Digital Diversity in Software Development Companies: Is It for Real ?

This study introduces the concept of ‘digital diversity’ to refer to the increasing workforce heterogeneity that stems from the recent rise of digital natives in the workforce. While digital diversity is expected to promise innovation and efficiency, it may also give rise to organizational challenges. The nature of the promise and challenge of digital diversity as well as how it is perceived across diverse groups, however, remain unexplored. Through a multisite study of software development companies, this study provides a deeper understanding of digital diversity and its promise and challenge in the particular context of software development workforce. Furthermore, drawn upon empirical data and insights from generational and diversity research, a model distinctly suited to studying digital diversity in software development workforce, is developed. Contributions to theory and implications for software development companies are discussed and new avenues for future research are outlined.