Introspecting on gender, ethnicity and age dimensional impacts on organizational performance: Case study of restaurants in Zimbabwe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63726/d44cv731Keywords:
Keywords: cognition, ramification, organization, recommendation, integration and diversificationAbstract
The research is centred on the specific dimensions of diversity (gender, ethnicity, age) that have the most substantial impact on organizational performance. The main objective of the study was to define the specific magnitudes of diversity that have the most significant impact on organizational performance in a restaurant environment in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory, which postulates that organizational performance is enhanced when firms successfully influence their diverse human resources. In this situation, diversity in gender, ethnicity, and age is regarded as a treasured resource that can lead to increased modernisation, better decision-making, and enhanced service delivery in restaurant situations. The research engaged a quantitative approach, accumulating data through structured questionnaires administered to students working in five restaurants in Harare CBD. The study faced methodological considerations such as ensuring the reliability and validity of measurement instruments, addressing possible response bias, and dealing with an inadequate sample size that may affect the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the cross-sectional strategy captures data at a single point in time, which may not version for longitudinal changes in organizational performance connected to diversity creativities. The study discloses the following on the specific dimensions of diversity (gender, ethnicity, age) that have the most important impact on organizational routine in restaurant in Zimbabwe: The study's findings revealed that age, gender, and ethnic diversity have a statistically important positive impact on organizational performance. Among them, age diversity has the most significant effect on organizational performance, and gender diversity has less impact. Quantitative data was gathered from students at five restaurants in Harare CBD area. The study accomplishes that age, gender, and ethnicity diversity completely impact organizational performance in Zimbabwean restaurants, with age diversity partaking the most noteworthy effect. To influence these assistances, restaurant directors should aggressively endorse age diversity on their boards and endure efforts to augment gender diversity, identifying diversity as a strategic resource that can drive transformation, better decision-making, and enhanced service delivery. Furthermore, future study should employ larger samples and longitudinal designs to authorise these conclusions, permitting more inclusive policies to bind diversity for continued organizational success.
References
Adeabah, D., Gyeke-Dako, A., & Andoh, C. (2019). Board gender diversity, corporate governance and bank efficiency in Ghana: a two stage data envelope analysis (DEA) approach. Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society, 19(2), 299-320. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-08-2017-0171
Agrawal, N., & Lakshmi, V. (2020). Board composition and board size impact on financial performance of the company. International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 6(5), 737-747. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-08-2017-0171
Al-Hawary, S., & Mohammad, A. (2019). Effect of Workforce Diversity on Job Performance of hotels working in Jordan. Journal of Information, 9(4), 119. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-08-2017-0171
Ancona, D. G., & Caldwell, D. F. (1992). Demography and design: Predictors of new product team performance. Organization science, 3(3), 321-341. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.3.3.321
Ashikali, T., & Groeneveld, S. (2015). Diversity management for all? An empirical analysis of diversity management outcomes across groups. Personnel Review, 44(5), 757-780. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-12-2013-0207
Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1978). Interpersonal attraction. Addison-Wesley.
Bashir, M., Hameed, A., Bari, M. W., & Ullah, R. (2021). The impact of age-diverse workforce on organization performance: Mediating role of job crafting. Sage Open, 11(1), 2158244021999058. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244021999058?urlappend=%3Futm_source%3Dresearchgate.net%26utm_medium%3Darticle
Ehimare, O. A., & Ogaga-Oghene, J. O. (2011). The impact of workforce diversity on organizational effectiveness: a study of a Nigerian bank. Annals of the University of Petrosani. Economics, 11(3), 93-110.
Faloye, O. T., Ajayi, A. E., Alatise, M. O., Ewulo, B. S., & Horn, R. (2019). Nutrient uptake, maximum yield production, and economic return of maize under deficit irrigation with biochar and inorganic fertiliser amendments. Biochar, 1(4), 375-388.
