Skip to main content Skip to navigation

IB361-15 Equality and Diversity

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Dulini Fernando
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introductory description

N/A.

Module web page

Module aims

The specific aims of the module are to allow the student to:
Think critically about management and business approaches which fail to reflect on the significance for organisational processes and outcomes of the diverse, and changing, make up of organisational members.
Understand underpinning social concepts such as stereotyping, discrimination and social identity and the way they operate inside and outside the workplace.
Understand equal treatment and diversity approaches to equality both conceptually and in terms of workplace interventions such as positive and affirmative action.
Be able to locate these in the different national and cultural contexts of the UK, Europe and North
America.
Apply these understandings to analyse how the understandings of difference are reproduced via both organisational processes and social institutions beyond the workplace.
This will allow students from a range of disciplines to gain an understanding of how people's experience of work differs and how managers can ensure the fair treatment of diverse workforces.
Where appropriate (e.g. psychology, social studies, economics) students will be able to apply their discipline-specific knowledge in the context of this aspect of management practice.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The first half of the module examines various explanations for different treatment and outcomes experienced by members of social groups within the workplace and contrasts and explores the dominant equality approaches of ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘managing diversity’. It will also review the role of key institutions such as trade unions, employer organisations and the state in the historical development of inequality in the labour market. The second half of the module focuses on how the various explanations of different treatments impact on different strands of difference including gender, ethnicity, disability, religious belief, sexuality, and age. It will also examine how dominant understandings of difference are represented within and beyond the workplace.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Understand equality, diversity and inclusion both conceptually and in terms of workplace interventions.
  • Understand how people's experience of work and career outcomes differ according to gender, ethnicity, disability, age, migrant status, religion, social class and sexual identity.
  • Explore theoretical frameworks that are helpful to understand diverse employeesâ distinct career outcomes and experiences of work.
  • Understand stereotyping, discrimination and social identity and the way they operate inside the workplace.
  • Critically examine approaches to achieving equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
  • Challenge simplistic explanations of inequality in the workplace.
  • Critically evaluate different forms of diversity and inclusion interventions.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Subject specific skills

Be aware of the relevant legislative requirements and of Equality bodies, their remit, approach, and role.
Understand how social identity related disadvantages, stereotyping and discrimination plays out in different national and cultural contexts of the UK, Europe and North America.

Transferable skills

Communication skills: summarise key arguments and evidence.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Private study 48 hours (32%)
Assessment 73 hours (49%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

Private Study.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A1
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Assessment component
Individual Assignment (15 CATS) 100% 73 hours Yes (extension)
Reassessment component is the same
Feedback on assessment

Feedback via My.WBS.

Pre-requisites

There are no prerequisites for this module, but students are advised that having taken WBS organisational behaviour modules or related social science modules would be an advantage.

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • UIBA-N20B BSc in Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N23K Management with Accounting
    • Year 3 of N234 Management with Digital Business
    • Year 3 of N235 Management with Entrepreneurship
    • Year 3 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 3 of N252 Management with Marketing
    • Year 3 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
  • UIBA-MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of UIBA-N400 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N403 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)
  • UIBA-N401 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N401 Accounting and Finance (Placement)
    • Year 4 of N402 Accounting and Finance (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
  • Year 1 of UIOA-VEU Undergraduate EU Visiting
  • Year 4 of UGEA-RN21 Undergraduate German and Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RA Undergraduate International Business with French
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RB Undergraduate International Business with German
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RC Undergraduate International Business with Italian
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RD Undergraduate International Business with Spanish
  • Year 3 of UIBA-MN3A Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
  • UIBA-MN3B Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
    • Year 3 of MN3B Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
    • Year 4 of MN3B Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
  • UIBA-N20C Undergraduate Management (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20M International Management (with Finance)
    • Year 4 of N20B Management
    • Year 4 of N20D Management (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20C Management (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N20Q Management with Accounting (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N236 Management with Digital Business (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N237 Management with Entrepreneurship (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 4 of N233 Management with Finance (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N253 Management with Marketing (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
    • Year 4 of N20R Management with Strategy and Organisation (with Placement Year)
  • UIOA-VOS Undergraduate Overseas Visiting
    • Year 1 of UVOS Undergraduate Overseas Visiting
    • Year 1 of UVOS Undergraduate Overseas Visiting