IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v164y2020i3d10.1007_s10551-018-4051-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Walking the Talk on Diversity: CEO Beliefs, Moral Values, and the Implementation of Workplace Diversity Practices

Author

Listed:
  • Eddy S. Ng

    (Dalhousie University)

  • Greg J. Sears

    (Carleton University)

Abstract

Although CEO commitment is recognized as being crucial to organizational diversity efforts, we know little about how CEOs signal their priorities and mobilize key organizational actors to implement diversity management. We tested an integrative model in which CEO beliefs about diversity were theorized to predict the implementation of organizational diversity practices through two consecutive mediating steps—via greater CEO engagement in pro-diversity behavior, and in turn, higher perceived CEO commitment by their HR manager. In this model, we also proposed a moderating effect such that when CEOs have less positive beliefs about diversity, CEOs espousing higher moral values will display greater pro-diversity behavior. Results supported the proposed model. Taken together, our findings indicate that a CEO’s words and actions alone are not sufficient for the implementation of diversity management practices. HR managers must view their CEOs as being committed to workplace diversity in order for diversity management practices to be implemented.

Suggested Citation

  • Eddy S. Ng & Greg J. Sears, 2020. "Walking the Talk on Diversity: CEO Beliefs, Moral Values, and the Implementation of Workplace Diversity Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 437-450, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:164:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4051-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4051-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-018-4051-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-018-4051-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hans Dijk & Marloes Engen & Jaap Paauwe, 2012. "Reframing the Business Case for Diversity: A Values and Virtues Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 73-84, November.
    2. Slater, Stanley F. & Weigand, Robert A. & Zwirlein, Thomas J., 2008. "The business case for commitment to diversity," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 201-209.
    3. Harry J. Holzer & David Neumark, 2000. "What Does Affirmative Action Do?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 53(2), pages 240-271, January.
    4. Abramovic, Gordana & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer, 2017. "Support for diversity practices in Norway: Depends on who you are and whom you have met," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 454-463.
    5. Eric Van den Steen, 2005. "Organizational Beliefs and Managerial Vision," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 21(1), pages 256-283, April.
    6. Bill Wooldridge & Steven W. Floyd, 1990. "The strategy process, middle management involvement, and organizational performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 231-241, March.
    7. Lisa Hope Pelled, 1996. "Demographic Diversity, Conflict, and Work Group Outcomes: An Intervening Process Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(6), pages 615-631, December.
    8. Dennis A. Gioia & Kumar Chittipeddi, 1991. "Sensemaking and sensegiving in strategic change initiation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(6), pages 433-448, September.
    9. E. Buttner & Kevin Lowe & Lenora Billings-Harris, 2007. "Impact of Leader Racial Attitude on Ratings of Causes and Solutions for an Employee of Color Shortage," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 129-144, June.
    10. Warren Keith Schilit, 1987. "An Examination Of The Influence Of Middle‐Level Managers In Formulating And Implementing Strategic Decisions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 271-293, May.
    11. Eddy Ng & Greg Sears, 2012. "CEO Leadership Styles and the Implementation of Organizational Diversity Practices: Moderating Effects of Social Values and Age," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 105(1), pages 41-52, January.
    12. Sandy Kristin Piderit & Susan J. Ashford, 2003. "Breaking Silence: Tactical Choices Women Managers Make in Speaking Up About Gender‐Equity Issues," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 1477-1502, September.
    13. Karl E. Weick & Kathleen M. Sutcliffe & David Obstfeld, 2005. "Organizing and the Process of Sensemaking," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(4), pages 409-421, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Girardone, Claudia & Kokas, Sotirios & Wood, Geoffrey, 2021. "Diversity and women in finance: Challenges and future perspectives," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Tae Jun Bae & James O. Fiet, 2021. "Imprinting Perspective on the Sustainability of Commitments to Competing Institutional Logics of Social Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-27, February.
    3. Uyar, Ali & Lodh, Suman & Nandy, Monomita & Kuzey, Cemil & Karaman, Abdullah S., 2023. "Tradeoff between corporate investment and CSR: The moderating effect of financial slack, workforce slack, and board gender diversity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Jyoti Joshi Pant & Vijaya Venkateswaran, 2023. "Voice of Intersectional Minorities in the Psychological Contract for Business Competitiveness," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 11-21, June.
