Case Study Dallas Regional Chamber: Path To Embracing Diversity
Dallas Regional Chamber: Path to Embracing Diversity
Adrian Killebrew
University of Phoenix
Dallas Regional Chamber: Path to Embracing Diversity The Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization in Dallas, Texas. The concept of a Chamber of Commerce originated in Europe in the 17th century (Lacho and Brockman, 2011). There are 2,800 state and local chamber chapters in the United States (U.S. Chamber of Commerce).
The mission of the DRC is “together we will lead the Dallas region to become the most economically prosperous region—and the most desirable place to live and work—in the United States” (Dallas Regional Chamber, 2010). The strategic plan for the DRC is a document that was created as a result of strategic planning with Boston Consulting …show more content…
Group. Five objectives were identified from the completed strategic analysis: expand membership representation, ensure a positive experience, demonstrate value by increasing value-based offerings, focus on communication, and track performance (Dallas Regional Chamber, Strategic Plan, 2010). As the leading center for economic development growth in the Dallas Fort-Worth Region the Dallas Regional Chamber is competing with market places across the United States to become one of the top five Gross Domestic production regions. The global marketplace is becoming increasingly competitive. Companies have to create diverse cultures to compete with the changing market place. The problem is that companies like, the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), are making decisions to create diverse cultures but with little success (Cao, Clarke, and Lehaney, 2003).
Background of the Problem
The DRC is a leading organization in the Dallas Fort Worth Region. The organization has approximately 50 employees that work towards completing the mission of the chamber. There are 38 employees for the DRC that work directly with members in creating memorable experiences and driving economic prosperity for the region. Of the 38 employees with the chamber, there are no minorities that have a leadership role within the organization. In addition, only 16 percent (six), of the chamber’s member facing employees are minorities.
The city of Dallas is a diverse city that is heavily minority populated. Demographic results for 2013 have a total of 1.2 million citizens in Dallas. Of those 1.2 million citizens, 71% (873,059) are minorities ( ). Dallas Fort Worth metroplex is just a diverse as the city of Dallas. The region has a total 6.5 million people. Of those 6.5 million people, 50% (3,288,751) are minorities (). Reviewing the numbers for the City of Dallas and the surrounding area there is an apparent gap in the reflection of the Dallas Regional Chamber employees in relation to minority representation to the area in which the chamber serves.
Women at the Dallas Regional Chamber are highly represented within the member facing employees. There are 26 women that are member facing Chamber employees which makes up of 68% of the Chamber’s staff, half of those women are in leadership or managerial roles. There is a gap that exist between the attention to racial diversity that does not exist in gender or invisible diversity.
Diversity deals with both visible and invisible characteristics. Church (1995) defined diversity in organizations as individuals who differ from each other on one or any number of dimensions including culture, values, education, gender, marital status, and age. From this perspective, one could argue that invisibly the DRC is diverse with employees that have a variety of age ranges, education backgrounds, values, and marital statuses. Parvis (2003) wrote that creating an organization that values diversity requires creating a workplace that respects and includes differences, recognizing the unique contributions that individuals with many types of differences can make and the establishment of an environment that maximizes the talent potential of all employees.
Historically in the United States, diversity has focused on both visible and invisible aspects. During the 1940s to 1970s there was an increased focus on visible diversity (Herring and Henderson, 2011). Diversity today includes more invisible aspects of diversity which would be those differences that exist within individuals but are not outwardly apparent. For the purposes of this paper, diversity at Dallas Regional Chamber will be explored from a visible prospective, more specifically race.
One option that the chamber has in addressing the identified problem is to consider a formal diversity management process to increase an overall diverse culture to both recruit and attain diverse staff members. Managing diversity means planning and implementing organizational systems and practices to manage people so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized (Ayub, Aslam, Razzaq, Iftekhar, and Hafeez, 2013).
