JOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
2020, VOL. 40, NOS. 3–4, 186–209
https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2020.1832014

Encouraging Multiculturalism and Diversity within
Organizational Behavior Management
Merrilyn Akpapunaa, Eunju Choia, Douglas A. Johnsona, and Juan A. LopezaaDepartment of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
ABSTRACTKEYWORDS

Injustice related to racism and inequality has long plagued
business, higher education, and society. Simply stating thatone supports the cause of social justice is no longer sufficient –measurable change is now being demanded. In theory, organi­zational behavior management should be well-situated to help
usher in behavior change at the individual and organizational
level to achieve powerful outcomes related to social justice.
Unfortunately, organizational behavior management has notdone enough to address these challenges in either practice or
research. There is a pressing need for change if the field is tosupport and represent the diversity of our populace and thisrequires the field to examine and address multiple barriers toinclusion. This paper seeks to elucidate some of the issues
related to training, financial support, recruitment, retention,measurement of progress, support of emerging diverse voices,and self-reflection. It is proposed that many of the tools andtechniques of organizational behavior management could beleveraged to help enact change for both those we serve andwithin our own community.

Multiculturalism; diversity;
racism; equity;organizational change

Spurred by events such as Black Lives Matter protests and other social justice
movements, business and industry has become progressively more vocal about
issues related to diversity and multiculturalism (Duarte, 2020). There isa momentous shift in the global dialogue surrounding race and equity. Bothcustomers and employees are increasingly demanding that companies movebeyond performative allyship to the critical examination of workplace culture
as it relates to racial equity, the promotion of people of color to leadership
positions, and the recruitment of a diverse workforce (Bokat-Lindell, 2020;
Chen, 2020; Jan et al., 2020; Khaja, 2020; Stern, 2020). In other words, theexpectation is that companies cannot simply express platitudes and post
images, hashtags, and slogans signaling agreement, but that the executives
must change their policies and employees change their behavior to address
oppressive procedures and practices (e.g., recruitment and hiring that is overly
reliant on white social networks, discomfort and avoidance in providing
CONTACT Douglas A. Johnson
behavioranalyst@gmail.com
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
49019
The contributions of all the authors were considered equal in this paper.
© 2020 Taylor & Francis

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mentorship to those of a different race, racial wage inequality, underrepresen­tation at senior levels of leadership, executive pipeline positions that are only
filled by white hires). This should be of fundamental importance to a fielddedicated to changing behavior within organizations, such as organizational
behavior management (OBM). Some have already begun to explicitly call for
OBM to investigate issues related to diversity and inclusion (Cirincione-Ulezi,2020).
Defining diversity and multiculturalism is not an easy task in that these are
multifaceted concepts derived from philosophy, history, and politics.
A common definition of diversity suited for organizations is “the degree towhich a unit (e.g., a work group or organization) is heterogeneous with respect
to demographic attributes” (Pelled et al., 1999, p. 1). Blaine and Brenchley(2017) defined multiculturalism as “beliefs or ideals that promote the recogni­tion, appreciation, celebration, and preservation of social difference” (p. 9).
Unfortunately, diversity and multiculturalism efforts are often couched invague language which does not easily lend itself to pinpointed behaviors or
results that can be achieved by business leaders, researchers, or practitioners.
One risk of such imprecision is the possibility of gaining consensus on whatneeds to be achieved while lacking a strategy on how to achieve it. The need for
culture change to be achieved through an increased focus on pinpointed
behaviors and results means that OBM should be one of the most qualified
professions to create equitable and just workplaces. Organizations around theworld are reconciling with energized calls for reform and increasing uncertainty
about what needs to be accomplished (Alemany, 2020). In a time with so manycalls for action, we can support by applying our methodology.
Unfortunately, there remains a dearth of application of OBM in this area, sosome self-reflection might be in order. This is important because the racialcomposition of the U.S. has consistently become more diverse and trends showthat the percentage of white Americans will likely decline below 50% within our
lifetimes (Frey, 2018). The statistical trends suggest that we must be mindful of
how our assessments and interventions might interact with and impact people ofdiffering cultural backgrounds, a point frequently noted by scholars (Conners etal., 2019; Fong et al., 2016; Lebbon et al., 2015). These same trends suggest the
racial composition of OBM itself should also be changing. Several papers(Beaulieu et al., 2019; Li, 2020) have reported that the field of applied behavior
analysis and psychology is largely white in the United States. As of the current
writing, only 33.9% of individuals credentialed in behavior analysis (including
high school, undergraduate, and graduate-levels of certification) identified asBlack, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) according to the Behavior
Analyst Certification Board (n.d.). The percentage of BIPOC declined as educa­
tional level increased, with only 19.8% of individuals with a BCBA (master’slevel) or BCBA-D (doctoral level) identifying as BIPOC. Of course, such data
may not be representative of OBM, since 74.4% of credentialed individuals

