Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations: A Fresh View Through Granular Interaction Thinking Theory

Aim/Purpose This article introduces the Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT) – a sociopsychological theory grounded in an information-processing perspective – to offer a novel lens for understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in organizations. Background DEI policies are vital instruments for addressing social inequality within organizations. However, the growing backlash against DEI efforts and inconsistent empirical outcomes highlight the need for deeper theoretical inquiry. Methodology Conceptual development. Contribution GITT complements established social (e.g., Social Identity Theory, the Information and Decision-Making Perspective, and Intersectionality Theory) and philosophical theories (e.g., Epistemic Injustice, Justice as Fairness, and Discourse Ethics) by providing an information-theoretic framework for effectively managing informational diversity and entropy. Findings Existing frameworks often overlook a crucial dimension: the informational dynamics of diverse organizational systems. GITT–DEI Framework conceptualizes diversity as expanding informational inputs, equity as enabling fair access to influence, and inclusion as facilitating reciprocal exchange and integration. While well-designed DEI initiatives enhance adaptability, creativity, and long-term value by expanding informational diversity, they also raise informational entropy. If left unmanaged, the increasing entropy can lead to higher energy and resource demands, potentially undermining organizational coherence and performance. The framework proposes an optimal entropy zone bounded by the Capture Threshold and the Sufficiency Threshold, within which meaningful plurality is preserved without exceeding organizational processing capacity. Recommendations for Practitioners Organizations can apply the framework through five interrelated mechanisms: filtering, weighting, integration, feedback, and monitoring. Informational inputs should be evaluated using transparent, context-sensitive, and contestable criteria, while AI-supported processes should remain explainable, auditable, and subject to meaningful human oversight. Recommendations for Researchers The GITT-DEI Framework opens avenues for empirical validation and for new DEI metrics. Future researchers can use the framework to estimate the actual optimal entropy zone for an organization or to simulate decision-making under varying levels of diversity and process structures to identify optimal configurations. The Equitable-channel, Entropy-zone, and Feedback-correction propositions derived from the framework can be translated into empirical research. Impact on Society More transparent and inclusive organizational informing processes may support fairer, more accountable, and better-informed decisions. In public organizations, such improvements may contribute to more responsive public services and greater consideration of diverse stakeholder knowledge. Future Research Future studies should empirically estimate the Capture and Sufficiency Thresholds and test whether decision processes within the proposed optimal entropy zone exhibit less informational exclusion and overload. Longitudinal, experimental, and simulation studies could examine how channel accessibility, weighting rules, feedback mechanisms, processing capacity, and AI assistance shape entropy trajectories and organizational outcomes.