A Diversity-Aware Memetic Algorithm for the Linear Ordering Problem: Improving Best-Known Solutions for Standard Benchmarks

The Linear Ordering Problem (LOP) is a very popular NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem with many practical applications that may require the use of large instances. The Linear Ordering Library (LOLIB) gathers a set of standard benchmarks widely used in the validation of solvers for the LOP. Among them, the xLOLIB2 collects some of the largest and most challenging instances in current literature. In this work, we present new best-known solutions for each of the 200 complex instances that comprises xLOLIB2. Moreover, the proposal devised in this research is able to achieve all current best-known solutions in the rest of instances of LOLIB and improve them in other 93 cases out of 485, meaning that important advances in terms of quality and robustness are attained. This important advance in the field of the LOP has been possible thanks to the development of a novel Memetic Algorithm (MA) that was designed by taking into account some of the weaknesses of state-of-the-art LOP solvers. One of the keys to success is that the novel proposal allows for a gradual shift from exploration to exploitation, which is done by taking into account the stopping criterion and elapsed period of execution to alter the internal decisions taken by the optimizer. The novel diversity-aware proposal is called the Memetic Algorithm with Explicit Diversity Management (MA-EDM) and extensive comparisons against state-of-the-art techniques provide insights into the reasons for the superiority of MA-EDM.

Social innovation in managing diversity: COVID-19 as a catalyst for change

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had an adverse impact on workforce diversity internationally. While in the Global North, many countries have sophisticated laws and organizational mechanisms and discourses to deal with such adverse impacts on workforce diversity, such structures of diversity management are either ceremonial or poorly developed in the Global South. The global pandemic disproportionately impacted Global North and Global South increases the existing gap due to vaccine rollout inequality and divergence in recoveries. The authors explore social innovation as a possible option for responding to the challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on interviews in 26 distinctive organizations operating in various industries in Turkey. The authors have adopted a qualitative design to explore how social innovation helps to respond to diversity concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe authors demonstrate that social innovation presents a viable option for a country with a poorly regulated context of diversity management. Social innovation could help overcome the challenge of the absence of supportive legislation, discourses and practices of diversity in poorly regulated contexts.Originality/valueThe field study revealed several distinct forms of social innovation for diversity management, which emerged as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors demonstrate that in the absence of supportive diversity management structures and frameworks, social innovation in diversity management at the organizational level could provide a viable response to the emergent needs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A cultural diversity management framework for enhancing the performance of architectural design firms in Egypt

PurposeThis paper aims to develop a cultural diversity management (CDM) framework to enhance the performance of architecture design firms (ADFs) in Egypt.Design/methodology/approachA research methodology consisting of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire was designed to achieve the abovementioned aim. First, literature review was used to investigate the concepts of globalization, international construction, diversity, diversity management (DM) and organizational performance. Second, four case studies were presented and analyzed. The first two cases explored the role of CDM towards enhancing the performance of ADFs, while the last two cases showed initiatives carried out by NGOs to integrate architects of color into their communities through training programs that enhanced their skills and uplifted their societies. Third, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of ADFs in Egypt to investigate their perception and application of DM towards enhancing organizational performance. Based on the results of the above, the research developed a framework to enhance the performance of ADFs through managing culturally diverse workforces.FindingsLiterature review showed that diversity is not limited to race and gender; however, it includes other types such as disability, socioeconomic status, thinking style, culture, personality, life experience, religious and spiritual beliefs. Despite the benefits that diversity brings to ADFs such as stimulating creativity and increasing productivity, poor management of diverse workforce leads to dysfunctional conflicts, frustration and confusion. Results of case studies showed that ADFs that adopt a CDM approach succeeded in enhancing their performance. In addition, training initiatives carried out by NGOs succeeded to integrate architects of color into their communities and uplifting their societies. Results of data analysis identified the barriers to integrating diverse workforce in ADFs. These barriers include “Poor communication and spirit of collaboration between diverse workforce”, “Resistance to change”, “Lack of maintaining wage equity and promotion between different workforces based on gender”, “Poor organization culture” and “Lack of Senior Management involvement”. This necessitated taking action towards developing a framework to overcome these barriers to manage diverse workforces towards enhancing the performance of ADFs in Egypt.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the conceptual nature of the proposed framework, it has to be tested and validated to ensure its capability to overcome the barriers of managing culturally diverse workforces as an approach for enhancing the performance of ADFs in Egypt.Practical implicationsThis research presents a practical solution to enhance the performance of ADFs in Egypt through managing cultural workforce diversity.Originality/valueThe research identified and analyzed the barriers that obstruct the integration of diverse workforces in ADFs. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature with particular emphasis on Egypt. In addition, this paper proposed a CDM framework to enhance the performance of ADFs in Egypt, which represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the body of knowledge.