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indicated autism spectrum disorder as their primary area of professional empha­
sis and only 0.4% of credentialed individuals indicated organizational behavior
management as their primary area of professional emphasis.
It is difficult to quantify the racial composition of OBM due to the lack ofofficial statistics, but even a cursory look at the field’s visible leadership positionsin academia, practice, and research (JOBM Editorial Board, OBM Network
Board of Directors, faculty for graduate training in OBM, Association for
Behavior Analysis International’s OBM area coordinators, invited OBM speak­ers, consultants for OBM consulting firms, etc.) should make it obvious that thefield does not have a large percentage of BIPOC. Inspired by publications by
O’Brien (1990) and Matsuda et al. (2020), we reviewed 40 volumes of the Journalof Organizational Behavior Management to find the number of articles in which
the words multiculturalism, diversity, racism, or prejudice appeared in the title.
Figure 1 displays the results. A single noteworthy exception (Komaki &Minnich, 2016) found throughout 43 years of literature hardly fills one withpride regarding our field’s interest in pursuing social justice. There are several
possible explanations as to why OBM has not achieved its diversity and multi­
culturalism (i.e., geographic location of major schools promoting OBM, pre­dominantly white pioneers, origins in Western philosophy, failure to promote
Black scholars within the field, etc.). Ultimately, the reasons for OBM’s historicallack of diversity are likely multifaceted, complex, and contentious, but we shouldbe able to hopefully agree that more can be done to improve the situation. By
continuously engaging in self-reflection and commitment to multiculturalism, it
is possible to offer an individual and systems-oriented platform to understand­ing and promoting change. Quite simply, we must make OBM itself more
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VolumeFigure 1. The number of articles in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management in which
the words “multiculturalism,” “diversity,” “racism,” or “prejudice” appear in the title.

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equitable and inclusive before OBM can help others progress toward equity. Our
field has made progress in some areas of representation, such as with women(Gravina et al., 2019; Jarema et al., 1999; McGee et al., 2003), but there is muchwork to be done when it comes to equitable treatment and access for all
marginalized groups. We urge all OBM professionals to commit to personal,
professional, and systematic action to create a more racially, ethnically, andculturally inclusive field.
Berry et al. (1977) explained that multiculturalism needs to emphasizeboth the ethnic and cultural diversity in society as well as the opportunity
for equal participation from all cultural groups. Simply having representa­
tives from multiple cultural groups is only a partial step toward multi­
culturalism. It is essential that we follow up by supporting
underrepresented populations. To properly do this, an underlying knowl­edge of these cultures is necessary. After all, the U.S. is not one culture, but
a collection of several cultures (Wang et al., 2019). It can be detrimental totreat individuals from different cultures as the same. Due toa predominantly white presence in higher education and business, itcreates an atmosphere of assimilation, such as when BIPOC feel like theymust act and speak like white individuals, rather than appreciating andhonoring different cultural identities. Such role strain and other conflicts
or lack of support associated with racial and cultural status contribute tohigher rates of job stress in BIPOC (Mays et al., 1996; Rodriguez-Calcagno& Brewer, 2005), a phenomenon termed “ethnocultural occupational
stress” (Comas-Diaz, 1997).
As a field, we have sometimes been guilty of presuming that a practice thatworks for one should work for others, irrespective of context (Zarcone et al.,2019). Cultural background is a strong context that permeates the existence of anindividual. Our behavior is strongly influenced by our learning history, includingcommon learning histories within our particular culture (i.e., various social
reinforcers and punishers to maintain local normative behavior). For this reason,
culture should be more of a focal point in training and practice for the field ofOBM. We must seek to understand how cultural differences can impact people’s
opportunities, perspective, and performance. We would like to briefly share somepersonal stories drawn from the authors and individuals the authors have inter­
acted with in an effort to foster understanding and perhaps make some of the
struggles more personal and hopefully relatable:
I’ve never felt personally targeted, which is likely a product of my own privilege. However,coming from a more racially and culturally diverse field, transitioning into OBM waschallenging. The rules, written and unwritten, are dictated by a small few, and I worry thatthose operating outside of this dominant culture will be punished or pushed out.
I never heard about the field of Organizational Behavior Management until I visitedWestern Michigan University. Through a recruiting effort by the university at my HBCU

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[Historically Black College and University], I found out about the program and it fit
perfectly with my interests. I also got funding to visit the university. I imagine thatwithout this, I would never have found out about OBM or chosen to study it.
In my experience as an organizational consultant, I have hit many roadblocks whentrying to interact with a client as well as staff members of the organization which I can inpart attribute to being an international student. This conclusion has not been madewithout proper observation of the interactions between other [white] colleagues and staff
members whom I am referring to. One of the most vital tasks for my position is to obtain
information from staff members to complete my job successfully. Throughout my timewith a particular organization, I noticed countless occasions where staff members
engaged with [white] colleagues in a much different fashion than with myself. This
included not answering my emails, refusing to share information with me when I asked,
and overall ignoring my presence. After observing my white colleagues, even those that
had come into the organization at the same time or after me, I concluded that this wasdue to discrimination based on my race with underlying stereotypes. After six months,
I was finally able to create a collaborative working atmosphere, but this was the first timethat I truly felt discriminated against in a work environment.
I was so scared that even though I had been accepted into the OBM program at myschool, I would not be able to go because of a lack of funds. While other colleagues
seemed to have several options for funding, my options seemed restricted. I received
emails from the university about funding opportunities that I qualified for except for thefact that I am not a U.S. citizen. Funding opportunities in my program did not seem very
different. When applying for a teaching assistantship, I was not selected due to a lack oflanguage fluency. Of course, language fluency is important to deliver the lecture, but thatis not the core ability to be a great lecturer. Colleagues who were offered the position did
not seem to have as many experiences as I had. To earn the teaching assistantship, I had
to do some free work to show that I was qualified for the position. This experience wasvery helpful to be a lecturer, but this situation was not very usual to my English as first
language colleagues.
At an event with some of my colleagues, a white individual made a culturally insensitive
comment. When called out on it, he accused me of being too sensitive and unable to takea joke.
I had an experience with a manager in which I felt targeted. My words and actions wereinterpreted as defiant or unprofessional, but I was doing the exact same things as mycolleagues – our performance was indistinguishable. As a Black man, I felt as though hewanted me to act differently in order to make him feel comfortable. I tried to ask forspecific examples and data to show my wrongdoing, but I was chastised for advocating
for myself. Ultimately, I had to include his supervisors to protect myself. His supervisor
agreed with me, but the damage to my mental health, my reputation, and our profes­
sional relationship was done.
I felt as though my skin color and my name were used to market diversity. I wanted to do
the work too and I wanted to influence the way the work was done; but, I was shut out of
those conversations. It seemed like my job was a nod to how progressive the company
was, but my voice and my ideas were actually ignored.

