Investigating Cultural Diversity's Impact on Unilever's Operations

This research project, conducted using both primary and secondary data sources, investigates the impact of cultural diversity on employee engagement, work culture, and HR policies at Unilever. Employing a quantitative research method with questionnaires, the study aims to identify how Unilever can manage cultural diversity, determine its impact on employee performance, and identify associated challenges. The literature review explores existing research on equity and diversity in the workplace, while the methodology section details the use of an interpretivism research philosophy, an inductive research approach, and a survey strategy. Data analysis reveals employees' perceptions of cultural diversity, its impact on employee engagement, and the challenges faced, such as communication barriers and conflicts of interest. The findings suggest that HR policies play a vital role in managing cultural diversity and that effective communication, unbiased HR practices, and regular cultural training are crucial for improving employee performance. The report concludes with recommendations for Unilever to enhance its approach to cultural diversity management.

Research Project

Executive Summary
The current research project is based on topic of cultural diversity which comprises of use
of both primary and secondary sources of information for data collection. Implication of
quantitative research method is made to ensure timely collection of information with the help of
questionnaire.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
Project Title- To investigate the impact of cultural diversity on employee engagement, work
culture and HR policies that create uncertainty in business operations ..........................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Background and Rationale for the research................................................................................1
Research aims & objectives........................................................................................................1
Research questions......................................................................................................................1
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................2
Methodology and Data Collection...................................................................................................3
Data analysis and interpretations.....................................................................................................5
Research Outcomes........................................................................................................................10
Covered In PPT.........................................................................................................................10
Conclusion and Recommendations................................................................................................10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
Recommendation......................................................................................................................10
Reflection & Recommendation of alternative research methodology...........................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Appendix:.......................................................................................................................................12
Research Proposal Form................................................................................................................12
Research Ethics approval form......................................................................................................23

