Campus Access Only

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of University of the Pacific. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Department

International Studies

First Advisor

Kent Warren

First Committee Member

Mary Meares

Second Committee Member

Cheryl Whitelaw

Abstract

Given the reality of a diverse and multicultural workplace in Canada, and the benefits of inclusion for both employees and employers, it is reasonable for employers to consider the inclusion of immigrants. This study explored (a) skilled immigrants’ perceptions of inclusion in an energy company in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, (b) what these perceptions revealed about the diversity climate in the workplace, and (c) how these perceptions could inform and challenge the inclusion practices in the company. Eighteen participants were interviewed in-depth to determine their perceptions of a number of indicators of inclusion. The participants identified that communication (language and culture-specific communication styles), relationships, and organizational practices were salient in their experiences. Immigrants who had previous relevant work experience in the country reported the most positive experiences. The climate of the company led to strong perceptions of satisfaction and belonging, but low perceptions of fairness and equity. Suggestions for the company to improve its diversity and inclusion climate included attending to the experiences and development of women, contractors, and immigrants who are new to Canada or the company. Recommendations included initiatives to support relationships amongst employees, intercultural training and support for internationally educated professionals and Canadian colleagues including leaders, and talent management that would result in more cultural diversity at the senior leadership levels of the company.

Pages

147

ISBN

9781339687711

To access this thesis/dissertation you must have a valid pacific.edu email address and log-in to Scholarly Commons.

Find in ProQuest

Share

COinS

If you are the author and would like to grant permission to make your work openly accessible, please email

 

Rights Statement

Rights Statement

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).