Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Work and Society

1. Race, Ethnicity and
Diversity
By Ayesha Pervaiz

2. Both race and ethnicity are seen to be
differentiated in a community due to
their cultural beliefs and physical
characteristics. In order to achieve
diversity there must be equal rights for
all race , ethnicity , gender,
homosexuality ect…
In Postmodern society, the
service sector is a more diverse
platform with an equal
representation compared to
previous years. It is seen to be
crucial that there is a more
diverse demonstration in a
business today.
Cooper,201
6
“when you have a more
diverse work group you
have a better financial
performance” (Ralph
and Noonan, 2017).
Moreover this indicates that you are most likely to increase a
businesses reputation and profit if there is a diverse
presentation of people from society. This is demonstrated in
this graph that proves how the more diversity ‘translates to the
perception of higher quality ideas’

3. (Fan, 2011)
As you can see that through
this increase it shows why it
is necessary to hire a diverse
work group. Globalisation
has led to a breakdown in
barriers and a more
accepting attitude to different
race, ethnicity, gender and
more . There is a modern
way of thinking now that
leads to an equal chance for
unemployed minorities to
attain work and increase
experience and knowledge in
growing companies.
However the changes today haven’t significantly changed everyone’s way of thinking. Still currently there are big
retailers , for example Sports Direct which was recently telling staff that “they could only speak English” which
critics described to be “discriminatory and offensive” (Dixon, 2017).
Does this mean that attitudes haven’t changed overtime, not only in the service sector but in manufacturing too? In
my opinion humanity has become more accepting and there is a better representation in the 21st century. Big
companies today which are in the Fortune 500 have shown a diverse image on minorities.

4. There has been many female CEO’s such as
Mary T. Barra who is in charge of General
Motors.
Also an increase in Hispanic and Asian directors
between 2014 and 2016.
Donnelly,

5. In the 19th century there was a traditional
outlook in life. In work there was mostly white
men working in the labour force compared to
females who were at home performing the
domestic labour.
Strong radical feminists Kate Miller said that In
society there is a strong representation of patriarchy
which must be abolished in order to prevent women
having the ‘dual burden’ (Thompsan, 2014)
Doherty, 2017
Moreover the civil rights movement which existed
between the years 1865 and 1896 was a period
where they tried to prevent racial discrimination
and increase employment opportunities, however
this didn’t reach the goal due to the ‘Plessy v
Ferguson’ case which stated “separate but equal”
and supported the 14 amendment of equal
protection (Duignan, 2019) however this still
differentiated black minorities in society.

6. Now in the 21st century the idea of separate but equal
does not exist and there is more of a diverse
demonstration at work. Within the manufacturing and
service sector, minority groups are supported by the
power of legislation. For example ‘The Equality Act
2010 legally protects discrimination in the workplace
and in wider society’ (GOV.UK, 2013) It clearly conveys
that issues that prevented diversity in the workplace
have been tackled.
Jump,2010
Liberal Feminist Jennifer Somerville would agree and
say that there is a ‘march of progress’ for females. She
continues to address that females fail to acknowledge
the progress for women such as greater freedom into
paid work (Thompson, 2015). Globalisation has led to a
breakdown in barriers and a spread in modern culture.
The traditional perspective of a nuclear family no longer
exists therefore an increase in freedom of a person to
perform the breadwinner role in the family has increased.
It is evident that within the service sector there is a

