Diversity Management: A Social Psychological Approach to better Organisational Performance

Diversity in contemporary society, particularly western societies, is usually taken for granted, whether it’s conceived around ethnicity, gender or culture. But making the most of a diverse workforce on an organisational level, in terms of the challenges and opportunities that managing heterogeneous teams and organizations involves, is only gradually gaining attention.

This is the first book to provide both empirical evidence and a theoretical framework to inform effective management across a diverse range of people. Informed by social psychology, occupational psychology and leadership theories, Russell and Nesdale provide a practical blueprint for how 21st century organisations can pro-actively use their inherent diversity to optimise performance. The book discusses how organisations can plan their business, design their structure and recruit their workforce to make the most of a diverse range of abilities and backgrounds. Using case studies throughout to illustrate the benefits of embracing diversity, Dviersity Management clearly and explicity shows how contemporary organisations can capitalise on the diversity of the people who work for them.

Each chapter includes a boxed summary, discussion questions and further reading. The book will be a fascinating introduction to an emerging field for students of Organisational and Social Psychology, Business and Management, Leadership and HRM. It will also provide practitioners with considerable food for thought.