Diversity at Work: The Business Case for Equity

Robert W. Sexty is a professor of commerce and business administration
at the Memorial University of Newfoundland and the author of Canadian
Business: Issues and Stakeholders.

What is “diversity”? It is not easy to find a clear definition in
this book or elsewhere. As defined in the 1988 Hudson Institute
publication Workforce 2000, which predicted significant changes in the
composition of the workforce, “diversity” referred to the increasing
number of women, minorities, older workers, and immigrants in the
workforce. Today, diversity is seen as encompassing not only such
obvious differences as race, gender, age, and disability but also more
subtle ones such as education, sexual orientation, religious
affiliation, and work styles. Adopting this broader interpretation,
Diversity at Work discusses why diversity is a reality in the workforce
and outlines the goals, components, and implementation of a diversity
strategy. Accurately billed as “a hands-on, practical guide to the why
and how-to of striving for diversity and equity at work,” the book
uses short case studies to illustrate the application of a diversity
strategy. The authors—both consultants—have produced a readable (if
at times self-promoting) primer on diversity.