Investigating HRM's Role in Fostering Workplace Diversity: A Proposal

This research proposal investigates the critical role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in fostering diversity within the workplace, using Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) as a case study. The research aims to identify how HRM strategies impact diversity, understand the challenges related to workforce diversity, and analyze effective solutions. The proposal outlines the research rationale, questions, aims, objectives, and methodology, including quantitative research methods, primary and secondary data collection through questionnaires and literature review, and random sampling. It also details the research philosophy, approach, design, and timescale, along with the resources required. The study seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between HRM and workplace diversity, ultimately supporting organizations in creating more inclusive and equitable environments. The proposal also includes a comprehensive list of references.

RESEARCH
PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
Topic................................................................................................................................................1
Background to Research Topic........................................................................................................1
Background to Research Organisation ............................................................................................1
Research Rationale...........................................................................................................................2
Research Question...........................................................................................................................2
Research Aims and Objectives........................................................................................................3
Research aim ..............................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives ...................................................................................................................3
Research Methodology ...................................................................................................................3
Timescale.........................................................................................................................................4
Resources.........................................................................................................................................6
.......................................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7
.........................................................................................................................................................7

Topic
“Diversity At Workplace In The Context Of Human Resource Management”
Background to Research Topic
Diversity means having unlike or distinct elements. Within a workplace, diversity means
employing workers who may be differ from each other and not all come from the similar
background (Barak 2016). These characteristics or background may include ethnicity, race,
political ideologies, age, physical abilities, sexual orientation, gender or socio-economic status.
Human resource management introduces as a main practice of recruiting, deploying, selecting
and managing an enterprise's employees. Diversity at workplace affects the development on
interpersonal or direct relationship, how managers and supervisors interact with staff members
and how workers relate to each other. Workplace diversity also affects HR functions, such as
training, record keeping, recruiting for human resource staff expertise. In different ways, it
maximise human resource duties and holds the any department responsible for functions
mandated by law.
There are different ways used by human resource management to enhance employee
engagement via operational process and diversity-focused initiatives for their workforce. It
includes, empower and educate managers, develop diversity-friendly workforce policies,
communicate clearly and develop employee-led task forces, offer diverse possibilities for
employee engagement, offer workplace flexibility and develop mentorship programs (Berman
and et. al, 2019). These are consider main and essential ways for managing diversity within an
organisation. Along with this, diversity within a workplace is vital for workers because it
manifests itself in making a strong position for the organisation, leading to maximised
opportunities for workers and increased profitability.
Background to Research Organisation
Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is a chosen multinational clothing retailer that is known of its
fast-fashion clothing for women, men, children and teenagers. This organisation was founded in
1947 by Erling Persson and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Diverse workforce at Hennes
& Mauritz score the business 71/100 across different culture categories, placing Hennes &
Mauritz in the upper 25% of organizations in the US with 10,000+ workers for Comparably's
diversity score (Diversity at H&M, 2019). This gives insights into how employees who have
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different background feel and rate their work experience at organisation across different culture
dimensions. Along with this, human resource management at H&M plays an effective role in
promoting diversity at workplace. They want to lead the way to a more sustainable and inclusive
world. Diverse workers especially women at Hennes & Mauritz have rated Perks & Benefits,
Environment, and Team as the advanced categories they have scored.
Research Rationale
Main purpose of conducting this research is to determine importance of diversity at
workplace and role of human resource management in promoting workplace diversity. It is a
broad concept which helps in proper identification of the phenomena of cultural diversity in
context of human resource management (Bratton and Gold, 2017). Main reason for choosing this
topic is to increase awareness about the diversity and its direct relation with HRM among people.
Along with this, this investigation is more important in personal life by developing skills and
capabilities of researcher about the literature review, data collection, data analysis, analytical
tools and so on. If this research is published will also support students, societies, organisation by
increasing their understanding regarding the diversity.
Along with this, main purpose of choosing H&M company for this research is it support
unemployed people by providing better job opportunities. In addition of this, company have
different employees whose belongs with different culture. As this research support in
identification of importance of diverse workforce within an organisation (Cleveland, Byrne and
Cavanagh, 2015).
Research Question
 Are you have knowledge about the human resource management and diversity at
workplace?
 What are the importance of human resource management in promoting diversity at
workplace?
 What are the challenges related to workforce diversity in human resource management?