Literature Review of Diversity Management Diversity is an issue that many organizations are challenged with addressing. One challenge with diversity is being able to clearly define the issue. Diversity is seen as the collective, all inclusive, mixture of human differences and similarities, including educational background, geographic origin, sexual preference, profession, culture, political affiliation, tenure in an organization, and other socioeconomic, psychographic, and ethnic-racial characteristics (Cox, 1993). Many scholars have made a strong case for progress toward diversity as a value or as a public administration imperative others highlight the individual rights, equity, and the golden rule of treating others (Ewoh, 2013). With a clearly defined issue, companies are presented with the task of separating the wide array of topics that an organization can face with diversity management. The challenge that employers face with diversity is defining diversity and separating diversity from affirmative action (AA) and equal employment opportunity (EEO). Diversity is a process that involves creating a positive environment where employees’ attitudes and behaviors are shaped through the use of training and awareness (Ewoh, 2013). Literature provides several types of classifications of organizations and their treatment of diversity. One such classification are monolithic organizations. Monolithic organizations are by nature discriminatory. Popescu and Rusko (2012) describe monolithic organizations as organizations whose employees are similar in their primary and secondary conditions. The culture only rewards those who confirm to the norms of the dominant group. While monolithic organizations are one type of classification for diversity management there are other examples. Podsiadlowski, Groschke, Kogler, Springer, and van der Zee (2013) identify an additional five types or organizations that use diversity management. Organizations that use a system of diversity management in contrast to monolithic organizations make connections between work practices and accept different methods to accomplish organizational goals to workforce diversity. Five types of organizations in diversity management are: reinforcing homogeneity, colorblind, fairness, access, and intergration and learning (Podsiadlowski et al, 2013). Reinforcing homogeneity occurs when an organization avoids or rejects a diverse workforce. Color-blind and fairness organizations operate similarly with different motivations. Both organizations aim to achieve equal employment activities for all. However, a color-blind organization attempts to ignore race or any difference in efforts to make sure that there are equal employment opportunities. Fairness aims to ensure equal and fair treatment through addressing the need for support for special groups within the organization. Diversity management organizations that use an access model acknowledge diversity as a business opportunity and access to an additional customer base and new international markets. An organization with the integration and learning perspective creates a culture where all can benefit from diversity—the organization as a whole and employees. This type of perspective occurs through mutual adaptation of minority groups as well as dominant cultures.
Theoretical Frameworks and organizational examples Organizations choose the process by which the culture will accept or reject diversity. There are many challenges that exist in the organization in making that decision. For an organization to be successful in the implementation of diversity management systems, the first major challenge employers of labor must overcome is managing and valuing diversity by transforming the European American male culture of most organizations into multicultural entities that nurture and sustain all employees (Ewoh, 2013). With the existence of two different approaches to diversity management programs, some models have proven to be more effective than others. Diversity management programs that target employee bias or network isolation were less effective than organizational affirmative action programs or diversity committees (Ewoh, 2013). Asif, Choudry, Akhter, Ilyas, and Lee (2011) provide a multi-employee approach to diversity management. The approach is centered around the notion that organizations have to create an entire culture of diversity acceptance to have a successful diversity management program. The model includes several steps:
Use a holistic, integrated approach.
Obtain top management commitment and accountability.
Consciously work to integrate diversity values in the broad organization values.
Integrate responsibility for diversity with management functions.
Integrate diversity efforts with existing strategic objectives and programs.
Expect resistance to change and take steps to minimize.
Use a participative management approach.
Be instrumental or facultative rather than charismatic or automatic in leadership (p. 38).
There is a distinction between managing diversity and valuing diversity (Popescu and
Rusko, 2012).
Valuing diversity requires the culture seeking to interact with the differences in its members. One company has worked to see diversity as an asset rather than as a challenge. Deloitte’s position on diversity according to Das Neves & Mele (2013) is that talented people choose to work where their differences are respected and they have access to the opportunities to realize their potential. Emphasis on diversity does not prevent a strong commitment to ethical principles, including honesty, compliance with the law, competence, confidentiality, integrity, objectivity, fair business practices, respect, and fair treatment. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is one of the largest car hire company in the world. The company has more than 7,000 locations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, and North America employing 74,000 people (Lafever-Ayer, 2013). Recently, the company decided to implement a diversity management system after realizing that diversity was an area of opportunity. The company recognized that diversity was missing from its upper leadership and took measures to address their
concern. There are four measures that Enterprise Rent-A-Car followed in establishing a functional diversity management program: Assess the organization’s goals, creation of a tool for measuring performance, employing the use of supporting information from outside sources, and management collaboration on the tools necessary to complete implementations and sustaining efforts. The organizations’ diversity management program strived to answer several questions (Lafever-Ayer, 2013):
How can we attract and retain a diverse workforce?
