INJIBARA UNIVERSITY

እንጅባራ ዩኒቨርሲቲ

College of Business & Economics

Department Management: MBA Program

Course: ___________________________________

Group Assignment

Title Covered: Diversity in Public Institutions

Group Members
No Name of the student ID No.
1
2
3
4
5

Submitted to: ________________________________________________________

June, 2022

Injibara

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 Contents
1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................4

2. DISCUSSION..........................................................................................5

2.1 Diversity Typology...............................................................................7

2.2 Benefits of Diversity in Organisation...................................................9

2.3 Managing Diversity in Organisations.................................................10

3. Conclusions.........................................................................................11

4. Recommendations................................................................................12

5. References............................................................................................14

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 Abstract

This term paper intends to assess the advantages and

disadvantages of diversity in public institutions. Interview
was used as a data gathering tool to complete the assignment.
The result of our assessment revealed that there is a kind of
diversity in the institutions that originated from educational
status and background, age, gender, ethnicity, ability, and
many more. The study also shows that even if there exist
diversity there is no significant problem in the working
environment in the study institutions.

Diversity in groups and organizations is associated with social

categorization and information is related to adverse and
beneficial attitudes and behaviors. Organizations are
established wherever and everywhere as far as products and
services are needed to provide to society. Organizations are
institutions whereby combined people, process, input,
technology, and output/outcome to their end users. Therefore,
the study of diversity in organizations address the implication
of workplace diversity from social justice, legal compliance,
organizational performance standards, race, ethnicity, ability,
disability, demography, etc.

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 1. Introduction
We as a group believe that organizations are established whenever and
everywhere as far as products and services are needed to provide to society.
These organizations are institutions whereby combined people, inputs, and
technology produce outputs/outcomes to their end users. It seems that
diversity in any organization/institution is inevitable as difference in terms
of age, gender, education, attitude, and physical appearance/health are also
different among people.

Diversity refers to the extent in which members of an entity such as a group

or organization, differ from one another. If attributes such as nationality,
culture, education, function, tenure, ability, sexual orientation, religion,
values, personality, goals, and other gaining attentions. Needless to mention
that, differences in gender, race/ethnicity, and age are components of
diversity in an organization.

Any organization can execute in a variety of environments that could

influence its performance, one of this challenges that organization face in
their field of work is diversity. Gonzalez and Zamanian, (2015:595) reflect
their ideas on the organizations diversity is that it is the implications of
workplace diversity from social justice, legal compliance, and organizational
performance standards. Besides, diversity in groups and organizations is
associated with social categorization and information/decision-making
process, which respectively are related to adverse and beneficial attitudes
and behaviors.

People want to work in a place that they have the opportunity to hire
regardless of considering their personality who they are and where they
come from and other diverse identity issues. But, in reality they might
encounter the diversity sickness of an organization. The workplace in many
countries is swiftly growing in diversity like; women, racial and ethnic
minorities now constitute the majority of workers in the USA (Bureau of
Labor statistics, US department of labor, www.BLS.gov).

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This term paper, therefore, is the review of diversity in randomly selected

public institutions, specifically zonal institutions in Injibara town.

 Objective

The main objective of this assignment work is to assess the nature and type
diversity in zonal public institutions in Injibara town. Specifically the
following objectives were identified.

1) To understand the perceptions of diversity in zonal public institutions.

2) To identify types of diversity in zonal public institutions.
3) To identify the benefits of diversity in zonal public institutions.
4) To understand how diversity is managed in zonal public institutions.

 Methodology:

In order to accomplish this specific assignment we tried to collect data from

the primary and secondary source. We used interview as a primary data
collection tool and literature review as a secondary source of data. First the
data obtained from the interview is discussed and followed by literature
review. Department of Finance from zonal public institutions was selected
and based on convenience employees were contacted for interview. The
analysis of these data mainly is synthesizing the primary data with
secondary sources.

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 2. Discussion

 Objective One: Perceptions of diversity in public institutions

The main intent of assessing the perceptions of employees in zonal public

institutions is to know whether they sense and value diversity in their
respective offices or not. In order to search the result of this objective the
questions;

* What do you understand by diversity in public institutions?

* Do you believe that there is diversity in your institution? Were asked.

The interview results indicate that most of the employees do not value the
existence of diversity in their institutions, even if, they agree on the
existence of diversity in the interview. The majority of the employees
interviewed sense diversity in terms of racial and religious differences. This
may be because of the current political situation of Ethiopia. In Ethiopia
religion and race are currently the most sensitive issues. It seems this fact
that most of the respondents identify religion and race as sources of
diversity in the addressed institutions.

However, literatures indicate that work place diversity includes social

justice, legal compliance, or organizational performance standpoint. Social
justice goals include the reduction of bias and discrimination, and the
enhancement of inclusion in the workplace. Gonzalez and Zamanian,
(2015:595) strengthen the idea that presence and inclusion of traditionally
under represented or disenfranchised social groups: women, racial/ethnic
minorities, and older workers. The social justice perspective includes the
study of workplace discrimination and the implementation of diversity
management programs. In most cases diversity conflict arises from resource
utilization power.

