A book explores the topic of diversity management, seeking to understand its current state and future prospects

Diversity is a source of richness.  This is not a recent discovery, but a principle that has long been proven by time.  And it should be finding renewed recognition, even if this is often not the case.  Indeed, the idea often takes the form of a question.  Meanwhile, diversity management is often said to be in crisis. In fact, to put it another way, it seems that the current focus on diversity in society and organisations is more divisive than inclusive.

‘Per un diversity management di classe’ (For first-class diversity management), a book written by Marco Guerci, Alberto Lulli and Gabriele Ballarino and recently published, examines precisely what is happening in this area.  It seeks to understand why, as well as to identify solutions.

It all begins with an observation:  the term ‘woke’, meaning being aware of issues of diversity, appears to have become a divisive label, while the social legitimacy of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives seems to have diminished. So, following a period of expansion, companies and institutions are now taking a step back, driven by growing political and cultural polarisation surrounding the promotion of diversity.

The authors of the book therefore set out to answer a series of questions:  what happened,  and why does an idea conceived to reduce inequality now seem to divide rather than unite?  And, above all, how can we revive the promotion of diversity as a shared value?

The book examines the causes of the diversity management crisis and proposes a way forward:  broaden our perspective by including socio-economic background as one of the aspects of diversity to be protected and promoted within the company. In other words, while traditional dimensions of diversity such as gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability remain fundamental, we must also recognise that people from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to face barriers when accessing career opportunities. The authors argue that empirical evidence shows that it is often the human resources policies adopted by companies that reinforce this disadvantage. These policies leave intact the powerful mechanisms that generate inequality, thereby undermining the credibility of all corporate inclusion policies.

So, what can be done? The book’s central argument is that diversity management can regain its significance and gain widespread acceptance if it addresses the professional disadvantages that arise from differences in social background. This perspective requires not only a theoretical extension of the concept of diversity management, but also the development of new perspectives and skills by the professional community of human resources practitioners and businesses in general.

Guerci, Lulli and Ballarino’s book will not be to everyone’s liking.  That is precisely why it must be read —  and read carefully.

Per un diversity management di classe

Marco Guerci, Alberto Lulli, Gabriele Ballarino

Franco Angeli, 2026