How can we change so that we can attract applicants from all walks of life?
How do we reach out to different and then retain them?
How do we make sure that our employees on the ground remember to do this with every new appointment and promotion?
The management team for Enterprise Rent-A-Car diligently worked to find a tool that would answer the questions above. The solution was a balanced scorecard that was created in order to measure performance. The balanced scorecard that Enterprise Rent-A-Car implemented was focused on specific outcomes. The outcomes of the balance card were twelve specific measures that Ireland management and United Kingdom management collaborated to complete. To measure the success of the diversity management program an internal website were created for Regional Managers to implement their responses to the internal questions that were measured in the balance scorecard. There were four areas that the balance scorecard attempted to measure for Enterprise. Opportunity Identification was measured to help managers identify areas where scope for further diversity could be used. Ideas to consider were an area that provided managers with initiatives to increase managers’ diversity efforts. How to measure progress and success provided tips on monitoring the ideas that were provided. There best practices provided for managers in a Case Studies area of focus. Each of the four areas were highlighted in the internal site. Enterprise has received recognition and awards for their success in implementing a diversity management system. The company won the Innovation award from Race for Opportunity in 2013 (Lafever-Ayer, 2013). In reflection Lafever-Ayer (2013) shared Enterprise’s experience and wrote businesses are responsible for creating inclusive cultures that encourage diversity by overcoming the hurdles that may be present in industry sectors and or company networks.
Recommendation for Dallas Regional Chamber The Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC) would effectively increase a diverse organization by completing several steps. The first step in achieving diversity would be determining what method the organization would like to take as a culture in implementing a management diversity system. The recommendation would be for DRC to implement integration and learning management diversity system. The management system should be designed using elements from the multi-employee model that Asif, Choudry, Akhter, Ilyas, and Lee designed. Following the example set by Enterprise Rent-A-Car DRC should start with a convening of the organizations leadership to determine what tools should be used to implement the diversity management system and discover what the goals of the management system should be. Currently, DRC does not have a tool for measuring employees’ expectations or experiences. The organization would need to uncover the experiences of current minority employees. The experiences of the current employees may provide insight into hiring practices needed to attract new employees. Furthermore, existing employees may provide insight on steps necessary to retain employees. Currently DRC has an employee committee that is responsible for planning activities and creating initiatives to support a positive culture. The employee committee should be included in the diversity management process to ensure that employee input is utilized in maintaining the desired outcomes. One area of opportunity for the chamber may be gathering information from current corporate contributors to the chamber that are minorities the potential impact that having additional minority employees and leadership could have on the overall experience from a member’s perspective.
Two models were created to show how the diversity management system should be implemented. Both models were influenced by the frameworks introduced here.
Conclusion The Dallas Regional Chamber has an opportunity to increase its diversity efforts across the organization. If the organization uses an integration and learning technique, there is an opportunity for all levels of management and employees to work collaboratively to take ownership of an increasing diversity issue. Bornkamp (2013) wrote that while many CEOs are aware that diversity is good thing companies, many are not taking the necessary steps to make conversations and thoughts into reality.
References
Asif, M., Choudhry, A.I., Akhter, S.A., Ilas, M.A., & Lee, G. (2011). Diversity management’s effect on job satisfaction and workgroup performance of government sector employees. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3 (2), 533-539. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/878741536?accountid=35812.
Ayub, A., Aslam, M. S., Razzaq, A., Iftekhar, H., & Hafeez, S. (2013). EXAMINING FACTORS AFFECTING DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(12), 642-648. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1370189907?accountid=458
Bomkamp, S. (2013, Feb 27). Seeking boardroom diversity. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1312654244?accountid=458 Cao, G., Clarke, S., & Lehaney, B. (2003). Diversity management in organizational change: Towards a systemic framework. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 20(3), 231. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196870337?accountid=458
Church, A.H. (1995), "Diversity in workgroup settings: a case study." Leadership & Organization
Development Journal. Retrieved February 16, 2004 from ProQuest database.
