• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Sexual orientation diversity programmes : an evaluation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy at Massey University

    Icon
    View/Open Full Text
    01_front.pdf (512.5Kb)
    02_whole.pdf (19.50Mb)
    Export to EndNote
    Abstract
    Since the mid 1980s the American, like the New Zealand workplace has undergone significant changes, particularly in the composition of the workforce. Increasingly, the 'traditional' employee, a white male, ablebodied heterosexual is in the minority. The emergence of Diversity Programmes within the American workplace is a direct response to these changes. While Diversity Programmes emerged from Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action Programmes, the distinctions are significant. Diversity Programmes focus on productivity, profitability, inclusivity and organisational culture. In recent years a major area of growth has been the development of sexual orientation Diversity Programmes. This research examines ten American organisations that have invested significant resources into sexual orientation Diversity Programmes with reported success, describes their key features and the reasons for this success. The findings clearly reflect the literature on the subject and show that when an organisation values and respects its gay, lesbian and bisexual employees the rewards to the company can be significant, both to the individual and the organisation. The second component of the research was the examination of the response of New Zealand organisations to the implementation of sexual orientation Diversity Programmes. However, it became evident that this could not proceed as planned, primarily due to local lack of awareness of the concept of Diversity Programmes and the apparent lack of interest in addressing the issue of sexual orientation in the workplace. The local research then reviewed local human resource related policies and procedures, to determine the level of inclusivity of gay and lesbian employees, and found that of the 20 organisations sampled, while all subscribe to EEO, most exclude sexual orientation, and in many cases their policies and procedures are discriminatory against gay and lesbian employees. The research highlighted significant differences between the American and the New Zealand organisations sampled. While American companies have embraced sexual orientation Diversity Programmes as being good for business, the local organisations remain focused on legislative requirements and moral obligation, a key criticism of EEO programmes in the literature. While the American workplace has demonstrated an ability to respond successfully to the changing nature and composition of the workplace, New Zealand organisations have been slow to adapt, with the result that gay and lesbian employees do not, in many cases, have equity within the workplace and organisations are not realising their potential level of profit and profitability.
    Date
    1999
    Author
    Powell, Terence W
    Rights
    The Author
    Publisher
    Massey University
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10179/6113
    Collections
    • Theses and Dissertations
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1
     

     

    Tweets by @Massey_Research
    Information PagesContent PolicyDepositing content to MROCopyright and Access InformationDeposit LicenseDeposit License SummaryTheses FAQFile FormatsDoctoral Thesis Deposit

    Browse

    All of MROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1