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OBM seems interesting, but honestly it doesn’t tackle the issues that are most relevant tome. I want to work for social justice. I want to work for people. Sure, OBM, in theory, has
the right tools, but other fields have actually done the work. Plus, in [other departments],
the faculty, authors, and students look like me and the community I want to serve. OBM
just does not have that.

As illustrated by these stories, BIPOC often face additional barriers to gain
access to and operate within a field. When these barriers are ignored, it
discourages the participation of diverse voices and leads to a cycle in which
multiculturalism and diversity are absent. Fully solving this problem is beyond
the scope of any single publication, but we hope to humbly offer somesuggestions that may encourage change within the field.
Cultural training to develop new culturally competent professionals andto guide those currently in positions of power

It is commonly recognized that to foster an environment of cultural accep­
tance, the members of a culture need to possess the knowledge, skills, andabilities relevant to supporting multiculturalism and diversity. It has beensuggested that behavior analytic graduate programs should include culturaltraining in their required coursework (Fong et al., 2016; Najdowski et al., 2020)
and OBM should not be an exception to such a recommendation. This
parallels the suggestions found within business and industry, in which themost common diversity initiative is to implement some form of training (Esen,2005). It has been suggested that such training will achieve organizational
goals related to diversity awareness and ultimately improve the performance of
employees (Cocchiara et al., 2010). Furthermore, it has also been suggested
that diversity in leadership can improve profitability due to greater variety ofperspectives in senior management encouraging innovative services and pro­ducts that would be more likely neglected by a homogenous management team
(Reeth, 2020). By conducting diversity training early in the onboarding pro­cess, it helps disseminate antiracist information while also setting expectations
for conduct of members (Kulik & Roberson, 2008). Furthermore, it establishes
a common language for engagement while promoting unique diversity stra­tegies (Gentile, 1998). Ultimately, if done correctly, this will improve therelations among organizational members (Jayne & Dipboye, 2004). Thesenotions should apply equally to graduate training and organizational training.
Despite the continued push for diversity and the best of intentions, there
remains speculation as to the value of such diversity training initiatives. Somehave argued that diversity trainings are not worth the monetary burden or thedrain on time and other resources (Nancherla, 2008). This aligns with some ofthe perspectives found within behavioral science, such as when Conners(2020) found that faculty members in behavior analysis believed diversity
training was unwarranted and did not offer any clear benefits to them. Kulik

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and Roberson (2008) discussed how most diversity trainings are completed in
the organization without relying on empirical evidence, which raises theconcern over whether diversity training programs can actually deliver thestated outcomes for participating employees (L. Roberson et al., 2003).
A meta-analysis by Forscher et al. (2019) synthesized 492 studies and foundthat implicit bias trainings did not translate into sustained behavior change.
Dobbin and Kalev (2016) found a similar absence of benefits when examining
diversity training data from over 800 U.S. firms. In fact, the authors discovered
negative effects from many of the trainings, especially ones that focused
exclusively on negative messaging (e.g., everyone has implicit biases andracism is everywhere in society). Some of this can be attributed to normative
messages that unintentionally normalize racism (Zimmerman, 2020). In short,many believe that diversity is an important issue to address, but there is
pessimism regarding the diversity trainings themselves, which when done
poorly may only serve legal, economic, and political purposes related to simply
saying that such trainings exist (which leaves companies open to the criticisms
raised in the opening of this paper). To put it more bluntly, ineffective andunscientific diversity trainings essentially become organizational propaganda
used to avoid tackling the root problems while still claiming to be progressive(Mahbubani, 2020).
Of course, such issues with training should sound familiar to any experi­
enced OBM professional. There are two major reasons why people do not
perform as they should: either they do not know how or they do not want to(Mager & Pipe, 1997). The former requires a training solution while the latter
requires a motivational solution (Perlow, 2001). Unfortunately, it is a too
familiar scenario in which both academia and industry alike try to solve
motivational problems with training solutions. For those cases in which
there is insufficient knowledge regarding diversity and multiculturalism, it iscritical that the training process follows best practices already established by
OBM. Defining the behaviors and concepts related to promoting diversity andmulticulturalism in the organization would be the first action necessary for the
researchers and practitioners (e.g., developing examples and close-in non­examples of microaggressions; differentiating tribal membership from ances­try). Then, it is critical that training follow effective techniques such as
Performance-Based Instruction (Brethower & Smalley, 1998) or Behavioral
Skills Training (Barker et al., 2019; Parsons et al., 2012). The common first stepof these approaches is that they first provide learners with instruction (such as“Feedback is meant to be a conversation, not a confrontation. Therefore, you
should conceptualize feedback about a racist statement you made as anopportunity to better help you to fight racism, not a personal attack. You
should listen without interruption and thank the person for investing theirenergy in you.”) and modeling (such as “I hadn’t realized how I was unin­
tentionally making assumptions about you when I made that statement. ThankJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

