diversity management research papers

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Diversity impact on organizational performance: Moderating and mediating role of diversity beliefs and leadership expertise

Jamshid ali turi.

1 Department of Management Studies, Bahria Business School, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Sudhaishna Khastoori

2 Department of Management Sciences, SZABIST, Larkana, Pakistan

Shahryar Sorooshian

3 Department of Business Administration, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Nadine Campbell

4 Business school, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia

Associated Data

The data has been sent to the SZABIST center of research in Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, 79 Clifton Road, Karachi 75600, Pakistan. To obtain the archive, should use the main author's name followed by the year 2021, "Ali Turi / Khastoori - 2021. Data set, the contact information for the SZABIST center of research is: Tel: (021) 358-21538-42 (EXT # 407) Fax: (021) 35830446 Email: kp.ude.tsibazs@ofni .

The current research examines the impact of four independent diversity variables, gender, age, educational background, and ethnicity, on the moderating role of diversity beliefs and the mediating role of leadership expertise to measure organisational performance in Pakistan. A self-administered questionnaire using a 6-point Likert scale approach was adopted to collect the responses from 176 employees. Quantitative analysis was done using SPSS, and SMART-PLS3 were used for was used to comprehend the objectives of the research. The findings indicate that age diversity, diversity beliefs, and leadership expertise have a statistically significant impact on organisational performance. Moreover, moderating variable diversity belief did not affect organisational performance, but leadership expertise plays a significant mediating role in organisational performance. Our study provides critical theoretical contributions to research diversity and organisational performance in Pakistan and examines the impact of workforce diversity on organisational performance with leadership expertise as mediator and diversity beliefs as a moderator.

1. Introduction

Diversity has many meanings, applications, and implications. Some organisations see it as an asset from which innovation and competitive advantages can springboard, while others see it as a hindrance, constrain, and biases. Traditionally, diversity included religion, language, age, gender, ethnicity, education, cultural and personality orientation [ 1 ]. Today, the concept of diversity has evolved to encompass strategic targets to improve organisational performance and effectiveness [ 2 ]. Therefore, organisations promote workforce diversity to bolster organisational performance [ 3 ]. However, many studies suggest that diversity exists in different forms with different intensities. If not managed properly, it has the potential to harm morale, intensify turnover and result in substantial communication problems.

The lack of diversity training and understanding of diversity beliefs, especially in developing countries with rigid social and cultural bonds, leads to organisational bias. To overcome these organisational biases, E-Vahdati et al. [ 4 ] recommended that firms should emphasise corporate governance, accountability, ethics, trust, and diversity. Moreover, organisations also need diversity for rational decision-making and promoting a conducive environment, where everyone’s beliefs are respected, leading to employees self-reflecting on the positive benefits [ 5 , 6 ]. However, if workforce diversity is mismanaged, this could lead to emotional conflicts, perceived organisational politics, miscommunication, power struggle, and higher employee turnover. As a result, having a diverse workforce would become an inhibitor for organisational development [ 7 , 8 ].

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, believed that diversity management involves four key concepts. One is democratisation which would guarantee cooperation amongst its citizens. Two, consistent social equity and equivalence through egalitarian Islamic values. Three, stringent laws with no room for bias or discrimination. Four, protectionism for minorities, women, and other disadvantaged groups [ 9 ]. Despite this, Pakistan is among the lowest-ranked diverse countries in the world. It ranked in the 22nd percentile for gender diversity and female economic activity in emerging economies due to its religious and cultural norms. Additionally, Pakistan’s sectoral diversity falls in the bottom five [ 10 ].

Previous studies on diversity focused on culture and ethnicity, but elements such as age, gender, and education have not been fully explored. Therefore, there is a need to examine different elements of diversity in different settings to understand its applications and managerial implications for sustainable organisational performance [ 11 – 13 ]. However, the subjective nature of diversity has left many practitioners ill-equipped to manage diversity effectively or determine which components play a role in diversity management and diversity-related issues [ 14 ].

The contradictory research results on diversity need to be further examined to increase our comprehension and better explain this phenomenon. Previous research has considered various diversity dimensions to identify their impact on organisational performance. For example, García-Granero et al. [ 15 ] and Georgakakis [ 16 ] explored the relationship between top management team functional diversity and the firm’s performance with the moderating role of top management (CEO) attributes. Other studies have used negative descriptors such as discrimination and racial prejudice to explore diversity.

However, no studies have examined the projectized environments or considered the role of leadership expertise and diversity beliefs. This research’s main queries are to determine how leadership expertise adds to organisational performance, value diversity beliefs, and organisational performance? Therefore, our contribution to the diversity literature will help us better understand and assess the impact of diversity on organizational performance by examining leadership expertise as a mediating variable and determining the extent to which diversity and organizational performance are related, using diversity beliefs as a moderating variable within Pakistan.

2. Literature review and hypotheses

Diversity is considering, recognising, and respecting others’ opinions and differences irrespective of their culture, gender, age, social status, race, physical capability, and so on [ 7 , 17 ]. It is used to find opportunities, face challenges, and explore new avenues [ 18 ]. Furthermore, diversity can be used to enhance knowledge and skill levels, help to understand behaviour, conflicts and fill the gaps within the organisation [ 7 , 19 ]. While there are many facets to diversity, this research aims to look more especially at gender, age, ethnicity, and educational diversity.

2.1 Gender diversity

Gender diversity represents the gender identities of men and women. It describes the emotional difference and experience publicly and culturally attached to men and women within any firm [ 20 ]. Research has found that a moderate level of gender diversity boosts the competitive edge, whereas greater levels of gender diversity reduce organizational performance. Other studies have shown that organisational success depends upon gender equality and equity [ 21 , 22 ];. Although western organisations have been moving closer to gender equality, Pakistan is way behind [ 21 ]. The gender-oriented inequities within the Pakistani workplace are reinforced by personal biases and stereotypes, referring that the status of men is perceived as superior to women. Many organisations prefer hiring male employees because they perceive men as better performers [ 23 ].

2.2 Age diversity

Age diversity is the ability of an organisation to accept different age groups. The business environment can only grow and succeed when various age groups within an organisation come with diverse experiences [ 24 – 26 ]. Recently, age diversity issues have gained significance because professionals are choosing to work past retirement age, and young adults are working part-timers while completing their studies [ 27 – 29 ]. Many organisations are welcoming this trend because they need skilled employees with experience and young talent with an innovative mindset for new ventures better organisational performance [ 30 , 31 ]. However, In Pakistan, young people face more discrimination in the labour market than old workers [ 32 ], as cultural norms are founded on respect for their elders.

