The effect of workforce diversity and its workgroup performance on Private Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia

The main objective of this research is to investigate the impact of workforce diversity and its workgroup performance at private higher education institutions (St. Mary University, Admas University, Unity University and Rift Valley University) by taking workgroup cohesiveness, job involvement and turn over intention as performance indicators. The data were collected through respondent administered questionnaire. Quantitative approach was employed to produce statistical figure for analysis. Data were analyzed through cross tabulations and chi-square (p) values. This study focuses on the effects of factors like age, gender; ethnic and educational level diversity and diversity management on workgroup cohesiveness, job involvement and turnover intention of employees. To test models, the study used hierarchical regression analysis methods in order to control extraneous variables. The results confirmed that the Private Higher Education Institutions management is expected to work hard in promoting diversity not just for the fulfillment of legal requirement of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity but also to be beneficiary from diversified skills and perspectives. As well the universities should introduce the diversity management initiatives like many other diversified and multicultural institutions across the world. Finally, the sample was drawn, thus this study may be limited in its generalizability of the findings to public institutions and other private colleges/institution. Introduction Effective and efficient utilization of the diversified workforce plays a significant role in enhancing the performance of workgroups and any organization by achieving its various goals and objectives (Firdous, 2010). Accordingly, this study tries to address the key issue that workforce diversity and its management have an effect on the workgroup performance of the organization. Despite organizations investing millions in workforce diversity to boost employee morale and improve performance, they rarely achieve their expected benefits. However, heterogeneous workforce in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, language, sexual orientation, religion and conceptions; business organizations face a very complex task to safeguard society or business organizations from potentially destructive conflicts that arise easily in a radically pluralistic or diverse organization (Dass & Parker, 1996). Yet, other studies show that organizations with well managed diversity are an effective and steering ultimately producing corporate culture that has new perspectives, pioneering capabilities and fresh ideas necessary to survive (Jackson & Fasto, 1992; Kundu, 2001; International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 9, Issue 3, March 2019 783 ISSN 2250-3153 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.9.03.2019.p87108 www.ijsrp.org Schulz & Kelly, 1992 and Torres, 1992). Furthermore, as stated by Horwitz (2005) although in theory it may sound easy to place diverse individuals together into work groups and await superior performance, often, in reality, many irreconcilable divisions among heterogeneous individuals lead to dysfunctional group interaction and, thus, poor performance and decreased morale. These apparently contradicting views show that the issue of workforce diversity and enhancing its positive contributions towards organizational performance need a sound and information based management. Hence, organizations of whatever form should regularly assess the extent and healthiness of its workforce diversity so as to promote its positive contributions and minimize its negative consequences. The study was conducted on the Private Higher Education Institutions (St. Mary University, Admas University, Unity University and Rift Valley University). The Ethiopian Higher Education Proclamation 650/2009 presents the objectives of the Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions in terms of relevance and quality. In connection with, PHI takes advantage of the opportunity and envisions being one of the leading private Universities in Ethiopia with the core values of Excellence, service, integrity, professionalism and innovation parallel with the nation’s developmental goals. Therefore, Private Higher Education Institutions has become a full privileged University level aimed to widen its horizon and become a shining example in establishing centre of Excellences pertaining to quality education, research and community services through its innovative academic and research programs. In Ethiopia, Universities are places where various students and teachers with different socio-cultural and economic backgrounds get together. Due to this intention, many Ethiopians commonly referred universities as” Little Ethiopia” to describe the diversified nature of university society. To this end Private Higher Education Institutions has a heterogeneous workforce comprising of different ethnic, nationalities, culture, religious beliefs, gender composition, age structure, educational qualification, attitudes and others. A study conducted on this Universities revealed that employees have high turnover intention. Similarly Parekh (2000) assured nowadays on the campuses it is difficult to find multicultural tolerance, mutual respect, inter-group harmony and celebrating differences compared to yesterday years. In line with this argument, Kibrework (2011) stated the case of Addis Ababa University postgraduate students during his stay from 2005-2007; there were ethno-linguistic disagreements and ethnocentric attitudes which led to conflict. This hostile attitude affects peer relation which ultimately affects group performance. Nevertheless, no pervious empirical researches have assessed the soundness of workforce diversity management practices of these institutions and the effect of workforce diversity on organizational performance so far in Ethiopia. In addition, according to Margarita and Juan (2005) knowledge of implications of diversity effects on group process and performance is very limited and dispersed. But unawareness and ignorance of realities could not compromise the consequences. Initiated to fill this gap, the present study has tried to address the following basic research questions empirically. Objective of the study The general objective of this study was to investigate the effect of workforce diversity and its workgroup performance on Private Higher Education Institutions (The case of St. Mary University, Admas University, Unity University and Rift Valley University). MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGIES This study can be categorized a quantitative research design was employed to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena with the selected dependent and independent variables. In this research paper, both primary and secondary sources of data were used. The primary data were collected through respondent administered questionnaire. Reputable journals, books and other International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 9, Issue 3, March 2019 784 ISSN 2250-3153 http://dx.doi. org/10.29322/IJSRP.9. 03.2019. p87108 www.ijsrp. org related references were used as secondary source of data. The Likert scale was used whereby the respondents were asked to rate a particular issue on a scale that ranged from strongly disagrees to strongly agree. According to the quality assurance office of Universities 2016/17 academic year and registrar office, the total population academic departments are 241. Therefore, the population of the study comprises all academic and administrative workgroups on Private Higher Education Institutions (The case of St. Mary University, Admas University, Unity University and Rift Valley University). Inclusion criteria of respondents: For academic staffteachers who actually engaged in the teaching process. For administrative staffstaffs who actually engaged in the administrative function. Exclusion criteria of respondents: For academic staff-teachers who engaged in dual responsibility. In this case department heads, Campus deans and teachers who are charged by other responsibilities in administrative function are excluded from the study. The reason behind this exclusion is that there are some questions of the study that are concerned directly those people which may create response bias if they included. For administrative staffstaffs who are in management levels. In this case core business process directors are excluded. Similarly the reason behind this exclusion is that some questions of the study are concerned directly those people which may create response bias if they included. SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE In this research a sample selection from each Private Higher Education Institutions (St. Mary University, Admas University, Unity University and Rift Valley University) was obtained, which is total of 241 in number. Yamene’s formula (1967) was employed to determine the sample size. 241 ) 05 . 0 ( 608 1 608 ) ( 1