Perceived commitment to corporate -sponsored equal employment opportunity/affirmative action and managing diversity interventions: A case of relational demography among women Head Start employees.

Abstract

Recent developments in the organizational literature have raised questions about the nature and magnitude of racial-ethnic differences in employees' perceptions of personal and organizational commitment to corporate-sponsored Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) and Managing Diversity interventions. The central thesis claims that women's perceptions of personal and organizational commitment to EEO/AA and Managing Diversity are influenced by relational demography (i.e., the interaction between individuals' racial-ethnic group membership and the organization's racial-ethnic profile/composition). In addition, the study examines the relationship between employees' perceptions of their organization's commitment to EEO/AA and Managing Diversity and other work outcomes such as perceived influence, social support, mentoring, and job stress. The study reports results from an organizational evaluation examining differences in EEO/AA and Managing Diversity perceptions of a racially-ethnically diverse sample of women (N = 324), in 21 Head Start Program centers/sites in the Midwest. Findings revealed that relational demography has differing complexities in its effects on racial-ethnic group perceptions of commitment to EEO/AA and Managing Diversity within the organization. African American women's and other women of color's perceptions of personal and organizational commitment to EEO/AA and Managing Diversity were not influenced by changes in their organization's racial-ethnic profile; white women reported more personal commitment and more organizational commitment to EEO/AA when they were in predominantly white organizations, compared to when they were in predominantly African American organizations. Findings also revealed that employees' perceptions of organizational commitment to EEO/AA and Managing Diversity was a positive predictor of perceived influence, social support, and mentoring and a negative predictor of job stress. Implications for theory, future research, and practice associated with the implementation and assessment of EEO/AA and Managing Diversity interventions within organizations are discussed.