Cox, T. H., Jr. (1993). Cultural diversity in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Dallas Demographics. Retrieved from http://www.dallas-ecodev.org/wp- content/uploads/2013/06/Demographics.pdf Danowitz, M. A., Hanappi-Egger, E., & Hofmann, R. (2009). The development and implementation of a diversity management curriculum. The International Journal of
Educational Management, 23(7), 590-603. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09513540910990825 Das Neves, J.C. & Mele, D. (2013). Managing ethically cultural diversity: Learning from
Thomas Aquinas. Journal of Ethics, 116 (4), 769-780.
Durska, M. (2009). Diversity management: Key concepts. Kobieta i Biznes, (1-4), 36-
41.Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230452005?accountid=458 Ewoh, A. (2013). Managing and Valuing Diversity: Challenges to Public Managers in the 21stCentury.
Personnel Management, 42(2), 107-122. Retrieved from doi:10.1177/0091026013487048
Ely, R., Padavic, I., & Thomas, D. (2012). Racial diversity, racial asymmetries, and team learning environment: Effects on performance. Organization Studies, 33 (3), 341- 362. Retrieved from doi: 10.1177/0170840611435597
Parvis, L. (2003), "Diversity and effective leadership in multicultural workplaces. Journal of
Environmental Health." Retrieved January 13, 2004 from ProQuest database
Popescu, S., & Rusko, R. (2012). Managing Diversity in Public Organizations. Global Business & Management Research, 4(3/4), 235-247.
Podsiadlowski, A., Groschke, D., Kogler, M., Springer, C., & van der Zee, K. (2013). Managing a culturally diverse workforce: Diversity perspectives in organizations. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37 (2), 159-175. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.09.001
Wu,Y., Wei, Z., Liang, Q. (2011). Top management team diversity and strategic change: The moderating effects of pay imparity and organization slack. Journal of Organizational Change Management, (24) 3, 267 – 281. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/journals.htm?articleid=1 930936&show=abstract#sthash.7NHEYFTj.dpuf
Adrian Killebrew
University of Phoenix
Dallas Regional Chamber: Path to Embracing Diversity The Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization in Dallas, Texas. The concept of a Chamber of Commerce originated in Europe in the 17th century (Lacho and Brockman, 2011). There are 2,800 state and local chamber chapters in the United States (U.S. Chamber of Commerce).
The mission of the DRC is “together we will lead the Dallas region to become the most economically prosperous region—and the most desirable place to live and work—in the United States” (Dallas Regional Chamber, 2010). The strategic plan for the DRC is a document that was created as a result of strategic planning with Boston Consulting …show more content…
Group. Five objectives were identified from the completed strategic analysis: expand membership representation, ensure a positive experience, demonstrate value by increasing value-based offerings, focus on communication, and track performance (Dallas Regional Chamber, Strategic Plan, 2010). As the leading center for economic development growth in the Dallas Fort-Worth Region the Dallas Regional Chamber is competing with market places across the United States to become one of the top five Gross Domestic production regions. The global marketplace is becoming increasingly competitive. Companies have to create diverse cultures to compete with the changing market place. The problem is that companies like, the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), are making decisions to create diverse cultures but with little success (Cao, Clarke, and Lehaney, 2003).
Background of the Problem
The DRC is a leading organization in the Dallas Fort Worth Region. The organization has approximately 50 employees that work towards completing the mission of the chamber. There are 38 employees for the DRC that work directly with members in creating memorable experiences and driving economic prosperity for the region. Of the 38 employees with the chamber, there are no minorities that have a leadership role within the organization. In addition, only 16 percent (six), of the chamber’s member facing employees are minorities.
The city of Dallas is a diverse city that is heavily minority populated. Demographic results for 2013 have a total of 1.2 million citizens in Dallas. Of those 1.2 million citizens, 71% (873,059) are minorities ( ). Dallas Fort Worth metroplex is just a diverse as the city of Dallas. The region has a total 6.5 million people. Of those 6.5 million people, 50% (3,288,751) are minorities (). Reviewing the numbers for the City of Dallas and the surrounding area there is an apparent gap in the reflection of the Dallas Regional Chamber employees in relation to minority representation to the area in which the chamber serves.
