Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Jaime Klein
Abstract
Senior organizational leadership lacks diversity, with African American women elevating to senior executive positions to contribute to the competitive advantage. A lack of diversity in leadership could impact profitability and an organization’s competitive advantage. Grounded in cognitive diversity theory, the purpose of this single qualitative case was to explore strategies African American women executives used to increase diversity with other African American Women in their ranks to ensure profitability and maintain a competitive advantage. The participants were five African American women senior executives in the District of Columbia who implemented strategies to increase diversity with other African American women and maintain a competitive advantage. Data were collected using semistructured phone interviews and reviewing organization employee handbooks and public policies. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis process with three emerging themes: (a) mentoring, (b) barriers, and (c) strategic planning, diversity, and the competitive advantage for African American women in corporate America. A key recommendation is for senior business leaders to lend a critical lens to their promotion and hiring practices that marginalize African American women within an organization. The implication for positive social change is the potential ability for corporations to attract culturally diverse applicants to include African American women, expanding the workforce to a diversified market competitively, and elevating a company's perception as fair.
Recommended Citation
Evans, Leilani Jasmine, "Potential Adverse Impacts of the Lack of Diversity of African American Women on Business Operations: Diversity and the Competitive Advantage" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12344.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12344
