Constantly Trying Organizations: Ambiguities, Contradictions, and Paradoxes in Diversity Work

Purpose: Explain why it is difficult to manage diversity in organizations
Theory: Ambiguities, contradictions and paradoxes in organizations and diversity management
Method: Longitudinal, qualitative single case study of diversity work at a Swedish Municipality
Findings: Diversity work is characterized by unclear motives, a struggle with goals, diffuse meanings of diversity, a plurality of operationalization of the policy, uncertain responsibility, and unclear outcomes.
Conclusions: We suggest approaching diversity management in terms of trying rather than success and failure to account for the contingencies and evolution of diversity work.