Diversity management in a Danish context: towards a multicultural or segregated working life

Since diversity management were introduced in Europe the late 90ies, it has been debated, whether this new language of the value of difference organisation would catalyse organisational change in favour of the position of underprivileged groups. This article argues, that diversity management is translated in a specific societal and organizational context, and points at how strong institutions make their impact on the Danish versions of diversity management. On the basis of a case study of implementation of diversity management in a specific organization we probe into how discourses of diversity management and corporate social responsibility are combined. The study suggests that this version of diversity management potentially leads to changes in the positions of ethnic minorities, primarily in the form of assimilation, as it maintains a focus at the sameness of people; not at the value of difference or otherness.