CEO since May 2001,
CEO since May 2001,
The concept of Diversity and obtaining its 'true' understanding continues to shape and reshape organizational culture globally. Article written by R. Roosevelt Thomas on Redefining Diversity, broadens the general knowledge of diversity within the workplace and our everyday lives. In fact, in the early 1990s studies were done to determine the meaning of diversity. For example, in 1997 the National Naval Research Council defined diversity as the presence of a significant number of women, members of underrepresented racial groups, and persons with disabilities throughout the organization (National Research Council Staff. Building a Diverse Workforce: Scientists and Engineers in the Office of Naval Research. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press, 1997. p viii. ) Although a general relative definition, R. Roosevelt Thomas provided a more in depth understanding of diversity and indicates in his article that diversity is no longer about the crucial distinctions between groups, but is the elements that encompasses both the differences and similarities of employees (Understanding and Managing Diversity, pg ___.) thus, creating a diversity mixture within corporations. For me, it is surprising to adjust to the notion that diversity can in fact relate to the similarities and/or qualities of constituencies. This helps to eliminate the thought process that diversity is one dimensional.…
Diversity at Target, like everywhere, is a work in progress. Target is ahead of the national average in terms of minority hiring. Additionally, the company has a higher percentage of minorities in management positions than the industry average. “The Strength of Many. The Power of One,” is Target’s tagline for diversity. It is realized that we need many points of view all working towards the common goal in order to be successful. The goals set forward in this plan are: to increase diverse hire mix by 30% over last year; improve retention rate by 30% over last year; and to develop high potential diverse talent in the ST. Louis market. This can be done through a number of steps designed to increase the level of talent at Target both internally and externally. The areas of recruiting, retention, and development are all looked at as areas where a solution is possible. The recommendation is that steps be implemented in all three categories to work together to help the company move forward…
In this paper, we will be discussing a diversity audit that took place with the Starbucks Coffee Company. The audit consists of the company’s background, what the team’s criteria for a diverse organization should be and the findings on what the organization diversity practices truly consist of based on research provided from interviews, company statements and news articles. The remaining of the paper will focus on the organization in terms of Thomas and Ely’s paradigms, building an inclusion breakthrough and a business case for diversity in the organization. Finally, recommendations for improvements will be discussed for the company.…
One of the objectives that the team discussed was diversity in the workplace. Major corporations have encountered issues concerning diversity in the work place. Our team can directly relate to this subject in the workplace since all of us are diverse minorities in our individual work place. It was discussed in the group that diversity in the workplace is the manager’s responsibility to insure that the workplace is a diverse environment. Managers in most companies are required to hire a diverse staff. Managers have the ability to use race, religion, and tenure as qualities to inspire success and productivity at work. Our team agreed that in the real world not all individuals will set aside their differences to work effectively together, but the process of how management deals with issues concerning diversity is crucial to building and maintaining an efficient workforce.…
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational medical device, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. The corporation is the world’s largest consumer health company, the world’s largest and most diverse medical devices and Diagnostics Company, the world’s fifth-largest biologics company, and the world’s eighth-largest pharmaceuticals company. Johnson & Johnson has more than 250 operating companies in 60 countries employing approximately 129,000 people. The Johnson & Johnson headquarters is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Johnson & Johnson’s brands include many well known household items such as: Band-Aid, Tylenol, Johnson’s baby products, Neutrogena skin care, Clean & Clear skin care, and Acuvue contact lenses.…
Susan Jackson states in Diversity in the Workplace: Human Resource Initiatives that, “Surveys of business leaders confirm the perception that interest in managing diversity successfully is widespread. In a study of 645 firms, 74% of the respondents were concerned about diversity, and of these about one-third felt that diversity effected corporate strategy.” This means that the majority of organizations feel diversity is important, and see the need to take action, however; implementing the process can be more difficult. This paper will outline a human resources strategic plan that includes diversity training for all employees to include managers and frontline staff. It will focus specific diversity training segments to address management’s perspectives, and will use a change model to persuade management to implement needed modifications to the organizations practices. This paper will also propose a brief training outline of diversity content. Finally, this paper will recommend a comprehensive method of evaluation to ensure the training will create the needed changes.…
