Diversity Management in Today’s Companies

Abstract

As we saw in Chapter 1, the business environment has changed dramatically in recent decades. The development of information technologies, the liberalization of international commerce and the increasing mobility of people are some of the factors that have stimulated international competition. In a market where added-value has become the key to survival, the managers of the largest companies are becoming more aware that, in order to be able to adapt to demand, they need to diversify their management structures and introduce greater variety in the composition of their working groups, so they will be able to provide creative and innovative leadership.

If we can get a disproportionate share of the most talented people in the world, we have a chance of holding a competitive edge. That is the simple strategic logic behind our commitment to diversity and the inclusion of individuals — men and women regardless of background, religion, ethnic origin, nationality or sexual orientation. We want to employ the best people, everywhere, on the single criterion of merit. The importance of that goal as part of our overall business strategy has grown as competition has intensified.

Lord Browne of Madingley, group chief executive, BP plc Extract from the keynote speech to the “Women in Leadership: a European Imperative” conference, Berlin, Germany, 19 June 2001