Literature search methods and applications

Managing Diversity

Diversity Management -- Literature Search

The following articles provide an overview of diversity in the workplace, specifically within teams and managerial groups. With respect to team effectiveness, these articles address how various conceptualizations of diversity can impact team effectiveness. Overall, many of the articles point to mixed results, with some studies finding positive effects on team effectiveness and others finding negative outcomes. Other articles therefore discuss the best ways of managing diversity so that the best possible outcomes can be achieved while minimizing the potential negative outcomes of diversity in management teams. With respect to team leadership, one article discusses how diversity within upper management can lead to positive outcomes in some respects, but also lead to the development of social subgroups that can lead to division within the upper management teams which can inhibit a company's ability to move into new geographic areas.

Bunderson, J.S. & Sutcliffe, K.M. (2002). Comparing alternative conceptualizations of functional diversity in management teams: process and performance effects. The Academy of Management Journal, 45(5), pp. 875-893.

This article examined two different conceptualizations of diversity and their consequent links to process and performance effects on management teams. Specifically, the article examined functional diversity in teams, and whether or not this can promote team effectiveness, performance and process. The authors argue that the impact of functional diversity may be associated with how functional diversity is conceptualized and measured. The research identified two different and important conceptualizations: (1) Dominant Function Diversity: where the diversity is made up of narrow functional specialists and (2) Intrapersonal functional diversity: where the diversity is made up of broad generalists with wide ranges of experience. Ultimately, the research presented in this paper found that Dominant Function Diversity was associated with negative outcomes for team performance while Interpersonal Functional Diversity was associated with positive outcomes for team performance and effectiveness.

Jackson, S.E., Joshi, A. & Erhardt, N.L. (2003). Recent research on team and organizational diversity: SWOT analysis and implications. Journal of Management, 29(6), 801-830.

This article makes a very important contribution to the literature by performing a meta-analysis of a number of studies conducted that examined the effects of workplace diversity on teams and organizations. The article summarizes the research that has been conducted in recent years, addresses the various questions that have been answered and highlights the issues that remain to be addressed by future research. The authors discuss the various meanings of diversity and the attributes associated with diversity in the work place (e.g. age, sex, racio-ethnicity). The authors found that most studies linked diversity to outcomes concerning performance, behavioral processes and affect. Performance outcomes have been studied more than the other outcomes identified. The results of the meta analysis found that the majority of studies had mixed results, with some positives related to diversity and some negatives.

Barkema, H.G. & Shvyrkov, O. (2007). Does top management team diversity promote or hamper foreign expansion? Strategic Management Journal, 28(7), 663-680.

This study took a unique perspective on examining diversity among top management teams. They asked the question of whether or not potential social outcomes of top management team diversity could influence the company's ability to move into new geographic areas. Specifically, they examined the consequences of diversity leading to hampered communication through the creation of subgroups. The study used data from over 3 decades and 25 different companies. This time span allowed the researchers to examine how teams function over time and how the social implications of diversity can change from early team development until later stages of interaction.

Horwitz, S.J. & Hortwiz, I.B. (2007). The effects of team diversity on team outcomes: A meta-analytic review of team demography. Journal of Management, 33(6), 987-1015.

This study was also a meta-analysis examining team diversity and team outcomes. This analysis placed a special emphasis on moderating variables. Task related diversity was found to have a positive effect on team performance, while bio-demographic diversity was not related to team performance. Social integration was also not significantly impacted by team diversity.