Critical Diversity Research on Discrimination in Organizations

Diversity-oriented organizational development is part of organizational efforts in various sectors in Germany. Diversity studies play a key role in providing an empirical foundation in this context. However, there are no universally applicable and recognized standards for such surveys. Nor is it entirely clear how surveys of this kind can be designed in a way that is critical of discrimination. In addition, it can be observed that the framework conditions that strongly influence diversity-oriented organizational development vary greatly between sectors (organizational fields). This project addresses the question of how diversity-oriented and discrimination-critical organizational developments can be implemented in a theoretically and empirically sound manner in the German context. 
The aim is to develop conceptual and theoretical foundations for promoting diversity in the German context, explicitly incorporating anti-discrimination, and to develop methodological standards for collecting diversity-related data in organizations. To this end, the project systematically analyzes relevant diversity and discrimination theory approaches and translates them into a practical best practice toolkit for employee surveys.

The research project addresses the lack of conceptual and theoretical foundations for data collection in the context of discrimination-critical diversity research in Germany.

Clear conceptual and theoretical foundations as well as methodological standards for surveying diversity in organizations and using this data in diversity-oriented organizational development processes are to be developed. 

The project follows a two-stage approach. In the first step, a systematic literature review will be conducted to consolidate and refine key theoretical and conceptual approaches to diversity and discrimination research in the German context and make them suitable for empirical research. Building on this theoretical foundation, the second step involves developing a best practice toolkit for diversity-oriented and discrimination-critical employee surveys. The explicit aim here is not to develop a “one-size-fits-all” model, but rather to leave room for adaptation to different organizational contexts. An annotated collection of items will be created, which will also include information on how to conduct such surveys and best practice procedures.

• Gräfe-Geusch, Annett; Sdunzik, Jennifer (2024): Diversität, aber wie? Internationale und nationale Best-Practice-Bereiche für diversitätsorientierte und diskriminierungskritische Organisationsentwicklung. DeZIM Working Papers 2, Berlin: Deutsches Zentrum für Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (DeZIM).