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Qual Quant (2015) 49:177201
DOI 10.1007/s11135-013-9981-7
Published online: 27 December 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract This paper describes the development and validation of the Benets and Threats of Diversity Scale (BTDS), an instrument which measures how employees perceive the effects of cultural diversity in the workplace. By analyzing employees perceptions, organizations may be able to communicate more effectively about diversity, and reduce potential diversity resistance by targeting those employees who feel most threatened by the process of diversication. First, a conceptual framework is established regarding possible positive and negative perceptions regarding cultural diversity in the workplace, based on both existing literature and qualitative data gathered in interviews. The nal structure of the BTDS includes ve subdimensions of benets, and four subdimensions of threats. The internal structure, reliability and construct validity of the BTDS are established using quantitative data gathered in existing organizations. Our results also show that the respective dimensions of benets and threats are mostly independent. This implies that individuals who perceive many benets of diversity do not perceive less threats, or vice versa. This, in turn, suggests that individuals are not either pro or con diversity, as is often assumed in existing literature, but instead may possess a more nuanced view.
Keywords Workplace diversity Diversity attitudes Diversity resistance
Diversity outcomes Scale development
J. Hofhuis (B)
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected]
K. I. van der Zee
Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlandse-mail: [email protected]
S. Otten
Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlandse-mail: [email protected]
Measuring employee perception on the effects of cultural diversity at work: development of the Benets and Threats of Diversity Scale
Joep Hofhuis Karen I. van der Zee Sabine Otten
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178 J. Hofhuis et al.
1 Introduction
Cultural diversity in the workplace has become a topic of great interest to organizational researchers and practitioners alike. Studies have shown that organizations would do well to include employees of different cultural backgrounds in their workforce, as this may enhance productivity (e.g. Cox et al. 1991; Jehn et al. 1999; McLeod and Lobel 1992; Van Knippenberg et al. 2004). However, successfully...