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The purpose of this paper is to clarify the reciprocal relationship between Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and innovation to demonstrate how each may be effectively leveraged for the benefit of the other to help businesses grow. The paper aims to expand the discussion around the relationship between D&I and innovation by exploring not only how D&I can be leveraged for better outcomes in innovation, but also how innovation can be leveraged for better outcomes in D&I.

This paper explores insights from researchers and practitioners, case examples, and the authors’ professional experiences, opinions and interpretations.

Set in the context of current challenges facing business leaders, the paper provides insights, recommendations and case examples about how D&I can be leveraged to bring about innovative products, services and business solutions. It also discusses factors limiting success in the field of D&I calling for innovative approaches that can deliver better outcomes. A set of recommendations and case examples of next generation D&I practices is followed by an example methodology demonstrating value in fostering innovative D&I strategies and results.

Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to explore and test the proposals further.

The paper suggests opportunities for the development of more effective approaches to leveraging D&I for innovation, and leveraging innovation for D&I to help businesses succeed.

This paper highlights a novel opportunity to examine the reciprocity in the interplay between innovation and D&I and broaden the typically unilateral view of this relationship.

This article describes a study examining the influence of a curricular intervention on 25 third-graders' stereotypes and biases related to world cultures and the people who embody them.

The qualitative study focused on privileging student voice through an inductive analytical approach. Triangulated data sources include focus group and paired interviews, recorded lessons, student and teacher curricular documents, as well as field notes.

Results—primarily reported through the children's own thoughts and voices—describe students' initial ideas about world cultures and people prior to experiencing the curriculum, and afterward, documenting shifts in stereotypical beliefs and biased attitudes. Findings indicate many students made positive changes, altering incorrect assumptions about other cultures and people. In addition, some children became able to recognize stereotypes and biases, generalize what they learned to other situations beyond those addressed in the curriculum and identify their own bias.

This study provides insight into an understudied topic and population in social studies education. It presents evidence that young children are capable of successfully engaging with the complex topics of bias and stereotypes in meaningful ways, thus providing a rationale for addressing stereotypes and bias concerning world cultures in elementary classrooms.