Rana Haq, Alain Klarsfeld, Angela Kornau and Faith Wambura Ngunjiri
The purpose of this paper is to present the diversity and equality perspectives from the national context of India and introduce a special issue about equality, diversity and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the diversity and equality perspectives from the national context of India and introduce a special issue about equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in India.
Design/methodology/approach
This special issue consists of six articles on current EDI issues in India. The first three of the contributions are focused on descriptions of diversity challenges and policies regarding caste and disabilities, while the remaining three papers address gender diversity.
Findings
In addition to providing an overview of this issue's articles, this paper highlights developments and current themes in India's country-specific equality and diversity scholarship. Drawing on the special issue's six papers, the authors show the relevance of Western theories while also pointing to the need for reformulation of others in the context of India.
Research limitations/implications
The authors conclude with a call to further explore diversity in India and to develop locally relevant, culture-sensitive theoretical frameworks. Religious and economic diversity should receive more attention in future diversity management scholarship in the Indian context.
Originality/value
How does India experience equality and diversity concepts? How are India's approaches similar or different from those experienced in other countries? How do theoretical frameworks originated in the West apply in India? Are new, locally grounded frameworks needed to better capture the developments at play? These questions are addressed by the contributions to this special issue.
Alain Klarsfeld, Lena Knappert, Angela Kornau, Faith Wambura Ngunjiri and Barbara Sieben
The purpose of this paper is to further restore diversity and equality to its national contexts by presenting new and so far less visible perspectives from under-researched…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to further restore diversity and equality to its national contexts by presenting new and so far less visible perspectives from under-researched countries.
Design/methodology/approach
This special issue consists of five articles representing four countries and one country-cluster: Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Korea and the English-speaking Caribbean. Three of the contributions are focused on gender diversity, while the remaining two are more general descriptions of diversity challenges and policies in the respective countries (namely, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the English-speaking Caribbean).
Findings
In addition to providing an overview of this issue’s articles, this paper highlights developments and current themes in country-specific equality and diversity scholarship. In particular, drawing on the special issue’s five papers, and building on the main threads that weave the special issue together, the authors show both the relevance of (some) western theories while also pointing to the need for reformulation of others.
Research limitations/implications
The authors conclude with a call to further explore under-researched contexts and especially to develop locally relevant, culture-sensitive theoretical frameworks.
Originality/value
How do smaller and less developed countries experience equality and diversity concepts? How are their approaches different from those experienced in already researched countries, or, on the contrary, what commonalities can be found found among them? How do theoretical frameworks originated in the West apply (or not) in these less studied countries? Are new, locally grounded frameworks needed to better capture the developments at play? Such are questions addressed by the contributions to this special issue.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure of a two-day Think Tank, “Gender in Organisations in the Middle East North Africa (MENA…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure of a two-day Think Tank, “Gender in Organisations in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region”, held at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on 18–19 March 2019.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper will explain the design decisions made to achieve the objectives of the event, which will be of interest to equality, diversity and inclusion readers who may wish to hold such events themselves. It will then explain each of the Think Tank sessions and provide an overview of the keynote speakers’ presentations and the ensuing plenary discussions.
Findings
The Think Tank was an extremely useful vehicle for facilitating discussion on the development of a research agenda to advance knowledge in respect of gender in organisations in the MENA region. The design of the Think Tank enabled collaborative discussion amongst academics drawn from across the globe, who shared their knowledge and experience to develop a coordinated research agenda, to guide action and attention on key issues identified by the group.
Originality/value
The Think Tank is believed to be the first of its type in the MENA region. The authors believe this collaborative and time-efficient approach advances research agendas in respect of key issues of interest to equality, diversity and inclusion scholars. The Think Tank format is a valuable addition to the processes currently utilised to achieve such outcomes, e.g. conferences and symposia.
Details
Keywords
There has been an explosion of interest in “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” (EDI) – also referred to as DEI among other acronyms. On the one hand, this management trend has the…
Abstract
There has been an explosion of interest in “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” (EDI) – also referred to as DEI among other acronyms. On the one hand, this management trend has the potential to draw attention to the ways in which organizational practices and climates can be transformed to have a positive impact on the underrepresentation of women and other marginalized and excluded groups in the workplace. On the other hand, there may be real consequences for women as EDI replaces other concepts such as women's rights, gender equality, affirmative action, employment equity, gender discrimination, etc. This chapter applies a gender lens to the EDI concept and management policy and practice. It juxtaposes EDI's emergence with the lack of progress on gender equality that is observed and measured in many regions of the world and highlights several critiques that may explain this lack of progress. It also identifies what EDI policies and practices need to take into consideration to better address gender inequality in the workplace. Legal approaches are discussed along with a list of potential areas of research on EDI and gender equality to determine the best path forward for making concrete progress on true equality for women in the workplace.