Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) is an innovative retailer of outdoor equipment and apparel. Since 1938, the recreational retailer has strived to provide its customers with the best equipment, at reasonable prices, while supporting conservation and education initiatives. Utilizing the mission statement “We inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of adventure and stewardship,” REI is an exemplary example of how corporate diversity can boost a company’s productivity and innovation (REI, 2014). This case study will discuss the internal and external diversity initiatives of REI and their effect on the organization’s performance. Topics will include a general background of the organization and industry, discussions on the types of diversity in the company, organizational procedures that support diversity and an analysis of how the organization can improve in the area of diversity. Background Born from the frustrations of two avid ice climbers, who were unable to find reasonably priced ice-axes, REI has been proving outdoor equipment since 1938 (REI, n.d.). The origins of the company begin with Lloyd Anderson, who finally found the ice axes he was looking for in Austria. REI officially began when Mr. Anderson create a …show more content…
4). According to the annual REI Stewardship Report (2014), this desire to embrace diversity extends beyond the walls of the company itself, and into the great outdoors. The organization’s vision includes seeing a more diverse representation of the populace enjoying the attributes of nature and other outdoor pursuits. To that end, the organization has developed a three-pronged strategy to fulfill their vision of organizational
Diversity is a wonderful asset to an organization and brings with it many benefits. Employees bring in their own personal experiences and knowledge to the team (Burns & Kerby, 2012). Having diverse teams allows for the possibility to fix a problem or perfect a process by using different employee’s experiences and past knowledge to find solutions. A diverse workforce can drive economic growth and capture a greater share of the consumer market (Burns & Kerby, 2012). With diversity as a core value, the recruitment pool is widened to find the most qualified candidate and reduces employee turnover as a result. An organization can be highly competitive with a diversity initiative by adapting to a changing environment (Burns & Kerby, 2012).
Findings and Conclusion: Two types of diversity was analysed in this research- inherent diversity and acquired diversity. Inherent diversity includes traits a human is born with like sexual orientation, gender and ethnicity. Acquired diversity includes traits gained with experience like appreciating cultural differences. The research shows that companies which have 2-D diversity perform better than others by creating an environment of innovation. A growth rate of 45% in market share and 70% in capturing a new market is shown by firms having 2-D diversity.
Diversity is becoming a more increasing and ever changing dynamic to the business environment. Organizations can either embrace and grow with diversity or be left behind and die out. One of the organizations that is growing with diversity is Target. This paper will look at Target in depth on what they are doing right and wrong, what makes them a leader in diversity, and what leadership is doing to encourage diversity.
The top managers of Bass Pro Shops are reluctant to apply diversity practices on their recruitment processes, which has significantly damage their reputation and organizational climate. The successful implementation of a training and development method focused on promoting diversity will attract more customers and skilled employees to Bass pro shops stores. Thus, improving the reputation of the company in both employees and customers. The lawsuits derived from their discrimination practices has already damage Bass Pro’s reputation and might jeopardize their cost structure. Thus, the implementation of a diversity training method
Throughout the book The Loudest Duck by Laura A. Liswood, we learn about what it means to be truly diverse and how to obtain this diversity. The book gives many examples of how and why it is important for companies to be diverse. Through this paper I will be outlining the main points the other made and share some of the lessons I feel are important.
The target of this research is to explore the diversity strategies of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ' (VA) with the objective of supporting its efficacy. Accordingly, this paper organizes this exploration into three correlating sections, the first of which introduces an overview of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) within the VA. In addition, this area summarizes the ODI installation of the VA diversity plan. This leads to the second exploration section, which outlines specific focus areas of the VA diversity plan as defined in the Standard University Publication: Best Practices for Managing Organizational Diversity (2007). The third and final segment offers a concluding synopsis along with recommendations for
As diversity and inclusion gain more attention in the society, more research has been done on their impact to organizations. Not too long ago, organizations implemented diversity management initiatives, such as affirmative action and equal employment legislations, just to fulfill their legal requirements (Jayne and Dipboye, 2004). However, diversity and inclusion have since then become a business imperative.
Diversity has become a major part of society in the past decade and organizations have continued to adapt to our changing world. One way that organizations provide support for human and world differences is by creating a diversity mission statements that support the company’s actions. Diversity mission statements for corporations compared to non-profit organizations are more similar than I expected since. Verizon Wireless is the corporation I chose to research due to their current market share and success of the company. Verizon (2017) stated in their diversity statement how important and vital their employee differences have contributed to their success. According to Verizon (2017), 59% is their current workforce diversity and over half of
REI puts a lot of effort into making sure their employees work in a positive environment. According to REI’s website, “REI dedicates significant time and staff resources to ensure our work environment is inclusive and welcoming for all employees. We provide training for employees at all levels, and we reinforce positive behaviors and emphasize respect for all individuals.” This philosophy lets employees enjoy a family oriented workplace where all employees share common goals, a vision, and a love for the outdoors. REI also provides a plethora of benefits to their employees, to include stewardship projects, community projects, same sex marriage or partner benefits, sabbatical leave, and many other incentives that make working for REI a great experience, which we will discuss in more
ReferencesAnswers Corporations. 2007. Johnson & Johnson. Retrieved June 27, 2007 from http://www.answers.com/topic/johnson-johnson?cat=biz-finJohnson & Johnson. Global Diversity - It's All of Us. Retrieved June 30, 2007 fromhttp://www.jnj.com/our_company/diversity/index.htm;jsessionid=EGT3V0ZLGAFE0CQPCCFWU2YKB2IIWTT1Johnson & Johnson (2007). Supplier Diversity Program. Retrieved July 2, 2007 from http:www.jnj.comJohnson & Johnson (2006). Sustainability Report. Retrieved July 4, 2007 from http:ww
Many organizations are beginning to view diversity as an organizational change. This could possibly mean changes in the power dynamics and organizational structure, the way decisions are made, and the way an
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The world's increasing globalization requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, profit and non-profit organizations need diversity to become more creative and open to change. Maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity
With the changing demographics of the U.S. workforce (Ng & Burke, 2005) and the need for organizations to continually innovate their products and services to remain competitive, embracing diversity and the benefits its brings is going to be key to driving a successful organization
Diversity in workforce “include, but are not limited to: age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, educational background, geographic location, income, marital status, military experience, religious beliefs, parental status, and work experience”(Thomas 1992). Diversity in the workforce is initially perceived as a response toward the increasing diversity of the consumers in the market (Agocs & Burr, 1996). From there, it has been observed that capitalizing on existing differences among the employees provide benefits to the organization. Diversity in workforce fosters and encourages