Effects of Cultural Diversity on Employee Performance in UK Grocery Sector

Investigating the effects of cultural
diversity on employee performance in
the UK grocery sector
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ABSTRACT
Main purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the major effects of cultural diversity on
the performance of employees in the UK. This is a main purpose of this dissertation that has been
achieved by completing each activity in systematic and accurate manner. Aim and objectives are
having been developed according to the research title. This helped investigator in executing of
another activity in systematic manner. Literature review has been completed by collecting
secondary information. For this type of data, different number of secondary sources are used by
researcher that are books, articles, publication research and many more. These are effective
sources and helps investigator in achievement of each objective successfully. Methodology is
essential activity that has been done by using various types of methodologies such as positivism
philosophy, deductive approach, quantitative research, questionnaire etc. These are main types of
methodologies that helped in gathering of numerical information. Data analysis has been done by
using frequency distribution analysis. This technique facilitate investigator in evaluating of
numerical and quantitative data within minimum period of time. At last, conclusion and
recommendations are important activity that has been done by explaining all information in
systematic and clear manner. In recommendation, few suggestions have been provided with
purpose of improving research topic.
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Contents
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
Contents...........................................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................5
1.1 Project Overview...................................................................................................................5
1.2 Aim and objectives................................................................................................................6
1.3 Research questions.................................................................................................................7
1.4 Study Background.................................................................................................................7
1.5 Study Rationale......................................................................................................................7
1.6 Scope and limitations of the study.........................................................................................8
1.7 Summary................................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................10
2.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................10
2.2 Conceptual Clarifications....................................................................................................10
2.2 What is the concept of cultural diversity?...........................................................................11
2.3 What are the main benefits of cultural diversity within UK grocery sector?......................12
2.4 What are the biggest challenges of cultural diversity that would be faced by UK grocery
sector?........................................................................................................................................13
2.5 What is the relationship between cultural diversity and employee performance?..............15
2.6 What are the effective ways for promoting cultural diversity within UK grocery sector?..16
2.7 Summary..............................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...........................................................................18
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................18
3.2 Research paradigms.............................................................................................................18
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................19
3.4 Research strategies...............................................................................................................19
3.5 Research instruments...........................................................................................................20
3.5.1 Questionnaire................................................................................................................20
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3.5.2 Interview.......................................................................................................................20
3.5.3 Observation...................................................................................................................20
3.5.4 Focus group..................................................................................................................20
3.6 Research choice...................................................................................................................20
3.7 Data collection.....................................................................................................................21
3.8 Sampling..............................................................................................................................22
3.9 Research ethics....................................................................................................................22
3.10 Research limitations...........................................................................................................23
3.11 Strengths and limitations of methodology.........................................................................23
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS...................................................................24
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................39
5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................39
5.2 Evaluation of the key findings.............................................................................................39
5.3 Recommendations................................................................................................................40
5.4 Managerial Implications......................................................................................................42
5.5 Further Research Directions................................................................................................43
5.6 Summary..............................................................................................................................43
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................44
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................47
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................47
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Overview
Cultural diversity introduces to people of diverse cultures, origins and way of life living. It is the
variety of human groups, cultures or societies within a particular region. There are different
benefits of cultural diversity such as higher team performance, creativity, increases profits,
inspire trust and respect, employer branding, reduce discrimination etc. These are major
advantages of cultural diversity that will help organisations, industries and many more by
improving their performance level (Al-Atwi, Cai and Amankwah-Amoah, 2021). Therefore,
cultural diversity is an important part for organisation because it supports them in dealing with
international clients easily. Management of employee performance introduces to the process of
involving workers in achieving goals and mission of an organisation. Employee performance
management includes: monitoring performance, reviewing performance, developing capacity,
rewarding good work, planning work and setting goals. These are effective ways that can be
essential in improvement of employee performance within a workplace. Along with this, cultural
diversity is important and essential way of managing employee performance at workplace.
Cultural diversity refers to the quality of various cultures in opposite to monoculture or
culture decay. Cultural diversity is defined as having various cultures in respect of differences of
each other. Basically it refers to the variety of individuals cultures and societies in a particular
region or in the nation as a whole. Diversity is defined as attributes that individuals use to
confirm themselves in order to respecting others. Culture is a wider term which consists values,
beliefs, norms and simple way of being. When persons move out they meet new people from
various backgrounds (Li and et. al., 2021). Cultural diversity takes different shape in settings of
professional life and in almost every part of life. Cultural diversity is referred as ethnicities, races
and culture specifically those of minority communities, need specific acknowledgement about
their differences within a political culture that is dominant. There are different types of
importance on cultural diversity, it assists in recognising that there are different types of cultures
which exist, it helps in respecting and understanding differences of individuals, it also assists in
acknowledging all the expressions of culture that are valid, it also help in accommodating
valuing the cultures which have brought to the table, it encourages to empower different groups
in contribution, it also encourages to celebrate differences of individuals rather than tolerating
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those differences. In an organisation cultural diversity at workplace looks like having a multi-
language groups or teams, having persons of different ages doing operations together, forming
and having policies that are vocal to eliminate discrimination and many more. Cultural diversity
has many actions and mind-set that embrace the facts which lead to many advantages such as
compassion which assist in understanding the differences of leads to improve compassion rather
than judging people. Innovation refers to the different perspectives of looking at the world which
leads to get people with innovative and new thinking. Cultural diversity has the ability to bring
people together and connect every person's style of working for the betterment of the
organisation and this lead to the team of productive. The cultural diversity opens new door for
employees for new opportunities and mixing up with the ideas which could other have been
homogeneous.
Cultural diversity assists in solving problems or challenges with various backgrounds can
have great solutions with variety of views and opinions. There is a serious need of supporting
cultural diversity in organisation, an organisation could use ideas like interacting with more
people outside own culture, be more open minded for listening and letting go of judgements,
accepting the differences that are more beneficial and do not have any harm. It is also said in
cultural diversity that have different beliefs among people who have opposing opinions which
should not be forced upon others (Ameen and et. al., 2021). It is also suggested that force should
be given with working people from different culture because it opens up the thinking level of
employees. It is advised that people should travel the whole world so that they can understand
about the different culture. It would be best to read books of literature and learn about various
cultures.
1.2 Aim and objectives
Research aim: To investigate the major effects of cultural diversity on the performance of
employees in the UK. A study on grocery sector
Research objectives:
 To develop basic knowledge regarding the concept of cultural diversity.
 To determine the benefits of cultural diversity within UK grocery sector.
 To examine the challenges of cultural diversity that would be faced by UK grocery
sector.
 To investigate the relationship between cultural diversity and employee performance.
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 To determine the ways for promoting cultural diversity within UK grocery sector.
1.3 Research questions
 What is the concept of cultural diversity?
 What are the main benefits of cultural diversity within UK grocery sector?
 What are the biggest challenges of cultural diversity that would be faced by UK grocery
sector?
 What is the relationship between cultural diversity and employee performance?
 What are the effective ways for promoting cultural diversity within UK grocery sector?
1.4 Study Background
Cultural diversity is about appreciating that society is made up of various groups with
diverse skills, interests, needs and talents. It is a set of beliefs shared by a specific group of
people, such as language, religion, ways of behavior etc. Cultural diversity defines a society
within which different cultures exists (Ameen and et. al., 2021). Current dissertation is based on
UK retain industry, that means how producer of services and goods get their product to the
customers. Retailers regularly get their products from the manufactures in direct way. There are
different areas of retain such as buying, customer service, online retail etc. There are different
advantages or benefits of cultural diversity such as improved employee engagement, improved
creativity, improved company reputation, increased profits, wider range of skills, improves
cultural insights, reduced employee turnover etc. These are major benefits and helps an
organisation or industry in improvement of employee’s performance within a workplace.
1.5 Study Rationale
Main rationale behind conducting of current investigation is to determine the major issues
of cultural diversity at workplace. This is a main reason behind doing of this dissertation. There
are different issues of cultural diversity such as ethnic and cultural differences, generation gaps,
language and communication, accommodation of beliefs etc. These are major issues and for
overcoming this, current dissertation will be carrying out in systematic manner. This dissertation
is important at personal as well as professional level (Astley and Cherkashyna, 2020). At
personal level, present investigation helps researcher by improving their research skills, which
are data collection, time management, decision making, communication and many others. All
these are main skills and helps investigator in completion of full project within allotted time and
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systematic manner. At professional level, current investigation facilitate investigator in searching
of best job within retain industry. Therefore, this dissertation is highly important at personal and
also professional level.
1.6 Scope and limitations of the study
Scope of the study
Current dissertation has wide scope because it will help by providing information
regarding the cultural diversity along with its importance within retain industry (Nadarajah, Atif
and Gull, 2021). This dissertation is used quantitative research that helps in collecting of
numerical and valid information regarding the topic.
Limitations of the study
There are different limitations of the research such as lack of time, lack of cost,
ineffective management etc. These are major limitations that have direct or negative impact on
researcher. In order to overcome these limitations, there will be requirement of using certain
ways (Naghavi, Sharif and Hussain, 2021). Using of Gantt chart is important for researcher in
reduction of time issue and many more.
1.7 Summary
From the above mentioned information, it has been summarized that aim and objectives are
essential for completing full project in systematic manner. This is an important chapter of the
dissertation because it helps in doing of another chapters in systematic manner (Haldorai and et.
al., 2021). There are some remaining chapters that are explaining as below:
Literature review: This is a part of dissertation that includes secondary data collected from
secondary sources. These are articles, journals, books, etc. All these are major sources of
gathering secondary information regarding the topic (Niebuhr and Peters, 2021). Main purpose
of this chapter is to fulfil research gap through research questions.
Methodology: This is important chapter of dissertation because it helps in collecting and
evaluating of data about the topic (Kets and Sandroni, 2021). This section has different types of
methodologies such as research paradigms, research approach, research strategy, data collection
methods and many others. All these are main methodologies that will be applied in methodology
section with purpose of achieving each objective.
Data analysis and findings: This chapter will help in evaluating of data collected from
research instrument. According to the current dissertation, data will be collected from
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