Supporting Diversity Management through DEIB Awareness; Case Study for a Public Organization in Finland
Luopajärvi, Piia (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202504015401
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202504015401
Tiivistelmä
Diversity has been an important element in organizational management, internationally, since the 1960s. In recent years, research has expanded from an emphasis on diversity alone to the broader framework of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). This shift has highlighted the importance of employees’ experiences—specifically, the need to feel included, valued, and to be part of a group.
Previous studies challenge traditional hierarchical management approaches and highlight the benefits of inclusive leadership styles. Diversity initiatives contribute to this shift by enhancing organizational knowledge and awareness in this area.
This study is a case study focusing on Group Managers at a Finnish public organization. It examines the level of DEIB awareness and challenges they face in managing diversity. The end goal for this research was to lay the ground for new supportive educational materials for DEIB implementation.
The foundation of the research was laid by examining several theoretical frameworks, including Critical Management Studies, the Diversity Management Theory, and the Bias Theory. These perspectives provided a good foundation for the qualitative study, which was conducted through a survey and two sets of interviews.
The findings indicate that while participants possessed a fundamental awareness of DEIB concepts, their depth of understanding, or how to put the concepts in action, varied a great deal. The perception of the key benefits and challenges of diversity management for this group also showed variation, which is an indication of the fact that all of them could benefit from more awareness, especially on the practical side.
Previous studies challenge traditional hierarchical management approaches and highlight the benefits of inclusive leadership styles. Diversity initiatives contribute to this shift by enhancing organizational knowledge and awareness in this area.
This study is a case study focusing on Group Managers at a Finnish public organization. It examines the level of DEIB awareness and challenges they face in managing diversity. The end goal for this research was to lay the ground for new supportive educational materials for DEIB implementation.
The foundation of the research was laid by examining several theoretical frameworks, including Critical Management Studies, the Diversity Management Theory, and the Bias Theory. These perspectives provided a good foundation for the qualitative study, which was conducted through a survey and two sets of interviews.
The findings indicate that while participants possessed a fundamental awareness of DEIB concepts, their depth of understanding, or how to put the concepts in action, varied a great deal. The perception of the key benefits and challenges of diversity management for this group also showed variation, which is an indication of the fact that all of them could benefit from more awareness, especially on the practical side.