The Diversity in Organizations Group (DOG) will pursue research in order to identify and prevent barriers to success for members of stigmatized and marginalized groups across organizational contexts.  The research agenda of this working group will focus on issues such as:  1) recruitment and retention of marginalized group members, 2) their human resource development, and 3) assessing and improving climates for diversity within institutional contexts such as the workplace or educational institutions.  Outreach efforts of this working group will involve providing applied research and developing and implementing research-based interventions in order to meet organizations’ diversity-related needs. 

One potential strategy for providing these services will be through establishing a Georgia think tank on workplace diversity.  Ultimately this working group will also provide  professional  and continuing education opportunities (such as Athens and Gwinnett-based workshops) targeted to individuals and to organizations.  This work could potentially be funded by corporate foundations such as those of Shell Oil and Exxon Oil, which have initiatives related to diversity.  Non-profit foundation initiatives such as the Spencer Foundation’s funding priorityon Organizational Learning, and the Russell Sage Foundation’s initiative on the Future of Work may also provide opportunities for funding this working group’s engaged research agenda.