Speaking the Language of the Bottom-Line: The Metaphor of "Managing Diversity"

Erika L. Dakin Kirby · Lynn M. Harter

103 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Business Communication

No readable copy stored yet — this record is metadata only.

No open-access location is known for this record yet.

Literature note Cite in a project Citation map

Language, Communication, and Linguistic Studies Gender Diversity and Inequality Management and Organizational Studies

Abstract

This study explores the metaphor of managing diversity and its relateddiscourses that dominate current business communication about thechanging workforce. We examine the language employed in practitioner-oriented texts and consultant websites on diversity. We first illustratethe characteristics of the managerial metaphor, including the emphasison achieving competitive advantage and a "quick-fix" orientationtoward improving managerial competencies regarding diversity. Wethen analyze the implications of the managerial metaphor in terms of(a) whose interests are emphasized by the metaphor, (b) whose interests are (potentially) marginalized by the metaphor, (c) how themetaphor system relates to power and economic interests, (d) how different metaphors present alternative positions, and (e) implications forbusiness communication. We contend that language that constitutesindividuals as resources emphasizes managerial and economic interestsand potentially marginalizes human and ethical aspects of diversity.

Paper brief

Loading…

Cite this work

Citation unavailable for this work.

BibTeX RIS CSL-JSON

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Citations in this library

Citation map →

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 103 citations exist upstream.

References

1968The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research.2003Metaphors We Live By 1969The social psychology of organizing 1986Images of Organization 1969A Grammar of Motives 1986General and Industrial Management 1994Riding the waves of culture: understanding diversity in global business 2000Conducting Interpretive Policy Analysis

Cited by

2006Nightmares, Demons, and Slaves 2011Answering Five Key Questions About Workplace Bullying 2006Examining the Contours of Workplace Diversity: Concepts, Contexts and Challenges 2009Diversity management: Are we moving in the right direction? Reflections from both sides of the North Atlantic 2003Defining and Dimensionalising Diversity:2015Diversity as Polyphony: Reconceptualizing Diversity Management from a Communication-Centered Perspective

Explore the map →

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.

Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.