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you for giving me the opportunity to do better.”). Unfortunately, for many
diversity training (and trainings in general), this is also the final step. However,behavior-based training methods would suggest a critical second step ofpracticing the newly acquired skills while under observation of an expert(such as a learner making an error while saying “Thank you for teaching me.
Why do you think my statement offended you?”). By having individuals
engage in the specific behaviors related to diversity and multiculturalism
concepts, employees will receive a better understanding of these concepts.
Individualized feedback should continue to be provided (such as “The firstpart of your statement was good in that you expressed gratitude for being held
accountable, but then you made the mistake of suggesting that the person was
obligated to give you more evidence on why your statement offended them.”)
until learners can reach the final stage of training, in which they demonstrate
a mastery of the skills (e.g., consistently identify novel examples and non­examples of appropriate reactions to feedback on racist statements; fluently
respond in an appropriate manner across a variety of feedback situations).
Even after training is complete, long-term behavior change should not be
expected without ongoing support and maintenance – another step frequently
missing after training is concluded (i.e., the motivational solution). Researchon successful implementation of diversity trainings supports this point, show­
ing that effective training is integrated into a broader change initiative(Dobbin & Kalev, 2018). OBM has a rich literature on how to apply conse­
quences to motivate and maintain desired behavior.
Before OBM professionals can train others on multiculturalism and diver­sity, they need expertise in the subject matter themselves (or at least collabo­
rate with a subject matter expert). Therefore, it would be beneficial for all
OBM professionals to participate in cultural trainings (even if they are notconducted perfectly) to gain an understanding of issues related to antiracism.
Furthermore, OBM professionals should investigate and expand upon some ofthe successful strategies already discovered by researchers outside of OBM. For
example, research by Dobbin and Kalev (2016) found that successful diversity
programs non-coercively engaged managers in problem-solving, exposed par­ticipants to individuals outside of their typical social circles, and focused on
positive messaging (e.g., mentorship development and how diversity can beused to find promising employees with innovative perspectives). Once thecontent is better known to those working in our field, perhaps then OBM
professionals could apply instructional design and training best practices toimprove outcomes in their respective organizations and training programsand be more adept at supporting BIPOC populations. For example, OBM
professionals could develop diversity training content with a stronger focus on
how consequences at the individual level maintain oppressive behavior and an
absence of consequences can fail to promote long-term diversity efforts.
Rather than just broadly telling people about multiculturalism, the training

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content can be informed by a behavioral perspective to help analyze the social
environment in terms of antecedent and consequences, with an emphasis onvariables that are under control of the audience.
Financial support to encourage participation by BIPOC, includinginternational participation

One of the first and foremost considerations of any given individual whenselecting their higher-education institution is the financial support they would
be receiving while completing their degree (Kim, 2004). Given that an interna­
tional student is inherently out of state, this is especially critical due to the highcost of tuition. In addition, minority populations are often coming from low
income households as well as poor K-12 school systems so the need for financial
assistance is crucial for attendance (Pew Research Center, 2016). Indeed, Kim(2004) further argued that lower income Latinxs and African Americans madetheir choice of universities fully dependent on the financial opportunities pro­vided to them. Considering the disparity between underrepresented populations
and those of a more privileged background, universities and colleges should
place a strong focus on providing financial incentives for this population of
students. Although many institutions offer merit-based scholarships as well asprivate scholarships, research has shown that BIPOC students are less likely toreceive these scholarships over white students (Kantrowitz, 2011). BIPOC stu­
dents also may have fewer opportunities and less time to submit applications forsuch scholarships. In addition, those scholarships which are exclusively forminority groups are often not enough to cover the cost of living and tuition.
In reference to scholarship distribution, this issue of disparity is just as prevalent
in the field of OBM. There are very few scholarship opportunities offered topotential or existing students within OBM programs, so it is unsurprising that
there are also rare opportunities for minority groups to receive financial support.
To our knowledge, there are no scholarships available for underrepresented
individuals to study in OBM, despite the fact many consultants within our fieldenjoy lucrative positions in business and industry that in theory should enable
them to contribute to those less fortunate. This creates a limited population of
those who will even go on to apply to OBM programs and therefore contribute to
the field. This is problematic for many reasons but most importantly, this createsa less diverse working atmosphere and curbs creativity in research. It is pivotal that
programs work to provide additional incentives for BIPOC to study OBM in orderto bring greater success to not only the field but also to limit the discrimination
which burdens these populations. Possible avenues to financial support could
include raising money through local donors, alumni, and those within the OBM
Network which may lead more minority members to pursue a career in OBM.
Even if financial assistance is available to BIPOC students, it may not
guarantee that students will apply to such opportunities. According to theJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT

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National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 1 in 5 students do not apply
for any type of financial support (Radwin et al., 2013). There are several
plausible explanations regarding this situation. First, scholarships are notwell advertised to BIPOC students. Most of the financial opportunities areposted through the university website. However, students who recently grad­uated from high school may lack the necessary skills or abilities to obtain suchinformation. Second, students tend to think that the scholarships are toocompetitive to win. In this sense, they do not put much effort into theuncertain reinforcement. Furthermore, many deadlines for scholarships fallin the middle of a semester and therefore students have limited time to
dedicate to the application process. Third, students think that they are notqualified for scholarships. Finally, many BIPOC students may get over­whelmed when completing the work necessary for scholarship applications
considering that they are already struggling with barriers and health obstacles
not faced by their white peers (E. O. McGee & Stovall, 2016).
As mentioned above, understanding and supporting the financial needs of
BIPOC is a complicated task. Even though researchers and practitioners invarious educational settings have suggested potential solutions, those practices
seem to only solve short-term issues. For example, some researchers recom­
mended using platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to advertise thescholarship opportunities. However, this is only a short-term solution towhat is likely a complex issue. Perhaps, researchers and practitioners may
miss the root cause of the financial support system. Through behavioral
systems analysis, we can identify the problems in the financial aids systems
at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Such analysis requires extensive
work, but it would be beneficial in the long-term.
Bringing BIPOC into the field through higher education recruitment andretention

