Employee Diversity and Organizational Learning: A Conceptual Review

ABSTRACT: The focus of this paper was to explore the relationship between Diversity and Organizationallearning. The paper laid down the critical issues that concerns both diversity and organizational learning. Thetheoretical framework stemmed from the theory of bias developed decades ago by Vaughan. The theory of biastriggers discrimination and prejudice that negates the benefits of diversity in the work place. The Paperreviewed literature extensively on the concepts of diversity and its dimensions which are age, ethnicity, culture,gender and education, as well as the concepts of organizational learning and organizational learning theory.The components of organization learning theory reviewed are single and double-loop learning, organizationalknowledge creation theory and the five building blocks. The paper theoretically established relationshipsbetween diversity and organizational learning. Theoretical review shows that many scholars agree that bothdiversity and organizational learning are very advantageous to the success of an organization. There is alsounanimity of views by scholars that diversity and organizational learning have a positive and significantrelationship, hence, this paper concludes by aligning with the views of scholars that diversity andorganizational learning have significant relationship. The paper therefore, recommends that there is need toempirically validate the outcomes as revealed by this paper.

Keywords: Diversity, Age, Gender, Education, Ethnicity, Culture, Organizational Learning.