Moreover, Richard, (2000) evidenced that organizational racial diversity is

considers a resource that valuable, rare, and difficult to imitate and thus a
source of sustained competitive advantages. Per the literature review

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revealed that the diversity in groups and organizations has the potential for
both positive and negative outcomes (Van kniggenber and Schippers, 2007;
Williams and O’Reilly, 1998).

From the interview and document review we can conclude that diversity
exists in public institutions. But giving value or sensing all kinds of diversity
in public institutions is low.

It is obvious that divers’ organizations and groups are performing poorly in

comparison with homogeneous ones. On other words, diversity in the
decision-making process can have a positive and wider-range of knowledge,
skills, abilities, expertise, and even perspectives.

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  Objective Two: Diversity Typology

The group intends to know the types of diversity (source of diversity) in zonal
public institutions. We asked the employees to mention sources of diversity
or a type of diversity in their institutions. The response of the employees
indicates that the major diversity in their institution emanates from
religious aspect followed by race. Other diversity typologies were
undermined by the respondents.

When we review the literatures a typology describes whether an individual

attributes or task related or not. Pelked, et al. (1999) explore that some are
task related and some are not. For instance, differences in education,
function, and tenure provide a variety of task-related information. Whereas,
differences in race/ethnicity, gender, and age do not reflect task-relation.
Besides, the reason why these differences are happened is due to the nature
of the environment. Task-related diversity stimulates substantive conflict,
which drives people to consider multiple points of view, perspectives, and
opinions, while non-task-related diversity leads to affective conflict that can
be determinant.

Besides, the other typology is surface-level diversity, which refers to

differences in observable demographic attributes, such as, race, ethnicity,
gender, and age. Moreover, the other one typology is deep-level diversity that
refers to the differences to psychological attributes, such as; personality
traits, beliefs, and values (Harrism at al., 1998).

In this case both the surface-level and deep-level diversity may harm group
social integrations, cohesion, and in effect performance. Even through, both
could affect, but the surface-level diversity is less effective than of the deep-
level, because group members get to know one another.

Harrison, et al., (1998) also clarifies a deep-level diversity forms from early
conceptualization of organizational demography, which assessed cognitive
(deep-level) diversity in management groups using demography (surface-
level) attributes as proxy.

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As can be described diversity in different aspects like; age, sexual
orientation, culture, demography, ethnicity, education, knowledge, ability,
skills, religion, disability, etc. in various research products in organizations
is exist for many years ago. Hence, now a day also diversity in organizations
considered as a problem.

Therefore, the scope of this study is only focused on some of the diversity
usually occurred in an organissation or workplace, which could hinder its
healthy operations. Lynn, et al., (2009:117) computing the traditional
diversity with the current globalization era that has multiple dimensions. In
some other cases diversity in race/ethnicity in a work group will experience
possible

Positive outcomes, such as; increased information sharing among them,

enhanced problem-solving ability, constructive conflict and debate,
increased creativity, higher quality decision and increased understanding of
different ethnicities/cultures.

 Objective 3: Benefits of Diversity in Organisation

This objective is set to understand whether the employees can sense/value

the benefits and dis advantages of diversity in public institutions.
Accordingly we understood that the respondents can value the advantages
and disadvantages of diversity in public institutions. They noted that
diversity can share culture, knowledge, and important new things to others
(each other). From this we can understand that public institutions
employees can sense and value the benefits of diversity in institutions.

Literatures also support what we understand from the interview.

Consequently, the benefit of diversity in organizations that orgainsations are
committed to recruiting a diverse workforce from large pool of applicants
that have different experiences and other social diversities help to built a
variety outlooks, positions, perspectives, and skills to organisation.

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The most popular diversity in organisation is; higher innovation, variety of
different perspectives, increased creativity, fastest problem solving,
increased profits, better decision-making, higher employee engagement,
reduced employee turnover, better company reputation, and improved hiring
results.

In addition to that, there is additional benefits such as; increased

productivity, improved culture awareness, increased in marketing
opportunities.

 Objective 4: Managing Diversity in Organizations

From this perspective an attempt is made to know how diversity is managed

in public institutions in Injibara town. From the interviewed respondents we
understood that there is no identifiable conflict raised from diversity. As a
result there is no attempt or plan to manage problems coming from
diversity. We believe that this might be because of the homogeneity of
employees in the town.

Literatures also support that in homogeneous work places have less likely to
notice conflicts. On the other hand in a heterogonous workplace, it is very
natural that arises conflicts in the organisation due to diverse issues, which
needs amicable resolution, before hurts the company’s performance. Thus,
human resource professionals need to have a unique technique to solve
these challenges through open communications, improving culture of
tolerance, design conflict resolution strategy.

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 3. Conclusions
Our assessment on diversity in the selected zonal public institutions shows
that due to homogeneity of the employees understanding of diversity in
public institutions is low. This does not mean that there is no diversity in
the area. There is a kind of diversity coming from gender, age, educational
status, race and religion. However, these diversities are less valued in the
area.

