Managing Diversity in the Workplace: Legal and Theoretical Perspectives in Nigeria (2014)

AbstractThe overall objective of this study is to investigate the barriers to effective diversity management in Nigeria and how managers can create a competitive and healthy working environment through a diversified work force. Also, this paper examines the legal framework in Nigeria on discrimination in the work place.This research article apart from investigating the role managers can play to enhance homogeneity in the work force in which employees can contribute to the attainment of the organizational goals, explains the concept of diversity management and its implication for managers as leaders in the organization and employees. In the final analysis, the paper offers practical solutions on how an effective diversified management can be achieved in the organizational setting.Keywords: Ethnic Nationality, Tribe, Constitution, Leadership, Discrimination, Diversity, Affirmative action, Strategy, Statutory flavour, Personality and Perception.IntroductionManaging diversity is a managerial process for developing an organizational environment in which all employees, with their similarities and differences, can contribute to the strategic competitive advantages of the organization. In other words, managing diversity can be defined as a planned, systematic and comprehensive managerial process for developing an organizational environment in which all employees, with their similarities and differences, can contribute to the strategic and competitive advantages of the organization and where no one is excluded on account of factors unrelated to productivity21.Diversity management is a new concept in Nigeria among managers; since managers previously ignored the impact of diversity awareness in an organization. Absence of a good diversity management may lead to corporate failure. The problems caused by corporate failure according to John10 have been stated in no mistakable terms that even strong companies lacking transparent control in matters such as diversity management, responsible boards and shareholders rights can collapse quickly.Concept of Managing Diversity in an OrganizationDiversity can be described as having four layers11 and it shows factors that influence an individual.Personality: This describes the stable set of characteristics that establishes a person's identity.Internal dimensions: These are characteristics that strongly influence people's attitudes, perceptions and expectations of others. These include factors such as age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and physical ability.External dimensions: These dimensions are personal traits that we can assert a certain amount of control or influence over. They are factors such as income, personal and recreational habits, religion, education, work experience, appearance, marital status and geographic location.Organizational dimensions: These dimensions pertain to the organization itself and include factors such as work field, division or unit, seniority, union affiliation, management status and functional level.Tribal or Ethnic Nationality Diversity in NigeriaNigeria is a federal constitutional republic comprising of 36 states and federal capital, Abuja. It is Nigeria that has the largest population of black people in Africa and the largest number of tribes and ethnic nationalities. Nigeria as a nation is a constituent of several tribes or ethnic nationalities. There are 500 tribes or ethnic nationalities and the major ones are Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. The population of these diverse tribes or ethnic nationalities in Nigeria has their own culture, beliefs, attitudes and language.Unfortunately, Nigerians have become slaves to their tribal or ethnic origins instead of harnessing these diversities towards national development. Nigerians are fanatics when it comes to ethnicity. It is therefore not surprising for a Nigerian to get angry because he/she is wrongly associated with another tribe or ethnic nationality. …