Content Page

1. Introduction………………….………………………………………1

2. Literature Review…………….……………………………………...1

3. Aim Statement………………….…………………………...………..3

4. Objectives……………………….…………………………………….3

5. Methodology…………………….…………………………………….4

5.1 Philosophy…………………………….…………………4

5.2 Approach……………………………..………………….4

5.3 Strategy………………………………..…………………5

5.4 Choice…………………………………..………………...5

5.5 Time Horizon…………………………...………………..6

5.6 Techniques and Procedures/Sampling…………………6

6. Ethics and Access…….………………………………………………7

6.1 Academic Integrity………………………………………7

6.2 Data Protection Act……….……………………………..7

7. Time Plan……………………………………………………………..8

8. References…………………………………………………………….9

1. Introduction

This paper focuses on workforce diversity management by reviewing past studies and theories and applying it to the UK retail sector. ‘ The basic concept of managing diversity accepts that the workforce consists of a diverse population of people consisting of visible and non-visible differences… and is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where all talents are fully utilized and in which organizational goals are met’ (Torrington et al, 2011: 476).

2. Literature Review

According to Ellis and Sonnenfeld (1994) and Brenda (2010), the main purpose of diversity management and its primary function is to increase employee performance and to avoid quick-fix solutions (Trennery and Paradies, 2012) allowing maximizing advantages and minimizing disadvantages of a diverse workforce. Diversity was usually expressed only in the form of age, gender and ethnicity until the middle of the 20th century (Kosek et al, 2005), viewed simply as an obligation to follow the human rights legislations imposed by the government, However, due to globalization and demographic changes the diversity