Diversity is a word that has been talked about for quite a long time now, if we understand diversity, it in simple terms is visible and invisible traits that result in broader experiences among humans and the living. The world has become globalised in nature where businesses are operating all across cultures, languages, and geographies. Fostering diversity is a strategic imperative. If we talk about the future, it is going to be led by future managers who are pursuing master’s degrees in business administration. In such a paradigm, it is indispensable for business educators to imbibe these skills in budding managers.

Making the management graduates understand the value of diversity and inclusion in business

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It is a fact that has been well-established in the world that teams that are diverse in nature are more resilient, innovative, and great at solving complex business problems. When an organisation embraces diversity the level of decision-making skills improves, the performance improves and the bonding also becomes better. Therefore, business institutes should spread this awareness through guest lectures, case studies, and workshops. The institute plays a crucial role in nurturing these values, providing students with the awareness and skills to actively promote inclusion from day one of their careers.

Creating a classroom as a microcosm of the workplace

The classroom serves as a unique microcosm of the workplace where students from various backgrounds come together, engage in teamwork, and navigate differences. By encouraging discussions on race, gender, age, disability, and other dimensions of diversity, during classroom discussion, the institute provides students with a safe space to understand and appreciate the significance of inclusion. It is crucial to foster the idea of diversity by giving out group projects, influencing peer collaborations, and engaging in team-building exercises in order to enable students to experience the power of diverse perspectives firsthand, laying the foundation for inclusive behaviours that they will carry into their future workplaces.

Embedding diversity into the curriculum

Across the two-year journey, the students learn multiple subjects including organisational behaviour, human values and professional ethics, and business communication leadership disseminate the lessons on cultural intelligence, unconscious bias, and inclusive leadership. Institutes should also engage students with case studies which offer a powerful way to expose them to real-world scenarios where diversity is either a challenge to be managed or a strength to be leveraged.

It is salient for the business management institute to promote a culture of inclusivity among the students as these students are going to be future business leaders. A strong and ethical base would help these young managers to go a long way in the business world benefiting the economy, business, society, and the institutes.

The writer is director at Jaipuria Institute of Management Indirapuram, Ghaziabad