WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AS A MODERATOR IN ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY OF THE IT INDUSTRY IN CHENNAI

Abstract

With the booming of the information technology (IT) sector, organisations have been changed in terms of organisational structures, work practices and workforce composition, thus making diversity a key characteristic of the contemporary organisations. Diversity of workforce, in terms of gender, age, education levels, culture, and experience, can affect organisational development (OD) positively or negatively. Nevertheless, available literature tends to discuss diversity as a direct precursor of organisational performance, whereas very little has been done to show how it mediates the relationship. This research paper hypothesises to investigate the moderating variable by workforce diversity in the correlation between organisational practices and organisational development in the Chennai based IT industry. Based on the primary data obtained on IT professionals and managers, the study applies statistical methods that include correlation analysis, regression analysis, and moderation analysis to determine through the use of the statistical methods how the dimensions of diversity influence the organisational development. It is anticipated that the results will show that the effectiveness of organisational development initiatives is strongly moderated by the diversity of the workforce, and this shows the value of inclusive policies and diversity-aware management practices to sustainable organisational development.