Competencies in Managing Minority Groups: A Study in a Multinational Agribusiness Company in Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8077.2026.e101215Keywords:
Managerial Competencies, Diversity Management, Minoritized Groups, Agribusiness, InclusionAbstract
Objective: To investigate the competencies required for the management of minority groups in a multinational agribusiness organization operating in Brazil, highlighting the importance of diversity in the organizational agenda.
Methodology: Quantitative research based on a case study and survey technique.
Relevance: Diversity management is a growing topic, but still insufficient to address organizational disparities. This study provides an overview of the competencies required to promote more inclusive and plural organizational cultures.
Main Results: The most valued competencies include emotional intelligence, adaptability, and intercultural competencies. Managers with high emotional intelligence create more inclusive and motivating work environments. Adaptability is crucial to accommodate the diverse needs of professionals and to respond to unexpected situations. Intercultural competencies enable effective navigation through the organization's cultural diversity.
Theoretical Contributions: This study highlights the importance of developing specific competencies for effective diversity and inclusion management, suggesting the need for continuous training programs to enhance these competencies.
Social Contributions: The implementation of diversity policies, along with committed and competent leadership, can increase job satisfaction and talent retention, contributing to the overall effectiveness of the organization. This study offers valuable information for managers and policymakers in human resources, particularly in the agribusiness sector.
References
Alves, G., & Galeão-Silva, L. (2004). Diversidade e inclusão no mercado de trabalho. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 44(2), 35-48. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-75902004000300003
Barbosa, L., Bonfim, L., Borges, R., & Medeiros, M. (2018). Atualização das competências organizacionais críticas no Brasil. Gestão & Produção, 25(3), 543-560.
Bell, M. P., Berry, D. P., Leopold, J., & Nkomo, S. M. (2021). Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations. Routledge.
Boyatzis, R. (1982). The Competent Manager. John Wiley & Sons.
Carbone, P., Brandão, H., Leite, A., & Brito, C. (2009). Gestão por competência. Revista de Administração Pública, 43(4), 905-927.
Cox, T. Jr. (1991). The multicultural organization. Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 34-47.
Cox, T. Jr. (1993). Cultural diversity in organizations. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage Publications.
Diniz, D., Faustino, J., & Ribeiro, T. (2013). Diversidade nas organizações. Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 17(3), 400-421.
Dobbin, F., & Kalev, A. (2016). Why diversity programs fail. Harvard Business Review, 94(7/8), 52-60.
Dutra, J. S. (2004). Competências e gestão de talentos. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 39(2), 34-45.
Fleury, M. T. L. (2000). Gerenciando a diversidade cultural. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 40(3), 18-25. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-75902000000300003
Fleury, M. T. L., & Fleury, A. (2001). Construindo o conceito de competência. Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 5, 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1415-65552001000500010
Fraga, L., Oliveira, G., & Santos, M. (2022). A inclusão de minorias no ambiente de trabalho. Revista Brasileira de Gestão de Negócios, 24(2), 250-265.
Gemelli, S., Moura, A., & Freitas, L. (2019). Políticas de inclusão e diversidade nas organizações. Revista Gestão & Tecnologia, 19(2), 103-120.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
Griffin, R., & Moorhead, G. (2006). Organizational Behavior. Houghton Mifflin.
Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
Jones, K. P., Arena, D. F., Nittrouer, C. L., Alonso, N. M., & Lindsey, A. P. (2021). Subtle discrimination in the workplace: A vicious cycle. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 14(1-2), 94-100. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2016.91
Kulik, C. T., Ryan, S., Harper, S., & George, G. (2023). Inclusiveness and fairness in organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 60(1), 75-98.
Le Boterf, G. (1987). Compétence et Navigation Professionnelle. Éditions d’Organisation.
Lorentz, M. (2014). Competências de gestores de grupos minoritários nas organizações. Revista de Administração Pública, 48(5), 1201-1220.
Marra, J., & Melo, A. (2012). Desenvolvimento de competências na educação superior brasileira. Revista Avaliação, 17(1), 125-144.
Mathews, A. (1998). Diversity. HR Magazine, 43(7), 55-60.
Meyer, J. W., & Stensaker, B. (2006). Developing Competence. European Journal of Education, 41(2), 217-232.
Mor Barak, M. E. (2020). Managing Diversity. Sage Publications.
Nishii, L. H., & Rich, B. L. (2021). Creating inclusive climates in diverse organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(4), 467-482.
Pereira, J., & Hanashiro, D. M. M. (2007). Gestão da diversidade nas organizações. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 47(3), 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-75902004000300003
Pestana, M. H., & Gageiro, J. N. (2008). Análise de dados para ciências sociais. Edições Sílabo.
Ployhart, R. E., & Vandenberg, R. J. (2010). Longitudinal research: The theory, design, and analysis of change. Journal of Management, 36(1), 94-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309352110
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2012). Sources of method bias in social science research and recommendations on how to control it. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 539-569. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100452
Prasad, A., D’Abate, C., & Prasad, P. (2021). Managing the millennials: Discover the core competencies for managing today’s workforce. Springer.
Reis, D. (2004). Competências na administração pública. Revista do Serviço Público, 55(3), 7-29.
Roberson, Q. M. (2019). Diversity training: Understanding issues of effectiveness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(2), 204-209.
Rosa, A. (2014). Diversidade e inclusão: desafios e perspectivas. Revista Administração em Diálogo, 16(2), 190-206.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership. John Wiley & Sons.
Shen, J., Chanda, A., D’Netto, B., & Monga, M. (2009). Managing diversity through human resource management: An international perspective and conceptual framework. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 235-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190802670516
Shore, L. M., Cleveland, J. N., & Sanchez, D. (2021). Inclusive workplaces: A review and model. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), 176-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.07.003
Strohmeier, S., & Parry, E. (2014). HRM in the digital age. Employee Relations, 36(4), 333-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/er-07-2013-0082
Thomas, D. A., & Ely, R. J. (1996). Making differences matter. Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 79-90.
Thomas, R. R. (2004). Building on the promise of diversity. Amacom.
Zarifian, P. (1999). Objectif Compétence. Éditions Liaisons.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ludielson Bandeira, Anderson de Souza Sant'Anna

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The author must ensure:
- that there is complete consensus among all co-authors to approve the final version of the paper and its submission for publication.
- that their work is original, and if the work and/or words of others have been used, these have been duly acknowledged.
Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. RCA reserves the right to use software or any other methods of plagiarism detection.
All submissions received for evaluation in the RCA journal are screened for plagiarism and self-plagiarism. Plagiarism identified in manuscripts during the evaluation process will result in the submission being archived. In the event of plagiarism being identified in a manuscript published in the journal, the Editor-in-Chief will conduct a preliminary investigation and, if necessary, retract it.
Authors grant RCA exclusive rights of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons (CC BY) 4.0 International License.

Authors are authorized to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (e.g., publishing in an institutional repository, on a personal website, publishing a translation, or as a chapter in a book), with an acknowledgement of its authorship and initial publication in this journal.
This license grants any user the right to:
Share – copy, download, print, or redistribute the material in any medium or format.
Adapt – remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
According to the following terms:
Attribution – You must give appropriate credit (cite and reference), provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions – You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.