2.3 Ethnic diversity

Ethnic diversity refers to differences in religion, language, and cultural background. Employees from different backgrounds working in the same organisation represent different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and skills that can improve strategic decisions [ 14 ]. Due to these perceived attributes and globalisation, organisations are focusing on multiplicity diversity building, but many companies struggle to produce and implement policies that reduce ethnic discrimination, which negatively impacts organisational performance [ 32 – 35 ]. Pakistani laws espouse that all citizens are equal irrespective of their religion, language, gender, or caste, but for minorities in Pakistan, this is a farfetched dream. According to EEOC data, ethnic diversity violations cost companies $112.7 million per annum due to ethnic diversity violations [ 3 ].

2.4 Educational diversity

Educational diversity denotes differences in knowledge, training, skills, experience, and qualification [ 18 , 36 ]. Some organisations refuse to employ highly qualified workers because they do not believe highly educated individuals are better performers, while others see employees with less education, skills, and training underperform [ 22 ]. The lowest level of education affects the earnings of rural workers in Pakistan, but old earners who receive more education earn more in urban areas. Organisations use educational diversity to have a mix of soft and hard-tech skills [ 37 ], and employees consider having educational diversity to significantly increase their ability in obtaining desirable jobs [ 38 , 39 ]. Age, gender, ethnicity, and educational diversity add to the synergetic pragmatism of the projects and organisation [ 30 , 40 ]. These findings lead us to the stance that H1 : Diversity has a significant positive impact on project performance .

2.5 Leadership expertise

Leadership expertise plays a crucial role in organisational performance, as it creates new directions, new philosophies, optimism, boost enthusiasm and cooperation among employees, and devises appropriate visions and strategies. Furthermore, leadership expertise considers diversity an organisational strength and promotes inclusion and diversity using various leadership styles as one leadership style may not work in diverse teams. The leader-member exchange (LMX) theory explains this approach best. It is a relationship-based approach with a dyadic relationship between the leader and their employees [ 41 ].

According to LMX [ 41 ], a leader uses a specific leadership style for each team member based on their mindset. The leaders share more knowledge and information, delegate responsibilities, and encourage participation in decision-making with some members and not others. LXM theory allows leaders to develop in-groups and spend more resources on the members they expect to perform better. This relationship between a leader and members gradually develops and reaches a high degree of dependence, mutual trust, and support. As a result, productivity increases. That eventually enhances employee retention, loyalty, and sustainable organisational growth.

Previous results maintain that effective diversity management at the workplace adds to both organisational and organisational performance [ 7 , 40 ]. Diversity, which has become an integral part of every organisation and project in this unified world, needs better leadership expertise to manage it at the micro and macro levels [ 34 , 42 ]. Research supports that a leader’s expertise, i.e., leading employees with respect regardless of their caste and creed, leading them with self-assurance, positively shaping their behaviour, results in enhanced employee performance, which eventually reflects increased organisational performance [ 43 ]. The findings lead us to H2 : Diversity with leadership expertise has a positive impact on organisational performance .

2.6 Role of diversity beliefs as a moderating variable

Diversity beliefs mean understanding that everyone is unique, and there is a need to recognise individual differences. These differences include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies [ 11 ]. Today, globalisation is one of the driving forces of diversity within organisations. However, accommodating diversity beliefs in terms of spiritual, cultural, and political views sometimes challenges a diverse organisation [ 12 , 25 ]. Staff needs to be reminded that they should not impose their opinions on others as their personal and ethnic beliefs are independent of their work obligations [ 27 , 44 ]. The employment practices linked with unbiased diversity beliefs can lead to constructive organisational results [ 11 , 26 ].

These diversity beliefs can be polarised perceptions or preferences towards homogeneity or heterogeneity [ 7 , 17 ]. A leader’s diversity beliefs may be one of the factors influencing organisational performance. Manoharan and Singal [ 42 ] found diversity positively affects organisational performance when supported by positive beliefs and values. Kundu and Mor [ 45 ] concluded that a generally positive view of workforce diversity could positively impact organisational and new venture (project) performance. Additionally, the perception of employees about workforce diversity is positively linked with organisational performance [ 46 ], and employees perceive their organisation more favourably when diversity management is perceived as positive [ 18 ]. However, due to organisational variations and cultural settings, diversity needs to be managed differently [ 14 , 47 ]. As such, we hypothesise that H3 : Diversity beliefs moderates the relationship between leadership expertise and organisational performance .

Furthermore, organisations bring people from different cultures to boost creativity, knowledge, and rational problem-solving approaches. Consequently, the leaders in this 21 st century have become highly alarmed with diversity management in organisations [ 48 ]. It is believed that diversity at the workplace positively impacts organisational performance, and the leadership expertise mediates this relationship. According to prior research [ 8 , 49 ], organisational leaders play a vital role in forming and promoting the workplace culture, free of prejudice and personal biases. The workforce mainly follows leaders to set the perspective wherein they would work in an organisational setting. Thus, forming such an environment that imitates respect, ethical behaviour, understanding, and encouraging cross-cultural values improves organisational performance. However, this relationship is moderated by the diversity beliefs. Everyone in the organisation does not hold the same values and beliefs. Still, a true leader who can determine the varied beliefs of employees and manage diversity in a way that is convincing for each team member can help organisations reach new heights [ 50 ]. The research findings lead to the hypothesis that H4 : Diversity significantly impacts organisational performance with the mediation of leadership expertise and moderation of diversity beliefs .

The Conceptual Model ( Fig 1 ) was developed based on the relationship between four dimensions of diversity most relevant to the Pakistani context, the leadership expertise, diversity beliefs, and organisational performance. This conceptual framework indicates the impact of workforce diversity on organisational performance in the presence of leadership expertise as mediating variable and diversity beliefs as moderating variable in the services sector and projectized organisations in Pakistan’s major cities.

3. Methodology

A quantitative approach using a correlational study was undertaken to determine the extent of a relationship constructs under investigation. A structured questionnaire was adopted from previous studies [ 51 , 52 ] to collect primary data using a survey, keeping in mind the objectives of the studies. The study used a 6-point Likert scale for grading the responses with the scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = partially disagree, 4 = partially agree, 5 = agree, 6 = strongly agree). The target population of the study was the project management professionals, working in the major cities of Pakistan. These cities were selected because many of the national and international developmental projects take place here. Organizations were selected from the services sector. The questionnaires were self-administered.

Additionally, a muti-level sampling procedure was adopted to make the respondent selection process more accurate and precise. In the first phase, stratified random sampling was applied to select the strata of the potential respondents. In the second phase, the quota sampling technique was applied to select the qualifying organizations, and in the third phase, convenient sampling was used to collect data. A total of 550 questionnaires were distributed, and 482 were returned. Questionnaires were assessed and screened for completeness. A total of 17 questionnaires were discarded as more than 10% of the values were missing. A further 12 were removed because of outliers. The remaining 451 were analysed using SPSS and Smart PLS.

