Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between perceived employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and managers' mental models, as impacted by managers' discomfort with disability, knowledge of diversity management, and of the ADA. Conceptual framework. Utilizing the conceptual components of mental modeling and integrating the sociological and psychological elements of cognition and perception, diversity management is defined. Organizational values, understanding of diversity management, and the practices and employment outcomes resulting from that understanding form the mental models. Conceptual discontinuities are coalesced and those most closely aligned with the consequences of mental models and decision-making are utilized. Emphasis on the integrative tenets of Follett and Golembiewski underscores the conceptual framework. Methodology. This exploratory study used descriptive research methodology. Six critical components were identified and analyzed as determinants of managers' perceptions. Through a questionnaire and internationally validated attitudinal survey, public, quasi-public, and non-profit mid-level managers were queried as to their knowledge of the ADA, knowledge of diversity management concepts, and level of discomfort with individuals with disabilities. From a population of 309 managers, descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated from the surveys and questionnaires completed by the 253 respondents. Findings. ADA knowledge, diversity management knowledge, and level of discomfort with individuals with disabilities was identified. Disability was not perceived as included in diversity management, and only accommodation was perceived as the focus of the ADA. Training did not correlate with knowledge, and prior contact was only moderately correlated with level of discomfort. Conclusions and recommendations. Exclusionary perceptions of diversity management clearly emerge from the data, as does the perception of disability as separate from diversity issues. Both these conditions present compelling indications of the need to discontinue fragmented approaches to diversity management, training, and theoretical analysis. Results also indicate that organizations are not preparing managers and supervisors for the responsibility of inclusive diversity management and ADA decision-making, nor requiring such preparation from them. Given rapidly increasing workforce diversity, and the employment and civil rights strengths of the ADA, it is important for researchers and theorists to provide managers with an inclusive knowledge foundation.