FINAL PROJECT – INTEGRATING MANAGEMENT 1
Final Project – Integrating Management Functions to Advance Innovation
Purdue Global University
GM501-01: Management Theories and Practices II
Dr. Carrie A. O’Hare
December 29, 2022
FINAL PROJECT – INTEGRATING MANAGEMENT 2
Final Project – Integrating Management Functions to Advance Innovation
Introduction
The organization to be addressed in this paper is National Geographic Partners,
colloquially referred to as National Geographic. National Geographic was started as non-profit
organization on January 13, 1888, as the National Geographic Society (National Geographic,
2021). It was founded by 33 scholars of the time but principally by Alexander Graham Bell, John
Wesley Powell, and Marcus Baker to increase the spread of geographical knowledge (History,
2020). Gardiner Greene Hubbard was elected as the society’s first president (History, 2020).
The organization is currently led by President Courteney Monroe and magazine Editor-in-Chief
Susan Goldberg (National Geographic Partners, n.d.-a). National Geographic is primarily a
media company which produces television programs and its iconic magazine (National
Geographic Partners, n.d.-a).
A brief description of the issue at National Geographic is that they have a diversity
management and inclusivity problem (North & Amaria, 2021). The pending decision, based on
an article by North and Amaria, (2021) is how to meet society’s expectations for National
Geographic’s move toward more racially inclusive reporting and enhancing its diversity
management (North & Amaria, 2021). National Geographic Partners can be reached at (202)912-
6799, pressroom@natgeo.com, https://nationalgeographicpartners.com, or at their corporate
headquarters, 1145 Seventeenth Street, Northwest Washington, DC 20036 (National Geographic
Partners, n.d.-b).
FINAL PROJECT – INTEGRATING MANAGEMENT 3
Problem
Major Issue
This paper will address the one overriding problem affecting National Geographic. They
have a cultural diversity and inclusivity problem. Three years after editor-in-chief Goldberg
announced sweeping reforms in racial equity in reporting and diversity management, they
continue to fall short of both society’s and their employees’ expectations (North & Amaria,
2021).
Why and How Explanations
North and Amaria (2021) cite lingering issues like a lack of writers and contributors with
diverse backgrounds, a general mistrust of employees of color, and top management level
ignorance of how diversity and inclusion work. These issues have directly contributed to
National Geographics inability to make any serious gains in Diversity management. The
common denominator in these issues is the executive leadership team.
National Geographic is a classical strict Hierarchical control structure (Daft, 2017, p.
646). According to North and Amaria (2021) all the power is concentrated in the executive
leadership team and the senior staff editors for the magazine; managers who happen to be
predominately white. Having been a part of several hierarchical control structures, this author
has felt the stifling effect of leaders who resist innovation and positive change. All the best
intentions from the bottom up mean nothing without leadership who support that change. Finally,
besides leadership, corporate culture (Daft, 2017, p. 73) is also at the root of National
Geographics problems. All the diversity management programs in the world will not matter
unless the beliefs, values and goals of the company support those programs.
FINAL PROJECT – INTEGRATING MANAGEMENT 4
Innovative Management Idea/Solution
Alternate Courses of Action
The first suggested alternative course of action to address National Geographic’s problem
is a top down changing of the guard. Start with the hiring of leaders who embrace inclusivity,
organizational accountability, and diversity management on a deeper level than simple rhetoric.
Effective diversity leaders, as Mullins (2018) suggests, with human resources backgrounds are
more capable of fostering both diversity and inclusivity in the workforce (p. 1137). Additionally,
National Geographic’s executive management team consists of nine individuals (National
Geographic Partners, n.d.-a); eight of those nine managers fall under what Samdamis and
Ozbilgin (2020) describe as a “typical” leader (p. 104). A leader who comes from a privileged
socio-demographic background, heterosexual orientation, and his considered older by western
