Cultural Diversity on Websites Research Proposal

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Auditing a Website for Cultural Diversity

'Diversity' in the website

The usefulness of the diversity information

The appropriateness of the photographs and graphic material

Website Reliance as Employee, Customer & Supplier

Internal Issues Affecting reflection of Diversity

As a Female Potential Employee Aged 55 years

'Diversity' in the website

For this study we consider the case of Tesco Plc, a global retail chain with business in almost every continent in the world.

The company corporate website - http://www.tescoplc.com is an interesting website. The website of the company has a 'search' option. When the word 'diversity' is put in the search box, it yielded several answers and most of them were related to customers and employees. The results showed where the company used the word 'diversity' in documents related to customers and employees.

One of the documents titled 'Core Purpose and Values' of the company stated

"Understanding people -- customers, colleagues, communities -- and what matters to them, and then trying to make those things better, is at the heart of Tesco. It's about listening to people and talking to them using all the tools at our disposal -- from Clubcard data to social media -- and then acting by changing and innovating to meet their needs (Tescoplc.com, 2015)."

In this document, the company also states:

"We know that looking after our colleagues in a culture of trust and respect is essential to the success of Tesco. Where colleagues feel recognized and rewarded for the work they do together" (Tesco plc, 2015).

This statement clearly indicates the company's approach to diversity in among the employees where the company says its core values comprises of providing equal opportunities for development to employees. The company also considers these values to be part of its culture and is essential for the growth and success of the company.

Another document 'Tesco Personal Finance plc, Basel III Pillar 3 Disclosures 28th February 2014' there is mention of diversity or at least hint of it. There are other documents that are related Business Code of Conduct and a number of press releases where the company highlights the activities that are related to diversity and how and why the company tackles the problem of diversity in the company as well as in the society (Tesco plc, 2015).

However the company website -- on most occasions, does not directly refer to or talk about the word 'diversity' but the company documents does hint at policies and values that the company believes which helps in reduction of problems that result from diversity. The documents -- which has to be searched to an extent, clearly indicates that the company pays serious attention to diversity.

The usefulness of the diversity information

The website information presented in the company website is quite explicit about how the company views and values diversity and how the company wants to address the issues. In the document of the company in the page titled 'Core Purpose and Values' the company specifically addresses the issue of diversity for a number of stakeholders.

For the customers of the company, the policy is clear. The company wants to touch the lives of 'millions of people's lives every day' and this opportunity gives the company the chance to create a positive difference to some of the 'biggest challenges facing the world'. It is clear that the problems created by diversity of people and communities is one of the major challenges that is faced by people today. This value of the company is very useful for the customers as the company does not discriminate between customers on the basis of diversity and tries to address all concerns of the customers and their needs that are differentiated by diversity (Alserhan, Forstenlechner & Al-Nakeeb, 2009).

Though the company does not directly mention the word 'diversity' in the website and especially with respect to its employees, but the company's values as has been out in the website clearly identifies the importance that the company attaches to the development of the employees and providing of equal opportunities to the employees. The company in the core value document clearly states that it wants to provide the greatest possible support to the employee as the company realizes that employees- referred at as colleagues, serve the customers and distribute our products every day. Therefore providing good and equal opportunities and catering to the hindrances created by diversity is important from the business point-of-view of the company. This is also beneficial to the employees who need not worry about equal opportunities and would rest assured that it was only important for them to do their work properly and would be rewarded adequately.

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One of the instances of this policy is exhibited by the company in their page titled 'Being a great employer' where the company says that in 2014, 77% of the managers, directors and business leaders in the company had been given the opportunity to work their way up within the business. This means that the company provides equal opportunities to the employees which is significantly beneficial to the employees.

The information related to diversity that the company has provided in its website are current. For examples, the company has cited the in the business opportunities section information the business role changes in the company that happened an ears earlier. Therefore it can be said that the information is very current and topical and hence relevant for the employees, the customers and other stakeholders. The 'Code of Business Conduct' for example was formed earlier this year and describes that what the company expects from its employees and suppliers and what the company would provide in exchange (Tesco plc, 2015).

The appropriateness of the photographs and graphic material

The company has used pictures that signify diversity quite intelligently. The pictures and the graphics that have been used in the website reflect the company policy and beliefs and gives indication of their policies with relation to diversity.

For example there are several pictures in the on the website and the related documents of customers from diverse ethnic backgrounds shopping together. The picture below is an illustration about the policy that the company has taken and developed to combat diversity with respect to customers. In the picture two women from ethnically diverse backgrounds are seen shopping at the company store. This picture shows the company does not differentiate or have separate policies for customers from different origins or backgrounds.

(Source: http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=81)

In another picture, the company showcases employees from diverse backgrounds working together shoulder to shoulder and they seem quite happy working together. The employees seem to be quite happy working with each other and exemplifies the claims of the company that provide equal opportunities to its employees irrespective of the diversity of the background of the employees.

Moreover the pictures and the graphics are also backed up by adequate written material. For example, the picture shown above is directly linked to the policy disclosures of the company about diversity with respect to customers which the company states is among their core values and policies and one of the reasons for growth and success. With respect to a picture depicting happy diversified employees, the website link of the picture leads a viewer to the employee related online policies of the company that shows statistics related to the percentage of managers, directors and business leaders which have worked their way up within the business, the percentage of group colleagues that are on development/training programmes and percentage change from previous year, percentage pay gap between male and female colleagues (UK) and the percentage of group colleagues who are female. Moreover in the pictures and the graphics of the company on the website related to employees, the company always refers to the employees as "colleagues" instead of employees (www.tescoplc.com, 2015).

Therefore it can be said that the company has made appropriate use of relevant pictures and the graphics related to diversity and have adequately related the pictures and graphics to verbal and written information about the policies, values and beliefs of the company about diversity with respect to customers, employees and other stakeholders.

Website Reliance as Employee, Customer & Supplier

As a potential employee the website provides enough material to get an idea about how the company treats its employees and the policies and values that the company follows with respect to employees. The most important information as a potential employee that would be useful is the attitude of the company towards diversity and the steps and the measures that the company undertakes to tackle the problem of diversity. This is an important consideration for an employee as it gives the employees some form of assurance that the company would not differentiate with the employee on the basis of diversity -- racial, sexual, and ethnic or in any other form. If a decision about applying for a post in the company is concerned-based entirely and solely on the information available in the website, it can be said that the potential employee would be encouraged to….....

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