Managing Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

Research Projeect

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Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................4
1.1 Background of the Study..................................................................................................4
1.2 Research Questions..........................................................................................................5
1.3 Aim of the Study..............................................................................................................5
1.4 Objectives of the Study....................................................................................................5
1.5 Structure of the Study.......................................................................................................5
1.6 Rationale..........................................................................................................................6
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................7
2.1 The Issue of Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Companies.......................................7
2.2 The Sustainability Report and the Themes of Diversity and Equality.............................8
2.3 The Investigation of Diversity and Equality in the UK...................................................9
2.4 Diversity and Equality in Apple Inc...............................................................................11
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY................................................................................14
3.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................14
3.1 Research Philosophies....................................................................................................14
3.2 Research Approaches.....................................................................................................15
3.3 Research Methods and Techniques................................................................................15
3.4 Research Instruments.....................................................................................................16
3.5 Sampling Methods.........................................................................................................16
3.6 Ethical Issues..................................................................................................................17
3.7 Data Analysis and Interpretation....................................................................................17
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS & ANALYSIS........................................................................17
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION..........................................................................................21
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................22
APPENDIX..............................................................................................................................25

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Research Topic:
Topic selected for conducting the research is ‘Managing cultural diversity in the workplace.’
Research Title:
To assess the importance of equality and diversity in Apple Inc.UK.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The phenomenon of globalisation has meant that companies increasingly have to
dealing with issues that go far beyond making a profit (Sarvaiya and Eweje, 2016). Thus, the
growing changes in the international panorama, both at the economic and social levels, led
companies to deal with relatively new concepts. The fact that companies have branches
around the world and have to compete internationally with other companies, in addition to the
increasing mobility of people and goods, led them to live with very socio-economic realities
varied (Ravazzani, 2016). Companies have been forced to react to the increasingly wide-
ranging requests for information by its stakeholders and started to incorporate in their reports
issues related to sustainability.
In this context, traditional accounting has become unable to report all the dynamics
business environment (Nachmias, et al., 2019), namely in the recognition of mutual
influences that occur between them and the communities where they live insert (Nachmias, et
al., 2019). This set of measures that aim to identify, evaluate and report all the information on
the social context of companies called the Social Responsibility of companies (CSR)
(Klarsfeld, et al., 2016), which elects as one of its themes the problematic of diversity and
equal opportunities. These themes, in spite of their increasing diffusion, are still not well
studied and published in the UK. That is why this report explores the report of diversity and
equal opportunities presented by Apple Inc. It is also intended to verify whether there are
differences in terms of disclosure about these aspects depending on the sector of activity.
In the search for credibility regarding its disclosure of CSR, more and more
companies seek certified bodies to guide themselves in the preparation of their reports, the
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) being the most used. All information that is made public by
companies to communicate their social relations can be considered CSR, although the report
and accounts, for be an annual report, it remains a privileged means of information, because
for moreover, it is also an instrument that allows companies to disseminate information that

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they consider most important and allows them to reconcile information, both financial and
social (Khanum, et al., 2019).
Its importance is even more emphasised when it comes to listed companies because it
is a mandatory and available report (Nachmias, et al., 2019). In case of this study, was chosen
precisely for these characteristics, since it is intends to analyse the diversified and equality
practices in Apple Inc. With the world in crisis, economic and values, the importance of this
theme is revealed competitive advantage that companies can enjoy by providing a good
organisational environment, which can be acquired through reflection and implementation
measures aimed at knowing its human resources, as a way to satisfy the employees and
motivate them to achieve their best performance, in front of those who are not aware of these
issues. This study is intended contribute to increase knowledge about the treatment and
dissemination of these matters, in Apple Inc., because according to Sharma, (2016) social
accounting when compared to financial accounting.
1.2 Research Questions
1. What is the importance of incorporation of diversity and equality for Apple Inc.?
2. How does Apple Inc. manage diversity and equality?
3. Does Apple Inc. apply a diversified approach in all its policies?
4. How does Apple Inc. incorporate diversity and equality policies?
1.3 Aim of the Study
The aim of this project is to assess the importance of equality and diversity in Apple
Inc.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
1. To identify possible contradictions between the formal discourse and the practice of
Apple Inc. with reference to diversity;
2. To assess the current practices and identify changes in the organisational culture due
to application of diversity policies; and
3. To be able to recommend better strategies for the application of diversity policies
which support Apple Inc.’s financial interests.

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1.5 Structure of the Study
The work is organised as follows. In chapter two, an attempt is made to brief
bibliographic review, contextualise the issue of diversity and equality of opportunities,
present the GRI as a guide generally accepted and used in the preparation of reports and show
how these topics are disseminated. The following chapter describes the methodology
analysis, defining the sample and data collection method. In chapter four proceed with the
presentation and analysis of the results obtained, and in the chapter next, we present the
conclusions, as well as the limitations of this investigation and suggestions for future studies.
1.6 Rationale
Access and legitimacy organisations tend to emphasise the role of cultural differences
in the organisation without actually analysing these differences to see if they actually affect
the work being done (Bain, 2017). That is, what is behind it is a perspective that merit and
diversity are two poles in a continuous: if there is merit, there is no possibility of diversity
and vice versa (Barak, 2016). If these characteristics are assessed individually: merit or
diversity, in a process, for example, of recruitment and selection, which may occur and has
already been described in the literature, is that leaders choose the worst candidates possible to
undermine and affirm that affirmative policies do not work (Guillaume, et al., 2017).
The learning and effectiveness paradigm inorganisations developed a vision of
diversity and inclusion that allows them to incorporate the contributions of employees in the
organisation’s work. The latter paradigmin contrast to the previous two is organised around
the theme of integration and inclusion. This new model for diversity leads the organisation to
internalise the differences between employees so that it can learn and grow from the
differences. The focus is: “We are the same team, with our differences - and not despite
them”.
Unless organisations that are currently working with the other two perspectives can revise
their view of diversity to avoid cognitive blind spots, several opportunities will be lost,
tensions will be misdiagnosed, and organisations will continue to perceive the potentials
of diversity as effusive. Therefore, a question arises: what happens to organisations that
follow the emerging perspective that makes them get the best out of their diversity? The
research lines guided by Lindblom, (2017) suggest preconditions that help organisations
to use the differences of identity groups in service of organisations and their growth and
renewal. These preconditions can be found in .the study by Sarvaiya and Eweje, (2016)
and, in general, refer to the attitudes, behaviours and policies of the leadership, the

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organisational culture, the mission and the organisational structure. Therefore, in order to
assess the importance of diversity and equality, the case study of Apple Inc. has been
selected as taking into consideration all the organisations in UK would have been
challenging due to limited time and resources.