IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/ijppmp/ijppm-12-2020-0628.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Levels and dimensions of diversity in small businesses: contributions for performance

Author

Listed:
  • Carla Curado
  • Silvio H.T. Tai
  • Mírian Oliveira
  • Joaquim Miranda Sarmento

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to propose and test a model on the impact of diversity over performance using a Portuguese national wide comprehensively matched employee–employer dataset of small businesses. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses structural equation modeling to analyze the relationships between variables. The study addresses the impact of top managers and employees' diversity on firm performance considering two dimensions of diversity: knowledge diversity and social diversity. Findings - The study provides a clear understanding of how workforce diversity affects performance differently at the two hierarchical levels. Both employees' diversities have stronger relations to performance than the diversity of top managers. Results point out to idiosyncratic aspects of services firms' dynamics that should be further explored. Research limitations/implications - The study presents some limitations, since it uses data from a single country and the dataset provides limited variables. Practical implications - The study offers evidence on the effects of diversity in small businesses alerting managers to acknowledge such influence when recruiting, selecting and training. With regard to services firms, managers should pay close attention to negative impacts of diversity over performance. Originality/value - Never before to the authors' knowledge the managers' level diversity and employees' level diversity (considering two dimensions each) effect on performance have been addressed in a single national wide study.

Suggested Citation

  • Carla Curado & Silvio H.T. Tai & Mírian Oliveira & Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, 2021. "Levels and dimensions of diversity in small businesses: contributions for performance," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 71(8), pages 3138-3159, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:ijppmp:ijppm-12-2020-0628
    DOI: 10.1108/IJPPM-12-2020-0628
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJPPM-12-2020-0628/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJPPM-12-2020-0628/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/IJPPM-12-2020-0628?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:ijppmp:ijppm-12-2020-0628. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.