Development and validation of a diversity intelligence scale

Abstract

Leaders need diversity intelligence (DQ) to effectively manage all employees in the workplace but specifically, they need better knowledge, education, training, and behavior to lead protected class employees. This DQ scale was developed to help leaders assess their knowledge, education, training, and behavior towards protected class employees. This study sought to (1) advance DQ theory by developing and testing the DQ scale; (2) investigate the relationship between leaders’ knowledge and behaviors based upon validation of the scale. The qualitative results and the pilot study helped us to create the factors for the DQ scale that is comprised of three subscales. The quantitative results, using both confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, validated the factor structure of the DQ scale.