4. Results and findings

4.1 participant demographics.

Table 1 contains the demographic details of the respondents. Among 176 respondents, 97 were male, and 79 were female. Most of the respondents were aged 30–35, had more than 5years’ experience working for their organisation, and held a bachelor’s degree or higher. This indicates that the participants were well educated and possessed sufficient skills and knowledge to answer all the survey questions proficiently.

4.2 Instrument validity

Table 2 indicates the loading factors for all the items are in the acceptable range of greater than 0.70. The average variance extracted (AVE) falls between 0.612–0.678 for the constructs, indicating a high-reliability level. Moreover, the composite reliability (CR) values range from 0.862 to 0.947 and are highly consistent and satisfy the convergent validity criteria. Furthermore, predictive accuracy, effect size, and predictive relevance were conducted for the goodness of fit, and their values fell in an acceptable range.

*OL = Organisational Leadership; AD = Age Diversity; ED = Ethnic Diversity; GD = Gender Diversity; EDD = Educational Diversity LE = Leadership Expertise; DB = Diversity Beliefs.

4.3 Discriminant validity: Fornell-Larcker Criterion

Discriminant validity of the constructs was checked using Fornell-Larcker Criterion. Discriminant validity confirms correlation among constructs if the values do not exceed 0.85 and the square root of AVEs is greater than the correlation of other constructs. Table 3 maintains that all values are less than 0.85, and their square root of AVEs was greater than their constructs’ off-diagonal values. These details satisfy the discriminant validity requirements.

*AD = Age Diversity; DB = Diversity Beliefs; ED = Ethnic Diversity; EDD = Educational Diversity GD = Gender Diversity; LE = Leadership Expertise; OP = Organisational Performance.

4.4 Discriminant validity: HTMT Criterion

HTMT refers to the average of the correlations of indicators between different constructs relative to the average of the correlations of indicators within the same construct. It measures the discriminant validity between the construct of the instrument. While conservative cut-off values are 0.9 is advocated a more stringent ratio of 0.85 as it offers the best criterion compared to all other methods of assessing discriminant validity [ 53 ]. Thus, any inter-construct ratio greater than 0.85 would be considered as having poor discriminant validity. The HTMT ratios obtained in this study, as shown in Table 3 , indicate no discriminant validity problems between the constructs.

4.5 Hypothesis testing

The path estimation or hypothetical relations was performed to observe the significant relationship in the inner path model. The entire hypothetical path in the framework was examined through the regression coefficient (β). Using the PLS Bootstrap technique, the value of β was checked to observe the proposed hypotheses in the structural model. Table 4 demonstrates the path coefficient assessment result where out of 10 direct hypotheses, six were supported, and four were not supported. The supported hypotheses were significant at least at the level of 0.05, have expected positive sign directions, and consist of a path coefficient value (β) ranging from 0.181 to 0.515.

Additionally, Table 5 shows that all six direct relationships were significant as the p-value is less than 0.05 and the t-value is higher than 1.96, depicted in Fig 2 . However, the other four hypotheses were unsupported because the p-value was higher than 0.05, and the t-values were less than 1.96.

In the case of moderating hypothesis, DB does not moderate the relationship between LE and OP. Therefore, it confirms that DB does not play any significant moderating role in the relationship between LE and OP.

4.6 Mediation hypothesis

For the mediating analysis, the bootstrapping technique was applied [ 54 ]. The mediation analysis results are presented in Table 6 and in Fig 3 , where among the four mediating hypotheses, three were supported, and one was not supported. The mediating path AD -> LE -> OP, ED -> LE -> OP, and EDD -> LE -> OP was significant as p < .005 and the values of LL and UL do not have zero (0) in between, which confirmed a mediating effect. However, the other mediating path GD -> LE -> OP was not significant as p < .005, and the zero (0) exists between LL and UL. In addition, among the three hypotheses, the AD -> LE -> OP path was partially mediated as the direct hypothesis was significant. However, the other two significant paths were fully mediated as their direct relationships were not significant.

5. Discussion

After many years of research on workplace diversity, there is considerable misperception over what diversity is. The broad definitions state that diversity seeks inclusion but does not identify the difference between social diversity where individuals of different races, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socio-economic status, language, geographical origin, gender, and/or sexual orientation bring their different knowledge, background, experience, and interest to increase organisational performance. Similarly, functional diversity where individuals with a variety of educational and training backgrounds are not examined. As a result, organisations are left confused about how to manage diversity to maximise organisational performance [ 55 – 58 ].

The present research provides a better understanding of the prevailing diversity scenario in Pakistan’s service sector and projectized organisations. The research indicates that three diversity variables, ethnic, gender, and education, do not significantly impact organisational performance. In contrast, age diversity has a significant impact on organisational performance.

The moderating hypothesis indicates that diversity beliefs play no significant role in improving organisational performance. This study challenges previous findings in the literature review sections, which proclaims that diversity and diversity beliefs significantly affect organisational performance. Therefore, organisations prefer to engage the workforce with diverse social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, bringing multi-facet experiences, learning, tacit and explicit knowledge to the organisation, boom effectiveness, and efficiencies, face challenges, and accept future challenges. This may be due to regional and cultural factors, that diversity beliefs are not promoting organisational performance, which may be explored in the future. Moreover, this study indicates that leadership expertise plays a significant mediating role, and diversity beliefs play a significant moderating role in organisational performance.

5.1 Theoretical implications

Our study provides critical theoretical contributions to research diversity and organisational performance. There is a gap in the current literature on the impact of workforce diversity on organisational performance, with leadership expertise as mediating variable and diversity beliefs as moderating variable in the services sector and projectized organisations in Pakistan. Specifically, we determined that leadership expertise mediates age, ethnicity, and educational diversity, and organisational.

Second, we contribute to research on the effective path by which diversity influences organisational performance by exploring the mediating role of leadership expertise. That is, our study not only examined that leadership expertise positively influences organisational performance. Building on these studies, our research uses leader-member exchange theory as an effective path and organisational performance as a goal. Drawing on the leader-member exchange theory, we determine that leadership expertise can impact diversity and enhance organisational performance. Our results suggest that leadership expertise is a crucial mechanism for diversity management and improving organisational performance in Pakistan.

Finally, our research explored the value of incorporating the moderator, diversity beliefs, and the mediator leadership expertise into a single theoretical model helps us better to understand the relationship between diversity and organisational performance. Our study showed that diversity beliefs do not moderate the relationship between leadership expertise and organisational performance. However, there were direct relationships between age diversity and leadership expertise, age diversity and organisational performance, diversity beliefs and organisational performance, and ethnic diversity and leadership expertise. Additionally, this study also found that there is partial and no mediation between age diversity, gender diversity, and organizational performance.

