scholarly journals Identity, diversity and diversity management

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotte Holck ◽  
Sara Louise Muhr ◽  
Florence Villesèche

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the identity and diversity literatures and discuss how a better understanding of the theoretical connections between the two informs both diversity research and diversity management practices. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review followed by a discussion of the theoretical and practical consequences of connecting the identity and diversity literatures. Findings – The authors inform future research in three ways. First, by showing how definitions of identity influence diversity theorizing in specific ways. Second, the authors explore how such definitions entail distinct foci regarding how diversity should be analyzed and interventions actioned. Third, the authors discuss how theoretical coherence between definitions of identity and diversity perspectives – as well as knowledge about a perspective’s advantages and limitations – is crucial for successful diversity management research and practice. Research limitations/implications – The authors argue for a better understanding of differences, overlaps and limits of different identity perspectives, and for a stronger engagement with practice. Practical implications – The work can encourage policy makers, diversity and HR managers to question their own practices and assumptions leading to more theoretical informed diversity management practices. Originality/value – The theoretical connections between identity and diversity literature have so far not been reviewed systematically. The work foregrounds how important it is for diversity scholars to consider identity underpinnings of diversity research to help further develop the field within and beyond the three streams the authors discuss.

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niki Hynes ◽  
Barbara Caemmerer ◽  
Emeline Martin ◽  
Eliot Masters

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of a positive country image (CI) by companies. First, it examines how organisations embed dimensions of a positive country image into their external marketing communications. Second, it examines the alignment between the countries’ image dimensions and those of the company and how company values and actions could act to either use, abuse and detract from an established CI. Design/methodology/approach – A two-part methodology was adopted. Two countries with strong positive CIs were chosen for comparison purposes. Content analysis of web sites, together with interviews with company representatives, were undertaken. Findings – The use of the CI/country-of-origin framework is extended from an extrinsic “made in” cue for consumers, to being part of the value offering of a particular product or service from an organisational perspective is extended. Evidence is structured into a framework of companies which use and/or contribute to the CI. Research limitations/implications – The two chosen countries both have positive CIs: future research should examine this relationship in countries with different images. The sample size is relatively small and future research should determine the generalisability of the proposed typology. Practical implications – Generating, communicating and maintaining a CI requires co-ordinated efforts from policy makers but needs to be built on solid foundations of reality: companies using CIs should be cognisant of the alignment between their actions, messages and the CI. Originality/value – This study extends prior work by examining the relationship between CI, company strategy, products and services offered and the manner in which companies action's can affect CI.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arian Razmi-Farooji ◽  
Hanna Kropsu-Vehkaperä ◽  
Janne Härkönen ◽  
Harri Haapasalo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to understand data management challenges in e-maintenance systems from a holistically viewpoint through summarizing the earlier scattered research in the field, and second, to present a conceptual approach for addressing these challenges in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study is realized as a combination of a literature review and by the means of analyzing the practices on an industry leader in manufacturing and maintenance services. Findings This research provides a general understanding over data management challenges in e-maintenance and summarizes their associated proposed solutions. In addition, this paper lists and exemplifies different types and sources of data which can be collected in e-maintenance, across different organizational levels. Analyzing the data management practices of an e-maintenance industry leader provides a conceptual approach to address identified challenges in practice. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on studying the practices of a single company, it might be limited to generalize the results. Future research topics can focus on each of mentioned data management challenges and also validate the applicability of presented model in other companies and industries. Practical implications Understanding the e-maintenance-related challenges helps maintenance managers and other involved stakeholders in e-maintenance systems to better solve the challenges. Originality/value The so-far literature on e-maintenance has been studied with narrow focus to data and data management in e-maintenance appears as one of the less studied topics in the literature. This research paper contributes to e-maintenance by highlighting the deficiencies of the discussion surrounding the perspectives of data management in e-maintenance by studying all common data management challenges and listing different types of data which need to be acquired in e-maintenance systems.


