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Workforce Diversity and Organizational Performance: A Study of Selected Manufacturing Firms in Akwa Ibom State

Usen, Sunday Sunday, Don, Baridam M, Uwa, Kingsley L

Abstract

This study examined the effect of workforce diversity on organizational performance of selected manufacturing firms in Akwa Ibom State. The major objective of the study was to examine the effect of workforce diversity on organizational performance of selected manufacturing firms in Akwa Ibom State. Methodologically, the researcher adopted survey research design. The population of the study was one hundred and five (105). The study adopted census technique by making use of the total population of 105 as sample size. The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire administered to the respondents using simple random sampling techniques. The data collected were analyzed using simple linear regression analysis and at 0.05 level of significance, result from the analysis shows that age diversity has a positive and significance effect on organizational performance of selected manufacturing firms in Akwa Ibom State (R2 =0.571), and gender diversity has a positive and significance effect on organizational performance of selected Manufacturing firms in Akwa Ibom State (R2 =0.551). Based on the finding, it was concluded that workforce diversity has a positive and significance effect on organizational performance of selected Manufacturing firms in Akwa Ibom State. The researcher recommended that management of the studied selected manufacturing firms should embrace age diversity for the potential impact that it has for creativity and innovativeness in the organization, and gender diversity must be appreciated for its growing significance in organization. As such, achieving gender balance in the organization workforce must be considered as a sustainable strategy for not only attaining a competitive advantage, but for establishing a distinctive organizational culture and reputation, which adds to the corporate external image as well.

Keywords

Workforce DiversityAge DiversityGender DiversityManufacturing Firms

References

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