5.2 Practical implications

In addition to the theoretical contributions, our research informs practitioners in several ways. First, our results show that age, ethnicity, and educational diversity directly contributes to organisational performance via leadership expertise. There was also a direct relationship between age and ethnic diversity and leadership expertise. These findings emphasise the relevance of diversity management in light of globalisation.

Leaders should employ leader-member exchange procedures to help sustain organisational performance in an increasingly diverse workforce. That is, leadership styles need to change based on the mindset of the various groups within the organisation. The leaders share more knowledge and information, delegate responsibilities, and encourage participation in decision-making with some members and not others. LXM theory allows leaders to develop in-groups and spend more resources on the members they expect to perform better. However, this study added to the body of knowledge, that leadership expertise may not contribute to well managed and effective group development, due to social, religious, and cultural limitations of the locality/respondents.

5.3 Limitations and future research directions

This study has several limitations. First, it focused on age, gender, ethnic, and education diversity management and did not take into account other demographic diversity practices implemented within the organisations. Previous research recognises that a broad spectrum of demographic diversity influences organisational performance [ 55 ]. Future research should investigate a broader range of demographic diversity to understand better what constitutes a comprehensive approach to diversity management. Second, the research is quantitative, and its moderate response rate may limit the generalisability of the results [ 59 ]. Future research could combine qualitative and quantitative methods to leverage both structured and unstructured data to enhance the depth of insights and provide more specific practical outcomes [ 60 ]. Third, the generalisability of findings should be interpreted with caution. Every society has its own culture, norms, and social values, and previous research has identified that organisational culture may influence the findings related to diversity management [ 61 ].

6. Conclusions

Workplace diversity is becoming one of the most popular ways to evaluate organisational performance. Thus, conducting training and creating awareness regarding diversity will lead to value generation, better productivity, and vitality. Managing diversity at the workplace considers leveraging and respecting cultural differences in employees’ competencies, ideas, and innovativeness to persuade them to contribute towards a common goal and do it in a way that gives a competitive edge to organisations. Hence, it is recommended to encourage a more diversified workforce and create awareness to increase organisational performance. In addition, this research has focused on diversity beliefs as a moderating variable. However, future research can be conducted that how leadership expertise can mediate between age and gender diversity and organizational performance. Additionally, organisational justice as a moderator between diversity dimensions and organisational performance needs to be explored. Moreover, in the current paper, the social traits of diversity have been studied, providing opportunities or gaps to study functional diversity traits in the future.

Ethical consent

The study was approved by the ethical committee of the SZABIST Larkana Campus. The consent was informed, and the information was collected through an approved structured questionnaire. Moreover, the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding Statement

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

Data Availability

• PLoS One. 2022; 17(7): e0270813.

Decision Letter 0

16 Dec 2021

PONE-D-21-09151Diversity Impact on Organizational performance: Moderating and Mediating role of Diversity Beliefs and Leadership ExpertisePLOS ONE

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Reviewer #1: The study is interesting, and the results are useful for diversity related research. However, the manuscript needs to be thoroughly checked for language including grammar. Detailed review comments are attached.

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You get a minor revision, make a revision immediately, pay attention to the marked reviews, the introduction is quite clear but there are some things that need to be improved, the methods, data processing and others are quite good

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Submitted filename: PLOS Review_2021.docx

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Author response to Decision Letter 0

24 Jan 2022

General: The whole paper was revisited and the help of the expert/native speaker was also incorporated. Additionally, some technical quality improvements are also considered.

Reviewer #1: The study is interesting, and the results are useful for diversity related research. However, the manuscript needs to be thoroughly checked for language including grammar. Detailed review comments are attached.

Suggestion accepted and incorporated . Thanks for your appreciation, the whole paper was revisited and the suggestions were incorporated

Reviewer #2: You get a minor revision, make a revision immediately, pay attention to the marked reviews, the introduction is quite clear but there are some things that need to be improved, the methods, data processing and others are quite good

Suggestion accepted and incorporated. Thanks for your appreciation, the whole paper was revisited and the suggestions were incorporated

Submitted filename: reviewers comments and responses.docx

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Diversity Impact on Organisational Performance:

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Diversity Impact on Organizational performance: Moderating and Mediating role of Diversity Beliefs and Leadership Expertise

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• > Journals
• > Journal of Management & Organization
• > Volume 29 Issue 6
• > Diversity, Inclusion, and Human Resource Management:...

Article contents

Diversity, inclusion, and hrm, diversity, inclusion, and human resource management: a call for more belongingness and intersectionality research.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2024

In this editorial, we present a set of articles that continue to interrogate and contribute to the concept of diversity, inclusion, and the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in managing diversity and fostering inclusion in the workplace. We conclude with a call for more research on belongingness (i.e., a desire to gain a sense of social acceptance and validation, to build lasting and profound connections with others; Bryer, Reference Bryer 2020 ) and intersectionality (i.e., an individual’s embodiment of multiple dimensions of diversity; Köllen, Reference Köllen 2021 ; Talwar, Reference Talwar 2010 ).

Drawing on social categorization theory (Turner, et al., Reference Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher and Wetherell 1987 ), social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, Reference Tajfel and Turner 2004 ), the term Diversity refers the coexistence of human differences (including their intersectionality) on the grounds of colour, race, ethnicity, gender, identity, age, physical attributes, ethical values, nationality, education, experiences, knowledge base (Kaur & Arora, Reference Kaur and Arora 2020 ; see also Milliken & Martins, Reference Milliken and Martins 1996 ), status, expertise or style (Jackson, Stone, & Alvarez, Reference Jackson, Stone, Alvarez, Cummings and Staw 1993 ), functional background and tenure (Wiersema & Bird, Reference Wiersema and Bird 1993 ), personality, knowledge and skills, differences in social and network ties (Mannix & Neale, Reference Mannix and Neale 2005 ), sexual orientation (Byington, Tamm, & Trau, Reference Byington, Tamm and Trau 2021 ), physical ability/disability (Bainbridge & Fujimoto, Reference Bainbridge and Fujimoto 2018 ), religion (Héliot, Gleibs, Coyle, Rousseau, & Rojon, Reference Héliot, Gleibs, Coyle, Rousseau and Rojon 2020 ), and neurodiversity (Bruyère & Colella, Reference Bruyère and Colella 2022 ). Altogether, Williams and O’Reilly ( Reference Williams and O’Reilly 1998 ) conclude that diversity refers to ‘any attribute people use to tell themselves that another person is different’ (p. 81).

