...Asia-Pacific Science and Culture Journal, Vol. 1, No. 4, 12-30 OPEN ACCESS ISSN 2220-4504 www.ieit-web.org/apscj The Scope and Impact of Workplace Diversity in the United Arab Emirates – An Initial Study Badreya Al-Jenaibi (United Arab Emirates) 1,* 1 Department of Mass Communication, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates, P.O Box 15551 E-Mails: E-mail: aljenaibi@uaeu.ac.ae * Department of Mass Communication, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates, P.O Box 15551; Fax: +00971-37671706 Received: May 2011 / Accepted: Jun. 2011 / In Press: Jun. 2011 /Published: Jul. 2011 Abstract: Workplace diversity and multicultural teams have become a priority concern among organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today. The UAE has one of the world's largest net migration rates, and the number of workers from India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, the USA, among other countries, has increased significantly in recent decades (Burns, 2005). The UAE's cross border mobility has resulted in the interaction of people with diverse customs and diverse ethnic backgrounds. From a human resources perspective, diversity has been shown to have a number of benefits, including enhanced employee creativity and competence. Organizations that fail to employ people from different cultural and racial backgrounds detract from overall organizational performance. This study critically analyzes the benefits and challenges organizations face in the diverse...
Words: 6028 - Pages: 25
...Associate Program Material Diversity Worksheet Answer each question in 50 to 150 words. Provide citations for all the sources you use. 1. What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? Diversity is the similarities and differences that people have in perspectives, identities, and points of view. Diversity includes race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, socio- economic, nationality, citizenship, religion, sexual orientation, ability and age. (Definition of Diversity, 1999). Valuing diversity is patterns influence the way people understand and interpret the world. Diversity enhances the intellectual, emotional, economic, moral, and spiritual life of the community, which is why diversity is valued. 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is the evolution of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture/ the belief that your culture or way of doing something is better than another culture’s. (Dictionary.com, 2013). Ethnocentrism can be bad; it ultimately can lead to racism and prejudice. It is important for racial and cultural tolerance, also people should understand that their way is not the only way. 3. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration is the actual act of relocation from a country. Immigrate means to come to a country of which one is not a native for a permanent residence. (Dictionary...
Words: 537 - Pages: 3
...BEHS 220 (2152) Personal Action Plan for Diversity Consciousness 8 March 2015 Introduction Diversity is an ongoing discussion in day-to-day life. Not many situations occur without diversity having a role. There are a multitude of topics that introduces or involves diversity, to include age, sex, race, gender, ethnicity and so on. Prior to participating in this Diversity Awareness class, I’ve always thought diversity was more geared around discrimination and racism. Through weekly readings and discussions, I have discovered that diversity is much broader than that. There are many countries that are mixed culturally with people from all over the world, but none like the United States. The United States has the largest mixed culture in the world. Growing up in South Carolina I was exposed to different cultures, however I never fully witnessed some of the cultural things I’ve witnessed since joining the Army. My time in the Army has taken me places I never would have imagined and have exposed me to many different cultures. Reasons for taking BEHS Diversity Awareness I am pursuing a baccalaureate degree in Criminal Justice and it is required for me to complete 6 semester hours of Behavioral and Social Science courses. I’ve always been fascinated with understanding and learning more about...
Words: 1967 - Pages: 8
...Thinking about diversity and inclusion 1. What are the dimensions of cultural diversity? Identify and briefly explain the dimensions by referencing both textbooks. The dimensions of cultural diversity consist of in the diverse cultures in the world. The diversity is the different race, gender, age, ethical, language, religion, education, and more. The geographic region and the social roll are the result of the cultural diversity in the world. The diversity is variable and depends of the human’s need and it has changed through human evolution. Countries that were pioneer on a cultural growth got behind and others countries progressed in art, technology, and science over the time. The immigration also interferes in the cultural diversity. The United States has a large amount of immigrants from many countries in the world. Immigrants try to preserve their cultural traditions to the future generations and over the time their cultures have influenced in the art, music, and the way to affront political issues of the United States. Cultures exist to serve the vital, practical requirements of human life (Harvey & Allard, 2009, p. 77). 2. With what ethnic, cultural, or other groups do you identify? Describe what members of your social circle have in common. Ethnic group is categorized to be integrated by people from other countries that speak different languages, cultural roots, and attitudes. The writer of this paper identify with the Hispanic group.The Hispanic social circle members...
