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| Wentling, R. M., & Palma-Rivas, N. (1997). Current status and future trends of diversity initiatives in the workplace: Diversity experts' perspective (Diversity in the Workforce Series, Report No. 2; MDS-1082). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California. |
The major method of this research study was in-depth, open-ended telephone interviews with a panel of twelve diversity experts from across the United States. Diversity experts were chosen as participants because they can provide current perspectives and up-to-date knowledge that can not be found in other sources of information. Therefore, this study used the key-informants approach for collecting data. Key-informants are selected because they are knowledgeable about the topics being researched. They are also able and willing to communicate their knowledge (Kumar, Stern, & Anderson, 1993). According to Borg and Gall (1989), using the key-informant approach has many advantages. Key-informants can "provide insights that no amount of observation would reveal. They can also provide insights into processes, sensitize the researcher to value dilemmas, and help the researcher see the implications of specific findings" (p. 399).
Through telephone interviews, extensive data was collected in order to produce an in-depth understanding of the current status and future trends of diversity initiatives in organizations. The data provided by the participants consisted of words in the form of rich verbal descriptions (qualitative data) as well as quantitative data. The quantitative data was utilized to provide the basic research evidence, while the qualitative data was used to round out the picture and provide examples.
An interview guide was developed to assist in collecting the data from the interviews. The interview guide was divided into the six following sections: (1) barriers, (2) factors influencing diversity, (3) importance of managing diversity, (4) strategies for managing diversity, (5) diversity training programs, and (6) future trends related to diversity.
A study advisory committee, made up of three human resource development (HRD) educators reviewed the interview guide and study procedures. Also, a pilot study was conducted with three people knowledgeable on diversity issues in business and industry in order to determine content validity and appropriateness of the interview guide. These individuals were not part of the panel of experts. There was agreement by the study's advisory committee and the pilot test participants that the interview guide and the data being collected were appropriate for meeting the objectives of the study.
To carry out this study, a purposive sampling technique was used. The researchers conducted telephone interviews with twelve diversity experts from across the United States (West Coast, Midwest, and East Coast). Through an extensive in-depth literature review, a list of twenty diversity experts was developed. (Refer to Diversity in the Workforce Series: Report #1: Diversity in the Workforce: A Literature Review [MDS-934].) The list of the twenty diversity experts was compiled by the frequency that their names appeared in the diversity literature. Then twelve diversity experts from the list were selected based on the following criteria: had experience on working with diversity programs in both public and private sectors, published articles and/or books in the field of diversity, had conducted research on diversity aimed at "real work" applications, served as active diversity consultant with corporate and public-sector clients, and had been involved in diversity work closely related to the topic of this study.
Initial contacts with the diversity experts were made over the telephone at which time dates, interview appointments, and arrangements were made. Each participant received a letter confirming the telephone interview appointment and a copy of the interview guide two weeks before the scheduled interview. The participants were able to examine the interview questions prior to the interview. The telephone interviews were conducted by the researchers from February to April of 1996. During the telephone interviews, the researchers used the guide to focus the data-collection process. Flexibility was retained to probe into each participant's statements and replies and to pursue additional issues related to the focus of the study that were not included in the interview guide. With permission from the participants, the telephone interviews were tape recorded and extensive notes were also taken during each interview. The interviews lasted from one to three hours, with an overall average of two hours.
The interview data from the tapes were transcribed verbatim. The data were then content-analyzed. Content analysis is a research technique for systematically examining the content of communications—in this instance, the interview data. Participants' responses to interview guide questions and related issues that arose during the interview process were read and put together as complete quotations and filed according to the topic or issue addressed. Namely, the information was sorted into categories. Responses were analyzed thematically with emergent themes ranked by how frequent they were mentioned and subsequently categorized. The content analysis of the interview data was completed manually and with computer assistance using the software Excel.
To assist in ensuring the reliability of the interview data collected, the researchers invited an experienced diversity manager from an organization to review the interview data from two of the diversity experts and to identify the various diversity factors in the text. There was unanimous agreement between the researchers and the diversity manager regarding the factors identified in the text.
