Page 113 - Discrimination at Work The Psychological and Organizational Bases

4. GROUP-LEVEL EXPLANATIONS
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strategy. Kelman's (1997) Israeli and Palestinian problem-solving work­
shops involved strict adherence to ground rules that include focusing on
problems analytically rather than argumentatively and keeping workshop
conversations private and confidential, while trained facilitators help to
keep the attendees' work on target.
Creating a Context to Support Multiple Group Identities
Shaping an organizational context that supports and values diversity ap­
pears to be key in avoiding group-based discrimination. McDaniel & Walls
(1997) discussed how group-based conflict in organizations should be seen
as an opportunity for effectiveness rather than as a barrier. In order for di­
verse groups to be effective, they cannot rely upon implicit norms and
assumptions that may have been functional in a more homogeneous past.
In modern diverse groups, those norms must be broken and communica­
tion needs to be more explicit and old assumptions openly challenged.
Williams & O'Reilly (1998) suggested that demographic diversity can
benefit groups in organizations when companies take advantage of the
idea generation and creativity that diversity offers while avoiding the emo­
tional conflict brought about by diversity that can impede a group's abil­
ity to carry out group-based innovation. Those cognitive processes that
are responsible for the preoccupation with differences can also be used to
help employees define inclusive categories that will accommodate diver­
sity (Williams & O'Reilly, 1998). They also suggested making employees
aware of their own discriminatory tendencies so that they can avoid acting
upon them.
Groups that leverage their diversity as an opportunity for success are
able to manage conflict, establish increased cooperation, and create col­
lective norms and cultures that help develop a superordinate identity for
group members (Williams & O'Reilly, 1998). Likewise, Thomas & Ely (1998)
argued that an organization's diversity orientation may assist companies
in avoiding group-based biases and discrimination and enable them to
reap the benefits of diversity rather that spend valuable resources defend­
ing themselves against claims of harassment and discrimination. Orga­
nizations with a learning and effectiveness orientation use diversity and
group differences as opportunities for employee and organizational learn­
ing, rather than an opportunity to discriminate. Richard (2000) found that
diversity has a positive impact on bottom line indicators of financial suc­
cess when the organization's strategy is growth oriented. That is, corporate
strategy seemed to moderate the diversity-effectiveness relationship such
that the organization's perspective regarding its market could deny or sup­
port a positive relationship between diversity and effectiveness.