Words: 796 - Pages: 4
...Human Resource Management ■ Analyze the diversity Legal Framework. Introduction : Having the right people on staff is crucial to the success of an organization. Various selection devices help employers predict which applicants will be successful if hired. These devices aim to be not only valid, but also reliable. Validity is proof that the relationship between the selection device measures the same thing consistently. For example, it would be appropriate to give a keyboarding test to a candidate applying for a job as an administrative assistant. However it would not be valid to give a keyboarding test to a candidate for a job as a physical education teacher. If a keyboarding test is given to the same individual on two separate occasions, the results should be similar. To be effective predictors, a selection device must possess an acceptable level of consistency. Application forms: For most employers , the application form is the first step in the selection process. Application forms provide a record of salient information about the applicants for positions and also furnish data for personnel research. Interviewers may use responses from the application for follow-up questions during an interview. These forms range from requests for basic information , such as names ,addresses and telephone numbers, to comprehensive personal history profiles detailing applicants’ education , job experience...
Words: 2609 - Pages: 11
...http://hum.sagepub.com/ 'Cultural diversity' at work: 'National culture' as a discourse organizing an international project group Ester Barinaga Human Relations 2007 60: 315 DOI: 10.1177/0018726707075883 The online version of this article can be found at: http://hum.sagepub.com/content/60/2/315 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalf of: The Tavistock Institute Additional services and information for Human Relations can be found at: Email Alerts: http://hum.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://hum.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://hum.sagepub.com/content/60/2/315.refs.html >> Version of Record - Mar 6, 2007 What is This? Downloaded from hum.sagepub.com at Univ of Newcastle upon Tyne on October 26, 2011 Human Relations DOI: 10.1177/0018726707075883 Volume 60(2): 315–340 Copyright © 2007 The Tavistock Institute ® SAGE Publications Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore www.sagepublications.com ‘Cultural diversity’ at work: ‘National culture’ as a discourse organizing an international project group Ester Barinaga A B S T R AC T Research to date concurs in maintaining that performance of nationally homogeneous workgroups differs if compared to heterogeneous ones. Yet, results are mixed on the relationship between cultural diversity and workgroup outcomes. The article argues that cultural differences are given...
Words: 11305 - Pages: 46
...Crown Copyright 2007 Produced by the Department for Education and Skills Extracts from this publication may be reproduced for non commercial education or training purposes on the condition that the source is acknowledged. For any other use please contact HMSOlicensing@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk DIVERSITY & CITIZENSHIP You can download this publication or order copies online at: www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications Diversity and Citizenship Curriculum Review Review Group members Sir Keith Ajegbo retired in July 2006 as Headteacher of Deptford Green School, a multiethnic school with a strong reputation for Citizenship education. He is currently working as a coach on the Future Leaders Project, as a School Improvement Partner, and as an education consultant for UBS. He is also a Governor of Goldsmiths College and a trustee of the Stephen Lawrence Trust. Dr Dina Kiwan is a Lecturer in Citizenship Education at Birkbeck College, University of London. Previously she was seconded to the Home Office as the Head of Secretariat to the Advisory Board for Naturalisation and Integration (ABNI), carrying forward the implementation of the recommendations of the former ‘Life in the UK’ Advisory Group chaired by Sir Bernard Crick. Seema Sharma, is an Assistant Headteacher at Deptford Green School in South East London. She has been a teacher for 11 years, including Key Stage 3 Co-ordinator, Head of English, Ethnic Minority Achievement Strategy (EMAS) and Assessment...
