An Extended Intervening Process Model

Abstract

The rapid on-going demographic shifts in workplaces present challenges to Human Resource Development (HRD) scholars and practitioners, creating a significant demand for diversity initiatives that help organizations harvest diversity. To address inconsistencies in diversity research results and limitations of current diversity intervening process theories, the authors propose an extended intervening process model (EIPM) from the perspective of how group processes underlie the linkage between diversity and performance. The model predicts both positive and negative effects of diversity depending on the intervening roles of group processes and moderation effects of research contextual factors. While extending the knowledge by incorporating three group processes simultaneously, this conceptualization can be regarded as the first theoretical framework that explains both positive and negative effects of diversity found in one study. Implications of the present framework for future research are discussed.

Exploring the Boundaries of Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resource Development

“…However, what seems to be a glaring weakness are the absence of literature and application of these approaches in the workplace. These approaches have the potential to impact group processes and performance (Qin, Smyrnios, & Deng, 2012), but two questions bear asking are as follows: Why haven’t these approaches been studied in organizational settings? and Is HRD preparing future professionals to apply them?…”