Journal of Organization and Human Behaviour

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Workforce Diversity Status in Indian Public Sector:A Study of Employees’ Reactions


Affiliations
1 Haryana School of Business, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India
2 School of Management, The NorthCap University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
3 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Hisar, Haryana, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The public sector organizations have been at the forefront of valuing diversity. However, the attitudes and perceptions of diverse employees about organization’s efforts to promote diversity still largely remain unanswered in the public sector. Therefore, this study is an attempt to investigate the differences in the perceptions of employees across gender (males and females) and categories (general, disabled, minorities, and social disadvantaged) towards workforce diversity in an Indian public sector organization, i.e., Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. Based on a sample of 619 respondents, the results of data analysis indicated that gender and categorical discriminations were prevailing in the organization.

Keywords

Workforce Diversity, Perception, Public Sector, India.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (2018) Retrieved 5 May 2018, http://www.bsnl.in/opencms/bsnl/BSNL/about_us/company/chairman_desk.html

  • Bhatnagar, D. (1987). A study of attitudes towards women managers in banks. Pranjan, 16, 263-281.

  • Budhwar, P. S., Saini, D. S., & Bhatnagar, J. (2005). Women in management in the new economic environment: The case of India. Asia Pacific Business Review, 11, 179–193.

  • Choi, S., & Rainey, H. G. (2010). Managing diversity in US federal agencies: Effects of diversity and diversity management on employee perceptions of organizational performance. Public Administration Review, 70, 109-121.

  • Cooke, F. L., & Saini, D. S. (2010). Diversity management in India: A study of organizations in different ownership forms and industrial sectors. Human Resource Management, 49, 477-500.

  • Creegan, C., Colgan, F., Charlesworth, R., & Robinson, G. (2003). Race equality policies at work: Employee perceptions of the ‘implementation gap’ in a UK local authority. Work, Employment & Society, 17, 617-640.

  • Davis, R., Keuleers, P., Beavers, S., Richard, N., & Fezzardi, S. C. (2014). Gender equality in public administration. New York, NY: United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved February 20, 2016, from http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Democratic%20Governance/Women-s%20Empowerment/GEPA%20Global%20Report%20May%202014.pdf

  • Dhingra., V., & Gakhar., K. (2014). Employee development practices in the telecom industry in India: A case study of the public sector. IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 16, 5-12.

  • Ebie. S., & Djerbarni, R. (2011). Equality and diversity management: An investigation into the business case for equality and diversity practices in SME’s. International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, 10, 145-168.

  • Fine, M. G., Johnson, F. L., & Ryan, M. S. (1990). Cultural diversity in the workplace. Public Personnel Management, 19, 305-320.

  • Greenhause, J. H., & Parasuraman, S. (1993). Job Performance Attributions and Career Advancement Prospect: An Examination of Gender and Race Effects. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 55, 273-297.

  • Groeneveld, S., & Verbeek, S. (2012). Diversity policies in public and private sector organizations: An empirical comparison of incidence and effectiveness. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 32, 353-381.

  • Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E. and Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis (6th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

  • Harrison, M. S., & Thomas, K. M. (2009). The hidden prejudice in selection: A research investigation on skin colour bias. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 39(1), 134-168.

  • Hur, Y., & Strickland, R. A. (2012). Diversity management practices and understanding their adoption: Examining local governments in North Carolina. Public Administration Quarterly, 36, 380-412.

  • Kaur, K., & Malhotra, N. (2014). Telecommunication and economic growth in India: Causality analysis. IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Business Management, 2, 31-46.

  • Kaushik, N., Sharma, A., & Kaushik, V. K. (2014). Equality in the workplace: A study of gender issues in Indian organizations. Journal of Management Development, 33, 90-106.

  • Khanna, T. (2007). Billions of Entrepreneurs: How China and India are reshaping their futures and yours. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

  • Kossek, E. E., & Zonia, S. C. (1993). Assessing diversity climate: A field study of reactions to employer efforts to promote diversity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 14, 61-81.

  • Kundu, S. C. (2003). Workforce diversity status: A study of employees’ reactions. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 103, 215-226.

  • Kundu, S. C. (2004). HR diversity: A study of employees’ perceptions of Indian organizations. Asia Pacific Management Review, 9, 39-59.

  • Kundu, S. C., & Mor, A. (2016). Effect of diversity management on employees’ organisational commitment: A study of Indian organisations. Journal of Strategic Human Resource Management, 5(1), 16-22.

  • Kundu, S. C., Bansal, J., & Chawla, A. S. (2015). Managing workforce diversity through HR practices: A review. In S. C. Kundu, U. Arora, T. Ram, & K., Singh (Eds.), Emerging Horizons in Business Management (pp. 115-124). New Delhi, ND: Victorious Publishers.

  • Lyness, K. S., & Thompson, D. E. (1997). Above the glass ceiling? A comparison of matched samples of female and male executives. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 359-375.

