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Cultural variation in hiring people with disabilities: a theory and preliminary test

David Thomas (Peter B Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada)
Aminat Muibi (Peter B Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada)
Anna Hsu (Xi’an Jiatong-Liverpool University, Jiangsu, China)
Bjørn Ekelund (Human Factors Norway, Oslo, Norway)
Mathea Wasvik (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, Hamar, Norway)
Cordula Barzantny (Toulouse Business School, Toulouse, France)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ISSN: 2040-7149

Article publication date: 12 April 2024

103

Abstract

Purpose

The goal of this study is to propose and test a model of the effect of the socio-cultural context on the disability inclusion climate of organizations. The model has implications of hiring people with disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the model, we conducted a cross-sectional study across four countries with very different socio-cultural contexts. Data were gathered from 266 managers with hiring responsibilities in Canada, China, Norway and France. Participants responded to an online survey that measured the effect of societal based variables on the disability inclusion climate of organizations.

Findings

Results indicated support for the theoretical model, which proposed that the socio-cultural context influenced the disability inclusion climate of organizations through two distinct but related paths; manager’s value orientations and their perception of the legitimacy of legislation regarding people with disabilities.

Originality/value

The vast majority of research regarding employment of people with disabilities has focused on supply side factors that involve characteristics of the people with disabilities. In contrast, this research focuses on the less researched demand side issue of the socio-cultural context. In addition, it responds to the “limited systematic research examining and comparing how country-related factors shape the treatment of persons with disability” (Beatty et al., 2019, p. 122).

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank The Honorable Jim Munson, Former Senator, for his support and insights and Jessica Milum for research assistance.

Citation

Thomas, D., Muibi, A., Hsu, A., Ekelund, B., Wasvik, M. and Barzantny, C. (2024), "Cultural variation in hiring people with disabilities: a theory and preliminary test", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-10-2023-0366

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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