    5. Joan Fontrodona & Domènec Melé, 2022. "Thinking About the Future of work: Promoting Dignity and Human Flourishing," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 181-188, October.
    6. Anne-marie Greene & Gill Kirton, 2024. "“Doing the Right Thing” and “Making a Difference”: The Role of Personal Ethical Values in Diversity and Inclusion Consulting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(1), pages 179-191, August.
    7. Vlas, Cristina O. & Richard, Orlando C. & Andrevski, Goce & Konrad, Alison M. & Yang, Yang, 2022. "Dynamic capabilities for managing racially diverse workforces: Effects on competitive action variety and firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 600-618.
    8. Jessie Y. Zhu & Wally Smieliauskas, 2022. "Evidence on the Economic Consequences of Marriage Equality and LGBT Human Rights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 57-70, June.
    9. Ioannis Koukoumpliakos, 2021. "How Corporate Social Responsibility Affects the Aspects of Human Resources Management," Economics Working Papers 2021-01, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luu, Trong Tuan & Rowley, Chris & Vo, Thanh Thao, 2019. "Addressing employee diversity to foster their work engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 303-315.
    2. van den Oever, Koen, 2017. "Uncharted waters : A behavioral approach to when, why and which organizational changes are adopted," Other publications TiSEM 0136c8c2-ecdd-4f82-8ca7-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Carlos Martin-Rios, 2016. "Innovative management control systems in knowledge work: a middle manager perspective," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 181-204, May.
    4. Tammy E. Beck & Donde Ashmos Plowman, 2009. "Experiencing Rare and Unusual Events Richly: The Role of Middle Managers in Animating and Guiding Organizational Interpretation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(5), pages 909-924, October.
    5. Filstad, Cathrine & Olsen, Trude Høgvold & Karp, Tom, 2021. "Constructing managerial manoeuvring space in contradictory contexts," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 467-475.
    6. Sevda Helpap & Sigrid Bekmeier-Feuerhahn & Luisa Pinkernelle, 2018. "Ambivalenzen in organisationalen Veränderungen [Ambivalence in Organizational Change]," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 70(3), pages 209-241, August.
    7. Jeffrey S. Bednar & Benjamin M. Galvin & Blake E. Ashforth & Ella Hafermalz, 2020. "Putting Identification in Motion: A Dynamic View of Organizational Identification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(1), pages 200-222, January.
    8. Lionel Garreau & Serge Perrot, 2012. "Comprendre la dynamique de la socialisation organisationnelle: Une approche par le sensemaking," Post-Print halshs-00949067, HAL.
    9. Costa, Sandra & Coyle-Shapiro, Jacqueline, 2021. "What happens to others matters! An intraindividual processual approach to coworkers’ psychological contract violations," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 109872, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Paula Jarzabkowski & Sarah Kaplan, 2015. "Strategy tools-in-use: A framework for understanding “technologies of rationality” in practice," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 537-558, April.
    11. Stephen Michael Impink & Andrea Prat & Raffaella Sadun, 2021. "Communication within firms: evidence from CEO turnovers," CEP Discussion Papers dp1796, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    12. Sameer B. Srivastava, 2015. "Intraorganizational Network Dynamics in Times of Ambiguity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(5), pages 1365-1380, October.
    13. Jane Hendy & Theopisti Chrysanthaki & James Barlow, 2014. "Managers’ Identification with and Adoption of Telehealthcare," Societies, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-18, August.
    14. Cristofaro, Matteo, 2020. "“I feel and think, therefore I am”: An Affect-Cognitive Theory of management decisions," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 344-355.
    15. Sally Maitlis & Scott Sonenshein, 2010. "Sensemaking in Crisis and Change: Inspiration and Insights From Weick (1988)," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 551-580, May.
    16. Greg Fisher, 2024. "Resourcefulness Enactment: The Sensemaking Process Underpinning Resourceful Actions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(4), pages 911-940, July.
    17. Joseph Lampel & Jamal Shamsie & Zur Shapira, 2009. "Experiencing the Improbable: Rare Events and Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(5), pages 835-845, October.
    18. Greg Fisher & Emily Neubert, 2023. "Evaluating Ventures Fast and Slow: Sensemaking, Intuition, and Deliberation in Entrepreneurial Resource Provision Decisions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(4), pages 1298-1326, July.
    19. Loréa Baïada-Hirèche & Lionel Garreau, 2014. "Exploring the dynamics of ethical judgment : the sensemaking-based evolution model," Post-Print halshs-01009708, HAL.
    20. Dwyer, Sean & Richard, Orlando C. & Chadwick, Ken, 2003. "Gender diversity in management and firm performance: the influence of growth orientation and organizational culture," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(12), pages 1009-1019, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:164:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4051-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.