  • McDougall, M. (1996). Equal opportunities versus managing diversity: Another challenge for public sector management? International Journal of Public Sector Management, 9, 62-72.

  • Mor Barak, M. E., & Levin, A. (2002). Outside of the corporate mainstream and excluded from the work community: A study of diversity, job satisfaction and well-being. Community, Work & Family, 5, 133-157.

  • Mor Barak, M. E., Cherin, D. A., & Berkman, S. (1998). Organizational and personal dimensions in diversity climate ethnic and gender differences in employee perceptions. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 34, 82-104.

  • Naff, K. C. (1994). Through the glass ceiling: Prospects for the advancement of women in the federal civil service. Public Administration Review, 54, 507-514.

  • Ngo, H. Y., Foley, S., Wong, A., & Loi, R. (2003). Who gets more of the pie? Predictors of perceived gender inequity at work. Journal of Business Ethics, 45, 227-241.

  • Ospina, S. (2001, May). Managing diversity in civil service: A conceptual framework for public organizations. Managing diversity in civil service, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNESA) and the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) (pp. 11-30), Amsterdam: IOS Press.

  • Parikh, P. P., & Sukhatme S. P. (2004). Women engineers in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 39, 193-201.

  • Patrick, H. A., & Kumar, V. R. (2012). Managing workplace diversity issues and challenges. Sage Open, 2, 1-15.

  • Pettigrew, T. F., & Martin, J. (1987). Shaping the organizational context for black American inclusion. Journal of Social Issues, 43, 41-78.

  • Powers, T. (2008). Recognizing ability: The skills and productivity of persons with disabilities: A literature review. Geneva, GE: International Labour Office. Retrieved 20 January 2016, from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/download/wpaper/wp3.pdf

  • Punsalan, T. G., & Uriarte, G. G. (1987). Statistics: A simplified approach. Philippines: Rex Book Store

  • Ragins, B. R., & Cotton, J. L. (1999). Mentor functions and outcomes: A comparison of men and women in formal and informal relationships. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 945-953.

  • Sabharwal, M. (2013). From glass ceiling to glass cliff: Women in senior executive service. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. doi:10.1093/jopart/mut030. Retrieved 20 February 2016, from http://jpart.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/06/24/jopart.mut030.abstract

  • Schmitt, M. T., Branscombe, N. R., Kobrynowicz, D., & Owen, S. (2002). Perceiving discrimination against one’s gender group has different implications for well-being in women and men. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 197-210.

  • Sia, S. K., & Bhardwaj, G. (2008). A study of perceived diversity climate by employees belonging to different social groups. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 44, 62-71.

  • Sipe, S., Johnson, C. D., & Fisher, D. K. (2009). University students’ perceptions of gender discrimination in the workplace: Reality versus fiction. Journal of Education for Business, 84, 339-349.

  • Som, A. (2007). What drives the adoption of innovative SHRM practices in Indian organizations? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18, 808-828.

  • Soni, V. (2000). A twenty‐first‐century reception for diversity in the public sector: A case study. Public Administration Review, 60, 395-408.

  • Syed, J., & Kramar, R. (2009). Socially responsible diversity management. Journal of Management & Organization, 15, 639-651.

  • Tropp, L. R., & Bianchi, R. A., (2006). Valuing diversity and interest in intergroup contact. Journal of Social Issues, 62, 533-551.

  • Veldsman, D. M. (2013). Perceptions of diversity management in a public sector organization/government institution within the Western Cape (Mini-Thesis). South Africa, SA: University of Western Cape.

  • Vijayalakshmi, C., Dhaliwal, K., & Gupta, R. K. (2006). Discriminatory practices in Indian companies. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 4, 329-354.

  • Woodard, N., & Saini, D. S. (2006). Diversity management issues in USA and India: Some emerging perspectives. In P. Singh, J. Bhatnagar, & A. Bhandarkar (Eds.), Future of work: Mastering change (pp. 149-164). New Delhi, ND: Excel Books.


Abstract Views: 308

PDF Views: 0




  • Workforce Diversity Status in Indian Public Sector:A Study of Employees’ Reactions

Abstract Views: 308  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Subhash C. Kundu
Haryana School of Business, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India
Jahanvi Bansal
School of Management, The NorthCap University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
Archana Mor
Haryana School of Business, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India
Mukesh Pruthi
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Hisar, Haryana, India

Abstract


The public sector organizations have been at the forefront of valuing diversity. However, the attitudes and perceptions of diverse employees about organization’s efforts to promote diversity still largely remain unanswered in the public sector. Therefore, this study is an attempt to investigate the differences in the perceptions of employees across gender (males and females) and categories (general, disabled, minorities, and social disadvantaged) towards workforce diversity in an Indian public sector organization, i.e., Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. Based on a sample of 619 respondents, the results of data analysis indicated that gender and categorical discriminations were prevailing in the organization.

Keywords


Workforce Diversity, Perception, Public Sector, India.

References