KAMAZ Systematic Approach to Change

KAMAZ Systematic Approach to Change



KAMAZ Systematic Approach to Change

Introduction

Diversity is fast becoming a management approach that is being applied effectively within many institutions. Managing diversity tries to build specific skills and to create policies that derive the best from each employee. Managing diversity is based on the assumption that diverse groups will create new ways of working together and develop understanding in that group, causing profit and productivity to increase. Managing diversity is really about managing differences, and a simple training program cannot accomplish it. It is a culture change; a culture change initiated by enlightened managers who can see the energy and enthusiasm that result from capturing the best of a variety of people and ideas. It is not enough that companies state their concern; they must take action to show that diversity is valued.

Discussion

Diversity includes diverse perspectives, approaches and sensitivity to culture, gender, religion, ethnic and national origin, attitudes, socio-economic and personal differences, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, productive abilities, power, knowledge, and status. Therefore, diversity management means the creation of internal and external environment within which these different perspectives, approaches and sensitivities are incorporated and developed in such a way that the full potential of individuals and institutions may be realized.

The social landscape is rapidly changing. The 21st century presents extraordinary demographic alterations. Latinos have become the largest racial minority group, surpassing African Americans, after completion of the 2000 United States Census. By 2050, Asian Americans will experience a 300% increase in population size from 1990 and comprise 6% of the population. Women will continue to outnumber men. Islam will become the third largest religious group in the United States. The over class and underclass will dramatically increase and the middleclass will shrink. These facts represent a small snapshot of changes projected for society.

The demographic trends will significantly impact the workplace resulting in a management challenge for a variety of private, government, and nonprofit KAMAZs. Increasing numbers of individuals from historically disenfranchised racial, gender, religious, and socioeconomic groups with limited work history will enter the workforce. KAMAZal effectiveness and efficiency are at stake if managers and supervisors do not successfully mainstream individuals from diverse backgrounds into the work environment.

A number of KAMAZs and companies introduced programs aimed at addressing workplace diversity in the early 1990s. However, many of the attempts failed to progress beyond a political correctness agenda and, in some cases, had negative effects among workforce members. Failure to link diversity efforts to KAMAZal management proved to cast these types of programs as special ventures outside of core management concerns. Poorly defined and administered, diversity programming has become an unfocused activity with questionable KAMAZal value.

Diversity is the most critical issue facing the United States in the 21st Century. All other important economic, political, educational, and technological initiatives will depend on the diversity climate. The purpose of this paper is to create a conceptual framework for understanding diversity and suggest a process for managing emerging issues of difference in ...