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The purpose of this critical review is to address issues with the current school of thought that diversity must come before inclusion in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) process and propose an alternate solution.

This review takes a critical constructionist lens such that changes in social norms have morphed over time, refining the meaning and implementation of DEI initiatives in research and the workplace. This review is framed within the context of hospitality organizations.

The conflicting results in DEI research (whether DEI practices are positive or negative) are explained by diversity being the core factor. It is proposed that inclusion is the starting place and determinant of success in creating a diverse workforce. If inclusion comes first and is followed by equitable treatment, then diversity (and diverse representation) naturally follows.

This review offers a novel perspective on the relationship between diversity, equity and inclusion, which was previously ambiguous. Research rarely includes all three as variables in the past, and does not use diversity as an outcome, but rather as a starting point.

This research suggests that unless an organization begins with an inclusive climate, there will be no benefit to having diverse candidates, nor will there be long-term retention of a diverse staff. It is recommended to begin with inclusion, implement equitable practices and diversity will increase through the enacted and espoused values.

It has been suggested that the introduction of first the diploma pre‐registration course and then the three‐year degree pre‐registration course are likely to have an impact upon the diversity of the future nursing workforce in the UK. Using findings from three large‐scale projects, this paper assesses the nature of these changes by comparing the diversity within recently qualified cohorts of graduate, diplomate and certificate‐qualified nurses. Findings indicate little difference between the three groups in terms of gender and ethnic origin. A higher proportion of graduates had academic qualifications, which were generally higher than the qualifications held by the other groups of nurses. However, diplomates were the most diverse group overall, being older and more likely to have children, and also having greater previous working experiences. The overall conclusion is that, despite qualification differences, the level of diversity amongst degree‐qualifiers was a return to the lower levels associated with qualifiers from certificate courses. Thus the introduction of degree courses may dilute the relative success of the diploma course in terms of the recruitment of a more diverse workforce. The findings are considered in the context of current debates about the future shape of nurse education in the UK.

In the changing demographics of American society, workplace diversity is today's reality. Organisations that refuse to recognise this fact risk failure in the future. Managing diversity is a business issue, not a moral, social, or legal concern. The challenge is not creating a diverse workforce, but empowering one. It is about enlightening managers to persuade a diverse workforce to raise its productivity by utilising all members to their fullest potential, thereby increasing profitability or effectiveness. Diversity refers not just to race and gender, but encompasses differences such as ages, merged companies, union/non‐union, exempt/non‐exempt, organisational newcomers and organisational oldtimers. The goal is to get the level of performance from a heterogeneous group that was formerly attained by the homogeneous group. Learning to manage diversity makes companies more competitive. In order to effectively manage diversity, organisational culture change is usually necessary.

Today, human resource management is being renewed in organizations and is gradually affirming its strategic role. The need for highly qualified managers will increase as more organizations globalize their operations. The research presented in this paper highlights the need for management who are sensitive to the concerns of multicultural employees. The effects of cultural diversity on organizational behavior are complex and powerful. Within this perspective, the definition of diversity in the USA and the goals in achieving a more diverse workplace will be discussed. This paper will also examine the different facets involved in managing and developing a diverse human resource base. Organizations take into account their human resource base before hiring employees. One factor they look at is the possible advantages and disadvantages of a multicultural and diverse organization. This paper will examine ways by which managers and employees can learn about diversity, understand it, and respect it on a day‐to‐day basis when dealing with people from other diverse backgrounds.

Presents the findings of a research project which analysed diversity management approaches, and in particular the ethnic minority policies of international hotel chains operating in San Francisco. The primary research was based on the work of Kandola and Fullerton (1994) and included questionnaires and interviews with seven human resource directors. The study did not intend to create a representative sample or to explore diversity management practices in general. It concentrated on gathering in‐depth data on hotels which were expected to have the most advanced policies and practices in the area of diversity management and equal opportunities. Most of the sample hotels implemented a “reactive diversification strategy” which tolerates, but does not expressly value, the diversity of a workforce. Therefore, many of the sample hotels could be categorised as plural organisations which focus on affirmative action programmes required by law and equal opportunity training. To achieve some of the benefits of diversity promoted by supporters of diversity management, the hotels would have to change from plural to multicultural organisations which foster and value cultural differences.