 What are the ways by which challenges of workforce diversity over human resource
management can be resolved?
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Research Aims and Objectives
Research aim
“To identify the role of human resource management in promoting diversity at
workplace”. A study on H&M.
Research Objectives
 To develop basic understanding about the human resource management and diversity at
workplace.
 To determine the importance of human resource management in promoting diversity at
workplace.
 To acknowledge challenges related to workforce diversity in human resource
management.
 To analyse ways by which challenges of workforce diversity over human resource
management can be resolved.
Research Methodology
This section helps in identification of useful method. Under this part of research, different
methods will be covered for collecting accurate and reliable information about the diversity and
role of human resource management in promoting culture diversity at workplace. There are some
useful methods which are needed to conduct dissertation in systematic manner. These methods
will be determined as below:
Research Choice: Entire activity of research is based on qualitative and quantitative type
of research. These are two types of research which will be used for gathering data in qualitative
and quantitative manner. In this research, quantitative type of study will be going to used as it
assist in collection of quality data (Flick, 2015). It will also support in driving of valid research
conclusion. Quantitative is another choice of investigation but for performing activity of current
study, it is not suitable. This type of investigation require information in numerical manner
which consume more time and need more resources of investigator.
Data collection: For collection detailed and reliable data, researcher will used both
primary and secondary method of investigation. Questionnaire will be selected as an useful
medium of primary data collection. This medium assist in collection of reliable ans authenticate
information from the respondents. However, there are different secondary methods such as
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published materials, online articles, journals, books and many other. These sources will also opt
by researcher in literature review section. This section is completely based on secondary sources
which turn to support researcher by providing detailed data regarding the role of human resource
management in promotive diversity at workplace of H&M (Mackenzie, Tan, Hoverman and
Baldwin, 2012).
Sampling: In order to recruit respondents for this project, random sampling as an
important type of probability sampling will be going to used. With the help of this sampling 60
respondents will be recruited from whom researcher will collect more possible data from this.
Non-probability is another type of sampling which will be nor useable according to this
investigation. As this sampling consume more time and resources of an organisation or
researcher (Gioia, Corley and Hamilton, 2013).
Research philosophy: Within a research, researcher will be going to used interpretivisim
philosophy as it support researcher in collection of reliable data about the diversity at workplace
in context of HRM. Positivism is another type of research philosophy which will be not used to
conduct this research. As this philosophy not provide valid results and not support in driving of
accurate conclusion.
Research approach: In the current investigation, inductive approach of research will be
applied because it helps researcher to present information or data in graphical format. As it helps
in achieving appropriate research outcomes easily. Deductive is consider another kind of
research approach but it is not accurate according to this investigation. As this approach need
more time and not provide helps in attaining of valid research outcomes (Green, Camilli and
Elmore, 2012).
Research design: There are basically three useful research design which are exploratory,
experimental and descriptive. Among all kind of research design, descriptive design of research
will be going to used by researcher. As it assist researcher in identification of accurate impact of
study. Entire activity of research project is based on research design which helps researcher in
completion of research systemically and effectively.
Timescale
This is important part of research proposal which support researcher in identification of
starting and ending time of research completion (Kumar, 2019). Gantt chart introduces as an
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effective part of timescale which will be used for identifying time period of completing this
project. In this chart different number of activities will be included which shown as below:
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Resources
In order to conduct this research different number of resources will be needed to use by
research. It includes, interview, questionnaire, books, magazines, time, journals etc. These are
consider main and useful resources need to be opt by researcher for collecting primary as well as
secondary data. Questionnaire is consider one of the main source of primary data collection
which will be apply for gathering information in real and valid way. Apart from this, books,
magazines, publication researcher are consider secondary sources of data collection. These
sources will be used in literature review section for identifying information in in-depth and
detailed manner. Therefore, questionnaire, books, magazines etc. are main sources for
conducting primary and secondary research in more authenticate and systematic manner
(DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst, 2016).
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barak, M. E. M., 2016. Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage
Publications.
Berman, E. M., Bowman, J. S., West, J. P. and Van Wart, M. R., 2019. Human resource
management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems. CQ Press.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Cleveland, J.N., Byrne, Z.S. and Cavanagh, T.M., 2015. The future of HR is RH: Respect for
humanity at work. Human Resource Management Review. 25(2). pp.146-161.
DeCenzo, D. A., Robbins, S. P. and Verhulst, S. L., 2016. Fundamentals of Human Resource
Management, Binder Ready Version. John Wiley & Sons.
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.
Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G. and Hamilton, A. L., 2013. Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive
research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organizational research methods. 16(1).
pp.15-31.
Green, J. L., Camilli, G. and Elmore, P. B. eds., 2012. Handbook of complementary methods in
education research. Routledge.
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Mackenzie, J., Tan, P. L., Hoverman, S. and Baldwin, C., 2012. The value and limitations of
participatory action research methodology. Journal of hydrology. 474. pp.11-21.
Online
Diversity at H&M. 2019. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.comparably.com/companies/h-m/diversity>.
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