ASSESSING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: THE BENEFITS OF AN INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE NAVY

This thesis builds upon past theses concerning inclusion and diversity (I&D) within the fleet and refines metrics for accessing diversity and inclusion. We used a multi-step approach to gain knowledge about the major contributing factors to an inclusive and diverse command. We quantitatively examined Personal Inclusion Factors to assess individuals’ feelings of being personally included or not within their command and Command Core Inclusion Competencies to assess whether individuals believe their commands demonstrate diverse and inclusive practices. Based on our results, we found that females across all races/ethnicities reported feeling less inclusion and felt their commands displayed fewer core inclusion competencies compared to their male counterparts. In our qualitative analysis of open-ended questions, we found the largest impact commands had on Sailors’ feelings of inclusion was leadership. We recommend future research be done on Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) data, which represents the entire Navy, to gain a more comprehensive view of I&D within the fleet. That research will be able to address common areas of concern in regard to I&D and make further progress in enhancing diversity and widening inclusion to produce a ready, lethal Navy.OPNAV N17Lieutenant, United States NavyLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited