Effect of workplace diversity on corporate governance: case study of Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), South Sudan

Abstract

Institutions seek to achieve good corporate governance, integrity, excellence and competition in the provision of their services through the possession of clear systems and procedures to ensure the adoption of good decision and the application of transparency standards in the framework of strategic planning and quality management. The study purposes to assess the effect of workplace diversity on corporate governance: A case study of Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), South Sudan. The specific objectives are to: - Analyze the effect of religious diversity; evaluate influence of gender diversity; evaluate influence of ethnic diversity and the influence of cultural diversity on corporate governance in Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC) in Juba City, South Sudan. Upper Echelon’s Theory was adopted by the study. The descriptive and cross-sectional research design were employed. Target population was president of the company, board of directors, managing directors, management committee members, regional managers, and functional managers of GPOC, in South Sudan. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling was used. Data was obtained using questionnaire and key informant interview guide. Expert opinion of the assigned University supervisor was sought on the content of the questionnaires to verify instrument’s validity. Reliability on the other hand was tested using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation CoEfficient. Quantitative techniques were utilized together with SPSS v23.0 in analyzing data. SPSS was applied in running inferential statistics, which included regression and correlation while descriptive statistics involved obtaining mean and standard deviation. The data is presented using pie chart, bar graphs, frequency tables, and thematic analysis in continuous prose. Key findings were; based on the first objective, which was to investigate the effect of religious diversity on corporate governance. It was established to be statistically significant by (M=2.87, r=0.186, p<0.05). Based on the second objective of the study, which was to investigate the effect of gender diversity on corporate governance. It was established to be statistically significant (M=3.62, r=0.206; p<0.05). From the third objective, which was to investigate effect of ethnic diversity on corporate governance. It was found to be statistically significant (M=3.32, r=0.505; p<0.05). From the fourth objective of the study, which was to investigate effect of cultural diversity on corporate governance. It was found to be statistically significant (M=3.60, r=0.408; p<0.05). This study concludes that religious diversity, gender diversity, ethnic diversity and cultural diversity influence corporate governance. The study recommends that state corporations should strive to enhance their employees’ skills diversity with a keen emphasis on diversity in education and experience of employees that creates a diverse set of knowledge and expertise. The findings of this study may assist the government policy makers to formulate better policies concerning corporate governance in organizations not only in Juba City but across the country.