Making the Case for Diversity: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Alternatives to the Business Case

Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings includes abstracts of all papers and symposia presented at the annual conference, plus 6-page abridged versions of the “Best Papers” accepted for inclusion in the program (approximately 10%). Papers published in the Proceedings are abridged because presenting papers at their full length could preclude subsequent journal publication. Please contact the author(s) directly for the full papers. Making the Case for Diversity: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Alternatives to the Business CaseAharon Levy and Katherine W. PhillipsAharon LevyYale U. and Katherine W. PhillipsColumbia U. Published Online:29 Jul 2020https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.13958symposiumAboutSections ToolsDownload CitationsAdd to favoritesTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail AbstractIn recent years the ""business case"" for diversity has been one of the main arguments used in the attempt to promote demographic diversity in businesses and organizations. The business case focuses on the potential for performance benefits to arise as a result of diversity, and it is an appealing argument given the business focus on profit maximization. However, research findings examining the business case seem to be inconsistent, and as a result its ability to increase the support for diversity is limited. Additionally, we would like to suggest that in the attempt to promote diversity it may be worthwhile to not only focus our attention on why people should pursue diversity as the business case does, but to also ask why people do not support diversity efforts. In other words, in order to promote diversity in a successful and efficient manner, one must understand the social and psychological barriers in place that inhibit the adoption of diversity, and then examine whether the arguments and interventions are equipped to target those barriers. Accordingly, in the proposed panel we present research that examines crucial inhibitors of diversity and inclusion, subsequent potential pitfalls of the business case, and possible ways to overcome them. Our hope for this panel is to provide a framework that will flesh out the potential advantages and disadvantages of the business case, and lay the groundwork for creating work environments where diversity and inclusion are more likely to be adopted and to thrive over time.Diversity and Risk: The Self-Defeating Aspect of the Business Case for DiversityPresenter: Aharon Levy; Yale U.Presenter: Andrei Cimpian; New York U.Presenter: Katherine W. Phillips; Columbia U.The Stubborn Effects of the Business Case for DiversityPresenter: Hannah Birnbaum; Northwestern Kellogg School of ManagementPresenter: Evan P. Apfelbaum; MIT Sloan School of ManagementPresenter: Adam Waytz; Northwestern Kellogg School of ManagementThe Business Case Undermines Sense of Belonging at Work Among Underrepresented GroupsPresenter: Oriane Georgeac; London Business SchoolPresenter: Aneeta Rattan; London Business SchoolBeyond the Business Case: The Power of Moral Rationales for Diversity in OrganizationsPresenter: Jamillah Williams; Georgetown U.Unlocking Diversity & Inclusion: A Social Sustainability CasePresenter: Valerie De Cock; ULB - Solvay Brussels School of Economics and ManagementPresenter: Pinar Celik; U. Libre de BruxellesPresenter: Claudia Toma; ULB - Solvay Brussels School of Economics and ManagementFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 2020, No. 1 Permissions Metrics Downloaded 0 times in the past 12 months History Published online 29 July 2020 Published in print 1 August 2020 InformationCopyright of Academy of Management Journal is the property of Academy of Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.KeywordsAOM Annual Meeting Proceedings 2020