Gatekeeping is an important function of higher education. A field anda program’s reputation will depend upon the selection and training of highly
skilled individuals. Abandoning this duty risks compromising the integrity ofa discipline. Alternative forms of gatekeeping, such as certification and licensing,
aim to protect the public as well as mark off professional territory (Luke et al.,2018; Weatherly, in press). Although OBM does not typically serve clientele
drawn from vulnerable populations, it is still important to remember that OBM
professionals are typically being trained to hold positions of considerable power
and their decisions often impact large number of people. As such, gatekeeping
should not be disregarded or easily dispensed with.
However, one should not forget that historically gatekeeping was often used
to deny certain populations access to opportunity and power. For example,
many familiar features of graduate school admission, such as personal

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statements and letters of recommendation, were originally developed to block“undesirable” demographics from enrolling in prestigious institutions byenabling disproportionable rejections of qualified applicants based on opaquecriteria such as “character” (Karabel, 2005). Even now, faculty often struggle
with balancing qualifications against the differential impact upon certain
cultures and races (Posselt, 2016), although they are often reticent to admit
to such facts without the cover of anonymity. The history of legacy admissions
and other forms of networking suggests that access has never been equal.
Therefore, explicit and proactive steps to recruit BIPOC applicants should be
employed (Bocanegra et al., 2016; Rubin, 2011), rather than simply waiting
and hoping they apply during the admission process. As an aside, our fieldwould have disdain for “wait and hope” strategies if they were proposed as partof an organizational intervention (Conard et al., 2016; Stokes & Baer, 1977). If
we want a racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse future for OBM, we mustalso shape the behavior of current gatekeepers and others in power.
Left untouched, the homogenous state of our field will likely lead to thesame state of affairs. Our respective learning histories often influence the rules
we follow about what is possible and for whom. Students from cultural groups
with little or no representation in the field’s leadership may not receive thesame signals about who has permission to participate. Without representation,
potential OBM students may decide to participate in other disciplines wheremulticulturalism is more common and visible, leading to more homogeneity
for OBM. Quite simply, a field without a visible history of promoting BIPOC is
unlikely to be appealing to BIPOC when considering career options(Cirincione-Ulezi, 2020).
To promote diversity, we encourage establishing a variety of strategies for the
recruitment and retention of BIPOC. One simple strategy would be to put
diversity statements in syllabi, handbooks, and codes of conduct (Najdowski
et al., 2020). Departments should place mission statements about diversity inprominent locations. This helps signal the values of the local culture to poten­
tially interested BIPOC applicants. As noted earlier, simply posting
a commitment to multiculturalism and inclusion will not be sufficient andruns the risk of becoming yet another empty gesture if not followed by demon­strable action. However, when implemented systematically (H. M. McGee &Crowley-Koch, 2020), such verbal statements can drive performance and orga­
nizational change. As Gilbert (1996) once pointed out, missions can define
programs or committees who can work to correct defects in achieving goals(such as increased diversity) by assigning roles and responsibilities. Both shortterm and long-term action plans for promoting antiracism within the institution
should be explicitly developed (Roberts, 2020). Once assigned, the diversityrelated performance needs to be supported through a variety of OBM tools.
Although racially and culturally diverse individuals may not constitutea sizable percentage of our field, we know that some people do defy the odds

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and try to pursue careers in this specialization. However, the expectation for
our field should not be that the burden is solely on underrepresented popula­tions to train themselves up for a career in OBM. Instead, support andoutreach should be encouraged by those in positions of power. Higher institu­
tions should consider providing financial support to talented BIPOC under­
graduates to visit their campuses. Leaders who want to increase diversity may
want to identify talented candidates from diverse backgrounds and expose
those individuals to the field. For example, leaders in education may prioritize
marketing to and recruiting from this country’s network of HBCUs(Historically Black Colleges or Universities), HSIs (Hispanic-Serving
Institutions), or TCUs (Tribal Colleges and Universities). Most universities
have a center for diversity and inclusion. These centers can assist leaders withsetting up recruitment engagements. Alternatively, many universities support
culture-based, undergraduate student organizations. These communities haveestablished processes that foster cooperative interaction between racially,
ethnically, and culturally diverse students and individuals who want to recruit
them. It would behoove OBM to tap into these established institutions andprocesses to diversify the composition of the field. Recruiting from the under­
graduate population in one’s university can also be effective. Conferences andseminars can expose talented BIPOC to the field. Instructors and leaders who
identify such individuals in their classrooms or other environments should
encourage them to attend OBM conferences and seminars. These conferences
are sometimes expensive even with student discounts; therefore, it is beneficial
for programs to allocate funds for this purpose. An awareness of the field could
be promoted even earlier by reaching out to high schools. Of course, it is notenough to recruit only BIPOC students into OBM, we should also endeavor to
recruit BIPOC faculty as well (Najdowski et al., 2020). Research has demon­
strated that diversity in both faculty and students positively contributes toimproved student learning and ability to work in diverse settings (Hurtado,2001). However, recruitment of either BIPOC students or faculty may run into
strong opposition and one must be aware of the legal obstacles to diversity. For
example, the authors’ state of Michigan passed legislation in 2006 banning any
university supported preferential treatment for BIPOC in employment or
education (Mich. Const. art. I, § 26.), a law that effectively rolled back muchof affirmative action and was later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court (Shuette
v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, 2014). Such legal barriers cancontribute to a climate in which organizations and universities are unwillingto take overt steps to increase diverse representation for fear of being sued bypolitical groups opposed to the promotion of BIPOC. Universities that haveadmitted to a history of racism as part of a broader set of initiatives to address
systemic racism have faced legal investigation and potential financial penalties
by politicians decrying affirmative action (Hartocollis, 2020). Such political
battles have resulted in 10 states banning affirmative action (Esquierdo-Leal &198

