Diversity and Inclusion in The Information Technology Industry: Relating Perceptions and Expectations to Demographic Dimensions

The American society, especially the workplace, is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of race/ethnicity, culture, national origin, sexual orientation, familial status, age, religion, disability, and educational attainment (where there are people from different backgrounds and cultures the potential for suspicion and prejudices occur). This study examines diversity and inclusion in the information technology sector and assesses whether differences in group members perceptions and expectations are influenced by gender, race/ethnicity, position, and educational status. This study adopts a descriptive, quantitative approach utilizing a survey in the form of a questionnaire constructed using the Web-based survey software SurveyMonkey. This researcher designed a 12-item instrument administered to information technology (IT) professionals who are members of a national IT association. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and t-tests were used to answer the research questions. It was found that perceptions and expectations of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the IT industry do not differ significantly by race/ethnicity, gender, education, and position. Details of the results, limitations, recommendations for future research, and applications for practice in organizations by human resources development professionals and technology managers are discussed.