Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEI talent and performance: A new CEO work-stream
CEO’s advanced research initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion help companies create vibrant and sustaining practices that are fully integrated into their strategy, culture, and talent management practices.
Questions about DEI?
Today, when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s not just a matter of checking a box. It’s about disrupting bias, being culturally competent, appreciating intersectionality, encouraging allyship, and enabling the organizational structure, culture and processes to evolve.
The research addresses the conditions needed for DEI to become embedded in the fabric of the work design, culture and leadership behaviors, including:
How talent is defined and implemented in HR systems
Identifying and removing biases in performance measurement and management
Changing organizational systems and culture to improve professional development and opportunities for advancement
Leadership development and decision making
Featured Research Study
In recent years, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) issues have grown in prominence for organizational leaders. The global pandemic, large racial divides in economic and health outcomes, and social justice demonstrations of 2020 have catapulted DEI to be a major challenge for businesses in 2021, both in the US and globally.
To address these challenges, the USC Marshall Center for Effective Organizations (CEO) has launched a new action research study focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which will complement years of work in the area of employee resource groups (ERGs). The study will measure the extent of DEI initiatives in organizations, will identify whether DEI is part of the strategic orientation of organizations, and will assess the degree to which organizations have the capability to measure and implement DEI needs.
This study is unique in that it is an organizational-level assessment of DEI initiatives in companies. Our action research approach takes a comprehensive and holistic view of DEI and its role within organizations, considering both the costs and benefits of implementing DEI initiatives and what is needed to increase the likelihood of long-term success. Organizations that participate will receive a research report that summarizes the findings across organizations, and will be eligible to participate in future meetings and/or working groups that may arise from the study results.
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UPCOMING EVENT
Strategic Organization Design Workshop
March 4-7, 2025
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Featured Article
How to Give Women a Fair Shot at Advancement
At most companies, the competition for career success is systemically skewed in favor of men. Here’s how to change that.
Career progression is sometimes compared to participation in a tournament. The basic idea is that employees compete against one another for advancement. At each level, when a managerial position opens up, qualified people apply, and the one who gets the position “wins” that stage of the tournament. In this model, company leaders presume that the best person for the job emerges victorious, which is good for that individual and for the company overall. Yet many implicit tournament criteria aren’t demographically neutral. People with the same skills but different demographic characteristics aren’t equally likely to win.
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The Annual ERG Leadership Summit
Certificate in Human Capital and Effective Organizations
The certificate program in Human Capital and Effective Organizations is designed to develop the next generation of human resource leaders: those responsible for establishing deep and specific connections between their business strategies and their human and organization capital.
The HCEO Certificate Program offers an integrated curriculum that develops the following five key competencies necessary to form strategic partnerships and to lead in today’s changing business environment:
- Organization Design
- Future of HR
- Adapting to Disruption
- Strategic Analytics
- Leading Innovation
Meet Our Researchers
Our award-winning research scientists, affiliates and practitioners help companies drive performance by providing leading-edge research, practical tools, and a wealth of experience.
Theresa M. Welbourne
Affiliated Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Theresa Welbourne’s work focuses on human capital and leadership strategies that drive growth, innovation and high performance. She is known for her work on employee energy and how energy, direction and confidence come together to stimulate and sustain high sense of urgency cultures and organizational growth.
Sharoni Little
Affiliated Research Scientist
Sharoni Denise Little is Associate Dean, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer & Professor of Clinical Business Communication at USC Marshall School of Business and an award-winning teacher, researcher, and mentor. A renowned author, global facilitator, and media commentator, Sharoni’s research and expertise centers on organizational leadership, strategic communication, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Beth Chung
Affiliated Research Scientist
Beth Chung is a Professor of Management. She is currently the Director for the Institute on Inclusiveness and Diversity in Organizations (IIDO) and Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Outreach Committee for San Diego State University. She is also past research director for the Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming. She has taught a variety of courses including Diversity Issues, Organizational Behavior, Leadership and Group Process, Human Resource Management, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Cathleen Clerkin
Affiliated Research Scientist
Cathleen Clerkin is a Senior Research Faculty member at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and is based out of Charlottesville, VA. She is a scientific researcher with experience in industrial-organizational psychology, social and personality psychology, positive psychology and applied social cognitive neuroscience.