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Houmanfar, 2020). The unfortunate outcome of these legal changes has beena persistent decline in BIPOC enrollment at major universities in the affectedstates (Long & Bateman, 2020) and the perpetuation of inequity. In short,
recruitment of BIPOC students and faculty will face systemic resistance acrossindividual, organizational, political, and legal forces. Of course, none of thisshould be taken as an excuse for inaction, but rather an honest appraisal of thechallenges involved in advocacy.
Even if successful, recruitment will be a short-sighted strategy if BIPOC do
not remain in our graduate programs, academia, or are uncommitted to thefield after graduation. Evidence suggests that people find comfort in being ina group that includes people who look like them. Several empirical studies
have shown that minorities often feel isolated when attending predominantly
white colleges (Harpalani, 2017) and they run the risk of continually feelinglike they are the only BIPOC within their professional world (CirincioneUlezi, 2020; Roberts, 2020). The phenomenon of feeling like the “only one”
can be quite isolating and deprive a person of many social reinforcers fromtheir professional community. The climate fostered by academic institutions
may play a large role in retaining BIPOC. For example, Komaki and Minnich(2016) demonstrated how using a behaviorally-based survey could be devel­
oped to provide feedback to university administrators in order to guide theretention of BIPOC and female faculty. We would suggest that an adaptationof their survey, such as the one outlined in Table 1, be used to measure climate
for BIPOC students (as well as faculty) at higher education institutions. Like
the original survey, we would recommend the usage of a dichotomous format
to facilitate the ease with which the form is completed. Respondents simply
indicate their agreement or not, with checked positive items and unchecked
negative items each being scored with 1 point. The minimal time and labor will
permit more frequent assessments, which in turn allows one to see howretention efforts are faring on an ongoing basis. As noted by the original
authors, it is important to make sure the perceptions of the majority do notaverage out the experiences of the minority. Therefore, a median-split
approach is advocated, in which only scores from the bottom half of respon­
dent ratings are used in calculations. This permits BIPOC to be given a greater
voice while still protecting their privacy. Without such an approach, you either
risk the ratings of a disengaged and dissatisfied minority being lost when
averaged in with the ratings of a content majority or you must ask BIPOC toself-identify in order to assess their evaluations separately, which mightengender hesitation due to fears of being ostracized or retaliated against.
Although the generated solutions in practice may vary across institutions(since climates may differ program to program), regular data should resultin more informed and adaptive decision-making. Of course, a systemsoriented approach (H. M. McGee & Crowley-Koch, 2020) also needs to beenlisted to ensure the entire organization is properly aligned toward

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Table 1. Behaviorally based brief climate survey for higher education (adapted from Komaki &Minnich, 2016; for a more comprehensive survey focused exclusively on faculty experiences, see
original article).
● I find the atmosphere or climate to be supportive.
● I feel left out of things here.
● People in this department take the time to get to know each other.
● I find it difficult to study and/or work here because of its poor climate.
● People in this department enjoy studying and/or working together.
● My opinions do not matter here.
● I fit in with other students and/or faculty in this department.
● People here are rude to each other.
● Morale has improved over the past year.
● If I had to do it all over again, I would still have enrolled in this program or accepted my position in thisdepartment.

● I would be happy to spend the rest of my education or career in this department.
● If I could leave this department right now, I would.

improvement of diversity outcomes, or else you risk decision-makers hiding
the results of survey outcomes for fear of punishment due to poor perfor­
mance. Part of what made Komaki and Minnich (2016) approach successful
was not that they simply constructed a survey, but rather their effort toimprove representation through retention included clear support of upper
administration, offered incentives for survey completion, sent social praise tounits performing well, shared best practices from top performing units forretaining underrepresented groups (e.g., recognition, social activities, etc.),
developed collaborative workshops on how to handle the negative survey
findings, and sent pinpointed feedback to the agents of change. It was nota simple antecedent manipulation done once, but instead included several
measurement and positive consequence strategies repeated over time.
Underscoring the point made earlier regarding training, it is important that
recruitment and retention initiatives are part of a multipronged and compre­
hensive systemic change plan. This also echoes a point made by EsquierdoLeal and Houmanfar (2020), in which they discuss the importance of wielding
several leadership and communication strategies to enact change. The need forprogress extends beyond the halls of academia and beyond the construct ofclimate, leading us to consider the potential of OBM to pinpoint relevantmeasures for our field in its entirety.

Precision in measuring important outcomes related to equity andrevisiting results on an ongoing basis

In order to achieve an antiracist, equitable, and inclusive environment, orga­
nizations must identify and select valid, reliable measures by which to evaluate
progress of that goal. Individuals who want to increase diversity in their fieldor industry have a limited breadth of preestablished measures to utilize in theirpursuit, and limited research exists on how to pinpoint and shape behavior for
equity. Komaki and Minnich (2016) provide evidence to suggest that

