilitates the achievement of organizational objectives.” Jonsen Özbilgin (2014) focus on global diversity management (GDM) and note that it takes into account local context and is defined as “a management approach that seeks to leverage diversity in organizations with international, multinational, global, and transnational workforces and operations” (p. 366). Martins (2015) offers this simple definition: “DM is typically described as a management practice concerned with valuing people as key human resources” (p.49). Best et al. (2015) further note, “The purpose of diversity management is to ensure that everyone can succeed based on his or her individual characteristics” (p.45). We offer the following definition that is brief and succinct and, in the spirit of this book, links diversity to inclusion and applies both locally and globally: Diversity management refers to the voluntary organizational actions that are designed to create greater inclusion of employees from various backgrounds into the formal and informal organizational structures through deliberate policies and programs. (Mor Barak, 2005, 2011, 2014)