Project Title- To investigate the impact of cultural diversity on employee
engagement, work culture and HR policies that create uncertainty in
business operations .
Introduction
Background and Rationale for the research
Cultural diversity is mainly associated with the selection and recruitment of candidates
from diversified background to enhanced the creativity and innovation level of workforce (Bowl,
2018). The selection of current research topic is rational is it facilitates a better evaluation of
impact of cultural diversity along with viable method to ensure its better management to lead
optimistic impact on employees performance. Further, personal interest and academic purpose of
researcher is also meet with current investigation.
Research aims & objectives
Research aim
“To identify the ways by which an organisation can manage cultural diversity at
workplace”. A study on Unilever Plc.
Research objective
 To determine the impact of cultural diversity over employee’s work performance.
 To identify the ways through which Unilever can promote culture diversity at workplace
for improving workforce performance.
 To identify the challenges faced by Unilever while managing culture diversity at
workplace that impact on employee performance.
Research questions
 What can be the impact of culture diversity on the performance of the employee?
 Which methods can be adopted for promoting cultural diversity at workplace to improve
employee performance?
 What challenges are faced by Unilever while managing cultural diversity that can impact
performance of employees?
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Literature Review
A literature review is comprehensive summary of existing topic or journal research. It is
type of survey scholarly articles, books and other sources of relevant of particular research
background. There is literature review of Impact of Equity and Diversity in the workplace.
1. To determine the impact of culture diversity over employee's work performance.
As per the opinion of Katie Reynolds, 2017. The formation of cultural diversity is plays
an important role in organisation as it helps to form new policies or principles that relates with
the particular company culture that reforms better work coordination enhancement. The impact
of culture diversity will influence miscommunication, forming of conflicts and different adaption
of behaviour. As in perspective of Unilever company, the influence of cultural diversity in their
premises as it would increase the productivity and improves the performances of employees. To
allows many opportunity to share creativity and innovative ideas of business related and provide
the systematic working environment where all working outcomes evaluated through compliance
oriented manner (Enoksen, 2016).
2. To identify the ways through which Unilever can promote culture diversity at their
workplace.
According to the Cristian Grossmann, 2020. The concept of culture diversity is
important to create a successful business mainly in employee engagement activities.
As it is important for organisation like Unilever to understand the changing of
workforce through which diversity and differences to manage by the organisation
other team mates. The manager of Unilever will optimise new policies that would
change the work pattern or procedures, enhance effective training and development
etc. With all these factor can help to promote the cultural diversity as well as it will
help to generate workforce performance (Daniels and Thornton, 2019). Through to this
lead it helps to open interaction with individual and team that come up with various
solution to reducing the issues that creates conflicts.
3. To investigate the challenges that faced by Unilever to managing the culture diversity at
workplace that impact on employee performance.
According to the perspective of Harold Patrick, 2012. As to implement the cultural
diversity in the premises which is most important aspect that would bring systematic working
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compliances which it increases successful outcomes. There are some challenges which creates
some issues to enhancing cultural diversity in Unilever company. Issues which could arises such
as communication between team member challenges to coordinate and hard to pass their
information, various opinion could create confusion to create decision making (Greene, 2019).
Methodology and Data Collection
Adoption of research onion is made to select suitable and justifiable research
methodology for current investigation a description of which is provided below:
Research Philosophy- To ensure a more systematic and scientific way of investigation
adoption of interpretivism research philosophy is made which is justifiable to support the
analysis and implication of quantifiable form of data (Reus-Smit and et. al., 2018).
Research Approach- Utilisation of inductive research approach is suitable for for current
investigation to have a theory based study of current objectives along with better scanning and
testing of collected facts.
Research strategy- The strategy for current investigation comprises of use of
questionnaire for collection of data under the survey strategy of investigation which ensures most
easiest and effective way of study (Bowl, 2018).
Choices of Method- To ensure collection of data in numeric form that is easy to collect
and present use and implication of quantitative form of research method is made that is
justifiable for current investigation to lade measurable and more efficient results in specific time
duration.
Times Horizons
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Data collection- Use of primary as well as secondary sources of data would be made for
collection of data as primary ensures first hand information directly from participants where as
secondary leads to support for findings with the help of past facts and figures (Daniels and
Thornton, 2019).
Sample method- From the employees of Unilever a sample size of 40 participants had
been selected for current investigation with the help of random method of sampling.
Questionnaire
Q1) Do you having any perception about the conception of cultural diversity at place of
work?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Neutral perception
Q2) What possible impact is lead by cultural diversity on the employee engagement,
performance and work culture of Unilever?
a) Positive
b) Negative
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c) No impact
Q3) What are the main challenges associated with cultural diversity that could lead to
uncertainties in business operations of organisation?
a) Enhanced chances of chaos
b) Cultural barriers
c) Conflicts of Interest
Q4) Are you agreed with the fact that HR policies of Unilever plays a vital role in meeting
these uncertainties lead by cultural diversity?
a) Agreed
b) Disagreed
c) Neutral
Q5) Which one is the most viable method or strategy that could be adopted by Unilever to
manage cultural diversity at its place of work to improve the performance of employees?
a) Effective communication
b) Unbiased HR practises
c) Regular cultural training
d) Participative management
Q6) How managers and leaders plays important role in managing cultural diversify at
workplace of Unilever?
Q7) Why management of cultural diversity is so important and viable for Unilever?
Q6) Any further recommendation for Unilever to manage cultural diversity in order to
improve employee performance?
Data analysis and interpretations
Theme 1: Perception about diversity at workplace
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Q1) Do you having any perception about the conception of cultural
diversity at place of work?
Frequency
a) Yes 36
b) No 1
c) Neutral perception 3
36
13
a) Yes
b) No
c) Neutral perception
Interpretation
On the basis of above pie chart it can be interpreted that the 36 participants from total of
40 were having perception about the conception of cultural diversity at place of work where as
only one was opted for no option along with 3 other respondents who seemed to have neutral
perception.
Theme 2: Impact of cultural diversity on the employee engagement, performance and work
culture
Q2) What possible impact is lead by cultural diversity on the
employee engagement, performance and work culture of Unilever?
Frequency
a) Positive 28
b) Negative 4
c) No impact 8
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28
4
8
a) Positive
b) Negative
c) No impact
Interpretation
it has been evaluated that 28 participants had favoured positive impact of cultural
diversity on the employee engagement, performance and work culture where as only 4
respondents seemed in support of negative impact together with the other 8 left out participants
who opted for no impact of of cultural diversity on the employee engagement, performance and
work culture.
Theme 3: Main challenges associated with cultural diversity
Q3) What are the main challenges associated with cultural diversity
that could lead to uncertainties in business operations of
organisation?
Frequency
a) Enhanced chances of chaos 12
b) Cultural barriers 15
c) Conflicts of Interest 13
12
15
13
a) Enhanced chances of chaos
b) Cultural barriers
c) Conflicts of Interest
Interpretation
with respect to above graph an interpretation can be made that Enhanced chances of
chaos is a main challenge associated with cultural diversity that could lead to uncertainties in
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business operations as per the view point of 12 respondents where as 15 participants were having
an opinion that cultural barrier is a big challenge. Apart from this, 13 respondents believed that
Conflicts of Interest is a big issue of cultural diversity.
Theme 4:HR policies plays a vital role in overcoming uncertainties lead by cultural
diversity
Q4) Are you agreed with the fact that HR policies of Unilever plays
a vital role in overcoming these uncertainties lead by cultural
diversity?
Frequency
a) Agreed 25
b) Disagreed 5
c) Neutral 10
25 5
10
a) Agreed
b) Disagreed
c) Neutral
Interpretation
It has been observed from current project that 25 participants were agreed with the piece
of evidence that HR policies of Unilever plays a vital role in overcoming these uncertainties lead
by cultural diversity where as 5 were disagreed along with 10 other respondents who seemed
neutral on above written fact.
Theme 5: Most viable method or strategy to manage cultural diversity
Q5) Which one is the most viable method or strategy that could be
adopted by Unilever to manage cultural diversity at its place of
work to improve the performance of employees?
Frequency
a) Effective communication 10
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b) Unbiased HR practises 11
c) Regular cultural training 10
d) Participative management 9
10
11 10
9
a) Effective communication
b) Unbiased HR practises
c) Regular cultural training
d) Participative management
Interpretation
The most crucial finding of current investigation comprises of analysis of method or
strategy that could be adopted by Unilever to manage cultural diversity which comprises of
effective communication as supported by 10 participants along with unbiased HR practises as per
the view point of 11 respondents. Apart from this, 10 participants favoured regular cultural
training to manage cultural diversity at its place of work to improve the performance of
employees where as 9 opted for participative management.
Interpretation of qualitative data
Theme 1: Managers and leaders plays important role in managing cultural diversify at workplace
of Unilever
Interpretation
Maximum number of participants were having a view point that managers and leaders plays
important role in managing cultural diversify at workplace of Unilever through allowing and
leading proper participation of all employees at workplace without any discrimination along with
directing and guiding employees for implication and adoption of cultural diversity and
management by way of regular training.
Theme 2: Management of cultural diversity is so important and viable for Unilever
Interpretation
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