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organizations can, in fact, define, measure, and influence amorphous concepts
like climate. If progress is ever to be made, then we must embrace defining
what progress is, measuring it, and monitoring it regularly. Below is a process
guide for establishing measures related to equity and inclusion.
Organizations must first start by identifying the outputs of their organiza­tion which are hindered by inequity or inaccessibility. Outputs are defined as
the products of a process or organization that contribute to organizational
goals (Rummler & Brache, 2013). Said another way, outputs are the valueadding products of a person, process, or system. Indicators of inequity or lackof access include: consistently disparate results for clients or employees basedon race or ethnicity, disproportionately high or low inclusion of a particulargroup of people, pay or compensation structures in which particular groups ofpeople earn more/less, etc.
Next, organizations can then identify the performances and/or processes
that contribute to those outputs. Change managers will want to identify thenecessary qualities of those performances/processes. Necessary qualities are
the distinct dimensions of a performance or process which contribute toa valuable output (e.g. cost of production, rate of adoption, speed of process).
To identify these qualities, organizations should invite and listen to the input
of internal and external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders are the employees,
faculty, staff, and administrators who work within the organizational system.
External stakeholders are both the direct consumers of your organization’s
outputs and the external systems which contribute to your organization’s
process or performance goals.
The necessary qualities identified by stakeholders will provide insight into
relevant measures. For example, if BIPOC applicants at a university identify“financial support” as a necessary quality of the “degree” output, then uni­
versities know to measure performances and processes related to financial
support opportunities offered to BIPOC students. In this case, relevant mea­sures may include financial support (loan, assistantship, scholarship, grant,etc.), number of credits paid by program per semester, scholarship dollars perstudent, and so forth. Another important financial consideration is whether
any funds have been earmarked in the budget (at the organizational, depart­
ment, or program level) for increasing diversity.
After the necessary qualities of a process or performance are captured,organizations can develop performance standards or goals to track progress.
This step is of fundamental importance. With performance or processes welldefined and measures established, managers can more easily shape behavior
with specific feedback and positive consequences; two necessary componentsof lasting behavior change in organizations (Komaki & Minnich, 2016).
Organizations must ensure that their chosen measures contribute to thedesired outputs of the organization or process. For example, it would bearbitrary to measure the percentage of BIPOC students receiving financial

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aid while ignoring the number of BIPOC students who graduate within six
years. Abernathy (2014) describes a system of cascading objectives in whichorganizations first design organizational standards (using established cate­gories of measurement) and then work down through the organization creat­ing interlocked objectives. A change manager may identify measures andstandards for the organization and then work through assigning cascading
objectives at the various levels of an organization to contribute to the organi­zational or process goal. The measures selected by organizations should
integrate across all levels of a system, and all individuals in a system shouldhave performance standards which contribute to the desired outputs andresults (Rummler & Brache, 2013).
Deciding to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in an organization is
not the end; it is the beginning. Much of the history of OBM has focused on
financial measures to determine whether value has been added to an organiza­
tion; however, social measures are equally as important (Esquierdo-Leal &Houmanfar, 2020; Houmanfar et al., 2015). Above, we have laid out
a summary of what it may take for an organization to devise measures relevantto the racial and cultural diversity of their system. This process must be
ongoing. We must regularly revisit the measures we establish to determine
whether (1) the measures are valid and reliable, and (2) the organization ismoving in the desired direction. Some results may be measured frequently(e.g. % of BIPOC invited to interview per opening) while others must be
measured over time (e.g. % growth of BIPOC in leadership). Regardless, wehighly encourage revisiting results on an ongoing basis. Table 2 has a list of
potentially relevant measures for organizations to track.
Amplifying voices of the underrepresented in OBM training

At a professional level, we urge investing in racially, ethnically, and culturally
diverse people. It is difficult to identify singular barriers which have caused thecurrent homogenous state of our field and/or respective industries, but we canmore easily identify the racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse individuals
in our own institutions and actively pursue investing in their success.
Investment can be mentorship, recruitment, promotion, and/or patronage.
This investment is not to be confused with a monthly or annual charitable
donation. We are endorsing a continuous investment of time, effort, and cash
to create more equitable and inclusive professional circles.
As the aphorism “publish or perish” can attest, publications are essential for
new professionals at research universities. More experienced scholars canmindfully reach out to and collaborate with early career BIPOC to promote
them as authors or coauthors for publications and submitted grants (M. L.
Roberson, 2020). Conference planners involved with ABAI and the OBM
Network could reach out to BIPOC scholars to diversify the lineup of

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Table 2. Potentially relevant measures for organizations to track.
● Leadership that fosters environment of multiculturalism● % of BIPOC applicants hired vs. BIPOC applicants● Ratio % of BIPOC applicants and BIPOC hires● # of BIPOC on board● # of customers or clients of customers vs number of employees/professionals working● Salary comparison between BIPOC and white employees● # of conversations about racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity within workplace per (month, year, etc.)● % of racially, ethnically, and/or culturally diverse employees on staff● Voluntary turnover rates for people on of race, ethnicity, gender identify, sexual preference● Involuntary turnover rates for people on of race, ethnicity, gender identify, sexual preference● # of BIPOC in leadership/managerial pipelines● Rate of promotion/raises for various BIPOC within organization● Ratio of customers/BIPOC students to employees/teachers● Class, duration, and frequency of “mentorship behaviors” from leadershippresenters (Roberts, 2020), perhaps by even reaching outside of the strict OBM
field. BIPOC consultants can be encouraged to participate on panels or topresent findings from their organizations. Those in the current positions of
power can do much to give a platform to voices often unheard and suchincreased visibility may encourage the participation of neglected populations.
It is also important to give underrepresented voices a means, including
anonymous options, to safely voice concerns over behaviors they observe.
Many students and junior faculty within our community have spent years
observing those in positions of power trading in cultural stereotypes and using
racist conceptualizations without visible consequences, so it is unrealistic andunfair to hold them responsible for calling out discrimination. After all,reputations take a lifetime to build and only a moment to destroy, so indivi­
duals may be hesitant to voice concerns for fear of retaliation or being branded
a “problem person.” Are there mechanisms in place to raise issues about thevarious OBM programs, departments, networking organizations, and consul­
tancies? If not, anonymous e-mails and surveys can easily be created. The
results from such data should go to more than one designated person toprevent a situation in which the offending person and the person responsible
for equity are the same individual. Part of this means not only promoting
BIPOC voices, but also listening to them when they speak.
Amplifying the voice of the underrepresented may also mean speaking forthem when they are not being heard by others. For a graduate programadvisor, this can mean raising concerns voiced by BIPOC students to leader­
ship. For colleagues, this can mean drawing attention to what a BIPOC
colleague is saying or if necessary, repeating their points while intentionallygiving them credit for it. Individuals with English as a second language often
find it difficult to express themselves in English. Amplifying their voices canmean asking questions to help them expatiate, and patiently listening.

