Diversity is a fact. It is also paradoxical. We need to be capable of seeing and hearing differences in order to reap the benefits of diversity. But seeing and hearing differences hone our discriminating reflexes and can also lead to discrimination. If you take this MOOC, you will: 1. understand this paradox, 2. understand its dynamics, and 3. identify ways to manage it, so that you can better channel the diversity potential in the workplace for greater performance and innovation.
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Syllabus
WEEK 1
Hi Diversity!
Welcome to the start of your learning journey! In this module, you will start to familiarize yourself with diversity concepts and their relevance in the workplace. First, you will learn about why diversity and inclusion are important for firms, and about the historical development of diversity and inclusion in firms. Next, you will be introduced to key diversity-related concepts and issues. Then, you will discover facts and figures for five diversity categories and the challenges that firms are facing to promote the inclusion of these diversity elements. By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of diversity concepts and their application to different diversity categories.
WEEK 2
Categorization and Diversity Perceptions
Now that you have a solid understanding of diversity and inclusion concepts, this second leg of the learning journey is all about you within an increasingly diversified social context. This module introduces you to how cognitive processes such as social categorization impact what we see and how we react to our social environment. It will help you understand your own and others' perceptions and reactions to difference. By the end of this module, you will have acquired conceptual tools and experiential data, in order to analyse your reactions in social interactions in the workplace.
WEEK 3
Disrupting with Diversity
In the previous module, you honed in on your diversity reflexes by first understanding categorization processes, then applying them to your own experiences. In this module, you will go from the individual to the firm setting, and explore the diversity processes that we encounter in organizations. You will be introduced to a method for mobilizing the disruptive force of diversity by building on the self-knowledge that you have acquired in the previous session. You will see how diversity can be leveraged to make us think about how we think, and how it can help us to expand our perceptions and understanding. By the end of this module, you will grasp the challenges of implementing inclusion in the workplace and be able to apply the cognitive method to a diversity case.
WEEK 4
Diversity and Inclusion around the World
Well done! You are almost there! In this final leg of your learning journey, you will travel to different countries around the world to find out what diversity and inclusion initiatives are being implemented, and to think about their impact. You will also have the opportunity to describe a diversity and inclusion best practice, and thereby develop your skills to look for diversity information in the workplace, to identify diversity and inclusion best practices, and to become more aware of the different inclusion initiatives that are in your professional environment.
