Redefining Diversity

Here is a breakthrough work from one of today's most original thinkers--a book that not only expands the concept of diversity in organizations but awakens us to its latent power.

Building upon the bold ideas presented in his seminal bestseller Beyond Race and Gender, Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas demonstrates how diversity is far more than a human resources or affirmative action issue. His new "Diversity Paradigm" embraces and enhances all areas of business, especially those that are dauntingly complex. As he observes: "Diversity applies not merely to a collection of people who are alike in some ways and different in others, but also to intangibles: ideas, procedures, ways of looking at things...Those who develop skill at understanding and dealing with diversity will also know how to understand and deal with challenges and crises" faced by today's corporations.

By identifying eight options for action, the Diversity Paradigm helps readers assess where their organizations are now and where they would like them to be. Each option has its own risks and repercussions, which Dr. Thomas realistically outlines, and each predicts how an organization will respond to such pressing concerns as:

• How do we create an environment in which all employees and team members, with different backgrounds and personal demands, contribute to their full potential?
• How do we create a truly global organization?
• How can we weave acquisition/merger partners into one effective organization?
• How can we enhance our ability to process diverse, complex data?
• How can we meet the challenge of visionary leadership for the century to come?

Dr. Thomas devotes much of Redefining Adversity to actual case studies of diversity at work. His study of BellSouth, with its diversity of lifestyle concerns, offers a satistfying model for managing work/family issues. An examination of Hallamark Cards shows how a diversity of functions facilitated the company's massive organizational redesign. His analysis of "the diversity of nations" under the EDS umbrella reveals the true meaning of globalism, while the story of Goodyear Tire & Rubber demonstrates how diverse strategies can be woven into a seamless management structure. The General Motors study offers an object lesson in the kind of careful preparation that is essential to success in diversity management.

Complete with candid, provocative suggestions for "talking the talk," "thinking the talk," and "walking the talk," Redefining Diversity will help you tap a fountain of strength that exists all around you. It will prepare your organization to face the future with renewed vitality.

About the Author

R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., is founder and president of The American Institute for Managing Diveristy, Inc., a research and education enterprise based in Atlanta. As one of America's most respected authorities on diversity issues, Dr. Thomas is a consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies and a frequent speaker at national conferences and industry seminars. He is the author of the highly acclaimed books Beyond Race and Gender (Amacom) and Differences Do Make a Difference. A former dean at Atlanta University and assistant professor at Harvard University, Dr. Thomas is a graduate of Morehouse College (B.A.), the University of Chicago (M.B.A.), and Harvard University (D.B.A.).