MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORK PLACE IN THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY: AN INVESTIGATION OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAM ATTRIBUTES
The purpose of this study was to identify effective strategies that may be applied by employing organizations to attain diversity goals. Data were collected and analyzed from a sample of 32 private sector organizations with 500 or more employees.
The study found that both functional and hierarchical diversity in organizations are related significantly to: Diversity Program structure, Rank and file support for the program, Community support for the program, Top management support for the program, Program participation requirements, and Program communications. Formal program structures were found to be associated with the highest levels of diversity, and informal program structures were found to be associated with higher levels of diversity than that found in organizations with no diversity programs. Strong support for diversity programs from rank and file employees, the surrounding communities, and top management were found to be associated with the highest levels of diversity. Organizations where support for diversity programs were moderate to weak from rank and file employees, the surrounding communities, and top management were found to be associated with higher levels of diversity than that found in organizations with no diversity programs.
Mandatory participation in diversity programs was found to be associated with the highest levels of diversity, and optional participation in diversity programs was found to be associated with higher levels of diversity than that found in organizations with no diversity programs. Program communication that was both frequent and scheduled was found to be associated with the highest levels of diversity, and programs were communication was sporadic were found to be associated with higher levels of diversity than that found in organizations with no diversity programs.
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