Women at the Dallas Regional Chamber are highly represented within the member facing employees. There are 26 women that are member facing Chamber employees which makes up of 68% of the Chamber’s staff, half of those women are in leadership or managerial roles. There is a gap that exist between the attention to racial diversity that does not exist in gender or invisible diversity.
Diversity deals with both visible and invisible characteristics. Church (1995) defined diversity in organizations as individuals who differ from each other on one or any number of dimensions including culture, values, education, gender, marital status, and age. From this perspective, one could argue that invisibly the DRC is diverse with employees that have a variety of age ranges, education backgrounds, values, and marital statuses. Parvis (2003) wrote that creating an organization that values diversity requires creating a workplace that respects and includes differences, recognizing the unique contributions that individuals with many types of differences can make and the establishment of an environment that maximizes the talent potential of all employees.
Historically in the United States, diversity has focused on both visible and invisible aspects. During the 1940s to 1970s there was an increased focus on visible diversity (Herring and Henderson, 2011). Diversity today includes more invisible aspects of diversity which would be those differences that exist within individuals but are not outwardly apparent. For the purposes of this paper, diversity at Dallas Regional Chamber will be explored from a visible prospective, more specifically race.
One option that the chamber has in addressing the identified problem is to consider a formal diversity management process to increase an overall diverse culture to both recruit and attain diverse staff members. Managing diversity means planning and implementing organizational systems and practices to manage people so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized (Ayub, Aslam, Razzaq, Iftekhar, and Hafeez, 2013).
Literature Review of Diversity Management Diversity is an issue that many organizations are challenged with addressing. One challenge with diversity is being able to clearly define the issue. Diversity is seen as the collective, all inclusive, mixture of human differences and similarities, including educational background, geographic origin, sexual preference, profession, culture, political affiliation, tenure in an organization, and other socioeconomic, psychographic, and ethnic-racial characteristics (Cox, 1993). Many scholars have made a strong case for progress toward diversity as a value or as a public administration imperative others highlight the individual rights, equity, and the golden rule of treating others (Ewoh, 2013). With a clearly defined issue, companies are presented with the task of separating the wide array of topics that an organization can face with diversity management. The challenge that employers face with diversity is defining diversity and separating diversity from affirmative action (AA) and equal employment opportunity (EEO). Diversity is a process that involves creating a positive environment where employees’ attitudes and behaviors are shaped through the use of training and awareness (Ewoh, 2013). Literature provides several types of classifications of organizations and their treatment of diversity. One such classification are monolithic organizations. Monolithic organizations are by nature discriminatory. Popescu and Rusko (2012) describe monolithic organizations as organizations whose employees are similar in their primary and secondary conditions. The culture only rewards those who confirm to the norms of the dominant group. While monolithic organizations are one type of classification for diversity management there are other examples. Podsiadlowski, Groschke, Kogler, Springer, and van der Zee (2013) identify an additional five types or organizations that use diversity management. Organizations that use a system of diversity management in contrast to monolithic organizations make connections between work practices and accept different methods to accomplish organizational goals to workforce diversity. Five types of organizations in diversity management are: reinforcing homogeneity, colorblind, fairness, access, and intergration and learning (Podsiadlowski et al, 2013). Reinforcing homogeneity occurs when an organization avoids or rejects a diverse workforce. Color-blind and fairness organizations operate similarly with different motivations. Both organizations aim to achieve equal employment activities for all. However, a color-blind organization attempts to ignore race or any difference in efforts to make sure that there are equal employment opportunities. Fairness aims to ensure equal and fair treatment through addressing the need for support for special groups within the organization. Diversity management organizations that use an access model acknowledge diversity as a business opportunity and access to an additional customer base and new international markets. An organization with the integration and learning perspective creates a culture where all can benefit from diversity—the organization as a whole and employees. This type of perspective occurs through mutual adaptation of minority groups as well as dominant cultures.
