Many diversities for many services: Theorizing diversity (management) in service companies

Contrary to current definitions of diversity as a set of a priori socio-demographic characteristics, this study re-conceptualizes diversity as an organizational product Through the analysis of qualitative data from four service organizations, we show that organization-specific understandings of diversity are based on the way employees' socio-demographic differences affect the organization of work, either contributing to it or hampering it. Such understandings of diversity, in turn, shape organization-specific approaches to diversity management. From our empirical results, we further inductively derive two dimensions of service processes that appear to play a central role in shaping diversity (management) in service organizations: customers' proximity versus invisibility and diversity-customized versus profession-customized service. We conclude the article on a more critical note, reflecting on how specific constellations of work/understanding of diversity/diversity management enable and/or constrain employees' agency, including the possibility to challenge existing power relations.