Managing Diversity

Slogan, Management Concept or Sociopolitical Necessity?

Whether in non-profit organisations, in commercial enterprises, in public service or in tertiary education – managing diversity seems to have become an accepted element of many organisational cultures.

Gardenswartz, L. and Rowe, A.: Diverse Teams at Work; Society for Human Resource Management 2002 : “4 Layers of Diversity”

Managing Diversity

Slogan, Management Concept or Sociopolitical Necessity?

Whether in non-profit organisations, in commercial enterprises, in public service or in tertiary education – managing diversity seems to have become an accepted element of many organisational cultures. Positively connoted as “dealing with diversity and difference” and therefore beneficial to an institution’s image, managing diversity is increasingly becoming a part of company profiles.

From the perspective of personnel management and business operations – in this context, the term “diversity management” is commonly used – a declared objective is to utilise human resources in an economically relevant and efficient way. From the point of view of an educational and cultural institution like KulturKontakt Austria (KKA), however, it is important to look at various concepts of managing diversity in their full complexity.

For this reason, KulturKontakt Austria is currently examining the concept of managing diversity (dealing with diversity and difference) in terms of work programmes, target groups and the organisation itself. In a first step, we have studied the definitions, terms and concepts underlying this approach in order to clarify the developmental possibilities it offers for the organisation and its spheres of activity.

“Managing Diversity”, “Diversity Management”, “Diversity” – Which Term Fits Where?

Diversity relates to the differences and similarities that make people individuals.¹ In some specialist literature, however, “diversity” is described as a “potential principle” and equated with the concept of “managing diversity”, which is defined as the (constructive) management of and between persons and groups of persons and has to do with creating structural and social conditions.² The objective is the perception, promotion and utilisation of the potential of all concerned and the development of equal opportunities, so that each individual can realise his/her potential and contribute on an equal basis. The terms “diversity management” and “managing diversity” are used synonymously, although, as we see it, “diversity management” tends to place more emphasis on the aforementioned benefit to the organisation.

The dimensions of diversity and difference have been summarised in various models. The “4 Layers of Diversity” (see diagram) describe four dimensions that offer a basis for analysing our organisation and its spheres of activity:³ the “personality”, the “inner dimensions”, the “outer dimensions” and the “organisational dimensions”.

Which Differences Really Make a Difference?

In managing diversity, the goal is to pay attention to all or as many as possible of these dimensions and achieve implementation at all levels. Practice has shown that, depending on the context, certain dimensions are given more attention and others receive less.

In analysing KulturKontakt Austria’s work, we ask ourselves the following question: Which differences actually make a difference in the context of the work done by KKA, how are we reacting to them at present, and how will we react to them in the future? In the current public debate, terms often get confused and concepts are arbitrarily interpreted; some people who speak of diversity mean only “cultural diversity” or the “integration of people with migration backgrounds”. The diversity wheel (see diagram) shows that there is much more involved, namely being aware of and appreciating each person’s individual diversity and difference. From the social and political perspective, it is the task of KulturKontakt Austria, as an organisation working in the field of education and culture in Austria, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, to create conditions within its spheres of activity that make it possible to perceive, promote and utilise the potential inherent in diversity.

The work of KulturKontakt Austria is determined to a large extent by educational policy issues in connection with linguistic and cultural diversity. Multilingual and multicultural classes are part of everyday reality in the schools, and are, at the same time, a resource as well as a challenge. Here, too, it becomes clear, upon deeper consideration, that what is needed is to view the situation with a discerning eye in all its complexity. “Simplifying” the issue by dividing pupils into the categories of “children and young people with and without migration backgrounds” and then setting measures accordingly is woefully inadequate. Every individual needs to be perceived and fostered in all his/her diversity (age, gender, national origin, social background, personality…).

Both in the KKA project “Interculturality and Multilingualism” and in the education projects in Eastern and South Eastern Europe, we specifically keep in mind that paying attention to the individuality of the learners and fostering their individual competences constitutes a core element of our work. Let me cite an example from the Russian Federation: teacher training experts from Austria, Finland and Russia, in cooperation with schools in St.Petersburg, are jointly developing advanced training modules devoted to the subject of “diversity as an opportunity”, focussing on “national origin” and “ethnicity”, particularly on “language”. Another example: In the context of Traduki, a European network for literature, a translation programme has been initiated to advance linguistic and cultural exchange between the participating countries.

The challenge to be met in KulturKontakt Austria’s present and future work is to focus on specific dimensions of diversity and difference in the individual spheres of activity without losing sight of the overall objective, namely to do justice to all the dimensions at all levels. In a diversity-competent approach, tolerance, respect, appreciation and also self-reflection form the basis for associating with one another. In this context, it seems essential to take a close look at one’s own organisation and to repeatedly scrutinise the attitude of each individual and of oneself as a reflection of and a point of departure for the organisation’s work. “Diversity is not about the others – it is about you.”⁴

¹Abdul-Hussain, Surur/Baig, Samira: Diversity – eine kleine Einführung in ein komplexes Thema. In: Abdul-Hussain, Surur/Baig (eds.), Samira (Hg.): Diversity in Supervision, Coaching und Beratung, cf. pp. 15-48, Vienna: Fakultas 2009
¹Engel, Roland: Diversity Management – Entstehung und Nutzen. Einführung und grundlegende Thesen. In: Integrative Therapie. Zeitschrift für vergleichende Psychotherapie und Methodenintegration. Volume 35, No. 1., cf. pp. 9-22, Vienna: Krammer-Verlag 2009
³Gardenswartz, Lee / Rowe, Anita: Diverse Teams at Work. Capitalizing on the Power of Diversity. cf. pp. 31 ff., Alexandria: SHRM 2003
⁴Bendl, Regine: Gendermanagement und Gender – und Diversitätsmanagement – ein Vergleich der verschiedenen Ansätze. In: Bendl, Regine, Hanappi-Egger, Edeltraud, Hofmann, Roswitha (Hg.): Interdisziplinäres Gender- und Diversitymanagement. p. 56, Vienna: Linde 2004