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Diversity Audit/Research

Instructions

 

Diversity Audit/Research

Prepare a 4 page paper which explains your findings in detail. The paper should be free from spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure you cite all written web sources, journal articles and interviews in a bibliography, and contain exhibits, such as copies of the organizational value statements or company newsletters, if appropriate.

To summarize, your report should detail the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s diversity initiatives. List the criteria (one page), provide some company background/history (one page), evaluate the organization’s efforts in terms of diversity, and make recommendations for improvement. Findings should include: The criteria you used for managing diversity in an organization. You can use secondary research to assist you. If you performed an audit of an organization in which you work or have worked: Indicate who authorized the audit (a manager or a human resource leader). Identify the people you interviewed, their function(s) and level(s) (i.e. levels: VP, manager, supervisor, and functions: human resources, training, operations).

If you performed research on one of the top 10 companies identified by DiversityInc as a company that demonstrates the business case for diversity, include a literature review of your research on that company. The literature review should include sources from scholarly and professional journals describing the performance of the organization as it relates to diversity, in addition to the organization’s website that you are researching. The literature review should include a bibliography of sources and a brief paragraph describing the contents of the source.
•Include the list of the thoughtful questions regarding diversity used in the interview/research.
•Indicate whether you toured the company and any copies of the company newsletters, value statements, and so forth. If you are using the DiversityInc firms, include these in your research as well as any websites you visited in your research.
•Evaluate what you have learned about the company in terms of diversity, comparing it against the criteria you established. Be sure to pay attention to subtle cues (i.e. is there evidence that they really do what they say they do). For example, a manager proudly pointed out that his large retail organization hired physically challenged workers. However, they were all assigned to work in the stockroom, where they were never seen by any customers. Or a company who is recognized for their hiring of the disabled, have no disabled employees visible on their website. Feel free to add additional criteria that you did not think of after the interview/visit or research was completed.

 

 

Research Paper

 

Dell Diversity Audit Report

Abstract

This report aims to explore the diversity practices exercised by Dell Inc. Dell Inc is a multinational information technology Company. Dell has been in the forefront upholding diversity that has assisted the company to achieve its current success (Dell Inc.). This report will give a brief background relating to Dell Inc. and how it has been dealing with diversity initiatives. Different works of literature on diversity audit will also be provided which will be used to give a base for this research. The report will also give the diversity initiatives used by the company and their efforts in regulating these initiatives. The final part will be recommendations to the company to improve on their weaknesses.

Criteria for Diversity

The criteria used to measure diversity audit in Dell are explained below.

Gender

Women have faced discriminated for a long time in workplaces; they have been assigned to part-time jobs, low-level jobs with minimum responsibilities (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2011). They are also not involved in the tendering process, and men take these chances. There have been gradual changes in the treatment of women, and the society is now giving equal chances to women as to men. This research will explore the level women are integrated within Dell operations and opportunities.

Parental status

Discriminations based on parents’ achievements, which is common with school children. These children are stigmatized because their parents may be poor or disabled. Their parents’ low income cannot enable them to have equal amenities as those from well-off backgrounds (Crenshaw, 2011). Therefore, they should be assisted by organizations like Dell so they can compete equally with their education.

Physical ability

Council for Disability Awareness estimates about 36 million Americans to be disabled. Americans with Disabilities Act was introduced to prevent these people from discrimination in their workplaces. It also advocates for equal treatment when it comes to work opportunities in an organization (Crenshaw, 2011).

Skin color and race

Skin color and race brings about different cultures and ethnic groups. There is need to respect differences in cultures and ensure equality in workplaces (Jackson, Schuler & Werner, 2011). This research aims to explore the issue of diversity in Dell Inc.

Company Background

Michael Dell started the Dell Company in the year 1984 and operated as PC’s Limited as while taking his studies at the University of Texas where he used his dorm as his headquarters. He dropped out of school and used a $1,000 from his family to produce the first computer, Turbo PC, which he sold for $795. By the end of that year, the company had made around $73 million as gross income. The company dropped the name PC Limited in 1987 and became Dell Computer Corporation since then it has been expanding globally (Dell Inc.). The years between 1997 to 2004 saw Dell grow to become the biggest PC supplier, outdoing its competitors like IBM and Compaq. They expanded their product lines to include servers, televisions, printers, handhelds and digital audio players, by the end of 2002; Dell was rated number one in PC reliability.

Dell Inc. had around 14,000 employees in Texas headquarters alone by the end of the year 2013. The company has around 103,300 employees worldwide, recruited in a diverse way. The company exercises a deep commitment towards diversity and inclusion. The company ranked among top 50 companies exercising diversity consecutively for five years and came top according to the recent statistics released by DiversityInc. The company was ranked 32nd in 2014’s DiversityInc rankings, meaning that the company maintains diversity even during their hard times that led to privatization and the reduction of employees in the year 2013. The leadership of Dell Inc, led by the CEO Michael Dell conducts reviews of its human resource policies and ensures that they conform to global diversity. This research aims to explore the diversity initiatives of Dell Inc. and also give recommendations to the company to improve their diversity initiatives (DiversityInc, 2015).

