Diversity In Organizations
Diversity in organizations
Final paper
Organizations have many opportunities of developing a competitive advantage over their competitors. Nevertheless, this has to be sustained over time and to enable them to profit from this advantage over the long term. The focus of this paper is one of the aspects which, according to recent literature, can contribute to building a competitive advantage, namely diversity. The most important factor in determining the nature of the impact of diversity on performance is organizational context.
In this context, discrimination can be an important process affecting the impact of diversity on performance. Based on literature, we will view 2 forms of discrimination, race and sexual discrimination. In this paper we will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of discrimination using business, economical and political arguments. I determined the process of discrimination as cost effective when the relative expenditures (costs) are less then the outcomes (effects) of discrimination on the performance of the organization. I assume this positive effect on performance can result in a competitive advantage. Also I assume that creating diversity in the organization is the opposite of discrimination in the organization.
Discrimination
"Despite laws prohibiting employment discrimination, the economic costs of unequal treatment accorded African-Americans has risen steadily. But such discrimination doesn't hurt only blacks. In 1991, racial bias deprived the American economy of about $215 billion and was equal to roughly 3.8% of gross domestic product (GDP). While part of the loss can be traced to the lag in black educational achievement, the bulk is related to bias that hampers access to higher-paying jobs.
Applying a modification of a Census Bureau technique, I have updated the estimates of discrimination's economic cost (see chart). The figures show that over the last 25 years or so, the American economy...
Please login to view the full essay...