There is a compelling generic business case for achieving and managing diversity in the workplace. Diversity can help organizations: identify and capitalize on opportun

ities to improve products and services; attract, retain, motivate and utilize human resources effectively; improve the quality of decision-making at all organizational levels; and reap the many benefits from being perceived as a socially conscious and progressive organization. These benefits should be manifested in an improved bottom line and maximization of shareholder value. (Gandz and Ivey, 2000)

In some companies, a stigma still exists concerning diversity initiatives, with minority employees wary about becoming associated with such programs, fearing retaliation or blacklisting. Until all employees of a corporation embrace workplace diversity as a tool for change ‘change for the better’, it will remain largely as a set of affinity groups within the corporation formed around special interests that lack mainstream support and participation.

Achieving diversity does nothing for an organization unless that diversity is managed effectively. Diversity is not a natural thing for people of different cultural backgrounds, religious or moral upbringings, cognitive styles, or even genders, to communicate effectively, appreciate what shapes each other’s viewpoints, debate with each other without giving offense, or otherwise get along together. When a manager says "this diversity thing would be easy if only everyone reacted and behaved the same way" or "I must be totally consistent in what I do; surely I should be expected to treat everyone the same", then he or she is reflecting the challenge of managing diversity. Equality in the context of managing diversity mea

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