When affirmative action is not enough: challenges in career development of persons with disability
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
ISSN: 2040-7149
Article publication date: 16 April 2020
Issue publication date: 21 July 2020
Abstract
Purpose
There is dearth of research pertaining to how persons with disability (PWDs) view their career and the issues they face in career development; past studies highlight either the organizational initiatives or individual factors in this regard. The present study bridges this gap by studying the PWDs' experiences and perceptions on challenges in their career development.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory study through interview of professionally qualified PWDs in India, who have a permanent employment.
Findings
PWDs experience that affirmative action has a negative fallout as it leads to positive discrimination and hence, adversely affects their confidence and development.
Research limitations/implications
The present study throws up new themes in the organizational climate that the PWDs face in career development, future studies can understand the aspirations of PWDs toward career and focus on the how the PWDs engage in shaping their career. Researchers can explore strategies that PWDs plan/adopt in creating a sustainable career for themselves. Scholars can also map the issues raised by PWDs with the career outcomes.
Social implications
The Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016, of Government of India introduces a social model of disability in India. This paper deploys the social model of disability to enhance our understanding of the disability climate in India from a new lens.
Originality/value
This study introduces new themes that depict the environmental factors and are related to the organizational climate rather than self-focused issues of PWDs. The paper introduces two new subjective criteria, voiced by PWDs, for career development – a well-crafted capability-based career path and role of inspirational platforms. It introduces hitherto undiscovered issues toward career development, faced by PWDs who have a secure employment and a professional career. This is the first exclusive study of PWDs employed in public sector and thus, brings uniqueness in the context.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors have not received any funding for this research. The authors would like to express their gratitude to anonymous reviewers for their valuable feedback and comments. This enormously helped them to improve their manuscript.
Citation
Gupta, A. and Priyadarshi, P. (2020), "When affirmative action is not enough: challenges in career development of persons with disability", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 39 No. 6, pp. 617-639. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-05-2019-0146
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited