Representation, Diversity, and Organizational Performance: A Theoretical and Empirical Exploration in the Context of South African Local Government

Abstract

Representative bureaucracy and workforce diversity have become central topics in the field of public administration. Although representation and diversity are distinct concepts, public administration researchers often conflate them. This study seeks to provide analytical clarity by outlining and comparing the various conceptual definitions of representation and diversity. We also explain the causal logic of how representation and diversity influence organizational performance. Finally, with South African local government as the research setting, we examine the empirical relationship between these two concepts and explore how different forms of representation and diversity are related to organizational performance.