Researchers also see diversity as more than a set of a priori social demographic characteristics but as an organizational-specific understanding of diversity that is predicated on the ways in which employees’ social cultural, social economic, and demographic differences impact work negatively or positively, all of which may, in turn, shape the approaches to the way organizations manage differences (Janssens & Zanoni, Reference Janssens and Zanoni 2005 ).

In addition, we are aware that the outcomes of diversity (especially in teams and workgroups) are mixed. For example, while there is evidence that heterogenous than homogeneous workgroups are linked with innovation (Schubert & Tavassoli, Reference Schubert and Tavassoli 2020 ), quality decision-making (Gomez & Bernet, Reference Gomez and Bernet 2019 ), creativity (Aggarwal & Woolley, Reference Aggarwal and Woolley 2019 ), and problem solving (Cox & Blake, Reference Cox and Blake 1991 ), they are also connected with lower levels of cohesion, satisfaction (Good & Nelson, Reference Good and Nelson 1971 ), and conflict (Ayoko & Konrad, Reference Ayoko and Konrad 2012 ) in workgroups. To overcome the inconsistent relationship between workgroup diversity and performance, Van Knippenberg, Van Knippenberg, De Cremer, and Hogg ( Reference Van Knippenberg, Van Knippenberg, De Cremer and Hogg 2004 ) proposed a categorization-elaboration model, which addresses the combined effects of diversity on group performance by integrating theoretically the positive and negative perspectives of diversity into a unified framework. In this regard, categorization-elaboration model incorporated social categorization and information decision-making theory to assist in a deeper understanding of the impact of diversity, especially in team environments.

While the concept of diversity continues to be refined, the management of workplace diversity doggedly remains a challenge for organizational leadership, managers, and HR professionals in the 21st century. Further to the mixed findings for the construct of diversity in the workplace (Roberson, Reference Roberson 2019 ), recent studies suggest that new challenges are emerging. More specifically, and as echoed in recent social movements such as ‘#Black life matters’ and ‘#ME too’, the challenges related to diversity, we believe, include systemic inequality, inclusion, and problems related to intersectionality. In this respect, the promise of diversity and its reality (Mannix & Neale, Reference Mannix and Neale 2005 ) seem to be incongruent as the achievement of the promise of diversity continues to be elusive. While inequality refers to the uneven distribution of individuals’ access to financial and non-financial resources in society (Bapuji, Husted, Lu, & Mir, Reference Bapuji, Husted, Lu and Mir 2018 ) and organizations, inclusion is related to the collaborative environment that enhances belongingness, participation, and contribution (Kaur & Arora, Reference Kaur and Arora 2020 ). In addition, and as earlier established, intersectionality describes everyone’s embodiment of at least one manifestation of every dimension of diversity (Köllen, Reference Köllen 2021 ) that ‘are simultaneously expressed’ (Talwar, Reference Talwar 2010 , p.15). In sum, these three key challenges continue to plague organizations and have a lot of implications for organizational HRM. Yet, clearer HRM intentions and practices are yet to be prioritized in workplace diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality research. In this issue (29.6), we contribute to the current discussion on the challenges plaguing organizations with respect to diversity, equality, inclusion, and intersectionality and the role of HR practices in minimizing these challenges.

We have previously shown that diversity includes the coexistence of employees with a wide variety of sociocultural, socio-economic, and demographic attributes (Roberson, Reference Roberson 2019 ). With hundreds of articles, Journal of Management & Organization continues to probe the issue of diversity and its management in organizations in atypical contexts outside the UK and USA, such as Italy, New Zealand, and Turkey (see, e.g., Galbreath, Lucianetti, Tisch, & Thomas, Reference Galbreath, Lucianetti, Tisch and Thomas 2022 ; Ngocha-Chaderopa & Boon, Reference Ngocha-Chaderopa and Boon 2016 ; Özbilgin & Yalkin, Reference Özbilgin and Yalkin 2019 ; Waisman-Nitzan, Gal, & Schreuer, Reference Waisman-Nitzan, Gal and Schreuer 2019 ).

In this issue (29.6), we first explore the concept of general diversity, namely values, beliefs, ethnic minorities, and gender. In their article, ‘Perceived value-congruence and employees change beliefs’, Rahn, Soutar, and Lee investigate the effects that employees’ perceived values-congruence with their organisation, supervisor and colleagues had on the beliefs about an organisational change implementation. Data from 251 respondents show that all three types of perceived values-congruence (i.e., congruence with their organization, supervisor, and colleagues) affect the change-related beliefs, while a strong support is found for the mediation role of trust and the quality of communication.

Pio, Kristjánsdóttir, and Christiansen, in their article ‘Glass hearts?! Successful visible ethnic minority women migrants at work in Iceland and New Zealand’, compare how visible ethnic women migrants experience their journey to professional success in these two countries. For visible ethnic women migrants in Iceland, success means independence, hard work, and alignment with other women, whereas in New Zealand, success is experienced through religion and giving back to the community. These differences are explored and theorized, contributing to an expanding literature on migrants’ complexities that surpass monolithic representations of gender at work.

Still on gender diversity, Abbey and Adu-Danso, in their article ‘Gender diversity and productivity in manufacturing firms: evidence from six Sub-Saharan African (SSA)’, revisit the relationship between gender diversity and firm productivity using data from 1,082 manufacturing firms in six sub-Saharan African countries. They test the gender diversity–productivity proposition by exploring structural differences (heterogeneity) across manufacturing firms using the industries without smokestacks classification. Their findings suggest that gender diversity promotes firm productivity at lower levels, whereas the industries without smokestacks firms do nothing better in promoting the diversity–productivity link.

Additionally, and in their paper, ‘Effects of board gender diversity and sustainability committees on environmental performance: a quantile regression approach’, Muhammad and Migliori investigate the effect of board gender diversity and sustainability committees on environmental performance in Italy. Using a quantile regression approach and a sample of publicly listed firms, their findings reveal that board gender diversity and sustainability committees are positively related to environmental performance. Also, large Italian firms with three female directors maintain a stronger attitude towards environmental sustainability.

Biloslavo, Edgar, and Rusjan picked up on the thread of diversity, but from a different angle. Their paper, ‘Categorisation of organisation dualities using the Delphi technique’, presents the case of a non-traditional use of the Delphi method to explore organizational duality and to reach a consensus on the 23 organizational dualities. This, in turn, allows for a classification into a three-tier organizational policy model. Their research advances conversations in strategic management while increasing confidence in the adoption of the Delphi within both interpretivist studies and paradox research.

