Using Data to build commitment for change

1
Research Measurement Cox Ch 4

• Using Data to build commitment for change
• Using Data to enhance diversity education
• Diagnosing Climate for Diversity
• Measuring Progress
• Caveats on using research for organizational
  change

2
Using Data to build Commitment

• Resistance toward diversity initiatives due to
• Fear of losing power/control/resources
• Misunderstanding the benefits of diversity
• Not understanding the need for diversity
  initiatives
• Overcome resistance by
• Developing business case
• Focusing executives on need for change
• Promoting shared leadership w/unions

3
Using Data to build Commitment

• Build a Business Case
• Use data to show link between diversity
  management and company success
• Articulate advantages of diversity
• Cox Ch 1
• Improved Problem solving, Increased Creativity
  innovation, Increased Organizational flexibility,
  Improved Quality of Human Resources, Improved
  Marketing strategies
• Stephan Stephan
• Higher Annualized returns, Improved Interpersonal
  skills

4
Using Data to build Commitment

• Focusing executives on need for change
• Read employee responses to diversity climate
  surveys
• Understand magnitude of discrepancy between
  practices and core values of organization
• Promote shared leadership w/unions
• Use data to convince union leadership that
  diversity management is not just the
  responsibility of management, but of employees at
  all levels

5
Using Data to Enhance Diversity Education

• Create case scenarios for training with employee
  responses to diversity climate surveys
• Know the 3 advantages on p. 64
• Use results of organizational change efforts from
  another organization to demonstrate value of
  diversity related change
• Use published research data while making a point
  during training
• e.g., Effect of race on performance ratings

6
Diagnosing Climate for Diversity

• Why diagnose climate?
• Guides plan of action
• Provides baseline for measuring progress
• Measure the right things
• Include those components that are easy to measure
  relevant to organization
• Use expert external consultant

7
Components of Diversity Climate Individual-Level
Measures

• Amount of
• Prejudice
• Stereotyping
• Ethnocentrism
• Diversity-relevant traits
• Level of inter-group conflict
• Group-identity strength
• Quality of inter-group communication
• Cultural differences and similarities

8
Components of Diversity Climate Organization-Level
Measures

• Identity profile of workforce
• Mode of acculturation
• Content of organizational culture
• Power distribution among groups
• People management practices policies
• Openness of informal networks

9
Diagnosing Climate for Diversity

• Calibrate Carefully
• Compare w/organizations identified as world
  leaders in climate for diversity
• Note disadvantages
• Compare with other units within the organization
• Compare across time
• Triangulate Methods
• Use interviews, surveys, direct observations,
  objective information
• Note advantages of interviews

10
Measuring Progress

• Use multiple indices (similar to Brief et al)
• Turnover
• Absenteeism
• Interview/survey data
• Levels of change in diversity profiles
• Percent implementation of action plans
• Positive job-offer response ratio
• Levels of identity group related to
  complaints/litigation costs
• Successful accommodations for persons
  w/disabilities
• Compare across different identity groups,
  organizational units etc.

11
Measuring Progress

• Communicate results action steps
• Number and types of indices used depend on the
  level of analysis
• Time periods for measurement depend on
• Realistic expectations of speed of change
• Intrusiveness of measurement
• Necessity of feedback for further action
• Type of index used depends on orgn type

12
Caveats on using research

• Dont exaggerate claims made by data
• Data presenter should have a thorough
  understanding and be prepared to answer detailed
  questions
• Present data in user-friendly manner
• Explain connection b/w data and conclusions
• Ensure accuracy of data