Diversity for Edmundson Industrial Supplies

Diversity Case Study for Edmundson Industrial Supplies
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Abstract
The purpose of this report is to present a case study to prove the benefits of diversity for Edmundson Industrial Supplies. Diversity and inclusion acceptance is often determined as the most effective tool for increasing productivity, revenue, employee engagement, and cost control. On behalf of this, the report presents a case study comprising four leads for Edmundson from different clients.
The report used the case study method to introduce, identify the need, and suggest diversity acceptance at Edmundson. Later on, a diversity program is designed for Edmundson according to the best practices of the diversity of IBM. The case study method effectively understands the significance of the proposed diversity program and estimates all the possible outcomes of not adapting diversity.
The findings strongly prove the objective of this report. Diversity effectively increases productivity, revenue, employee engagement, and cost control. However, there are certain challenges associated with it. In response, the report presents recommendations for a smooth acceptance of diversity.
Diversity Case Study for Edmundson Industrial Supplies
1 Introduction
A new challenge hunts the leading corporations of the modern business world. According to Hashim and Hameed (2012), globalization has become the first tool to beat competitive pressure. The authors define globalization as the process of an interdependent economy. Theodore Levitt put forward the concept of globalization. If the economy was operating well without interdependence, then what provokes globalization? The industrial era brought great changes with it. The industrial era shifted the production concept to the demand concept of marketing during the 1970s (Suharnomo, 2017). With this shift, consumer preference and demand became the sensitive element of the business. Additionally, the awareness and accessibility to businesses gave rise to increased suppliers and limited buyers. As a result, the competitive pressure is rising tremendously.
For example, the baby boomers reached retirement age by 2010 (Hashim & Hameed, 2012). It creates room for millennials to take over the top positions in 2017. This shift in the top management is creating massive change and putting forward new concepts in the business world. Workplace diversity and inclusion are major concepts. According to Suharnomo (2017), workplace diversity and inclusion create room for talents irrespective of gender, ethnicity, race, nationality, sexual orientation, and disability. Edmundson Industrial supplies present the following case study for understanding the need for diversity and inclusion. The case study also highlights the effects of diversity on internal and external stakeholders of a company.
1 Objectives
This case study aims to assess that workplace diversity and inclusion can increase revenue, magnify invocation, promise employee engagement, reduce cost, and illustrate commitment. Based on this, the following objectives are evaluated via this case study.
2 Case Study
2.1 Scenario
Edmundson Industrial Supplies deal with the maintenance and repair of operational material for different businesses. The company is open to working with different kinds of organizations and corporations. Major operations include interior design and office supplies. The organization’s size comprises six employees, one manager, one CEO, and one staff member. The organizational structure consists of sales, design and procurement, marketing, and accounts. The size of the organization does not affect its efficacy. It has maintained a higher rating from 19 clients since its inception. Currently, the corporation initiated a social media campaign to generate more leads and enrich the client’s list. The organization is also developing a recruitment program to add new talent. Currently, the organization has no female employees, and most of the employees are from Central America.
The campaign resulted in four new leads with different demands for industrial operation materials. The names of the companies are kept confidential to entertain ethical considerations in this case. Company A is a woman who leads an organization that demands office chairs. The special need is that the chairs must be designed to assist pregnant women during work. Company B is operated by African-American leaders searching for office interiors based on their cultural theme. Company C wants to install projectors in their meeting room.
Nevertheless, the problem is that the manager only understands the native language. Company D and E is a fashion firm looking for vibrant accessories and designs for its stores. Before this campaign, Edmundson worked with local brands with no special requirements. However, this time, the company needs intense attention and devotion.
2.2 Problem
This section highlights the problem in each lead for further analysis. Key problems in generated leads include increasing cost, prolonged turnover time, third-party involvement, privacy risk, reputation at stake, and delays. Further details are described below
1 First Lead-Company A
The company is demanding executive chairs with a special need for extra comfort for pregnant women. Edmundson’s existing vendors operate with traditional executive chairs. The organization has to search for new vendors and receive a preview from Company A before proceeding with the order. This may increase the lead’s turnover time and the procurement cost.
2 Second Lead from Company B
This company is asking for interior design for the office based on African-American culture. However, Edmundson has no understanding of such culture. The current design team does not know much about African-American culture. Therefore, the industrial suppliers must search for new vendors and set previews with the designated organization. This will also increase the cost and turnover duration. Most importantly, customer satisfaction is also at stake due to zero knowledge of the culturally based interior.
3 Third Lead from Company C
The projected demand is simple, but this lead’s communication gap is a problem. The manager of the company communicates in only the native language. Edmundson must hire an interpreter to close the deal. Besides, the interpreter will also be involved in all the operational tasks to keep the manager updated about the project. It will create additional costs for Edmundson and increase the risk of breach of privacy. Therefore, Edmundson has to inform company C before appointing an interpreter.
4 Fourth Lead from Company D and E
The existing designing team excels in decent official designs according to the Central American standards of a workplace. To close this deal, Edmundson has to outsource the task to third-party designers with immense knowledge of aesthetic workplace interiors. However, this move cannot only risk Edmundson’s business by providing a connection to other designers but also put Edmundson’s reputation at stake. Edmundson will be accountable if the third-party designer fails to satisfy the consumers.
2.3 Proposed Solution
As Edmundson is searching for new talent, it can include a diversity program in the recruitment. This program can provide a comprehensive solution to the outlined problems. The program consists of five steps adopted from the diversity program strategy of IBM (Barak & Chateau de la Bretesche Colloquium, 2013). The steps are identification, action plan, target recruitment, management, and evaluation.
Step 1 identifies the need for a diversity program. In the given scenario, Edmundson needs diversity to cut costs, increase productivity, magnify the turnover rate, and reduce the associated risk. For example, a diversity program will open room for talent that can look after the new requirement of the market. As the new requirements demand increased cost, prolonged turnover, and high risk, the need for diversification is intense.
Step 2 includes the plan of action for the diversity program. The organization must develop a hiring policy with inclusion criteria for gender equality, ethnicity, nationality, race, disability, and LGBT determinants (Kundu, Bansal, & Chawla, 2015). The diversity policy should also change existing policies that might affect the new plan. For instance, equal pay policy for males and females at a certain designation (Goodman, 2013; Doyle, 2015). In this way, a plan of action can be implemented effectively.
Step 4 is to design targeted recruitment according to the need identified and specified in the previous steps. This step will funnel down the hunt for new talent and coincides with the new requirement of the company
Step 5 includes an evaluation of the diversity program. Once executed, the management is responsible for assessing whether the implemented plan makes any difference. This step is also essential for analyzing the expected and actual outcomes of the diversity program. If the outcomes are as per expectation, the diversity program will be continued, while any inverse outcome will be re-assessed and implemented for betterment.
1 Analy...