As our nation evolves organizations seek to adapt to our changing cultural values. Diversity management is evolving, too. The concept of the melting pot is a theory which operates on the assumption that individuals, each differing from one another, will want to assimilate into the organizational culture (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p. 19). This approach has lost favor, being replaced by the salad bowl analogy (Sweeney, Public Relations Tactics; Aug2004, Vol. 11 Issue 8, p16-17, 2p). The melting post merges unique elements into a new product. The salad bowl blends and presents each unique element in a distinct combination that nevertheless contains easily identifiable parts.

For example, using a food analogy, what happens to tomatoes, carrots, cheese, and spicy chili peppers in the melting pot? The heat and pressure blend the ingredients into a homogeneous pot of creamy soup. The same ingredients in a salad bowl create a unique presentation without diminishing the distinct flavors of the individual ingredients.  They complement one another, however, the tomato is still soft and juicy, the carrot is crunchy, the cheese is sooth, and the chili peppers are zingy.

This diversity usually works well with human beings.  Individuals in many western cultures do not want to be homogeneous.  We embrace our diversity. However, there are some arguments for a degree of assimilation.  Organizational culture itself supports the argument.  When individual employees share the same values, goals, and aspirations as the organization for which they work, it increases positive feedback and productivity.  When individual viewpoints diverge from the organizational mindset, dissension can arise, leading to conflict and the need for dispute resolution or other corrective action.

Greater strength comes from unity.  Rather than the culinary analogy, think about metallurgy.  The component parts of carbon steel are iron and carbon.  When smelted properly they create an alloy with great tensile strength. If these same elements were loosely bound, so that each component was easily identifiable, it would not be an alloy at all.  The compound would be weak, brittle, and fail under pressure (Kolb, 2004).  The amount of diversity that can be supported by an organization depends upon the purpose of the organization.  Of course, human beings are more complex than base elements.  The secret is to find a way to incorporate diverse cultures into a unified whole, to benefit from both the individuality of each person and the strength of the group.  To succeed, an organization needs shared values and goals to strengthen it organizational culture.

References:

Kolb, D. (2004). Steel. In J. J. Lagowski (Ed.)Chemistry: Foundations and Applications, 4(pp. 160-164) New York: Macmillan Reference USA Retrieved January 21, 2010, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=uphoenix

Sweeney, Public Relations Tactics; Aug2004, Vol. 11 Issue 8, p16-17, 2p

Robbins, S. & Judge T., (2009). Organizational Behavior (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.