Theoretical Frameworks and organizational examples Organizations choose the process by which the culture will accept or reject diversity. There are many challenges that exist in the organization in making that decision. For an organization to be successful in the implementation of diversity management systems, the first major challenge employers of labor must overcome is managing and valuing diversity by transforming the European American male culture of most organizations into multicultural entities that nurture and sustain all employees (Ewoh, 2013). With the existence of two different approaches to diversity management programs, some models have proven to be more effective than others. Diversity management programs that target employee bias or network isolation were less effective than organizational affirmative action programs or diversity committees (Ewoh, 2013). Asif, Choudry, Akhter, Ilyas, and Lee (2011) provide a multi-employee approach to diversity management. The approach is centered around the notion that organizations have to create an entire culture of diversity acceptance to have a successful diversity management program. The model includes several steps:
Use a holistic, integrated approach.
Obtain top management commitment and accountability.
Consciously work to integrate diversity values in the broad organization values.
Integrate responsibility for diversity with management functions.
Integrate diversity efforts with existing strategic objectives and programs.
Expect resistance to change and take steps to minimize.
Use a participative management approach.
Be instrumental or facultative rather than charismatic or automatic in leadership (p. 38).
There is a distinction between managing diversity and valuing diversity (Popescu and
Rusko, 2012).
Valuing diversity requires the culture seeking to interact with the differences in its members. One company has worked to see diversity as an asset rather than as a challenge. Deloitte’s position on diversity according to Das Neves & Mele (2013) is that talented people choose to work where their differences are respected and they have access to the opportunities to realize their potential. Emphasis on diversity does not prevent a strong commitment to ethical principles, including honesty, compliance with the law, competence, confidentiality, integrity, objectivity, fair business practices, respect, and fair treatment. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is one of the largest car hire company in the world. The company has more than 7,000 locations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, and North America employing 74,000 people (Lafever-Ayer, 2013). Recently, the company decided to implement a diversity management system after realizing that diversity was an area of opportunity. The company recognized that diversity was missing from its upper leadership and took measures to address their
concern. There are four measures that Enterprise Rent-A-Car followed in establishing a functional diversity management program: Assess the organization’s goals, creation of a tool for measuring performance, employing the use of supporting information from outside sources, and management collaboration on the tools necessary to complete implementations and sustaining efforts. The organizations’ diversity management program strived to answer several questions (Lafever-Ayer, 2013):
How can we attract and retain a diverse workforce?
How can we change so that we can attract applicants from all walks of life?
How do we reach out to different and then retain them?
How do we make sure that our employees on the ground remember to do this with every new appointment and promotion?
The management team for Enterprise Rent-A-Car diligently worked to find a tool that would answer the questions above. The solution was a balanced scorecard that was created in order to measure performance. The balanced scorecard that Enterprise Rent-A-Car implemented was focused on specific outcomes. The outcomes of the balance card were twelve specific measures that Ireland management and United Kingdom management collaborated to complete. To measure the success of the diversity management program an internal website were created for Regional Managers to implement their responses to the internal questions that were measured in the balance scorecard. There were four areas that the balance scorecard attempted to measure for Enterprise. Opportunity Identification was measured to help managers identify areas where scope for further diversity could be used. Ideas to consider were an area that provided managers with initiatives to increase managers’ diversity efforts. How to measure progress and success provided tips on monitoring the ideas that were provided. There best practices provided for managers in a Case Studies area of focus. Each of the four areas were highlighted in the internal site. Enterprise has received recognition and awards for their success in implementing a diversity management system. The company won the Innovation award from Race for Opportunity in 2013 (Lafever-Ayer, 2013). In reflection Lafever-Ayer (2013) shared Enterprise’s experience and wrote businesses are responsible for creating inclusive cultures that encourage diversity by overcoming the hurdles that may be present in industry sectors and or company networks.
