Organizational Behavior

Individual diversity is an important concept in organizational behavior. People can be described by a number of categories that are both inherent (e.g., age, race, gender, ethnicity, physical capability) and acquired (e.g., geographic location, income, marital status, education, seniority, work content/field). Many other categories exist than are noted here, and some might debate whether various categories are best understood as inherent or acquired (or a combination). For this assignment, examine some of the diversity present in your current organization. What different types of diversity do you observe? Is your organization becoming more diverse or less diverse? What problems does diversity present? How does diversity influence the way individuals behave? What benefits or opportunities does diversity provide? After a brief discussion of your observations regarding diversity in your organization, identify some of the best practices for managing and leading in the midst of diversity. These best practices might come from your experience in your organization or from research.