Kerry Hendricks, Nick Deal, Albert J. Mills and Jean Helms Mills
The purpose of this study is to draw attention to the heuristic value of intersectionality by historicizing it as a framework appropriate for the use of studying discrimination…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to draw attention to the heuristic value of intersectionality by historicizing it as a framework appropriate for the use of studying discrimination and discriminatory practices in organizations over time.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing a fusion between amodernist historiography vis-à-vis the nascent ANTi-History approach and intersectional complexity, the authors draw upon historical narratives from archival materials British Airways to empirically examine the utility of, and turn to, intersectional history in historical organization studies.
Findings
Analysis of archival materials and commissioned corporate histories revealed subjectivities of socially constructing historicized intersectional identities. This suggests that certain identities have been and continue to “enjoy” privilege while others are marginalized and/or neglected through serial interconnected historical meanings. These processes of privileging and marginalization rely on the way a nexus of meaning is configured.
Research limitations/implications
The research process relied and is dependent on limited archival materials within a single organization (British Airways) and industry (civil aviation). The critique herein should not be misinterpreted as judgment of the airline itself as an exemplar of discriminatory practices but rather for its longevity as an ongoing concern; its rich, colonialist history within the United Kingdom and accessibility of data. Archival traces are housed within a semi-public corporate archive which means those traces available for study have been professional and rhetorically curated.
Practical implications
From the perspective of workplace diversity, our aim has been to reveal to diversity professionals and activists not only the role of history in shaping discrimination but also, in particular, to be alert to the processes whereby the production of knowledge of the past takes place. The authors hope also to have drawn attention to the power of organizations in the generation of discriminatory historical accounts and the need to further explore how such accounts are produced as knowledge of the past. Finally, the authors introduce the notion of “nexus of meaning” to suggest that in the complexity of intersectionality, the authors need to explore not only how people experience different and combined forms of discrimination but also how those experiences are shaped in a complex series of meaning that owe much to past experiences.
Social implications
The research directs attention to the nexus of meaning that constitute intersecting identities.
Originality/value
The research attempts to historicize intersectionality as a qualitative framework worthy of consideration in management and organization studies. From the perspective of studying discrimination in organizational life, the aim of this paper is to bring forward the role history plays in shaping discrimination as well as the processes whereby the production of knowledge of the past takes place. Attention is also drawn to the power of organizations in the generation of discriminatory historical accounts and the need to further explore how such accounts are produced. This study introduces the nexus of meaning analytic that understands how the experiences of different and combined forms of discrimination are shaped by meanings of the past.
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Patrick Primeaux realized that the ethical story is far more complicated than the tale of individual responsibility we typically spin for our students. Pat brought pop culture…
Abstract
Patrick Primeaux realized that the ethical story is far more complicated than the tale of individual responsibility we typically spin for our students. Pat brought pop culture (e.g. Bruce Springsteen) (Primeaux, 1996) into business ethics precisely because he knew that culture shapes each of us in myriad ways, creating habits, expectations and outlooks we then bring to the workplace. In his book Reinterpreting the American Dream: Persons and Ethics, Pat showed how American culture encourages us to concentrate all of our energy into work and the pursuit of wealth and distinction (Primeaux, 2000). Pat also realized that institutions knowingly or unwittingly shape the kind of experiences individuals have and that these experiences directly inform our consciousness and, hence, our behaviour within organizations (Primeaux, 1992).
A recent novel – A. D. Miller's Snowdrops – does a wonderful job of exploring psychic and cultural dynamics and in the process raises some troubling questions of where responsibility for wrongdoing lies. This essay uses Miller's book to explore from a psychological viewpoint how and why employees who are sent abroad by multinational corporations (MNCs) may get involved in local corruption; to show why personal integrity requires external support if agents are to be able to do the right thing; and to raise the issue of what sort of responsibilities MNCs have to the employees whom they send abroad.
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Susan Kerubo Onsongo, John Olukuru and Onesmus Mwabonje
Learning Objective 1: Develop students’ ability to critically assess and probe the challenges of aligning business objectives with compliance to local and international…
Abstract
Learning objectives
Learning Objective 1: Develop students’ ability to critically assess and probe the challenges of aligning business objectives with compliance to local and international environmental regulations. Students will learn to identify how tensions between regulatory compliance and business goals influence decision-making processes in resource-intensive industries.
Learning Objective 2: Increase problem-solving skills of students by exploring the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental stewardship. They will be able to examine real-world dilemmas, such as community displacement, biodiversity loss, and pollution in mining contexts, and understand how to navigate these complex challenges using insights from Dr Nick’s experiences.