The practice of diversity is evolving over time, and no one company has perfected their approach. Many times, organizations who boast strong diversity initiatives that address the diversity needs of a certain group are woefully inadequate in addressing the needs of others. Perhaps this is due to diversity having its roots…
Our goal is to help business leaders see what their own approach to diversity currently is and how it may already have influenced their companies’ diversity efforts. Managers can learn to asses whether they need to change their diversity initiatives and how to accomplish those changes (Thomas & Ely, 1996, p. 81).…
Managing diversity has been a tricky problem for management for a long time; especially, in the recent years, it has raised many controversial questions. How much diversity is enough and how companies benefit from the act of promoting diversity in their workforce? More importantly, how can companies effectively manage diversity to achieve their targets? In this paper, I will focus on two companies that are known for their recognizably successful diversity management systems: AT&T Inc. and Pepsi Co.…
Globalization taking place in the business world today has led to increased workforce diversity as employees from different cultural backgrounds are brought together. Diversity in workplace encompasses respect and acceptance of the differences in the work place creating a positive and safe environment. Diversity entails the way employees perceive themselves and others affecting the way they interact with others in a working environment. Therefore, in order organizations to realize the benefits of the diversity in their organizations, the human resource managers need to effectively deal with diversity issues in the work place (Rosenwald, Mitchell, et al. 148). Organizations have to recognize the benefits of diversity and…
The purpose of this paper is to assess the real-world situation “True to Myself” as described by Daft (2014) and develop organizational initiatives to advance diversity within the oil company. Managers must have the ability to look at situations from a human resource perspective. Managers who are familiar with the human resource aspect of business are less likely to make or condone situations that prevent diversity and inclusion. “True to Myself” exemplifies how a lack of diversity training can lead to exclusion rather than inclusion, making employees feel as though they are not appreciated and their accomplishments mean nothing (Daft, 2014).…
Harvard Business Review September, 1996 / October, 1996 HEADLINE: MAKING DIFFERENCES MATTER: A NEW PARADIGM FOR MANAGING DIVERSITY BYLINE: by David A. Thomas and Robin J. Ely; David A. Thomas is an associate professor at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts. Robin J. Ely is an associate professor at Columbia University 's School of International and Public Affairs in New York City. Their research and teaching focus on the influence of race, gender, and ethnicity on career dynamics and organizational effectiveness. ABSTRACT: MAKING DIFFERENCES MATTER: A NEW PARADIGM FOR MANAGING DIVERSITY DAVID A. THOMAS and ROBIN J. ELY Diversity efforts in the workplace have been undertaken with great goodwill, but, ironically, they often end up fueling tensions. They rarely spur the leaps in organizational effectiveness that are possible. Two paradigms for diversity are responsible, but a new one is showing it can address the problem. The discrimination-and-fairness paradigm is based on the recognition that discrimination is wrong. Under it, progress is measured by how well the company achieves its recruitment and retention goals. The paradigm idealizes assimilation and color- and gender-blind conformism. The access-and-legitimacy paradigm, on the other hand, celebrates differences. Under it, organizations seek access to a more diverse clientele, matching their demographics to targeted consumers. But that paradigm can leave employees of different identity-group affiliations feeling marginalized or exploited. In companies with the right kind of leadership, a third paradigm is showing that beneficial learning takes place and organizations become more effective in fulfilling their missions if employees are encouraged to tap their differences for creative ideas. If all or most of eight preconditions are in place, the opportunities for growth are almost unlimited. Leaders in third-paradigm companies are proactive about learning from diversity; they encourage people to…
Regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, or age, all organizations need to hire, retain, and develop a diverse workforce that provides a deeper pool of talent and unique perspectives that help the organization identity and meet the needs of a diverse customer base (McGraw-Hill 2012, p.46). Organizations are now recognizing the need and importance of investing in diversity as part of their overall mission. Diversity is crucial in this day 's global marketplace as companies interact with different ethnic cultures and clients. The results of having a diverse workplace are increased creativity, increased productivity improved moral, new language skills, global understanding, new processes, new solutions to difficult problems and improved employee recruitment and retention.…
: the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization…
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are laudable benchmarks, but making it a standard that all employees embrace requires an effective plan all will buy into. Factors such as the rising numbers of immigrants, mergers or joint ventures with companies in other countries, the rising use of temps and contract workers, and the increasing globalization of business are a few of the forces making our workforce more diverse. With this growing diversity, companies must be constantly adjusting their diversity programs to meet these challenges. This paper takes a look at some of the changes…