Working role of women in a pandemic world: a poetic inquiry

Purpose The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people globally, and it has exacerbated the existing gender inequalities that have affected women. The purpose of this study is to understand the perceptions of women concerning gender inequality in the workplace during the current pandemic. The goal is to give women a voice so they can explain their feelings regarding the problems they face in a pandemic world. Design/methodology/approach In this study, four poetic inquiries were developed to investigate how the lives of working women were changed during the pandemic in Italy. Poetic methodology is a creative and aesthetic representation of qualitative research that is capable of reporting data with more fluidity and freedom. Findings The results suggest that the gender gap is increasing and is embodied in a series of relational and economic problems related to remote work, in difficulty in reconciling private and work life and in a series of new telematic violence against women. Practical implications This study offers practical implications for policymakers by suggesting the application of diversity management initiatives to remove barriers to gender equality. Originality/value This study, through a poetic approach, is the first to investigate women's perceptions during the pandemic related to difficulties experienced in the work sphere.

Re-Conceptualizing Diversity Management

This chapter highlights how diversity management, a widely practiced management philosophy, has emerged from an original focus of equal opportunity and representation to a focus on a strategic and competitive business opportunity for organizations. However, the adverse, lived experiences that socially marginalized people experience are concealed within business goals despite having their “difference” marketed as a competitive advantage. The aim of this chapter is to conceptualize diversity management as having mutually inclusive, intersecting goals rather than mutually exclusive, competing goals.

Reducing Lookism in the Workplace

Lookism issues have been studied in the fields of economics, social science, physiology, and business. Studies have shown that physical appearance affects employers' judgment about the quality of an employee. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the effects of lookism on career development in organizations. In addition, this chapter discusses the strategies for reducing lookism in the workplace from a human resource development perspective and provides four strategies for reducing lookism. First, legislation should include and address issues of physical attractiveness. Second, diversity education and training should be provided to students, employees, and employers. Third, diversity management should be practiced in the workplace. Fourth, appropriate employment processes should be adopted. Future research should study lookism over a wider range of occupations across different cultures. In addition, future studies should develop theories and conceptual frameworks to support and explain current issues of lookism in the workplace.

Vielfalt in der Arbeitswelt

Anyone involved in occupational science or diversity management will notice that diversity in the world of work is being perceived and analysed in an increasingly nuanced way. This involves various dimensions of diversity in different functions, company sizes and industries. This volume brings together various contributions, all of which deal with diversity in the world of work. They address unconscious bias in personnel selection, introverts in leadership situations, sensation seekers in organisations, the motivation of employees in the gig economy, female leaders in middle management, and diversity as an organisational imperative.

Diversity Management Interventions for Enhancing Competitive Advantage

Diversity and diversity management is a new organizational paradigm and a business imperative. We already have a vast and rich literature base on these two. Many and varied empirical findings are also available from earlier qualitative and quantitative research studies. An attempt is made in this chapter (1) to examine various theoretical concepts and constructs used in diversity and diversity management, (2) to come up with a synthesis of management research and current literature on diversity and diversity management, (3) to develop a theoretical framework, and (4) to suggest directions for future research as well. This chapter lists some of the challenges faced by firms, the major issues to be addressed, potential research directions, and themes in the Indian context before finally coming up with a conceptual model detailing the antecedents and consequences of diversity and diversity management.