Learning Objective 3: Advance integrative learning, inquiry and interpretive capabilities of students by demonstrating the significance of ESG principles in mining operations focusing on environmental management, community engagement, and ethical governance. Students will learn how to integrate these principles into corporate strategies to achieve a balance between profitability and sustainability.
Learning Objective 4: Equip students with hands-on experience through real business scenarios by addressing dilemmas companies face in the era of climate change and appreciate the role of leadership in driving and implementing sustainable practices. Students will understand how leaders like Dr Nick balance stakeholder interests, ethical standards, and operational efficiency, and how this balance impacts the company’s growth and sustainability objectives.
Case overview/synopsis
This case introduces students to the difficulty an environmental manager faces in balancing the interests of the community at large with the company’s goals. Dr Nick Okello, an environmental manager at Base Titanium, is the protagonist of the case. For several years, Dr Nick has overseen the business’s environmental programs at the high-grade mineral sand mine called Kwale Operation, which is situated along Kenya’s coast. The case allows students to explore how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles are applied in a mining company setting by using this case study. Simple assessments can be applied by students to evaluate ESG and discuss their analysis of it. The mining industry’s intricate relationship between corporate governance, business strategy, and environmental stewardship is exemplified by the Dr Nick case at Base Titanium. It provides a critical analysis of the difficulties businesses confront in attempting to strike a balance between sustainable ethical business practices and economic growth, especially in areas where governance issues are common.
Complexity academic level
This case is suitable for use in executive education, MBA, senior undergraduate, and other graduate-level business programs in courses such business management, organizational behaviour, environmental sciences, project management, strategic management, operations, finance, corporate governance, leadership, and sustainable development.
Supplementary material
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 4: Environmental Management.
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- Community relocation
- Corporate responsibility
- Ecosystem restoration
- Environmental
- Social and Governance (ESG)
- Ethical dilemmas
- Mining expansion
- Pollution control
- Resource extraction
- Regulations
- Social Impact and Sustainable development
- Environmental issues
- Environment and society
- Manufacturing
- Organizational behaviour
- Stakeholder management
- Relocation
This chapter sets out to examine the topic of a spatial analysis of urban crime through an analysis of David Simon’s seminal television series The Wire. By developing an analysis…
Abstract
This chapter sets out to examine the topic of a spatial analysis of urban crime through an analysis of David Simon’s seminal television series The Wire. By developing an analysis of the issues that are presented in the series, issues such as race, ethnicity and representation will be addressed in order to add to the understanding of these topics in relation to race and media representations. Each section will address a set of themes which are evident in The Wire. The chapter highlights the idea of race in the series and how characters are presented on screen. The research is also concerned with economic issues depicted in the series and the effect of the economy on the characters in Baltimore, the U.S. city in which The Wire was set.
The conclusion of the chapter addresses poverty class and inequality as topics and sets out to document these themes in relation to race. The third chapter also discusses the racism and discrimination that is apparent in The Wire. By contextualising the series, the book is attempting to theorise relevant issues surrounding race, gender and power through an examination of relevant literature and the development of a theoretical framework from which key issues will be addressed.
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Nicholous M. Deal, Christopher M. Hartt and Albert J. Mills
The purpose of this article is to consider how project leadership knowledge and behaviour influence project team trust and social capital development and use in the context of a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to consider how project leadership knowledge and behaviour influence project team trust and social capital development and use in the context of a global HR information systems project.
Design/methodology/approach
A comparative interpretive case study approach was used, including interviews (n=45) and participant observation with members at all levels of the two examined projects. Interpretive patterns from situated activities enabled inferences to be drawn about different types of project leader (PL) knowledge and behaviours and trust and the bridging and bonding aspects of social capital.
Findings
PLs need to apply knowledge in three areas in order for trust to develop within the project team (external leadership, internal leadership and hybrid leadership), which in turn is a necessary pre‐condition for the development and exploitation of social capital, a significant influence on project success.
Research limitations/implications
The choice of two extreme cases (one where trust did not develop and one where trust did) means that further research is needed to corroborate the findings in order to make generalisations.
Practical implications
The study highlights ways in which a PL can foster the development of trust in the context of complex cross‐cultural, cross‐functional IS project teams. The study identifies how there are different types of trust that need to be generated and how this depends on good internal, external and hybrid PL leadership.
Originality/value
The study highlights the importance of different types of trust for being able to exploit social capital at the project level that has not been studied explicitly in the literature.