Master's project [case study: Is diversity training antithetical to achieving common ground in an organization?]
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Authors
Ogden, Eve R.
Issue Date
1996
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Psychology
Alternative Title
Abstract
The research question--"Is diversity training antithetical to achieving common ground in an organization?" motivated this study. This research project was designed to develop a descriptive theory about the contribution of diversity programs to large organizations. The data was in the form of unstructured interviews with key informants from six Bay Area organizations representing the high technology, retail, health care, and aerospace industries. The research method is based on grounded theory--one that is constructed from the study of the phenomenon. The data analysis is presented by specifying and defining the categories of data and then comparing and contrasting the categories among the six organizations. Finally, the data is interpreted in terms of how it sheds light on the research question. The data demonstrate that the culture of the organization establishes a framework for the development of common ground. Open cultures are compatible with diversity learnings and are more likely to achieve common ground for all of the people who make up the workforce. In closed cultures it appears unlikely that diversity training alone causes the change in attitude and behavior necessary to overcome the fragmentation inherent in a diverse workplace to achieve common ground. When diversity training was delivered in the presence of what was found to be the three essential elements--culture, leadership, and a strong business imperative--there were no indications of fragmentation. These findings may have been influenced by a personal commitment to diversity and these strongly-held views might have had some influence on the interpretation of the data. To compensate for this bias the interviewees' comments are used word-for-word so that the reader can draw his or her own conclusions.