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Ongoing reflection at a personal and professional level

At a personal level, we suggest continuously engaging in reflection and dialo­
gue about one’s own prejudices, privileges, biases, and blind spots. This
challenging task includes examining the rules that govern our behavior, thecontingencies that maintain it, and the ways in which those environmental
relations may disproportionately help or hinder specific groups of people. Selfassessment should also incorporate seeking feedback, asking questions, andseeking accountability (as opposed to reacting defensively or making excuses).
We encourage continuous self-assessment because, as individuals, we holdpower and influence that we can exercise to affect more equitable and inclusive
environments. As Li (2020) suggested, it is not sufficient to simply try toeliminate one’s own racist behavior, but it is imperative to actively work
toward equity. Simply being “not racist” is a state (which is incongruent
with a behavioral conceptualization and unlikely to ever be truly attained)that fosters inaction and therefore complicity, whether intentional or not(Najdowski et al., 2020). Racism is not a dichotomous or categorical variable –no one is perfect when it comes to racist behaviors and our learning history
inherently makes us susceptible to a variety of positive and negative biases.
Antiracism on the other hand, implies action (behavior) on a continuous basis
to promote equity. In other words, it is not just an outcome to be achieved andthen displaced by other priorities. It should be seen as a career-long commit­
ment (Roberts, 2020).
In the presence of injustice and inequity, apathy, silence, and inaction
actively harm oppressed individuals. We encourage examining the distinct
aspects of the systems we operate in and their relationship with racially andculturally diverse populations. We must continuously examine the inputs,
outputs, processes, policies, procedures, and people who operate in thesesystems that maintain the “status quo”. Proclaiming anger and denouncing
prejudice is no longer sufficient. We can use our skillset to identify and flatten
barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusion. A science of behavior can better
understand the cultural contingencies that maintain the behavior of those incharge and develop effective forms of countercontrol (Rogers & Skinner,
1956). Only by understanding the ways in which we individually contributeto systems of injustice can we make the necessary changes in our own personal
and professional circles. Not only can we encourage others to join our profes­
sional circles, but we can also seek out other professional circles to provide
support and to increase our own level of awareness (Li, 2020; Najdowski et al.,2020). This includes joining organizations such as Black Applied Behavior
Analysts (BABA) or the Latino Association for Behavior Analysis (LABA).
Humbly, we acknowledge that the systems of oppression which have driven
the disparate opportunities and outcomes for BIPOC will not simply beeradicated by identifying our own personal biases. As behaviorists, however,204

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we understand that in the beginning of any behavior change, active work needs
to be done and this work cannot be achieved without exposing ourselves to
new stimuli and continually monitoring our progress.

SummaryThis paper was not intended to provide all the answers to solve issues related
to racism and equity, nor could it ever realistically be expected to. However, it
is hoped that it could help serve as an impetus by giving some ideas regarding
steps that individuals could take within our field. Whether through training,
mentorship, professional events, or consultation, the application of both
positive and aversive consequences can prove powerful in driving systemicchange. We should recognize and celebrate achievements for allyship beha­viors with the same ardor we recognize teaching effectiveness and innovative
research within our community. We should call out inequities when we seethem (Roberts, 2020), but without appointing ourselves as the “savior” of ourorganizations. Shaping at the individual and collective level is a gradualprocess that cannot be achieved by sitting on the proverbial sidelines. Manyof the issues raised in this paper could serve as research lines for our emerging
and established scholars to investigate and our existing research should be
extrapolated to provide insights on the best practices for diversity and inclu­
sion (Cirincione-Ulezi, 2020). Although not the focus of this paper, many ofthe best practices derived from OBM in support of BIPOC could also be used
to support members of other marginalized groups (e.g., LGBTQ+, women,
people with disabilities) and those from overlapping marginalized groups(Crenshaw, 1989).
There is a legacy of racism built into the systems of higher education andsociety at large. At times, combating this can feel overwhelming, as the odds ofany individual enacting change may seem daunting, if not futile. As Rummler
and Brache (2013) once put it, “if you pit a good performer against a badsystem, the system will win almost every time” (p. 11). However, their admon­
ishment was not meant to demotivate people into accepting the status quo.
The very next line after their famous sentence was about how we need to spend
our “time fixing organization systems that are broken” and their career wasdedicated to outlining tools to accomplish such feats. Furthermore, individuals
can band together so that their collective action has the potential to persuade
or overpower existing systems (Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2020). It is
incumbent upon OBM to dedicate our tools toward dismantling racist systems
and repairing systems for equity within our field, within the organizations wework with, and within the broader culture. Each individual performer has
something that they can and should contribute to the cause for justice.

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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Delores Conway, Carl M. Johnson, and Anita Li for theirhelpful feedback during the development of this manuscript and the individuals who anon­
ymously shared their personal stories with us.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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