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IB361-15 Equality and Diversity

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Deborah Dean
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

This is an elective module available for WBS and non-WBS students.

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.
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.

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.
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.

This module will explore the extent to which women and minority groups (e.g. ethnic minorities, disabled people, older/ younger workers) experience disadvantage within organisations and the labour market. Various explanations for this disadvantage will be considered, in relation to both the supply side (e.g. human capital theory, attribution theory and preference theory, and the demand side (e.g. dual labour market theory, workplace discrimination). The module will also explore the steps both employers and governments might take to address the disadvantage women and minority groups encounter. These steps include the introduction of equal opportunities policies and practices, the business case for diversity, legislative remedies and the role of trade unions. Reasons why these potential solutions have typically met with limited success will also be discussed.

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

Ashley, L. and Empson, L., (2013) Differentiation and discrimination: Understanding social class and social exclusion in leading law firms. Human Relations. 66, 2, p. 219-244.
Cortina, L. M. (2008). Unseen injustice: Incivility as modern discrimination in organizations. The Academy of Management Review, 33, 55–62.
Deitch, E. A., Barsky, A., Butz, R. M., Chan, S. Brief, A. P. and Bradley, J. C. (2003). Subtle yet significant: The existence and impact of everyday racial discrimination in the workplace. Human Relations. 56(11), 1299–1324.
Ely, R. J. and D. A. Thomas (2001) ‘Cultural diversity at work: the effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 46, 229–273.
Elraz, H. (2018) Identity, mental health and work: How employees with mental health conditions recount stigma and the pejorative discourse of mental illness. Human Relations 71(5): 722–741.
Fernando, W. D. A. and Prasad, A. (2018) Sex-based harassment and silencing in academia: how women are led to reluctant acquiescence. Human relations. 1-36.
Fernando, W. D. A., Cohen, L. and Duberley, J. (2018) "Navigating sexualised visibility: a study of British women engineers", Journal of Vocational Behaviour. 1-14.
Fernando, D., Cohen, L. and Duberley, J. (2018) "What helps? Women engineers’ accounts of staying on", Human Resource Management Journal, 28, 3, 479-495.
Fernando, D. and Kenny, E. (2018) "Navigating panethnic categorisation in the workplace : a study of British Sri Lankan employees", Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology , 91, 4, 769-797.
Fernando, D. and Cohen, L. (2015) "Exploring career advantages of highly skilled migrants : a study of Indian academics in the UK", The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27, 12, 1277-1298.
Gabriel, Y., Gray, D.E. and Goregaokar, H. (2010) Temporary Derailment or the End of the Line? Managers Coping with Unemployment at 50, Organization Studies 31(12), 1687–1712.
Ghumman, S. and Ryan, A.M. (2013). Not welcome here: Discrimination towards women who wear the Muslim headscarf. Human Relations. 66 (5): 671-698.
Hoque, K., Bacon, N., Wass, V. and Jones, M. (2018) "Are High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) enabling or disabling? Exploring the relationship between selected HPWPs and work-related disability disadvantage", Human Resource Management, 57, 2, 499-513.
Jammaers, E., Zanoni, P. and Hardonk, S. (2018( Constructing positive identities in ableist workplaces: Disabled employees’ discursive practices engaging with the discourse of lower productivity. Human Relations 69(6): 1365–1386.
Kulik, C.T. and Roberson, L. (2008) Diversity initiative effectiveness: What organizations can and cannot expect from diversity recruitment, diversity training, and formal mentoring programs. In A.P. Brief (Ed.), Diversity at work: 265-317. Cambridge University Press.
Kulik, C. T., Perera, S. and Cregan, C. (2016). Engage me: The mature-age worker and stereotype threat. Academy of Management Journal, 59(6), 2132–2156.
Leslie, L.M. (2018) Diversity Initiative Effectiveness: A Typological Theory of Unintended Consequences. Academy of Management Review: 1-62.
Li, Y., Perera, S., Kulik, C.T. and Metz, I. (2019) Inclusion climate: A multilevel investigation of its antecedents and consequences. Human Resource Management Review; 1–17.
Ozbilgin, M. and Tatli, A. (2011) Mapping out the field of equality and diversity: Rise of individualism and voluntarism. Human Relations, 64, (9), 1229-1253.
Powell, A., Bagilhole, B., & Dainty, A. (2009) How women engineers do and undo gender: Consequences for gender equality. Gender, Work and Organization, 16(4), 411–428.
Tatli, A. (2011) A multi-layered exploration of the diversity management field: Diversity discourses, practices and practitioners in the UK. British Journal of Management, 22, 238–253.
Thomas, D. A. (2001) The truth about mentoring minorities: Race matters. Harvard Business Review, 99—107.
Van Laer, K. and Janssens, M. (2011) Ethnic minority professionals’ experience with subtle discrimination at the workplace. Human Relations, 64, 1203—1227.
Zanoni, P. and Janssens, M. (2015) The Power of Diversity Discourses at Work: On the Interlocking Nature of Diversities and Occupations. Organisation Studies 36(11), 1463–1483.

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 1 hour (7%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Online learning (independent) 10 sessions of 1 hour (7%)
Private study 49 hours (33%)
Assessment 72 hours (48%)
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 A3
Weighting Study time
Individual Assignment 90% 65 hours
Participation 10% 7 hours
Assessment group R
Weighting Study time
Individual Assignment 100%
Feedback on assessment

Feedback via My.WBS.

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • UIBA-MN34 Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of MN34 Law and Business Studies Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of MN34 Law and Business Studies Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
  • UECA-3 Undergraduate Economics 3 Year Variants
    • Year 3 of L100 Economics
    • Year 3 of L100 Economics
    • Year 3 of L100 Economics
    • Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
    • Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
    • Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
    • Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
  • UECA-4 Undergraduate Economics 4 Year Variants
    • Year 4 of L103 Economics with Study Abroad
    • Year 4 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
    • Year 4 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
  • UECA-LM1D Undergraduate Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 3 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies
    • Year 3 of LM1D Economics, Politics and International Studies
  • Year 3 of UIBA-MN31 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
  • UIBA-MN32 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
    • Year 3 of MN32 Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
    • Year 4 of MN32 Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
    • Year 4 of MN32 Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
  • Year 5 of UIBA-MN37 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies (Qualifying Degree) with Intercalated Year
  • UIBA-MN35 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (3+1)
    • Year 3 of MN35 Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (3+1)
    • Year 4 of MN35 Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (3+1)
  • Year 5 of UIBA-MN36 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (4+1)
  • USTA-G300 Undergraduate Master of Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics
    • Year 3 of G300 Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics
    • Year 4 of G300 Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics
  • Year 3 of UMAA-GL11 Undergraduate Mathematics and Economics

This module is Unusual option for:

  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)

This module is Option list B for:

  • USTA-Y602 Undergraduate Mathematics,Operational Research,Statistics and Economics
    • Year 3 of Y602 Mathematics,Operational Research,Stats,Economics
    • Year 3 of Y602 Mathematics,Operational Research,Stats,Economics

This module is Option list G for:

  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)