Fiske, S. T., & Neuberg, S. L. (1990). A continuum of impression formation, from category-based to individuating processes: Influences of information and motivation on attention and interpretation. In Advances in experimental social psychology, 23, 1-74. Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60317-2
Frerichs, K. A., Broekmans, M. E., Marin Soto, J. A., van Kessel, B., Heymans, M. W., Holthof, L. C., ... & van de Donk, N. W. (2020). Preclinical activity of JNJ-7957, a novel BCMA× CD3 bispecific antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma, is potentiated by daratumumab. Clinical Cancer Research, 26(9), 2203-2215. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-2654
Gomez, L. E., & Bernet, P. (2019). Diversity improves performance and outcomes. Journal of the National Medical Association, 111(4), 383-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2018.10.005
Gorski, P. (2022). STOP. Educational Leadership, 2023.
Gyimah, I. (2023). Exploring the Work-Related Experiences of Retail Workers in Saskatchewan: a Critical Narrative Study. The University of Regina (Canada).
Guest, P. M. (2019). Does board ethnic diversity impact board monitoring outcomes?. British Journal of Management, 30(1), 53-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12289
Hambrick, Donald C., and Jeffrey B. Lovelace. (2018) "The role of executive symbolism in advancing new strategic themes in organizations: A social influence perspective." Academy of Management Review 43(1), 110-131.
Hambrick, D. C., & Mason, P. A. (1984). Upper echelons: The organization as a reflection of its top managers. Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 193-206. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1984.4278951
Hee, O. C., Qin, D. A. H., Kowang, T. O., Husin, M. M., & Ping, L. L. (2019). Exploring the impact of communication on employee performance. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 8(3), 654-658. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijrte.C6754.098319
Huse, M., Hoskisson, R., Zattoni, A., & Viganò, R. (2011). New perspectives on board research: Changing the research agenda. Journal of Management & Governance, 15(1), 5-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-010-911
Janssens, Maddy, and Chris Steyaert. (2003) "Theories of diversity within organisation studies: Debates and future trajectories." Available at SSRN 389044.
Kebede, G. (2017). Review on major feed resources in Ethiopia: Conditions, challenges and opportunities. Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 5(3): 176-185. doi: 10.14662/ARJASR2017.013
Kiambati, K. (2020). Influence of credit risk on shareholder market value of commercial banks listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 9(2), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v9i2.687
Kwon, C. K., & Anderson, V. (2025). Critical Systems Thinking and its Implications for HRD. Human Resource Development Review, https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843251396667
Meng, Y., Wang, Z., Tao, Y., Abdukerim, A., Bo, Z., Chen, W., ... & (PandaX-4T Collaboration). (2021). Dark matter search results from the PandaX-4T commissioning run. Physical Review Letters, 127(26), 261802. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.261802
Makudza, F., Mugarisanwa, C., & Siziba, S. (2020). The effect of social media on consumer purchase behaviour in the mobile telephony industry in Zimbabwe. Dutch Journal of Finance and Management, 4(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.djfm.2020.100966
Milliken, F. J., & Martins, L. L. (1996). Searching for common threads: Understanding the multiple effects of diversity in organizational groups. Academy of management review, 21(2), 402-433. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1996.9605060210
Mor Barak, M. E. (2019). Erecting walls versus tearing them down: Inclusion and the (false) paradox of diversity in times of economic upheaval. European Management Review, 16(4), 937-955. https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12305
Mekasha, S. (2020). Effect of Workforce Diversity on Employee Performance: The Case of Save the Children Ethiopia. Diss. ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY.
Muange, R. M. (2020). Effect of Workforce Ethnic Diversity and Education Background diversity on Employee Performance in Selected Universities in Kenya. Journal of Technology and Education in Science (JT31.1), 5(7), 1096–1103.
Mugwe, M. (2020). Effect of diversity management on organizational performance of information, communication and technology firms in Nairobi County. Human Resource and Leadership Journal. 5(1), 51 - 73.
