The question guiding my research is, how do our findings from studies on workplace diversity help us better understand the role of diversity of our world at large? Studies within the workplace show again and again how diversity can have a positive effect on the success of a company. They also have shown what goes wrong when diversity doesn’t have a positive impact. This can be a direct look into why, as a world of many races, we sometimes clash, and sometimes use our differences to our advantage. At a time where issues of race are as prevalent a conversation as any, I think this is an important connection to make.
This question intrigues my personal interests because the dilemma of racial equality has been something I’ve thought about my entire life. Why is it that she corporations can foster diversity successfully while others fail? Why are some countries plagued with constant strife against one or more races, while others live more peacefully? What can turn our differences into advantages rather than things to fear to push us apart. I believe the research on organizational culture and diversity is on the path to answering those questions. My career and personal interests relate to these topics because I play basketball for Syracuse and found the article about Football interesting for what diversity means on a greater level than just the workplace.
The work I do in the world beyond this course will inform this inquiry, as I’m both in a sports environment as well as a diverse environment. It’s easy to see first-hand what works and what doesn’t. I can make connections to the Football study, in that each of my teammate brings a different style of player from their part of the world. The fields that will matter most to my inquiry are studies of diversity in smaller to larger group settings, from classroom/workroom to country. I’ll look for information in sports studies on diversity and relate it to sports on a bigger stage in order to expand to a perspective of the world at large. I’ll look at political studies for information on country’s diversity and compare it to studies on diversity in sports.