7. However the service and
manufacturing sector is
argued to be unequal and
discriminatory. This case
study of Sports Direct
proves that even today
there is a lack of diversity. It
is demonstrated that the
company went under
scrutiny for claims of race
discrimination. This means
that big companies today
could still possibly mistreat
minority groups at work.
Evidence shows how
females are still payed less
today. In the UK today “Men
are paid more than women
in 7,755 out of 9,961
companies” (Bedingfield,
2019). This demonstrates
the lack of improvement in
society which raises
questions on the matter of
equal rights for females in
the labour force.
As I evaluate the issues I have
come to the conclusion that’s
society still needs to improve its
attitudes toward minority groups.
Sports Direct shows how
discrimination still exists today,
especially in popular companies
today , different groups ‘have to
speak English’. One critisms to
this argument of discrimination
which still exists today is many
functionalists such as Talcott
Parsons would say that there ‘a
certain degree of consensus’ ,
meaning people having the
same beliefs and ideas as each
other.(Segre, 2012:64) Value
consensus is only caused due to
globalisation and the spread of
culture. In essence it could
portray how different
communities differ with the
attitudes of who works in the
labour force. This leads to a lack
of a minority representation at
work.

8. However this can be argued that there is an issue with the
labour force and how discrimination still exists today. A good
example is how Sports Direct prevented other languages but
the English language. This case study proves how large
companies today adopt the traditional outlook of a white man
performing the breadwinner role in the family.
I believe that there is a diverse representation and a more
acceptable idea that people are more free to express opinions
today. Many movements in society such as ‘Black Lives
Matter’ demonstrate how people are passionate to portray
their view on equal rights. This has raised the amount of black
employment in society today.

9. Bibliography
Bedingfield, W. (2019). Here are the gender pay gaps at Apple, Facebook and Google. [online]
Wired.co.uk. Available at: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/gender-pay-gap-2019-uk-figures [Accessed 12
Apr. 2019].
CNN (2015). The rise of Black Lives Matter: Trying to break the cycle of violence and silence. [image]
Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/28/us/black-lives-matter-evolution/index.html [Accessed 21
Apr. 2019].
Cooper, K. (2016). Design Has a Diversity Problem. [image] Available at: https://42hire.com/design-has-a-
diversity-problem-1456d8d135a2 [Accessed 16 Apr. 2019].
Dixon, H. (2017). Sports Direct facing investigation after telling staff they can only speak
in English. [online] The Telegraph. Available at:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/07/sports-direct-sparks-anger-wales-english-
order-staff/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2019].
Donnelly, G. (2018). http://fortune.com. [online] Fortune. Available at:
http://fortune.com/2018/02/28/black-history-month-black-ceos-fortune-500/
[Accessed 5 Apr. 2019].
Duignan, B. (2019). Plessy v. Ferguson | Summary, Facts, & Significance. [online] Encyclopedia
Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/event/Plessy-v-Ferguson-1896 [Accessed 12
Apr. 2019].
Fan, D. (2011). Proof That Diversity Drives Innovation. [online] DiversityInc. Available at:
https://www.diversityinc.com/proof-that-diversity-drives-innovation/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

10. Bibliography
GOV.UK. (2013). Equality Act 2010: guidance. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-
act-2010-guidance [Accessed 12 Apr. 2019].
Jump, P. (2010). Lawyers urge publication of guidance on new Equality Act. [image] Available at:
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/lawyers-urge-publication-guidance-new-equality-act/governance/article/998581
[Accessed 21 Apr. 2019].
Ralph, O. and Noonan, L. (2017). Diversity brings boost to profitability | Financial Times.
[online] Ft.com. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/1bc22040-1302-11e7-80f4-
13e067d5072c [Accessed 5 Apr. 2019].
The New Republic (2017). The Courageous Radicalism of Kate Millett.
[image] Available at: https://newrepublic.com/article/144740/courageous-
radicalism-kate-millett [Accessed 17 Apr. 2019].
Thompson, K. (2014). Feminist Perspectives on the Family. [online] ReviseSociology.
Available at: https://revisesociology.com/2014/02/10/feminist-perspectives-family/ [Accessed 8
Apr. 2019].
Thompson, K. and WooCommerce, B. (2015). The Liberal Feminist Perspective on the Family. [online]
ReviseSociology. Available at: https://revisesociology.com/2015/11/28/the-liberal-feminist-perspective-on-the-
family/ [Accessed 8 Apr. 2019].