DIVERSITY AND THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEBATE

Essay by porcupinetreeCollege, UndergraduateB+, March 2008

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The following paper is а discussion about how diversity is no longer the sole province of human resource but should be part of а separate diversity function to embrace equality across an organizations workforce, products and services. (Morrison, 1992, 42-48)Diversity is an increasingly important factor in businesses around the world as Globalization begins to take hold of the world market. As major organizations Internationalize, the diversity of the markets in the world poses many challenges and many have begun to realize that the challenges of managing diversity is not only difficult but must also begin from within. The challenge to remain competitive in the current global markets has forced many organizations to change their views on managing the diversity of their workforce. Not only is the diversification of the workforce unavoidable but it has also become essential to tap into the competitive market of talent in the world today for any organization to remain competitive.

(Cross, 1994, 110-114)Diversity as а Different Function?The main reason why diversity should be seen as а different function rather than а part of human resource is because The definition of diversity among people can be generally defined as the differences between people, physical and psychological. This includes all demographic and cultural differences like age, gender, race, culture, religion, ethnicity, disabilities, personal beliefs, family structure and lifestyle, paying little attention to work skills. (Morrison, 1992, 42-48) This is however not in any way comprehensive, as diversity among people is practically limitless and is constantly evolving with time and the global environment. Outstanding differences are obvious like race and age but some can be difficult to identify especially perceived differences, which vary based on experiences and relationships like lifestyle and personality. (Ellis, 1994, 79-110)Valuing diversity is an important element in organisations today and managing diversity is vital...