Sandra Groeneveld

Diversity and diversity policies in educationEvidence from the Netherlands

International Conference on EducationDiverse Talents for the Future of Europe

Brussels5-6 March 2012

Dr Sandra GroeneveldDepartment of Public Administration

Erasmus University RotterdamThe Netherlands

[email protected]

What is the impact of increasing ethnic-cultural diversity on

performance in education?

Outline:

1. Diversity in higher education and performance of students: what can

we learn from diversity management literature?

– results from an experiment in Dutch higher education

2. Diversity policies in education: are they effective?

– results from an employee survey in the Dutch public sector

Diversity and diversity policies in educationEvidence from the Netherlands

(1) Diversity in higher education and performance of students: an experiment

Van Knippenberg et al. (2004): Categorization-Elaboration Model (CEM)

•Research on the relationship between work group diversity and

performance yielded inconsistent results.

•Categorization-Elaboration Model (CEM) incorporates information/decision

making and categorization processes in one model.


Van Knippenberg et al. (2004): Categorization-Elaboration Model (CEM)

•Information/decision making perspective: diversity within a group is

positively related to the elaboration of task relevant information and

perspectives. Elaboration is related to work group performance.

•Social categorization perspective: social categorization, the differentiation

between in-group others and out-group others, leads to intergroup biases,

dependent on threats to subgroup identity. Intergroup biases moderate the

relationship between diversity and elaboration.


Categorization-Elaboration Model (CEM) (adjusted)

Diversity Elaboration Performance: creativity, innovation, decision quality

Intergroup biases/affective reactions

Identity threat

Task motivation

Task ability


•Field experiment

•Design:

• Nine working groups of app. 20 students with different shares

of ethnic minority students (9 – 77 percent)

• Diversity: share of ethnic minority students

• Assignment (t0) → Discussion → Assignment (t1)

• Survey

•Structural equation modeling to assess the fit of the CEM model

•We used CEM for analyzing work group

processes in higher education (Van Kleef,

2011; Van Kleef & Groeneveld, forthcoming).


Results:

Diversity

… % ethnic minorities

Elaboration

Participatory safety and support etc.

Performance:

Adjustments in assignment

Affective reactions

Group cohesion, identification, commitment

Identity threat

Threat of subgroup identity

Task motivation

motivation

-

-

+

+

- +

Conclusion:

•Diversity hampers elaboration, unless affective reactions are positive.

However, diversity is also negatively related to affective reactions due to

identity threat.

•Education policies should focus on fostering elaboration and on

preventing intergroup biases. Education policies that integrate diversity

perspectives are needed.

•Diversity and diversity management policies in education could affect

work climate for both employees and students → part 2


Diversity management policies are targeted at:

1. Increasing the representation of ethnic minorities in the

workforce;

2. Improving the HRM outcomes and performance of a diverse

workforce.

(2) Diversity and diversity policies in education: are they effective?

Diversity in education (source: Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, 2011)


0,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,0

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

perc

enta

ge e

thni

c m

inor

ity e

mpl

oyee

s

Education Government Police and defence

Diversity in education (source: Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, 2011)


0,0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

6,0

7,0

8,0

9,0

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Primary education Secundary education

Higher vocational education University


•Coalition agreement (2010):

“The government will abolish

the diversity/affirmative

action policy on the basis of

gender and ethnic origin.

Selection must be based on

quality.” (Colorblind policy)

Motivations for pursuing diversity management policies:

• Social justice and legitimacy of a representative public sector

• Business case:

1. Identifying, recruiting and retaining diverse talents in the labor

market;

2. Gaining access to and legitimacy with citizens (→ pupils,

students);

3. Diversity is a resource for learning and innovation, if managed

well (cf elaboration processes)


Diversity policies in the Dutch public sector categorized according to the

three reasons for pursuing diversity policies:

• Diverse talents

• Preferential treatment

• Target figures

• Access and legitimacy

• Access to target groups by matching

• Diverse selection teams

• Networking

• Learning and innovation

• Cultural change programs

• Training on cultural differences


•Survey among Dutch public sector employees, 2011 (N = 11,557)

•See: Celik, Ashikali & Groeneveld (2011); Ashikali (2011); Groeneveld &

De Ruijter (2011).


Incidence of policy instruments in the Dutch public sector (percentage of employees

reporting a kind of policy)


0102030405060708090

Education Government Police and Defence

Conclusion from the previous:

• Education employs a relatively low share of ethnic minority employees.

• Organizations in education conduct relatively few diversity policies.

A business case for diversity policies in education?

• Do they affect commitment, and retention of ethnic minority employees

in education positively [= increasing representation]?

• Do they affect work motivation and work climate in education positively

[= improving outcomes]?



Cultural change programs

Affective commitment (+)

Turnover intention (-)

Work motivation (+)

Work climate (+)

Stronger effect on work motivation of ethnic minority employees


Access to target groups by matching

Work climate (+)

Stronger effect on work climate for ethnic minority employees

Diversity and diversity policies in education: concluding remarks

•The experiment shows the need to prevent categorization processes in

order to improve the work climate for students and their performance.

•The survey results show that policies targeted at access to target

groups by matching and cultural change programs contribute to both

retention and work motivation of (ethnic minority) employees and to a

positive work climate.

•Education policy makers could adopt diversity management programs in

order to foster a work climate that improves elaboration and performance

in education.

Sandra Groeneveld

Education

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