Next, we move to the strand of identity within the theme of diversity. In their article, ‘An interprofessional perspective on healthcare work: physicians and nurses co-constructing identities and spaces of action’, Lokatt, Holgersson, Lindgren, Packendorff, and Hagander examine how professional identities are invoked, constructed, and reconstructed in everyday work interactions. An analysis of their qualitative data from interviews and participant observation at a large Swedish hospital suggests three main processes in the construction of a space of action: hierarchical, inclusive, and pseudo-inclusive. In these interactions, existing inter-professional divides and power relations are sustained, preventing the development of integrated inter-professional teamwork.

Moreover, Zhou, Dou, and Wang, in their article ‘A double-edged sword: when does identity threat affect unethical behaviour?’, propose and test the role of publicness of identity threat and unethical behaviour. Data from one online experiment with 197 participants (mixed design) and one laboratory experiment with 86 participants (between-subject design) reveal that when individuals’ identity threat is from the public sphere, it increases their unethical behaviour, but when the threat is from the private sphere, their unethical behaviour decreases. The theoretical and practical implications of their results are discussed.

So far, the above articles have demonstrated, across contexts, the complex interplay between diversity indices of values, gender, identity, and power relations that need to be carefully considered to enact inclusive HRM practices for more diverse and inclusive workplaces.

While diversity speaks to employees’ differences, inclusion is about synergizing those differences to bring more meaning and collaboration (Roberson, Reference Roberson 2020 ) at work. It is concerned with creating a culture (internal processes, practices, and policies) where all employees (including diverse employees) have an opportunity to be included in their organizations (Nishii, Reference Nishii 2013 ). This suggests that inclusion is the essential lubricant in the wheel of effective workplace diversity management. It describes the optimum utilization of differences in the workforce for the growth and success of organization (Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion, 2017 ). Moreover, it involves the provision of a perception of involvement, empowerment, recognition, integration, and respect to people with differences (Mor Barak & Daya, Reference Mor Barak and Daya 2013 ), while encouraging and promoting diversity for fruitful and beneficial results (Global Diversity Practice, 2017 ) such that the richness of ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are harnessed to create business value (Kaur & Arora, Reference Kaur and Arora 2020 ).

In our issue (29.6), we engage the challenge of inclusion in organizations. For example, the article ‘Influence of work design and work status on part-time employees’ inclusion and work engagement: some Australian evidence’ by Sarich, Kiffin-Petersen, and Soutar, examines the relationships between work design factors and inclusion for part-time (PT) employees and identifies how perceived inclusion and work engagement of PT and involuntary PT employees compares with full-time employees. Using data from an online questionnaire in Australia, a PT work design model is developed and tested across two independent samples using partial least squares. Results suggest that PT and involuntary PT employees feel less included in the workplace compared to full-time employees. In addition, PT employees’ perceived inclusion is related to proactive behaviours, autonomy, and job crafting. Implications for the management of PT employees are discussed.

Still on the theme of inclusion, Griffiths, Pio, and McGhee investigate inclusion champions in organizations. Specifically, in their article, ‘Tempered radicals in manufacturing: Invisible champions of inclusion,’ the authors examine how tempered radicals (i.e., acutely attuned to individual difference) use their abilities as change agents to foster inclusion. Based on 24 qualitative interviews using a narrative inquiry methodology, this study proposes a framework to illustrate the key characteristics (e.g., being different from the dominant culture of the organization/society, being true to their values and identity, and implementing disruption and change) of the tempered radical for fostering inclusion in the workplace. This finding connotes the critical role of champions’ individuality for increasing inclusion in organizations.

The article ‘Creating an age-inclusive workplace: The impact of HR practices on employee work engagement’ is our last in this issue. In this article, the authors Fan, Song, Fang, and Chen draw on social exchange theory to examine how age-inclusive HR practices impact work engagement by shaping the age-diversity climate and perceived organizational support (POS). Their analysis of a sample of 983 employees from 48 organizations in China highlights the direct impact of age-inclusive HR practices on work engagement. Moreover, age-diversity climate and perceived organizational support mediate the association between age-inclusive HR practices and work engagement. Finally, their results demonstrate that diversity beliefs play a moderating role in the association between age-inclusive HR practices and perceived organizational support. We have so far emphasized the connection between diversity and inclusion and have alluded to the importance of HRM interventions in working with diverse individuals regardless of their looks, demographic indices, and identity to create a more inclusive workplace. Below, we reflect on diversity, inclusion, and their connection with HRM.

A critical issue in diversity and inclusion for contemporary organizations is the effective management of diversity, especially to bring relief to the ‘pains’ of employees that are associated with some form of diversity to achieve the promise of diversity. To do this, organizations continue to invest hugely in the management of diversity (through HRM practices) with the goal to enhance the performance of a heterogeneous workforce and the inclusive development of people with differences (Yadav & Lenka, Reference Yadav and Lenka 2020 ). In this respect, there are suggestions that the individuals who are representative of diversity indices must be acknowledged for their holistic development (Yadav & Lenka, Reference Yadav and Lenka 2023 ) and contributions to their respective organizations.

Thomas ( Reference Thomas 1992 ) refers to diversity management as a business model that informs organization strategies on recruitment, retention, and inclusive development of individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Building on earlier affirmative actions (Edelman, Fuller, & Mara-Drita, Reference Edelman, Fuller and Mara-Drita 2001 ; Oppenheimer, Reference Oppenheimer 2016 ), diversity management also connotes an aspect of HRM charged with implementing measures that will make the organizational more diverse and/or address how to make the workplace more inclusive (Köllen, Reference Köllen 2021 ).

In this regard, diversity management HR practices play a significant role in embedding diversity in organizations while ensuring inclusion experiences of diverse others in the workplace to ensure fair processes and outcomes (Fujimoto, Härtel, & Azmat, Reference Fujimoto, Härtel and Azmat 2013 ). On this note, Nkomo, Bell, Roberts, Joshi, and Thatcher ( Reference Nkomo, Bell, Roberts, Joshi and Thatcher 2019 ) suggest that diversity is at a critical juncture and needs more research on generating a knowledge of the mechanisms, processes, or practices that foster equality and inclusion in the workplace. Along the same line, Shore, Cleveland, and Sanchez ( Reference Shore, Cleveland and Sanchez 2018 ) suggest that an inclusive organization is one with inclusion practices and processes that are core to the fabric of the organization. Such inclusive organizations will embrace the synergy in the inclusive climate, inclusion practices, perceived organization inclusion, leader inclusion, and work group inclusion. In fact, Ferdman ( Reference Ferdman 2017 ) sums it up succinctly, ‘In inclusive organizations … people of all identities and many styles can be fully themselves while also contributing to the larger collective, as valued and full members’ (p. 235).