2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 715-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor Gall ◽  
Jack Fiorito

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to give a critique of the extant literature on union commitment and participation in order to develop remedies to identified weaknessesDesign/methodology/approachThe paper uses a critical assessment of extant literature.FindingsA number of critical deficiencies exist in the literature to which remedies are proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThe remedies need testing through empirical research.Practical implicationsFuture research needs to have different research foci and questions.Social implicationsWith a reorientation of future research on union commitment, participation and leadership, unions may be better able to benefit from academic research in the area.Originality/valueThe paper suggests that a reorientation of future research on union commitment, participation and leadership will allow more incisive and more robust contributions to be made to understanding unions as complex social organisms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-56
Author(s):  
Jahanzeb Khan ◽  
Noel Harding

Purpose Motivated by ongoing calls for auditors to exercise an elevated level of professional skepticism, this paper aims to examine the relationship between basic human values (values) and an underlying skeptical disposition (trait skepticism). Understanding the values that are associated with levels of trait skepticism will help in the design of audit environments that make the application of an underlying skeptical disposition more likely. Design/methodology/approach A survey was administered in which 140 postgraduate auditing students responded to the Schwartz value survey to measure the relative importance of different values, and the Hurtt trait skepticism scale to measure trait skepticism. The relative importance of the ten values was regressed against trait skepticism. Findings This study finds that the importance placed in the values of tradition and power, relative to other values, is negatively associated with levels of trait skepticism. Research limitations/implications The use of postgraduate auditing students as participants may limit the generalizability of the study’s findings. Practical implications Qualified by the need for future research to test the generalizability of the findings to an audit practitioner sample, the results of this study suggest that auditors with higher levels of trait skepticism may experience negative affect in environments that emphasize values of power and tradition. To the extent that current audit environments emphasize tradition and power, the results may help explain why trait skepticism is not consistently reflected in audit judgments and actions. Originality/value The affective implications of the environment within which auditors exercise professional skepticism is emerging as an important area by which to understand and improve audit quality. By identifying the values that those with a high skeptical disposition place relatively less importance in, this study informs an understanding of the circumstances where an underlying skeptical disposition is more or less likely to be reflected in auditor judgments and actions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 786-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristijan Krkač

Purpose The supposedly radical development of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised questions regarding the moral responsibility of it. In the sphere of business, they are translated into questions about AI and business ethics (BE) and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The purpos of this study is to conceptually reformulate these questions from the point of view of two possible aspect-changes, namely, starting from corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) and starting not from AIs incapability for responsibility but from its ability to imitate human CSR without performing typical human CSI. Design/methodology/approach The author draws upon the literature and his previous works on the relationship between AI and human CSI. This comparison aims to remodel the understanding of human CSI and AIs inability to be CSI. The conceptual remodelling is offered by taking a negative view on the relation. If AI can be made not to perform human-like CSI, then AI is at least less CSI than humans. For this task, it is necessary to remodel human and AI CSR, but AI does not have to be CSR. It is sufficient that it can be less CSI than humans to be more CSR. Findings The previously suggested remodelling of basic concepts in question leads to the conclusion that it is not impossible for AI to act or operate more CSI then humans simply by not making typical human CSIs. Strictly speaking, AI is not CSR because it cannot be responsible as humans can. If it can perform actions with a significantly lesser amount of CSI in comparison to humans, it is certainly less CSI. Research limitations/implications This paper is only a conceptual remodelling and a suggestion of a research hypothesis. As such, it implies particular morality, ethics and the concepts of CSI and AI. Practical implications How this remodelling could be done in practice is an issue of future research. Originality/value The author delivers the paper on comparison between human and AI CSI which is not much discussed in literature.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Davis ◽  
Yuliya Frolova ◽  
William Callahan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify Australian managers’ attitudes and understandings regarding workforce diversity management (WDM) and the practices and incorporation of WDM in organisations. Design/methodology/approach – Methodology is quantitative. A questionnaire in the form of a self-administered survey instrument was mailed to 650 managers (325 HR managers and 325 other managers) in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Findings – The research found that workforce diversity is not especially well understood or appreciated; especially by non-HR managers. Organisations appear generally not to prioritise WDM and levels of senior manager engagement with the topic are tentative. Statistical analysis highlighted considerable divergence of opinion across the surveyed group. Research limitations/implications – As an exploratory study, further research is encouraged to better understand cause and effect relationships pertaining to the findings. Practical implications – There are implications for HR managers or those in related roles who might design, implement and promote WDM initiatives. There are implications for consultants, employees and senior managers regarding education, awareness and support of diversity objectives. Originality/value – Addresses a gap in the literature by looking at contemporary attitudes and practices regarding WDM in Australian organisations. Provides the first empirical comparison between HR and other managers on the topic.


