On November 7, 2011 more than 200 people gathered in beautiful Palais Eschenbach in Vienna’s first district for the 4th Webster Vienna Alumni Symposium, Diversity versus Conformity: Finding a Balance that’s Right for Business. Members of Vienna’s business community joined alumni, students and staff for a panel discussion on the topic of diversity and conformity within companies, the many problems that can arise from having a diverse workforce and equally diverse clientele, and what aspects of conformity are needed to find success in the international marketplace.

Webster University President Dr. Elizabeth Stroble and Provost and Senior Vice President Dr. Julian Schuster came all the way from St. Louis for the event and welcomed the crowd, highlighting the international nature of Webster University and the diversity that exists at its very core.

Dr. Eric Frey acted as moderator and posed questions to the panelist that drew from their experiences and expertise.
The Panel included:

• Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Dean, George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology, Webster University
• Prof. Thomas Hintze, Managing Director, UPC Austria
• Mr. Felix Thun-Hohenstein, Managing Director, 3M Austria and Switzerland
• Mr. Erno Karl, IBM Intellectual Property Licensing, Europe
• Mag. Doris Tomanek, Head of HR Austria and CEE, Member of the Board, UniCredit Bank Austria
• Ms. Samantha Yarwood, Marketing Director, Switzerland & Austria, Starbucks Coffee Company

While a diverse working environment may help breed innovation and creativity, it can also lead to difficulties, especially related to basic communication. Communication problems can lie anywhere on a wide spectrum from the very simple question of whether or not people speak the same language, to the more nuanced issues of what people actually mean when they speak to each other or how words may be interpreted differently. Companies may need to invest in language courses for their employees or engage the services of a diversity consultant to help settle misunderstandings.  All panelists agreed that a certain amount of conformity is needed for success, such as common values, processes and goals. Erno Karl remarked that common values can be the “glue” that holds a team together, and the act of working together to achieve the same results can help bridge cultural and national divides.   

While cultural diversity remained the main theme for the night, other issues were brought up as well, including gender diversity and generational differences. Doris Tomanek noted that while over 50% of Bank Austria’s employees were women, they make up only 25-30% of the managerial team. She also mentioned the importance of a healthy mix of younger and more experienced workers.  Samantha Yarwood seconded her remark, noting that young people may have the drive and energy, but the older generation has the experience and know-how to advise on how best to channel the youthful enthusiasm.

Unfortunately not everyone working together sees diversity as something positive. When asked about the resistance to diversity among staff, Felix Thun-Hohenstein stressed the need to foster an environment where diversity is embraced and recognized for the benefits it can bring. “We need to bring the positive view of diversity into our schools and grow it as a value.”  He remarked, “The question should not be how diverse your workforce is, but how much do they embrace diversity as a value.” Successful companies need to embrace diversity, understanding its challenges, and do what needs to be done to harness its positional and turn it into positive results.

The panel discussion was followed by a networking reception with food and beverages sponsored by Starbucks Coffee Company and Hilton Hotels Austria.

More video clips from the event is available on our YouTube channel.