Yet, there is a substantial, persistently and disturbing mounting evidence about economic inequality (Nkomo et al., Reference Nkomo, Bell, Roberts, Joshi and Thatcher 2019 ), discrimination (differential treatment of individuals on the basis of their assumed or actual group membership or social identity or when persons in a social category are put at a disadvantage in the workplace relative to other groups with comparable potential or proven success; Dipboye & Halverson, Reference Dipboye and Halverson 2004 ; DiTomaso, Reference DiTomaso 2015 ), loneliness (an experience of a deficit between actual social relationships and desired social relationship in quality and in quantity; Perlman & Peplau, Reference Perlman and Peplau 1981 ), social isolation (a lack of social contacts in terms of social network size, diversity, or frequency; de Jong-gierveld, van Tilburg, & Dykstra, Reference de Jong-gierveld, van Tilburg and Dykstra 2006 ), and ostracism/exclusion (the feeling of being overlooked or ignored/excluded by others; Ferris, Brown, Berry, & Lian, Reference Ferris, Brown, Berry and Lian 2008 ; Sharma & Dhar, Reference Sharma and Dhar 2022 ) that require more targeted HR inclusive practices for amelioration. The above issues remain a real challenge in organizations. To minimize these challenges, we argue that HR practices in managing diversity should include belongingness. While the term belonging may be well-researched in other social science fields, it has attracted much less attention in the HRM field (e.g., McClure & Brown, Reference McClure and Brown 2008 ; Seriwatana & Charoensukmongkol, Reference Seriwatana and Charoensukmongkol 2021 ). More research is needed on belongingness as an anchor of HRM studies to promote inclusive organizations.

In this regard, we advocate for more proactive and specific inclusive HRM research and practices targeting marginalized groups in various contexts and to confront the complexities in managing diversity and inclusion amidst an increasingly heterogeneous and complex world. This would require researchers and practitioners to enact inclusive HRM consciously and aggressively for marginalized social groups in specific contexts. Inclusive HRM may encompass practices ranging from recruitment (e.g., of people of colour, promotion of women, and ethnic minorities), training (Alhejji, Garavan, Carbery, O’Brien, & McGuire, Reference Alhejji, Garavan, Carbery, O’Brien and McGuire 2016 ), and organizational diversity learning to performance appraisals and rewards. These practices can be customized for specific marginalized groups to address types of inequality, such as ensuring fair pay for heavy workloads among low-income factory workers and developing inclusive leadership for individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds (Fujimoto, Ferdous, & Wali, Reference Fujimoto, Ferdous and Wali 2023 ).

On a similar note, equality is also a persistent challenge (Buckley, Doh, & Benischke, Reference Buckley, Doh and Benischke 2017 ; Özbilgin & Erbil, Reference Özbilgin, Erbil, Wall, Cooper and rough 2021 ). Workplace equity refers to resources and the need to provide additional or alternative resources so that all groups can reach comparable, favourable outcomes (Fujimoto, Härtel, & Azmat, Reference Fujimoto, Härtel and Azmat 2013 ). However, equal access and opportunity in organizations still seem a distance away (Catalyst, 2005 ). The above raises a question as to whether the HR diversity management programmes are just a mere ‘lip service’. In this regard, researchers (e.g., Cooke, Dickmann, & Parry, Reference Cooke, Dickmann and Parry 2023 ) have called for new research from the perspectives of those with such lived experience to understand and help provide HR support to overcome these challenges. Altogether, we reiterate Cooke, Dickmann, and Parry’s ( Reference Cooke, Dickmann and Parry 2023 ) proposal of a human-centred approach to HRM and a call for more HRM research to be more practice-oriented to enhance its relevance to business, community, and society (Cooke et al., Reference Cooke, Dickmann and Parry 2022 ).

Perhaps there is inequity in the way researchers engage the different indices of diversity. While there is a substantial work in diversity, equality, and inclusion, some aspects (e.g., neurodiversity; Doyle, Reference Doyle 2020 ) need more attention. Neurodiversity refers to a range of neuro-cognitive developmental conditions such as autism-spectrum disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and Tourette syndrome (Hennekam et al., Reference Hennekam, Volpone and Pullen 2022 ). More research is needed in this area to have a more in-depth understanding of how this category of people can be supported in organizations through HR practices.

Finally, we call for more research on intersectionality in diversity research. Proponents of intersectionality research (e.g., Davis, Reference Davis 2008 ) describe it as a study of the ‘interaction between gender, race, and other categories of difference in individual’s lives, social practices, institutional arrangement and cultural ideologies and the outcomes of this interaction in terms of power’ (p. 68). For example, intersectionality encompasses where individuals are part of diverse communities, such as when they are women, black, and/or neurodiverse. More studies are needed in this area to empirically unpack the lived experience of these diverse employees that may be caught up with multiple dimensions of diversity in organizations and how HR practices can assist in promoting their development, growth, and sense of belonging while fostering their inclusion at work.

Diversity and inclusion continue to be a major challenge in contemporary organizations. The increasing global trend in social movements suggests that these challenges are not waning, and organizations are facing pressure to manage diversity effectively, especially in the face of rising global geopolitical tensions. The papers included in this issue (29.6) contribute to the debate in this area. While these articles have not spoken directly to diversity management, we have attempted to connect the issues raised in the papers to diversity management through HR practices. In sum, we call for more research in diversity management and HR practices that genuinely and transparently promote equality, inclusion, belonginess, and intersectionality at work.

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• Volume 29, Issue 6
• Oluremi B. Ayoko (a1) and Yuka Fujimoto (a2)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2023.72

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace: Strategies for Achieving and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce

Advance Research in Social Science and Management, Edition 01 (2022), pp. 139-151

13 Pages Posted: 5 Apr 2023 Last revised: 11 Dec 2023

Giriraj Kiradoo

Department of Management & Technology, Government Engineering College Bikaner, Bikaner Area, India

Date Written: December 20, 2022

This research paper explores the critical issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and the strategies that can be employed to achieve and sustain a diverse workforce. The research paper is based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature, including peer-reviewed articles, reports, and other relevant documents. The paper aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by offering practical recommendations for organisations seeking to enhance DEI in their workplaces. The research methods employed in this study involve a systematic literature review that includes a comprehensive search of electronic databases. The review process was guided by inclusion and exclusion criteria that ensured the selection of relevant and high-quality literature. The study's findings suggest that organisations can implement various strategies to enhance DEI in the workplace. These strategies include setting DEI goals, providing diversity training, promoting inclusive leadership, implementing flexible work arrangements, and leveraging technology to support DEI initiatives. Additionally, organisations must establish an inclusive culture that recognises and values individual differences, promotes fairness and respect, and provides equal opportunities for all employees. In conclusion, this research paper emphasises the importance of DEI in the workplace and the need for organisations to develop and implement strategies that foster a diverse and inclusive workforce. The study's findings offer practical recommendations that can guide organisations in achieving and sustaining DEI. Ultimately, organisations prioritising DEI will likely enjoy significant benefits, including increased employee engagement, improved organisational performance, and enhanced innovation and creativity.