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 417-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.A.D. Connell ◽  
R. Mannion

PurposeThis paper evaluates the non‐healthcare organisational literature on conceptualisations of trust. The aim of the paper is to review this diverse literature, and to reflect on the potential insights it might offer healthcare researchers, policy makers and managers.Design/methodology/approachA number of the key concepts that contribute to contrasting definitions of trust in the organisational literature are identified.FindingsThe paper highlights the heterogeneity of trust as an organisational concept. Aspects of trust that relate more specifically to non‐healthcare settings are shown to have some potential relevance for healthcare. Five aspects of trust, considered to have particular significance to the changing face of the NHS, appear to offer scope for further exploration in healthcare settings.Practical implicationsThe NHS continues to face changes to its organisational structures, both planned and unplanned. Healthcare providers will need to be alert to intra‐ and inter‐organisational relationships, of which trust issues will form an inevitable part. Whilst it might be argued that the lessons offered by conceptualisations of trust within wider organisational settings have limitations, the paper demonstrates sufficient areas of overlap to encourage cross‐fertilisation of ideas.Originality/valueThe paper draws together previous research on a topic of increasing relevance to healthcare researchers, which has exercised management researchers for at least three decades. The paper acts as a guide to future research and practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abiyot B. Tehone ◽  
Hangjung Zo ◽  
Andrew P. Ciganek

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework to describe the continual usage of social computing systems from an experiential perspective. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework is developed using theories formulated from a variety of disciplines including information system (IS) continuance, relationship formation, human-computer interaction, and motivation theory. Findings – The conceptual framework encompasses the relationship and experiential perspective of user-computer interactions. The framework also identifies factors that contribute to the continual usage of social computing by users and how these factors are related with system features. Research limitations/implications – This study does not include an empirical analysis to validate the conceptual framework proposed in this study. Future research is encouraged to examine the ten propositions from the proposed conceptual framework. Practical implications – The conceptual framework takes a different approach which is well suited for examining the continual usage of social computing applications (SCAs). Originality/value – Previous research investigating factors that contribute to the continual usage of social computing often examined using static and utilitarian-based models. The conceptual framework in this study provides a different perspective for explaining why people use SCAs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Syazwan Ab Talib ◽  
Abu Bakar Abdul Hamid ◽  
Thoo Ai Chin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the halal certification–logistics performance relationship by means of developing a theoretical model and to suggest areas for future research undertakings. The relationship between various forms of certification and logistics performance has been reported in many logistics literature. However, there is paucity in research concerning the relationship between halal certification and logistics performance. Design/methodology/approach The literature representing the concept of halal, halal logistics, institutional support and logistics performance are synthesised to develop a framework. Two distinguished management theories, namely, the resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory, set the foundation of the proposed theoretical framework. Findings The paper suggests that proper application of resources, in this case halal certification, could positively influence logistics performance. The paper asserts that governmental factors act as the moderator between the halal certification–logistics performance relationship, or could directly influence logistics performance. Research limitations/implications The paper presents a synthesis of previously unconnected variables of halal certification and logistics performance, and integrates the RBV and institutional theories as the basis for a theoretical framework. However, the proposed theoretical framework requires further validation through the supports of additional empirical research. Practical implications Apart from implementing halal certification as a tool to gain business legitimacy, the paper offers insights to logistics service provider as to how halal certification can be used as a mechanism to improve organisational performance, particularly logistics performance. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to establish the relation between halal certification and logistics performance and highlights the prominent role of government support as an independent and moderating factor. It constitutes a preliminary argument that entices research within the halal certification and halal logistics spectrum.


2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Coffin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the work of Deleuze and Guattari can help place marketers to think differently about places and place brands. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that draws together a range of resources to develop a Deleuzoguattarian approach to place marketing. Findings Deleuzoguattarian thinking helps place marketers to reconceptualise places as “becomings”, which in turn encourages them to look between, beneath and beyond their usual foci. The Deleuzoguattarian spirit of critical-creativity is also noted, encouraging readers to develop the ideas presented here in new directions. Research limitations/implications This paper expands the epistemological imagination of place marketing scholars to consider the places between their place brands, the subconscious influences beneath the surface of salience and phenomena beyond the anthroposcale of everyday experience. This enriches existing conceptualisations and extends place marketing with several new areas of enquiry that can be empirically elaborated through future research. Practical implications This paper helps place marketing practitioners to consider and respond to the flows of matter–energy that influence their place brands between, beneath and beyond their intentional management practices. Social implications This paper develops critical schools of thought within the place marketing literature, providing some suggestions about how to develop and manage more inclusive place brands. This may also have implications for activists and others seeking societal improvements. Originality/value This paper develops a Deleuzoguattarian approach to place marketing, stimulating new lines of inquiry and experimental practices.


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