Understanding the Managing/Valuing Diversity perspective

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Understanding the Managing/Valuing Diversity
perspective

• Judith Foreman

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What is managing diversity?

• The concept of Managing Diversity embodies two
  key assumptions
• The heterogeneity and diversity of social groups
  - discrimination and disadvantage are, therefore,
  multifaceted
• Organisations can benefit from valuing difference
  and managing diversity effectively
• Both ideas have implications for organisational
  change and professional practice

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What is Managing Diversity?

• MD is often defined by comparing it with Equal
  Opportunities approaches
• Some authors claim that MD represents a
  paradigm shift in equal opportunities work
• Some see MD as an extension/development of EOP

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Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity
compared drivers for change

• Equal Opportunities
• Externally driven
• Rests on moral and legal arguments
• Perceives EO as a cost

• Managing Diversity
• Internally driven
• Rests on business case
• Perceives MD (Managing Diversity) as investment

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Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity
compared degree of integration

• Equal Opportunities
• Operational
• Concerned with process
• Externally imposed low buy-in

• Managing Diversity
• Strategic
• Concerned with outcomes
• Internalised by all

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Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity
compared perception of difference

• Equal Opportunities
• Difference perceived as other/problematical
• Deficit model
• Assimilation advocated

• Managing Diversity
• Difference perceived as asset/richness
• Celebrates difference
• Mainstream adaptation advocated

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Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity
compared focus of action

• Equal Opportunities
• Focus on group discrimination
• Group initiatives
• Supported by narrow positivist knowledge base

• Managing Diversity
• Focus on development for all individuals
• Universal initiatives
• Individual development
• Supported by wider pluralistic knowledge base

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Different approaches to WP emerging from research
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Origins and application of MD to widening
participation in HE

• Private sector
• More recent application to public/not for profit
  sector
• Employment
• Generally not as well developed in relation to
  customer/client diversity especially student
  diversity

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Business Case in HE

• Business case not an approach used in HE
• WP driven by a range of factors
• Govt policy
• Funding
• Institutional mission social justice
• Market position

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Why a Business Case?

• Creates internal arguments for student diversity
  and WP based on benefits to institution
• HE Sector is partially marketised, so
  business arguments apply
• HE sector is diverse, so not one size fits all
• Organisational change

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Elements of a Business Case

• Potential benefits to the institution
• Potential costs, risks and barriers
• Differential impacts on different stakeholders
• Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
• Can the costs be met?

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External Drivers
Internal Drivers
Recruitment Pool of Talent Improving TL New
markets Reputation (Access to funding)
Legislation Funding and policy drivers Ethical
drivers - Social justice
Organisational Change
Mission Commitment Corporate Social Responsibility
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Potential benefits to institutions

• Increased student numbers
• Tapping the pool of talent
• Improving teaching and learning
• Access to funding
• New roles and markets
• Complying with legislation
• Reputation

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Group discussion activity

• Which of the benefits would be most relevant to
  your institution(s)?
• How might these provide a rationale for further
  investment in managing student diversity?
• What would be the implications of this (costs,
  risks, barriers etc)

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Costs and risks

• Additional cost of supporting the learning
  experience
• Costs of low retention
• New course development (for new student markets)
• Academic standards
• Diverting funding from core business

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Barriers

• Internal barriers context specific, e.g.
• Other activities such as research being more
  highly valued
• Institutional history and perceptions held by
  prospective students (and some staff!)
• Fear of adverse effect on existing student
  cohorts
• External barriers, e.g. funding system