Keywords: DEI in Workplace, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Strategies to Adopt DEI

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Giriraj Kiradoo (Contact Author)

Department of management & technology, government engineering college bikaner, bikaner area, india ( email ).

Bikaner Area India

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International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

ISSN : 0959-6119

Article publication date: 9 January 2017

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of diversity management research published in hospitality and tourism-specific and business discipline-based journals. The study objectives include attempting to assess the progress of diversity management research in hospitality and tourism, identifying gaps between the general business diversity management literature and the hospitality and tourism literature and providing hospitality and tourism scholars with suggestions to advance knowledge in diversity management.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a critical review of the existing diversity management literature in the general business and hospitality and tourism disciplines in an attempt to identify gaps and make suggestions for expanding this knowledge in the hospitality and tourism fields.

There are significant gaps between the diversity management scholarship conducted in hospitality and tourism disciplines and the general business field. Diversity management research in general business is far more in-depth and uses sociological and social psychological theoretical frameworks.

Research limitations/implications

There are lessons to be learned from the general business literature that uses strong theoretical foundations deeply grounded in sociological, psychological, social-psychological and management theories. The general management literature also explores the conditions under which diversity management adds value or creates challenges for organizations.

Practical implications

The hospitality and tourism industry has employed large numbers of ethnic minorities, women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community for decades. As such, it is critical that scholars explore the implications of such a diverse workforce not only on organizational outcomes, but also on individual and group performance. The general business diversity management research suggests that workgroup composition can influence individual and group performance, as well as the quality of co-worker relationships. Given the team-oriented, interdependent nature of work in the hospitality and tourism industry, it is imperative that researchers conduct studies that help practitioners understand the most effective perspectives and approaches to diversity management.

Social implications

The critical literature review demonstrated that there is extremely scarce research on diversity management focusing on employees with disabilities. It is imperative to shed more light on best diversity management practices, workplace etiquette of this under-represented group of employees and their interaction with their co-workers.

Originality/value

This study’s results provide insight into areas of exploration that can significantly enhance the scholarship on diversity management in the hospitality and tourism literature.

• Hospitality management
• Diversity management
• General management

Kalargyrou, V. and Costen, W. (2017), "Diversity management research in hospitality and tourism: past, present and future", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 68-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2015-0470

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Advances in Intelligent Healthcare Delivery and Management

Research Papers in Honour of Professor Maria Virvou for Invaluable Contributions

• © 2024
• Chee-Peng Lim 0 ,
• Ashlesha Vaidya 1 ,
• Nikhil Jain 2 ,
• Margarita N. Favorskaya 3 ,
• Lakhmi C. Jain 4

Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia

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Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

The permanente medical group, inc., california, usa, reshetnev siberian state university of science and technology, krasnoyarsk, russia, kes international, york, uk.

• Presents a sample of recent advances of AI in healthcare
• Provides theory and applications
• Written by experts in the field

Part of the book series: Intelligent Systems Reference Library (ISRL, volume 258)

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About this book

This book unveils the dynamic fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and related innovations in healthcare delivery and management. The collected chapters delve into innovative and intelligent methods for improving healthcare services, from electronic health records management, robotics and AI in healthcare, to data-driven decision-making. Readers can discover how AI-based methodologies empower different facets of healthcare delivery and management, building a future where digital technologies are leveraged to enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare services.

• Artificial Intelligence
• Deep Learning
• Intelligent Technology
• Assistive Technology
• Ageing Populations

Table of contents (12 chapters)

Front matter, technologies and strategies for continuous learning through electronic health records data.

• Samira Maghool, Valerio Bellandi, Paolo Ceravolo

Human-Centered Design of AI in Healthcare and the Role of Older Patients

• Rebecca Wiczorek

Telehealth: A Game Changer in Global Health Professions Education and Patient Care

• Bruno Gino, Sandy Abdo, Bill Kapralos, Adam Dubrowski

Individual Health Data Storage for Diagnosis and Decision Support Systems—Considerations on Colonoscopy Assessment

• Mihaela Luca, Adrian Ciobanu, Vlad Constantin Crăciun

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

• Dmitrii Kolpashchikov, Olga Gerget, Roman Meshcheryakov

Sample Size for Training and Testing: Segment Anything Models and Supervised Approaches

• Daniela Cuza, Carlo Fantozzi, Loris Nanni, Daniel Fusaro, Gustavo Zanoni Felipe, Sheryl Brahnam

Building a Living Lab Network to Support Technology Innovation Within the Australian Aged Care Sector

• Gareth Priday, Sonja Pedell, Anne Livingstone, George Margelis, Georgina Gould

Patients and Healthcare Professionals Participation in Health Technology Assessment

• Alessandro Gonçalves Campolina, Jair Minoro Abe

From Ultrasound Image Classification to Ultrasound Video Classification Approaches

• Smaranda Belciug, Dominic Gabriel Iliescu

Enhanced Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) Through Multi-task Convolutional Neural Networks

• Yinhao Li, Qingqing Chen, Rahul Kumar Jain, Fang Wang, Hongjie Hu, Lanfen Lin et al.

Metaheuristic Tabu Search for Vehicle Scheduling: A Case Study of Healthcare Logistics

• Xin Ju Ng, Yi Wen Kerk, Ting Yee Lim, Choo Jun Tan

A Machine Learning Based Decision Support System for Healthcare Triage Applications

• Yi Chen Ong, Sim Ee Kee, Koh Kiong Chai, Ting Yee Lim, Choo Jun Tan

Editors and Affiliations

Chee-Peng Lim

Ashlesha Vaidya

Nikhil Jain

Margarita N. Favorskaya

Lakhmi C. Jain

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Advances in Intelligent Healthcare Delivery and Management

Book Subtitle : Research Papers in Honour of Professor Maria Virvou for Invaluable Contributions

Editors : Chee-Peng Lim, Ashlesha Vaidya, Nikhil Jain, Margarita N. Favorskaya, Lakhmi C. Jain

Series Title : Intelligent Systems Reference Library

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65430-5

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Intelligent Technologies and Robotics , Intelligent Technologies and Robotics (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-031-65429-9 Published: 19 September 2024

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-65432-9 Due: 03 October 2025

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-65430-5 Published: 18 September 2024

Series ISSN : 1868-4394

Series E-ISSN : 1868-4408

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : X, 256

Number of Illustrations : 19 b/w illustrations, 41 illustrations in colour

Topics : Computational Intelligence , Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering , Artificial Intelligence , Health Informatics

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