Diversity and an analytic approach to workforce diversity management

Diversity management is a new managerial approach which has its roots in the U.S.A. at 1990`s. This managerial approach requires giving equal opportunities to everyone and being respectful to all differences among employees (gender, age, ethnicity, religion, culture etc.) and using these differences as a useful values in a competition. In order to find a place to this approach in the professional business life; diversity should be defined clearly and managing diversity at this definition level should be explained. In line with this investigating diversity as a aspect of business life to be managed, is the main research domain of the current study.Dissertation consists of three sections.First section devoted to concept of diversity, dimensions of diversity, diversity management approaches and socio-psychological theories that forms the base of the diversity, advantages and disadvantages of managing diversity and finally the requirement of diversity management.Second section includes history of the diversity management approach, the advantages of diversity management on individuals, organizations and society, diversity management models, metaphors, myths, programmes and applications, and effects of diversity management except the U.S.A. ?origin country for diversity management- and especially diversity management in Turkey.The third and final section of the study is including the field research of the dissertation. The biggest 100 firms of Aegean Region Chamber of Industry included in the sample and questionnaires sent to human resource management employees. Results and concluding comments are included in this section of the study.