Integrating diversity management initiatives with strategic human resource management

Managing diversity is usually viewed in broad conceptual terms as recognising and valuing differences among people; it is directed towards achieving organisational outcomes and reflects management practices adopted to improve the effectiveness of people management in organisations (Kramar 2001; Erwee, Palamara & Maguire 2000). The purpose of the chapter is to examine the debate on how diversity management initiatives can be integrated with strategic human resource management (SHRM), and how SHRM is linked to organisational strategy. Part of this debate considers to what extent processes associated with managing diversity are an integral part of the strategic vision of management. However, there is no consensus on how a corporate strategic plan influences or is influenced by SHRM, and how the latter integrates diversity management as a key component. The first section of the chapter addresses the controversy about organisations as linear, steady state entities or as dynamic, complex and fluid entities. This controversy fuels debate in the subsequent sections about the impact that such paradigms have on approaches to SHRM. The discussion on SHRM in this chapter will explore its links to corporate strategy as well as to diversity management. Subsequent sections propose that managing diversity should address sensitive topics such as gender, race and ethnicity. Finally, attention is given to whether an integrative approach to SHRM can be achieved and how to overcome the obstacles to making this a reality

Professional doctorates and DBAs in Australia: dilemmas and opportunities to innovate

The aims of this paper are to a) share information about the focus, aims, structure and examination criteria of the Doctor of Business Education (DBA) programs in Australian universities, b) clarify current dilemmas in terms of program delivery when instituting and managing such programs and c) identify opportunities to collaborate between Australian and American universities to share insights about best practices in the management of DBA program

Diversity management in Australian companies: complicance or conviction?

[Abstract]: The perceptions of managers regarding diversity management in a sample of Australian companies was measured by a Diversity Survey adapted from Gardenswartz & Rowe (1993). The survey measures 277 managers’ perceptions on symptoms of diversity related problems; openness to change of a company; the valuing and management of diversity in the companies; organisational barriers to diversity; individual attitudes towards diversity and organisational practices and policies. The majority of companies are primarily in the monocultural phase of evolution towards diversity sensitive workplace and need to be quicker to implement change initiatives such as diversity management. Companies in the multicultural phase and non-discriminatory stages of evolution are more open to change. Many individual managers indicate that they recognise and value diversity and are eager to redesign policies and practices to more effectively harness diversit

New communication media challenges for supervisors and external doctoral students

This study investigated perceptions of doctoral students and supervisors in an Australian university about communication challenges in doctoral distance education, frequency of communication between candidate and supervisors, satisfaction with meetings or communication, use of communication media and use of new types of personal media of communication. Forty-one doctoral students and nine supervisors confirmed their reliance on email communication via responses on a communications survey. Subtle differences emerged between the perceptions of doctoral students and their supervisors with reference to the adaptation of distance learning materials, the mix of synchronous and asynchronous interaction, and the use of new media of communication in the university. There was a less than positive perception of the use of discussion boards or online communities as learning tools

Forming and maintaining cross-cultural interorganisational networks

This research addresses the problem: How do cross-cultural influences affect interorganisational formation and maintenance international business networks? In particular, the two concepts of stages of network development and psychic distance in partner selection are explored. A partnership between educational institutions and small and medium enterprises in developing trade relationships in the Asia Pacific region are analysed is analysed in depth. This cross-cultural business network did not appear to develop through clearly defined, predictable stages and all dimensions of culture appeared to consistently influence the networks' development. It seems that personal and business networks are important for both partners (not only for Chinese Malaysians) but if these networks are not consciously linked or expanded jointly, very little basis for cross-cultural understanding is built. An investment in a cross-cultural network should be a multi-faceted and long term financial, organisational and personal investment, which will have to change in ways that are difficult to forecast except to say that they will be needed if the network is not to eventually die

Cultural, legal and societal differences between Germany, Singapore, Thailand And Indonesia that influence the transfer of HR policies

