The history of research in workplace diversity: evolution, debates and future trajectories

Purpose This study aims to examine the historical evolution of the relationship between workplace diversity (WD) and firm performance within the domain of management research. Despite the original interpretation of WD in terms of social aspects, it is becoming increasingly integrated into corporate governance and strategic management issues. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to determine how and why these conceptual shifts took place. Design/methodology/approach Using an intellectual-historical perspective based on bibliometric coupling and co-citation, a total of 1,756 publications in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) published from 2010 through 2023 were analyzed to depict the historical evolution of the research as well as to trace the main conceptual changes within the field. To add robustness and reproducibility to the research, the authors introduced a manual bidirectional literature interaction and followed the PRISMA protocol. Findings The results show an evolutionary transformation of research concerning the relationship between WD and firm performance. From a historical perspective, the intellectual evolution has been shaped by five major stages: (1) the foundational conceptualization of WD; (2) the financialization of WD; (3) the governance turn; (4) the strategic expansion; and finally (5) the post-financialization. From a general perspective, the research suggests that although the historical evolution of literature is evident, it continues to be heavily concentrated on a board level, gender diversity and financial performance outcomes. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its reliance on the Web of Science database and bibliometric methods, which may exclude relevant studies and do not allow causal inference. Despite these limitations, the findings offer important implications. They demonstrate the evolution of WD from a social concept to a governance and strategic resource. Furthermore, the results highlight the concentration of research at the board level and encourage organizations to integrate broader, multi-level diversity approaches. Future research should explore deep-level diversity dimensions and non-financial outcomes such as innovation and sustainability. Practical implications The findings suggest that organizations should view WD as a strategic resource rather than solely a compliance or symbolic initiative. Firms are encouraged to integrate diversity into corporate governance and decision-making processes to enhance innovation, adaptability and long-term performance. However, relying only on observable attributes such as gender may limit potential benefits. Managers should therefore promote multi-level and deep-level diversity, including cognitive and experiential differences. Additionally, aligning diversity initiatives with sustainability and stakeholder-oriented strategies can strengthen organizational legitimacy and resilience in increasingly complex and dynamic business environments. Social implications This study highlights how WD has evolved from a social justice concern to a strategic governance issue, shaping how organizations address equality and inclusion. While progress in gender representation at leadership levels is evident, an overemphasis on measurable, surface-level diversity may limit broader social impact. Organizations are encouraged to promote inclusive practices that extend beyond executive positions to the wider workforce. Strengthening diversity as part of ethical, sustainable and socially responsible management can contribute to reducing inequalities, improving representation and fostering more inclusive and equitable organizational environments aligned with societal expectations. Originality/value This research makes a valuable contribution to the field of management history by offering a systematic reconstruction of WD-firm performance research as an evolving intellectual trajectory rather than a static thematic area. The concepts of WD financialization, strategic extensions and post-financialization are introduced to explain the consolidation of research, particularly around board gender-level diversity and agency theory.