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Importance of diversity in organizations
Importance of diversity in organizations
Is diversity a detriment to team performance
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Recommended: Importance of diversity in organizations
Decision Making in Diverse Groups
Namratha Murthy-nvm242 (Link Team)
Malcolm ford said that “Diversity: is the art of thinking independently together”[1]. Diversity in teams is vital to achieve effective solution where every team member brings in unique expertise that results in all-inclusive approach for possible solutions. In this process different sets of eyes with unique pair of glasses see the problem and solution differently from one another that creates a wider coverage range. In the article “Putting your whole brain to work”[2] Dorothy Leonard and Susaan Straus discuss about how creative abrasion is necessary for productive results. They talk about how a manager under- stands that different people have different thinking styles: analytical or intuitive, experiential or conceptual, independent or social, logical or values driven. These thinking styles ultimately influence the decision-making abilities of a team. Even though these diverse teams are essential and have many benefits they clearly are prone to dysfunction because of the very reason of their origin i.e. considerable diversity among team members. With all these advantages and limitations of a
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Decisions were taken by giving each member and there opinions equal respect. This lead to increased trust overtime and made each of us feel comfortable to speaking our minds. I think for a team with Consensus decisions making model these there factors listening to each other, respecting each other opinion and trusting it are the key takeaways. A person irrespective of their professional or cultural background, when realizes that his/her thoughts and opinions are heard and valued they becomes more comfortable and productive in their tasks. This behavior leads to trust among the team members and team synergy. This is exactly what happened in our
Dahlin, K. B., Weingart, L. R., & Hinds, P. J. (2005). Team Diversity and Information Use. The Academy of Management Journal , 48 (6), 1107-1123.
A diverse mindset is a mental representation of team diversity (Cannon-Bowers et al., 1993 and Salas and Fiore, 2004). The team diversity comes from a cultural background. For the reason above cultural diversity give you a sense of identity and it helps you shape a business, product or even a brand. However, cultural diversity may also constitute an important informational resource (Cox, 1993 and Ely and Thomas, 2001). For instance, Fage was not always an international business and the only to know what the quality of the product was before making Fage international was research on its background. Researching help consumers find the diversity of a
..., they need to skip the personal stereotypes that might result in potential discrimination, by applying interpersonal skills to accommodate the needs of others who are culturally different. The main goal of diversity is to capitalize on people's differing talents by bringing different people together from all backgrounds. By gaining a better understanding of these emerging issues and having appropriate strategies, proactive managers increase their chances of managing diversity in a more effective manner.
The use of culturally diverse business teams is an increasingly common situation in today’s world; especially as the world continues to become a global village. Leveraging on the cultural diverse backgrounds and experiences of members of such teams can be a source of improved performance which can ultimately reflect a competitive advantage in the business market. As Symons and Stenzel (2007) aptly state, “culturally diverse teams are more likely to engage in innovative `out-of-the-box' thinking, given their different life experiences in diverse social environments.” Another pointer to suggest that multicultural teams tend to be a source of competitive advantage in business is found in the paper by Di Stefano and Maznevski (2000) where they state that “multicultural teams have an enormous wealth of material with which to create innovative approaches to complex organizational challenges.” They furthermore state that “today’s business cannot flourish without the creative value afforded by high performing global teams.”
As the importance of diversity in organizations has come to the forefront, beckoned by research touting performance improvements and other benefits, unforeseen negative effects have emerged with it (Joplin & Daus, 2003). The potential ramifications of these negative consequences can diminish, or negate, the potential benefits of diversification. Joplin and Daus (2003) state that these negative consequences have not been studied as robustly as the positive effects. The authors also note that the increasing diversity of the workforce demands that leaders develop stronger skills in order to prevent these issues. Key among these skills is the ability to utilize diverse leadership styles and traits. This paper will discuss several areas where leaders must develop new skill-sets in order to develop lasting diversification and the role self-efficacy can play in organizational diversity.
Effective communication encompasses many concepts. For a leader to be effective, one must be able to build relationships between different parties. In order to build a good rapport, one must be able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of those involved, and within oneself. Acknowledging these differences will allow for a better collaboration between team members. A leader must also have the ability to put conflict resolution theories into practice. Allowing differing points of view may challenge the original idea and will make for a more thorough decision making process. Although this may seem counterproductive, it actually ensures the best possible outcome. One must be consistent in the message presented yet be flexible, approachable and maintain a positive attitude. Allowing for different perspectives to be heard will allow team members to feel valued. This flexibility helps to solidify the concept that everyone is in this together; thus establishing an environment where all team members can have a buy-in. Encouraging team members to voice opinions and give feedback produces an atmosphere of constructive give-and-take; a real t...
Society gains a lot by supporting culturally diverse environments. In this research paper I am going to present my thoughts and opinions on the arguments. What I believe and then back my opinions and information up with quotes and research from articles on Diversity and Innovation.
...s of viewing ideas and solving problems. When considered this way, diversity makes good management sense making best use of available resources to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization.
Most leaders are of opinion that the more diverse and versatile the team is, the higher the possibility it will achieve a long-term success. This diversity does not imply gender, religious, cultural and other differences. It is all about different work styles or, in other words, how people think, organize, and cope with tasks. Moreover, teams perform better when they consist of individuals with
There are plenty problems within team decision-making. According to McShane and Von Glinow the four most common problems in team decision-making are: time constraints, evaluation apprehension, pressure to conform, and groupthink (256). Time Constraints refers to the fact that a team requires more time to come to a conclusion than an individual. That is because team members have to communicate with each other about their ideas, and also have to debate about these i...
Within an organization, there are always people that think and behave differently, all dependent on their personal values and cultures. Efficient managing of the human resources is an art, and it is hard to find a perfect solution/combination. It is important that management recognize and understand that people work differently. This is why it is important to have strong cultural foundations that also guides how employees are expected to behave and work. Thereby it should be easier for management to utilize the work force diversity to something meaningful.
Managing diversity is defined as “the practice of addressing and supporting multiple lifestyles and personal characteristics within a defined group. Management activities includes educating the group and providing support for the acceptance of and respect for various racial, cultural, societal, geographic, economic and political backgrounds” by the businessdictionary.com (2016). On the other hand, equal opportunity is defined as “Principle of non-discrimination which emphasizes that opportunities in education, employment, advancement, benefits and resource distribution, and other areas should be freely available to all citizens irrespective of their age, race, sex, religion, political association, ethnic origin, or any other individual or group
Encouraging diversity helps bring new and different people in the groups, this in result brings new ideas, new cultures and mind-sets in the group, making it difficult for groupthink to take place. Therefore, increasing group cohesiveness and performance.
Differences in national origin, primary language, religion, social status, and age can benefit or harm organizations. Managing diversity effectively is the key to minimizing harmful disadvantages of diversity in the workplace. Bringing together team members of different diverse knowledge and skills that can benefit an organization, The outcome of diverse groups benefit a team by strengthening team productivity and responsiveness to changing condition. Another advantage of diversity in the workplace is the opportunity for employees personal growth. Being exposed to other different diverse cultures and perspectives can help individuals to grow intellectually in the world based on learning different cultures. Another affects of workplace communication. Spending time with different employees can strengthen your company's relationship with customer groups. When individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds bring special experiences and knowledge to the table in groups and workplaces. Pooling the diversity comprehension and skills of individuals that work together can advantage the companies power.
In today’s global market, diversity is a necessity. Effective leaders will encourage and benefit from the ideas, strengths, styles and roles that their employees bring to the organization. If managers learn to appreciate the differences that diversity and perspectives bring to the team, their organizations will be richer and stronger.