The aims of the paper are to firstly to investigate cultural and societal differences between Germany, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia and secondly to compare the effect of perceived cultural differences between managers on the transfer of human resource policies between German Fortune Global 500 industrial companies from -electrical, mechanical and chemical- industries and local Asian plants. The analysis of twenty four in depth interviews with Human Resource directors and line managers contrasts cultural differences regarding policy or practices. Convergence is confirmed on a policy level with crossvergence taking place on a process level. The role of the subsidiary HR director as a cultural translator and regional team player is confirmed

Cultural diversity: impact on the doctoral candidate-supervisor relationship

A number of aspects influencing the relationship between the doctoral candidate and the supervisor have been identified as impacting on the success of postgraduate research supervision, but the influence of the cultural diversity of doctoral candidates and supervisors on this relationship has not been addressed. Australian universities attract a large percentage of international doctoral candidates and many of these candidates relocate to Australia for the duration of their candidature and have to face the challenges of settling temporarily in a foreign country and working closely with a supervisor from a different cultural background. Through a comparative case study approach, this exploratory study investigated the influence of cultural dimensions on the doctoral candidate-supervisor relationship. Qualitative data obtained through interviews with six cases from various cultural clusters were analysed and compared based on four dimensions of national culture values (Hofstede, 2001). The findings suggest that cultural diversity impacts significantly on the social environment of doctoral candidates, but there is no significant impact on the supervisory relationship due to the acculturation of postgraduate students into the university culture. Cultural diversity is identified as a potential factor influencing the doctoral candidate–supervisor relationship and this study suggests the development of measures to ensure that cultural misunderstandings in the supervisory relationship are avoided

Integrating diversity management initiatives with strategic human resource management

Managing diversity is usually viewed in broad conceptual terms as recognising and valuing differences among people; it is directed towards achieving organisational outcomes and reflects management practices adopted to improve the effectiveness of people management in organisations (Kramar 2001; Erwee, Palamara & Maguire 2000). The purpose of the chapter is to examine the debate on how diversity management initiatives can be integrated with strategic human resource management (SHRM), and how SHRM is linked to organisational strategy. Part of this debate considers to what extent processes associated with managing diversity are an integral part of the strategic vision of management. However, there is no consensus on how a corporate strategic plan influences or is influenced by SHRM, and how the latter integrates diversity management as a key componen

Business networks: spanning boundaries and incorporating teams

This paper aims to link information from two streams of research namely networks and teams. It does not repeat research on teams that spans four decades with the unit of analysis on a group level in organisations. Instead it focuses on research on networks that have emerged over the last decade and are on the meta or organisational level of analysis. Much of this research has been on interorganisational networks of multinational corporations but information on local and regional networks among small and medium sized organisations are becoming more prevalent. One of the challenging issues in relation to networks is that one cannot assume that teams in an organisation will spontaneously form networks that span boundaries or conversely that people belonging to a broad business network will evolve into teams. Other challenging issues relate to how to map networks as well as discerning the stage of development of a network. Specific dilemmas that need attention in managing networks are dealing with interdependence, cooperation and competition in a network and the development of trust between members. The practical implications for organisations, managers and employees in building competencies in managing networks will be discussed. Exploratory research on cultural diversity in networks and how knowledge is managed by key actors in a network is noted

Benefits of membership in a business networking group

The aims of the study were to explore the perceptions of members of a regional business network about the benefits of networking and the importance of such benefits. Furthermore it explores to what extent these benefits are realised within the regional network and what additional competencies members develop as part of the network. The one case at the regional level is made up of fourteen embedded cases. Twenty four interviews were conducted among different categories of members in the HunterNet network. Respondents confirmed that intangible benefits such as a sense of community and legitimacy, accessing knowledge, information and learning were important. Members of the Hunternet business network believed that these benefits can be realised in the regional industrial cluster and developed an appreciation of the competencies of other members. The table of the benefits of networking can be used as a discussion tool for learning within such networks