Robbins, Judge, and Vohra
Organizational Behavior
Chapter
2
15th Edition
Diversity
Diversity in
in Organizations
Organizations
Kelli J. Schutte
William Jewell College
Copyright © 2014 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd
Authorized adaptation from the United States edition of Organizational
Behavior, 15e 2-1
Chapter
Chapter Learning
Learning Objectives
Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
– Describe the two major forms of workforce diversity.
– Define the key biographical characteristics and describe how
they are relevant to OB.
– Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its relevance to
OB.
– Contrast the two types of ability.
– Describe how organizations manage diversity effectively.
– Show how culture affects our understanding of biographical
characteristics and intellectual abilities.
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Diversity
Diversity
Deep-level
Surface-level
diversity
diversity
D
iv
e
r
si
t
y
M
a
n
a
g
e
m
e
n
t
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Biographical
Biographical Characteristics
Characteristics
Objective and easily obtained personal characteristics.
Age
– Older workers bring experience, judgment, a strong work
ethic, and commitment to quality.
Gender
– Few differences between men and women that affect job
performance.
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Biographical
Biographical Characteristics
Characteristics (Continued)
(Continued)
Disability
– Today’s organizations have started making efforts to hire
people with disabilities.
Tenure
– People with job tenure (seniority at a job) are more
productive, absent less frequently, have lower turnover, and
are more satisfied.
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Other
Other Biographical
Biographical Characteristics
Characteristics
Religion
– May impact the workplace in areas of dress, grooming, and
scheduling. The law prohibits employers from
discriminating against employees on the basis of their
religion.
Sexual Orientation
– In June 2009, the High Court of Delhi, in a landmark
judgment, decriminalized homosexual sex between
consenting adults, overturning a 149-year-old British
colonial law
– Domestic partner benefits are an important consideration.
Gender Identity
– Relatively new issue – transgendered employees.
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Ability
Ability
An individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a
job.
Intellectual and Physical Abilities
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Ability
Ability
Made up of two sets of factors:
– Intellectual Abilities
• The abilities needed to perform mental activities.
• General Mental Ability (GMA) is a measure of overall
intelligence.
• No correlation between intelligence and job satisfaction.
– Physical Abilities
• The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity,
strength, and similar characteristics.
2-8
Dimensions
Dimensions of
of Intellectual
Intellectual Ability
Ability
Intellectu
al Ability
Memor Number
y Aptitude
Spatial Verbal
Visualizatio Comprehen
n sion
Deductive Perceptu
Reasoning al Speed
Inductive
Reasoning
See E X H I B I T 2–3 for details
See E X H I B I T 2–3 for details
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Nine
Nine Basic
Basic Physical
Physical Abilities
Abilities
Strength Factors
Dynamic strength
Trunk strength
Static strength
Explosive strength
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
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Flexibility
Flexibility Factors
Factors
Flexibility Factors
•Extent flexibility
•Dynamic flexibility
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
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Other
Other Physical
Physical Factors
Factors
Other Factors
•Body coordination
•Balance
•Stamina
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
See E X H I B I T 2–4 for details
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Implementing
ImplementingDiversity
DiversityManagement
ManagementStrategies
Strategies
Making everybody more aware and sensitive to the
needs of others.
WorkingSelecting,
Attracting, with
Developing, and
Diversity
Retaining the in
Diverse
Groups
Employees
Eff
ect
ive
Div
ers
ity
Pr
ogr
am
s
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Summary
Summary and
and Managerial
Managerial Implications
Implications
Summary:
– Ability
• Directly influences employee’s level of performance.
• Managers need to focus on ability in selection, promotion, and
transfer.
• Fine-tune job to fit incumbent’s abilities.
– Biographical Characteristics
• Should not be used in management decisions: possible source
of bias.
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Summary
Summary and
and Managerial
Managerial Implications
Implications
– Diversity Management
• Must be an ongoing commitment at all levels of the
organization.
• Policies must include multiple perspectives and be long term
in their orientation to be effective.
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without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the
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Copyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as Prentice Hall
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