The study of diversity in organization comprises variety of differences either

behavioural or surface-related influences such as; race, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, age, religious, disability, demography, education, knowledge,
skills, culture, etc. Diversity has shown that differences in groups and
organisations have the potential for both positive and negative effects on
attitudes, behaviours, and performances.

The study of interactive and complex effects involving different diversity

types, multiple levels of analysis brought suitable and appropriate solutions.
Hence, affirmative action, open mindset, treat as individual, provide
equitable opportunity for those who are minorities or less access to business
or economic empowerment as well as employment opportunity in
organizations.

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 4. Recommendations
To fostering the management of diversity is an important task of business
leaders and organizational managers. This study recommends the following
possible recommendations to mitigate the aforementioned differences in
organization.

1. Affirmative Action: refers to judgements and decisions made to provide

opportunity for those who disadvantaged or minority group in any
aspects of diversity. Gonzalez and Zamanian, (2009:598) explained
affirmative action that helps to compensate for past discrimination,
prevent ongoing discrimination, and provide equal employment
opportunity to covered demographic groups.

Affirmative action is supported by law in some countries such as; USA

incorporated the article in 1964 civil rights Act, Canada employment
equity Act covers visible minorities, and Malaysian’s new economic
policy protects the majority Malay population who traditionally has
had lower access to business and income opportunities than the
Malaysian Chinese minority.
2. Celebrate individual or group differences: a company should value the
differences between or among its employees and entertain diversity in
a work team.
3. Prioritise communications: organisations need to ensure that they
communicate effectively with employees. Policy and procedure must
be designed and communicated to employees to overcome policy
barriers.
4. Treat each employee as an individual: view each employee as an
individual and judge success and failure based on their merit rather
than attributes task to his/her background.
5. Encourage employee to work in a diverse group: This can give a
chance to employee to know each other and share their ideas in their
team work, which could help to break down cultural misconceptions.

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6. Base standard on objective criteria: On setting standards should take
the necessary care whether it is free from individual’s background and
culture. Manage all employees by equally treating in line with the set
standards.
7. Be open minded: recognize and encourage employees to recognize that
their own experience, background, and culture are not the only one
with value to the organization.
8. Recruitment/Hiring: In order to create diverse work team it is
important to recruit and hire capable professionals from different
culture and national background.

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 References

Bureau of Labor statistics, US Department of Labor. www.BLS.gov.

Gonzalez, J.A., Zamanian, A., 2015. Diversity in organizations. In: James D.

Wright (editor-in-chief), International Encyclopedia of the Social &
Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, Vol 6. Oxford: Elsevier. pp. 595–
600.

Harrism, D.A., Price, K.H., Bell, M.P., 1998. Beyond relational demography:
time and the effects of surface-and deep-level diversity on work group
cohesion. Academy of Management Journal 41, 96–107.Lynn, 2009

Lynn M., Beth G. Chung-Herrera, Michelle A. Dean, Karen Holcombe

Ehrhart, Don I. Jung, Amy E. Randel, Gangaram Singh, 2009.
Diversity in organizations: Where are we now and where are we
going?: Human Resource Management Review 19 (2009) 117–133

Richard, O.C., 2000. Racial diversity, business strategy, and firm

performance: a resource-based view. Academy of Management
Journal 43, 164–177.

Pelked, L.H., Eisenhardt, K.M., Xin, K.R., 1999. Exploring the black box: an
analysis of work group diversity, conflict and performance.
Administrative Science Quarterly 44, 1–28

Williams, K.Y., O’Reilly, C.A., 1998. Demography and diversity in

organizations: a review of 40 years of research. In: Staw, B.M.,
Cummings, L.L. (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior. JAI
Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 77–140.

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 Appendix 2: Questionnaire

We dully, acknowledge and appreciate your time and patience to stay with
us.

1. Do you know diversity in public institutions?

a. Yes b. No
2. If your answer for question number 1 is yes, what kind of diversity do
you observe?
a. Racial b. religious c. age. d. gender e. if other
specify___________________________________________________________
3. Do you observe a kind of discrimination based on diversity in your
institution?
a. Yes b. No
4. Based on your observation what is the advantage of diversity in public
institutions?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Based on your observation what is the disadvantage of diversity in
public institutions?
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
6. How can we manage diversity in public institutions?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Thank you!

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 Appendix 2: Interview

Perception related questions

1. What do you understand by diversity in public institutions?

2. In your opinion do you prefer to work in a homogeneous or
heterogeneous organisation?

Typology related

3. What kind of diversity can you identify in your institution?

4. To what extent do you evaluate your employees’ performance
regardless of their personal background?
5. In your opinion what kind of diversity discrimination is happened in
your work place?

Advantage & disadvantage related

6. Do you think that diversity has advantages to your institutions?

7. Does your organisation entertain and valued individual differences as
a positive to interact each other?
8. Do you think the existence of diversity in your organisation is positive
or negative?

Diversity management related

9. How can diversity be managed? To be effective how organisation could

manage diversity?
10. Do you believe that diversity management is in an open mind in
the organisation?
11. How do you rate diversity treatment in your organisation?

Thank you so much.

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