Literature Review

In his article about what is a diversity audit, Gresham (2015) explains the meaning of diversity audit as an organization’s employment practices review regarding their composition. He continues to explain how audits are used to ensure that an organization meets law requirements and fulfills the organization’s mission relating to diversity. The article also gives the targets to be achieved by diversity audits on workplace culture issues that may include conflicts within the organization, morale of employees, sexual preference, and turnover rates. Methods to conduct diversity audits may include surveys, focus groups, data review and individual interviews.

The article ‘Global Diversity’ in the company’s website describes the how it exercises diversity; it states how it is a vital component to the company’s success. The company recognizes the differences between individuals concerning their skills sets, communication styles, and cultural backgrounds. These issues have been recognized to bring unity within the workforce and to value the different perspectives of an individual leading to acceptance of each and every individual. Diversity has helped the organization in acquiring and retaining employees, strengthening relationships among employees and improving global citizenship. The article also lists different awards and recognitions presented to the company in the year 2006. The article also describes different criteria of diversity including recruiting diverse talent and diversity of the supplier.

The article, “Dell Receives Top U.S. Government Award for Workplace Diversity Efforts” by CSR wire in 2006 describes the recognition of Dell Inc as the 2005 winners of the Secretary of Labor’s Opportunity Award, which recognizes the diversity within the workplace. The article also gives the views of Dell management like Thurmond Woodard, who expresses how diversity takes a vital position within Dell’s corporate culture and values. Elaine L. Chao, U.S Secretary of Labor, also points out how Dell commits itself towards equal employment opportunity. Dell’s diversity criteria are also listed and explained in this article.

Dell’s Mission Statement

The company’s mission statement aims to foster diversity and inclusion. The mission is “to succeed in the marketplace by fostering a winning culture where Dell employees are highly talented, committed, and reflective of global customers and recognized as the company’s greatest strength” (Dell Inc., n.d.).

Diversity Initiatives

Recruitment and Retention

Dell maintains a culture that allows the company to obtain the top talent, nurture them and retain them; the company participates in several diversity recruitment events that have allowed them to have the best diverse talent. Of their workforce, 52% is made up of women and people of color. The top management also has more than one-third women and people of color; this is about 31% of the managers within the company. The company also hires interns; those hired within the 2007 fiscal year showed characteristics of diversity (Dell Inc., n.d.).

Fostering a Diverse Culture

Kevin Rollins, who is the CEO of Dell Inc., heads the company’s Global Diversity Council. The Council ensures that all actions undertaken by the company reflect equity and inclusion. The company also has diversity action councils that support and corrects any actions by Global Diversity Council.  These action councils are made up of internal employees who give a huge support to the strategic directives fostering diversity (CSR wire, 2006).

Supplier Diversity

Since Dell Inc Dominated the information technology market in around 2001, it has continued to increase its concentration on the minority supplies, made up of women and disadvantaged. They accounted for about 66% of the company’s total suppliers in 2003 which was almost $1 billion spending by the company (Dell Inc., n.d.). The Central and South Texas Minority Business Council recognized Dell for their business development in 2005 and huge commitment to the minority.

Digital Inclusion

Dell Inc. undertakes a program known as TechKnow, which provides middle-school students from low-income backgrounds an opportunity to have a home computer through demonstration of teamwork. The teamwork integrates a practicable internet knowledge, computer as well as collaboration skills. Of those participating in the program, 80% are classified as minority students, girls also account for 45% of the total participants (CSR wire, 2006).

Recommendations

Dell Inc. should initiate diversity training within the workplace. The employees should be trained to appreciate every individual’s cultural practices, religion, physicality or gender. The employees also need to understand the intentions of the management when it comes to hiring and giving equal chances to meet diversity standards. Dell management is not conducting this training and majority of the employees continue despising those lesser than them. The age concept is also not that evident within the company, apart from those hired as interns; the company rarely employs young employees on a permanent basis. The company should hire young employees who will grow with the company and become future leaders. These will ensure that Dell Inc. prospers and continue to dominate the industry even in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Crenshaw, E., (2011). Diversity Standards for Veteran and Disability Friendly Employers. Disabled World. Retrieved from http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/publications/diversity-standards.php

CSR wire, (2006). Dell Receives Top U.S. Government Award for Workplace Diversity Efforts. CSRwire. Retrived from http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/26057-Dell-Receives-Top-U-S-Government-Award-for-Workplace-Diversity-Efforts.html

Dell Inc. (n.d). Global Diversity. Retrieved from http://euro.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/about_dell/values/sustainability/corporate/diversity?c=eu&l=en.html

DiversityInc., (2015). No. 31, Dell, DiversityInc Top 50. Retrieved from http://www.diversityinc.com/dell/

Gresham, T. (2015). What is a Diversity Audit?. eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8774039_diversity-audit.html

Jackson, S., Schuler R., & Werner, S. (2011). Managing Human Resources.  Business and Economics. Cengage Learning.

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