Recommendation for Dallas Regional Chamber The Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC) would effectively increase a diverse organization by completing several steps. The first step in achieving diversity would be determining what method the organization would like to take as a culture in implementing a management diversity system. The recommendation would be for DRC to implement integration and learning management diversity system. The management system should be designed using elements from the multi-employee model that Asif, Choudry, Akhter, Ilyas, and Lee designed. Following the example set by Enterprise Rent-A-Car DRC should start with a convening of the organizations leadership to determine what tools should be used to implement the diversity management system and discover what the goals of the management system should be. Currently, DRC does not have a tool for measuring employees’ expectations or experiences. The organization would need to uncover the experiences of current minority employees. The experiences of the current employees may provide insight into hiring practices needed to attract new employees. Furthermore, existing employees may provide insight on steps necessary to retain employees. Currently DRC has an employee committee that is responsible for planning activities and creating initiatives to support a positive culture. The employee committee should be included in the diversity management process to ensure that employee input is utilized in maintaining the desired outcomes. One area of opportunity for the chamber may be gathering information from current corporate contributors to the chamber that are minorities the potential impact that having additional minority employees and leadership could have on the overall experience from a member’s perspective.
Two models were created to show how the diversity management system should be implemented. Both models were influenced by the frameworks introduced here.
Conclusion The Dallas Regional Chamber has an opportunity to increase its diversity efforts across the organization. If the organization uses an integration and learning technique, there is an opportunity for all levels of management and employees to work collaboratively to take ownership of an increasing diversity issue. Bornkamp (2013) wrote that while many CEOs are aware that diversity is good thing companies, many are not taking the necessary steps to make conversations and thoughts into reality.
References
Asif, M., Choudhry, A.I., Akhter, S.A., Ilas, M.A., & Lee, G. (2011). Diversity management’s effect on job satisfaction and workgroup performance of government sector employees. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3 (2), 533-539. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/878741536?accountid=35812.
Ayub, A., Aslam, M. S., Razzaq, A., Iftekhar, H., & Hafeez, S. (2013). EXAMINING FACTORS AFFECTING DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(12), 642-648. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1370189907?accountid=458
Bomkamp, S. (2013, Feb 27). Seeking boardroom diversity. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1312654244?accountid=458 Cao, G., Clarke, S., & Lehaney, B. (2003). Diversity management in organizational change: Towards a systemic framework. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 20(3), 231. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196870337?accountid=458
Church, A.H. (1995), "Diversity in workgroup settings: a case study." Leadership & Organization
Development Journal. Retrieved February 16, 2004 from ProQuest database.
Cox, T. H., Jr. (1993). Cultural diversity in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Dallas Demographics. Retrieved from http://www.dallas-ecodev.org/wp- content/uploads/2013/06/Demographics.pdf Danowitz, M. A., Hanappi-Egger, E., & Hofmann, R. (2009). The development and implementation of a diversity management curriculum. The International Journal of
Educational Management, 23(7), 590-603. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09513540910990825 Das Neves, J.C. & Mele, D. (2013). Managing ethically cultural diversity: Learning from
Thomas Aquinas. Journal of Ethics, 116 (4), 769-780.
Durska, M. (2009). Diversity management: Key concepts. Kobieta i Biznes, (1-4), 36-
41.Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230452005?accountid=458 Ewoh, A. (2013). Managing and Valuing Diversity: Challenges to Public Managers in the 21stCentury.
Personnel Management, 42(2), 107-122. Retrieved from doi:10.1177/0091026013487048
Ely, R., Padavic, I., & Thomas, D. (2012). Racial diversity, racial asymmetries, and team learning environment: Effects on performance. Organization Studies, 33 (3), 341- 362. Retrieved from doi: 10.1177/0170840611435597
Parvis, L. (2003), "Diversity and effective leadership in multicultural workplaces. Journal of
Environmental Health." Retrieved January 13, 2004 from ProQuest database
Popescu, S., & Rusko, R. (2012). Managing Diversity in Public Organizations. Global Business & Management Research, 4(3/4), 235-247.
Podsiadlowski, A., Groschke, D., Kogler, M., Springer, C., & van der Zee, K. (2013). Managing a culturally diverse workforce: Diversity perspectives in organizations. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37 (2), 159-175. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2012.09.001
Wu,Y., Wei, Z., Liang, Q. (2011). Top management team diversity and strategic change: The moderating effects of pay imparity and organization slack. Journal of Organizational Change Management, (24) 3, 267 – 281. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/journals.htm?articleid=1 930936&show=abstract#sthash.7NHEYFTj.dpuf