Does “Diversity” Work?

No, or at least there’s no convincing evidence that it does, writes Alice Eagly of Northwestern in the Journal of Social Issues (Hat Tip: Slate Star Codex). From the Abstract:

In an ideal world, social science research would provide a strong basis for advocacy and social policy. However, advocates sometimes misunderstand or even ignore scientific research in pursuit of their goals, especially when research pertains to controversial questions of social inequality. To illustrate the chasm that can develop between research findings and advocates’ claims, this article addresses two areas: (a) the effects of the gender diversity of corporate boards of directors on firms’ financial performance and (b) the effects of the gender and racial diversity of workgroups on group performance. Despite advocates’ insistence that women on boards enhance corporate performance and that diversity of task groups enhances their performance, research findings are mixed, and repeated meta-analyses have yielded average correlational findings that are null or extremely small.

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  1. 1LTLos March 30, 2016 at 3:31 pm | | Reply

    Diversity is another word for expressing the obvious. Our Great country, the UNited States of America IS a diverse nation. That is an established fact and the rule – this is not an exception or special circumstance. American was founded this way. Why not acclimate to your National Social Agreement – the Constitution and Bill of Rights? Why try to establish that “diversity” plays any role in why one person succeeds and another one doesnt. You see, America is all about E Pluribus Unum however in the world of succeeding and getting ahead, that is an individual issue – not a social one – wholly and solely based upon the volition of the individual to either hike up their pants and hide their underwear and seek a job, or not to. ( I say this as only this morning a student wore his pants below his buttocks. In a classroom of 18 people, he was alone in that attire – no one else chose that way to dress but he — Solely an individual choice as is the individual choice to wake up, smell the coffee and get with the program – You own program and stick with it until one carries themselves over their finish line – You see no one ellse can know what nor where another persons “finish line” can be. It is up to the person and up to that person to mesh, integrate, engage and contribute with who they are, what they have with a chance of improving their lot in the future – not to rely upon handouts or “”diversity” programs to enhance their self confidence. How possibly can that usher in SELF confidence if that stems from the starting line being changed? Instant fraud! And those who embrace “diversity” know that!

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