Words: 37771 - Pages: 152
...This is a protected document. Please enter your student or faculty username and password. Username: Password: Log In Need assistance logging in? Contact Technical Support. Doc ID: 1009-0001-1993-00001994 Toll Free: 877.428.8447 M-F, 6am MST or Sat-Sun, 7am-12am MST Find us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter! F I F T H E D I T I O N An Introduction to Multicultural Education James A. Banks University of Washington, Seattle Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City São Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo ISBN 1-269-53060-7 An Introduction to Multicultural Education, Fifth Edition, by James A. Banks. Published by Pearson. Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. Vice President/Editorial Director: Jeffery Johnston Executive Editor: Linda Bishop Editorial Assistant: Laura Marenghi Senior Marketing Manager: Darcy Betts Production Editor: Karen Mason Production Project Manager: Elizabeth Gale Napolitano Manager, Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Designer: Laura Gardner Cover Art: “Sea and Sky” (013) 2003 © Marvin Oliver Artist Full Service Project Manager: Niraj Bhatt, Aptara® , Inc. Composition: Aptara® , Inc. Printer/Binder/Cover Printer: Courier Westford Text Font: ITC Stone Serif Std 10/12 Text Credits: Page 11, Stiglitz excerpt: From Stiglitz, J.E. (2012). The price...
Words: 78362 - Pages: 314
...Diversity Action Plan SOC315 Diversity Action Plan In today’s emulous world it is not enough for a company to employ a diverse workforce. Companies must take full advantage of the diversity at their disposal to remain successful (Gwele, 2009). This must include a plan of action; a roadmap to success. The company will face challenges and detours along the way, but it must resign itself to stubborn resolve. Commitment to addressing diversity in the organization must be a cogent conviction instead of a retrospective addendum. Opportunities and Challenges of Increasing Diversity Today more than 60% of McDonald’s home office and U.S. company workforce are of a racial or ethnic minority, or are women (McDonald’s, 2010). McDonald’s thrives on diversity within their organization, and based on their initiatives, the level of diversity will increase. Opportunities Diversity presents a variety of opportunities to improve adaptability, productivity, teamwork, and problem solving. Organizations employing a diverse workforce can supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocation of resources. For instance, different perspectives can assist in the development of new meal options for consumers. Employees from different cultures bring a variety of talents or experiences in suggesting new ideas in adapting to changing markets and customer demands to keep McDonald’s competitive in the food industry. A variety of skills lead to innovative approaches...
Words: 1817 - Pages: 8
...Civics Lab puts elementary and middle school students in virtual control of decision-making in their communities to encourage civic participation, critical thinking, and sense of place. In Civics Lab, players will assume positions of power in the community from an urban, suburban or rural perspective and explore how decisions-based on social need and demand, proper planning (as defined by our civic experts), political pressure, and most importantly, their imaginations-might impact the community. Through manipulation of real mapping information and current data sets, students navigate social and political pressures to explore the cause and effect of civic investment and public policy as they attempt to create a sustainable future for their region. The Proposed Civic Innovation Lab is a path-breaking model that will provide a common ground for Civil Conversation among citizens and decision makers and a highly flexible, interactive, and technology-rich space that will bring people together to seek innovative approaches to our challenges. The Civic Engagement/Innovation centre will be created by transforming existing space at the School from a rarely visited old mess into an innovative, interactive facility that will allow for small-group interaction as well as larger-group deliberations. This will be a unique technology rich space where people will come together to seek solutions of public challenges through: 1) Innovative processes that support emergent, fact -based solutions,...
Words: 1312 - Pages: 6
...The Workplace, Communication and Diversity Vanessa J. Bailey BUS 600 Prof. Sean O’Leary June 8, 2014 Diversity, by definition, has three meanings. According to Collins English Dictionary (website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diversity), diversity means: (1) the state of quality of being different or varied; (2) a point of difference: and (3) the relation that holds between two entities when and only when they are not identical; the property of being numerically distinct. For many of us, however, when we hear the word diversity we immediately associate it with our work environment and maybe even associate it directly with race and ethnicity in the work place. Multicultural diversity is no longer defined by race and ethnicity alone. In today’s workplace, it is important to also include age, gender, sexual orientation, education, religion and life experience (Okoro & Washington, 2012). With a better understanding of how inclusive workplace diversity has become, companies and corporations can now put greater emphasis in effective interpersonal and group communication as it is essential in today’s success (Okoro & Washington, 2012). As future managers and leaders, it is vital to understand communication and the foundation it provides for business, managerial and organizational communication. All three have a lot in common as well as overlap, in their intended functions (Reinsch, 1991). As Reinsch (1991) put it: “organizational communication is communication...
