Management in Academic
Management in Academia
The contemporary society consists of individuals from different groups that make the world a better place when they come together. People think, operate, and exist differently in their world, which, when combined, creates diversity. Diversity management in academia is an aspect that deploys best practices that support inclusion and diversity in learning institutions. Academia comprises people from a wide range of backgrounds with different cultures, beliefs, races, and ethnicities, whereby diversity management impacts them directly. It resonates that having a diverse team of staff, faculty, and students enhances the realization of the goals and missions of the institutions. It contributes towards an increase in the application and graduation rates of individuals from minority groups. The vulnerable groups feel included in schools that positively impact them towards the realization of their American dream.
Strategies Used for Success of Management
The strategy used for the success of diversity management in education is the initiation of faculty diversity. It creates opportunities for individuals from minority groups and low-income earning backgrounds to access promising degrees. According to the U.S Department of Education, Office Under the Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, (2016), Many American dreams have been realized because some individuals from the vulnerable groups needed the university education the most to achieve them. It delineates a significant increase in the application rates and graduation rates for students from minority groups. Consequently, the individuals from the minority groups feel included as it gives them the chance to maximize their potential in school (Akinnusi et al., 2017). It enriches the experience and perspectives in learning institutions because of the diverse culture, beliefs, and values. Individuals learn to appreciate their counterparts by respecting and accepting diversity. It reduces the existing education bias between the minority groups and the whites because every individual has an equal opportunity to achieve their dreams.
The hiring team should consider diversity and inclusion in academia to enhance the success of diversity management. Learning institutions with individuals of diversity from all over the globe perform better because of existing creativity and innovativeness (Mcntosh et al., 2017). People think differently, which may be considered prudent and sound to enhance solutions when a problem arises in higher learning institutions. Every individual in academia will have a sense of ownership and feel fit in the organization (Akinnusi et al., 2017). As a result, they may take individual responsibility to ensure outstanding performance at the personal and organizational levels. Subsequently, individuals from diverse groups possess various thoughts and skills, which, when combined, promotes productivity among the team members, impacting the institution. Many companies have supported diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI because of its impact on productivity. DEI should be initiated in the hiring process by the managers to ensure an innovative and creative workforce.
Strategies to Address Challenges in Management in Academia
The deployment of a diversity training technique is to address diversity management challenges in academia. Diversity training opens up the minds of individuals and equips them with skills on how to accept and interact with all individuals (Kim & Park, 2017). They will learn to appreciate difference and respect diversity through all its aspect in higher learning institutions. It fosters and strengthens the existing differences and other people's values in learning institutions (Akinnusi et al., 2017). As a result, every individual will feel free to share their opinions and thoughts. Furthermore, training on diversity impacts the institution because learners will accept all individuals across all races and want to learn their foreign language.
Accepting inclusion and making it a priority in academia is a strategy that will help address diversity management challenges. The faculty heads will treat everyone equally irrespective of age, gender, and race because of the existing environment that supports inclusion. According to Akinnusi et al. (2017), inclusion is realized by celebrating diversity through cultural practices like preparing different foods, learning different languages, and dressing codes. It will help others to acknowledge and appreciate differences (Kim & Park, 2017). Consequently, promoting inclusion in academia helps each other maximize their strengths as they work on their weaknesses to meet their potentials.
Conclusion
Diversity management in academia is an aspect that deploys best practices that support inclusion and diversity in learning institutions. Academia comprises people from a wide range of backgrounds with different cultures, beliefs, races, and ethnicities, whereby diversity management impacts them directly. It is a strategy that, when deployed in all aspects because of its existing benefits. Additionally, the technique used for the success of diversity management in education is the initiation of faculty diversity. It entails the employment of individuals in staff and faculty across all races, gender, and age. It is an impactful technique in learning institutions, especially among minority groups and vulnerable individuals, because it allows them to realize their American dream. The hiring team should also prioritize inclusion to help address the challenges facing diversity management. An institution with diverse faculty always reaches the ultimate level because of the different thinkers that are innovative and creative.
References
Akinnusi, D. M., Sonubi, O. O., & Oyewunmi, A. E. (2017). Fostering effective workforce diversity management in Nigerian organizations: The challenge of Human Resource Management. International Review of Management and Marketing, 7(2), 108-116. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/367517
Kim, S., & Park, S. (2017). Diversity management and fairness in public organizations. Public Organization Review, 17(2), 179-193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-015-0334-y
Llamas, J. D., Nguyen, K., & Tran, A. G. (2021). The case for greater faculty diversity: Examining the educational impacts of student-faculty racial/ethnic match. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(3), 375-391. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2019.1679759
Mcntosh, K., Pomerantz, J., Rodrigues, H., Smith, C. & Wood, M. (2017). Expanding your recruitment pool through increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/6/expanding-your-recruitment-pool-through-increasing-diversity-equity-and-inclusion
U.S Department of Education, Office Under the Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. (2016). Advancing diversity and inclusion in higher education. Key data highlights focusing on race and ethnicity and promising practices. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/advancing-diversity-inclusion.pdf