Managing cultural diversity in the workplace and attempts to abolish affirmative action are emerging as some of the most important issues facing American business in the 90s. The relationship between affirmative action and diversity may start in their definitions. Affirmative action was born during the Civil Rights Movement in an effort to reverse the effects of generations of racial discrimination (the concept and the laws which governed it broadened over the years to include women and other traditionally disadvantaged groups). It is federally mandated law to combat discrimination. Diversity on the other hand, is an organisational effort that aims to modify organisation standards, procedures, and management practices that hinder creativity, productivity, and advancement of all employees.

Primary data based on 1,083 observations were analyzed to examine the reactions and perceptions of male and female employees across categories about workforce diversity status in Indian organizations. Results indicated the prevalence of gender and category (racial) discrimination in Indian organizations. Male employees rated female employees less qualified, less competent, and less productive than females rated themselves. General category employees perceived that minority and socially disadvantaged employees were less competent and productive. Almost all employees believed that minority, socially disadvantaged, and disabled employees were provided with comparatively less organizational support in terms of working facilities, promotions, and salary increases. Even females of the general category believed that they had less chance of receiving working facilities, promotions, and salary increases than males from the general category. Further, each category of employees believed themselves to be more important than others. Females from all the categories valued diversity more highly than males. Females from the general category and both males and females from minority, disabled, and socially disadvantaged categories placed higher value on employers’ efforts to promote diversity compared with general category males.

The purpose of this study is to develop a theory that explains how organizations can create a more inclusive atmosphere on the individual, organizational and societal levels. The consequences of an inclusive environment were subsequently developed and explored.

Constructivist grounded theory methods were used to collect and analyze data from interviews with 20 hotel executives and their company websites.

The findings of this study produced a theoretical framework for inclusion in hotel leadership, leadership inclusion theory (LIT). The LIT states organizations must address individual differences, organizational policies and culture and societal norms to develop an inclusive environment. Equity follows inclusion as the value for individual differences makes equitable treatment easier. Finally, diversity increases through increased inclusion and equity.

The LIT describes steps for managers to take to develop an inclusive environment, establish equitable practices and increase diversity within an organization.

The LIT highlights several unintended exclusion practices and generational attitudes that are common among organizations. By making conscious efforts, managers can take deliberate actions to establish a perceived environment of equality.

The LIT is a seminal theory-building effort grounded in hospitality. It explains the when and why of several phenomena related to inequality in the hotel industry and how to overcome such imbalances.

This paper reports on an exploratory study into the extent of diversity management initiatives in organizations in one Canadian city. Diversity management originated in the USA where it is reportedly being embraced by many organizations and where it has become the basis of a large consulting business. Although a diverse workforce and workplace diversity management are often argued to be critical to organizational competitiveness, little is known about how Canadian organizations are reacting.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a critical analysis of talent acquisition software and its potential for fostering equity in the hiring process for underrepresented IT professionals. The under-representation of women, African-American and Latinx professionals in the IT workforce is a longstanding issue that contributes to and is impacted by algorithmic bias.

Sources of algorithmic bias in talent acquisition software are presented. Feminist design thinking is presented as a theoretical lens for mitigating algorithmic bias.

Data are just one tool for recruiters to use; human expertise is still necessary. Even well-intentioned algorithms are not neutral and should be audited for morally and legally unacceptable decisions. Feminist design thinking provides a theoretical framework for considering equity in the hiring decisions made by talent acquisition systems and their users.

This research implies that algorithms may serve to codify deep-seated biases, making IT work environments just as homogeneous as they are currently. If bias exists in talent acquisition software, the potential for propagating inequity and harm is far more significant and widespread due to the homogeneity of the specialists creating artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

This work uses equity as a central concept for considering algorithmic bias in talent acquisition. Feminist design thinking provides a framework for fostering a richer understanding of what fairness means and evaluating how AI software might impact marginalized populations.