Words: 1123 - Pages: 5
...This essay is aimed towards determining whether a relationship between cultural diversity and globalization is present or not, and if globalization does indeed pose a threat to cultural diversity. “The negative side to globalization is that it wipes out entire economic systems and in doing so wipes out the accompanying culture.” Peter L. Berger (American sociologist) Globalization is broken down into different categories, these being cultural, economical, political and technological globalization. It is due this process that barriers are broken down and interaction occurs between individuals of different races, nationalities and cultural back grounds. It is a movement towards an integrated global economy characterized by the free exchange of goods and capital. In popular discourse, Globalization is often related to the Internet revolution, free-market economies and the predominantly western political, economic and cultural lifestyle. This movement is supported by a large range of modern technologies. It is because of globalization that society believes that wealth and higher standards of living will strike developing nations. The above statement was supported by authors of the book, the effect of globalization on African countries: an over view of Nigeria. The two authors (C. R. Eze and J Nkwede) firmly believe that globalization is a strong enforcer of development and poverty reduction in Africa. Plenty agree with Eze and Nkwede as they have deemed the process as a positive...
Words: 1076 - Pages: 5
...Cultural diversity is divided into two: primary and secondary. Primary diversity includes factors such as age, race and physical abilities. Secondary dimensions include factors such as family status, first language and religion among others. In the work place there are three main categories that cultural diversity is classified into, organizational, external, and internal. Organizational dimension is the functional level. It includes content/field work, area/department group, seniority or position status, the work place, trade union affiliation, and management status. The external dimension refers to the geographic location, income, personal habits, leisure activities, regional knowledge, education, work experience, appearance, parental and marital status. The internal dimension refers to age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, ethnic group, and race. (Andresen) Workplace diversity training is crucial. Diversity is essential in the workplace because a diverse population has different backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and understanding. A diverse workplace is better able to solve a problem and implement new ideas because there are more people able to come up with the required solutions and ideas. Workplace training is training for the purpose of increasing the participant’s cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills, which is based on the impression the training will benefit an organization by protecting against civil rights violations, increasing the inclusion of different...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...Due to a series of foreseen and unforeseen incidents, within a one month period (April 2009) my job as a newspaper executive was eliminated, my husband spent our life savings at casinos, and I filed for divorce. After the initial shock of these events, I realized I had a unique opportunity to start all over. I could not only finish my bachelor’s degree but I could also fulfill a life-long dream of being a university professor. I had no idea what I was getting into. I was scared but determined. Today, I am a 4th year PhD candidate in Geography at Texas A&M University. I am the benefactor of strong mentorship, which has resulted in opportunities for me to publish six peer-reviewed articles with interdisciplinary, intra-university, and multi-culturally diverse research groups. As a female Mexican-American, I proud to be a part of Texas A&M University’s (TAMU) commitment to increase minority enrollment. My research interest in health disparities is rooted in my personal experiences. Growing up overseas and living along the U.S. – Mexico border, I have witnessed inequality in terms of a lack of access to: affordable housing, potable water, sanitation, education, and healthcare services. My awareness and appreciation of...
Words: 662 - Pages: 3
...Ethnic stereotypes and multiculturalism. Summary of course "Ethnic psychology" Contents: 1. The concept and properties of ethnic stereotypes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 4 2. National prejudices. Types etnostereotipov ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .7 3. 4. Variants of the reactions to cultural diversity ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 5. Advantages and disadvantages of multiculturalism ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 Bibliographic list ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 20 Introduction. Considering the cultural differences in thinking, beliefs, attitudes and behavior, it is easy to succumb to cognitive and emotional reactions to the material to begin to make generalizations, to form negative stereotypes about other people and even pre-make judgments about these differences, and people who are inherent in this behavior before you really understand what lies at its core. These processes and reactions are common in today's world, and to describe them often use the terms ethnic stereotypes, prejudice, multiculturalism, discrimination. Unfortunately, these terms are often used without a clear idea about them, which only exacerbates the problems that they need to clarify. Some of today's most pressing social issues associated with these processes, as boundaries between countries and cultures are becoming more permeable as...
Words: 4386 - Pages: 18