Nishii, L. H., Khattab, J., Shemla, M., & Paluch, R. M. (2018). A multi-level process model for understanding diversity practice effectiveness. Academy of Management Annals, 12(1), 37-82. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0114
Nyamwanza, L., Takachicha, M. T., Chipindu, R., & Maturure, R. (2025). Tokenism in Board Diversity: An Analysis of the Zimbabwean Economy; A Case of the Manufacturing Industry. International Journal of Research, 6(3), 1019-1027. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.6.0325.1132
Odhiambo, M. W., Gachoka, H. G., & Rambo, C. M. (2018). Relationship between gender diversity and employee performance of public universities in Western Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(11), 249-272. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i11/5358
. Olu-Ogunleye, I., & Akanji, B. (2025). Workplace Diversity Education as a Catalyst for Employee Engagement and Performance. Journal of Research in Educational Sciences, 16(1), 12-20. https://doi.org/10.1234/jres.2025.01601
Ong’ayi, I. O., & Odari, S. (2023). Board diversity and performance of commercial banks in Nairobi City County, Kenya. International Academic Journal of Human Resource and Business Administration, 4(3), 161-185. https://doi.org/10.1234/iajhra.2023.04316
Pal, S., & Jain, M. K. (2021). Impact of workforce diversity on employee performance: An empirical assessment of sugar mill, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. International Journal of Trade & Commerce-Iiartc. 10(1), 210–219. https://doi.org/10.46886/IJTC/v10-i1/210-219
Patrick, H. A., & Kumar, V. R. (2012). Managing workplace diversity: Issues and challenges. Sage Open, 2(2), 2158244012444615. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012444615
Peng, J. C., & Chen, S. W. (2023). Learning climate and innovative creative performance: Exploring the multi-level mediating mechanism of team psychological capital and work engagement. Current Psychology, 42(15), 13114-13132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02621-2
Richard, O., McMillan, A., Chadwick, K., & Dwyer, S. (2003). Employing an innovation strategy in racially diverse workforces: Effects on firm performance. Group & Organization Management, 28(1), 107-126. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601102250022
Rus, C. L., & Băban, A. (2019). Linking positive psychological capital to team effectiveness through team learning behaviors. Psihologia Resurselor Umane, 17(2), 101-130. https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.v17i2.293 2
Roy, S. K. (2022). The impact of age, gender, and ethnic diversity on organizational performance: an empirical study of Bangladesh's banking sector. International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 4(2), 145-161. https://doi.org/10.35912/ijfam.v4i2.905
Shen, Z., Xiao, Y., Kang, L., Ma, W., Shi, L., Zhang, L., ... & Li, M. (2020). Genomic diversity of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Clinical infectious diseases, 71(15), 713-720. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa203
Simuyambala, B. S. (2015). Effects of diversity on employee performance in a Higher Education Institution, Botswana (Doctoral dissertation, North-West University (South Africa)).
Tabassum, N., & Nayak, B. S. (2021). Gender stereotypes and their impact on women’s career progressions from a managerial perspective. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, 10(2), 192-208. https://doi.org/10.1177/2277975220975513
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of Intergroup Relations, 13, 276-293. Nelson-Hall.
Tjimuku, M., & Atiku, S. O. (2024). Addressing workplace diversity to improve employee performance: implications for SOEs in Namibia. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2315643
Turner, J. C. (1987). Rediscovering the social group: A self-categorization theory. Basic Blackwell.
Oehmichen, J., Weck, M., & van Ees, H. (2023). Directors' digital expertise and board diversity: empirical evidence from Dutch boards. In Research handbook on diversity and corporate governance, 82-95. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Witten Baum, G. M., & Stasser, G. (1996). Communicating in groups. Routledge.
World Bank Group. (2017). World Development Report 2017: Governance and the law. World Bank Publications.
Wu, J., Richard, O. C., Triana, M. D. C., & Zhang, X. (2022). The performance impact of gender diversity in the top management team and board of directors: A multiteam systems approach. Human Resource Management, 61(2), 157-180. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22086
Zhuwao, S. (2017). Workforce diversity and its effects on employee performance in Higher Education Institutions in South Africa: a case study of University of Venda. Publisher / Institution: University of Venda
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Eunice Dhokura, George Sikaonga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
