Date of Award

3-21-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Benjamin T. Hazen, PhD

Abstract

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs in the United States Air Force (USAF) continue to face challenges to leveraging practices that can improve unit performance. Despite the known benefits of diversity and inclusion, the USAF as an enterprise has not consistently offered a clear and unbiased assessment of organizational inclusiveness. The purpose of this research was to develop a model to measure the inclusiveness of an organization and leverage its results to help identify areas of weakness and improve performance. The research questions were addressed by reviewing the existing literature and conducting a three-round Delphi study. In total, twenty-five field experts from across the Department of Defense (DoD) participated in the Delphi study. The research initially identified eight indicators of an inclusive environment, which was reduced to six after clarifying overlapping terms. These six indicators describe the features apparent in an inclusive environment; experts validated these indicators which constitute the base categories in the initial model. Throughout the first and second Delphi rounds, the experts added five more, totaling eleven indicators that are present in an inclusive environment. The highlight of this research was the development of a model to measure a unit’s inclusivity and a framework to address possible areas of management intervention. Ultimately, the researcher provided recommendations for unit leaders across an organization to utilize the developed tool and discussed opportunities for further research.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENS-MS-19-M-135

DTIC Accession Number

AD1077504

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