Developing Competency to Manage Diversity: Reading, Cases, and Activities

Recognizing that "managing" diversity has become a critical skill in organizations all over the world, Developing Competency to Manage Diversity shows how the dynamics of diversity affect people on all levels of society and in all kinds of organizations-from individual relationships to community interactions, from city and national governments to work teams and product markets.

Defining diversity as "a mix of people in one social system who have distinctly different, socially relevant, group identities," this volume responds to the increasing need to function effectively in workplace contexts that are culturally, socially, economically, and racially diverse. To this end, it provides managers with tools they need to successfully manage a diverse workforce. Chapters provide specific tasks and activities to:
o Increase awareness of coworkers' cultural backgrounds
o Create a "pro-diversity" organizational climate
o Develop an operational definition of diversity
o Explore how group identity applies to each group member
o Investigate differences of cognitive style
o Customize team-building strategies for diverse groups

Organized in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, a set of twenty-three readings, six case studies, and thirty-one activities takes readers through a three-stage learning process. The first stage creates awareness of a diversity-related issue, the second stage develops knowledge and understanding of effective ways to handle that issue, and the final stage outlines practical actions to respond to the issue. The high costs of failing to recognize and manage diversity-absenteeism, dissatisfaction, barriers to contribution, harassment, discrimination suits, reduced efficiency, and lack of communication-as well as the potential to leverage diversity as an organizational resource-should motivate organizations and groups to make full use of Developing Competency to Manage Diversity.

Taylor H. Cox, Jr. is an associate professor in the Organization Behavior and Human Resource Management Department of the University of Michigan Business School, where he teaches courses on organizational consulting and managing diversity. He is also founder of Taylor Cox and Associates Inc. a research and consulting firm. His recent work focuses on human resource systems and organization change processes for organizations with diverse employees and markets. In his consulting practice he has created educational programs, carried out research, strategic planning, and organization development work with more than twenty organizations including Ford Motor Co. Exxon, Phillips, Eli Lilly, and Phelps Dodge. He is the author of Cultural Diversity in Organizations and coauthor of Developing Competency to Manage Diversity.
Ruby L. Beale, a faculty member of the psychology department and the University of Michigan Business School, is a principal in a human resource management firm specializing in managing and enhancing work productivity, and job and school performance with diverse populations. Dr. Beale has provided training for organizational development to corporations, educational programs, professional associations, municipalities, and grassroots community organizations. Her clients include Exxon, Dow, Citizen's Insurance Co. University of Virginia Law School, and School Districts in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. Peoria, and Boston. She is coauthor of Developing Competency to Manage Diversity.