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Work-life research has been critiqued for focusing on the experiences of middle and upper class, younger, White, western and heterosexual women. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical lens to conceptualizations that take an intersectionality approach, or at least consider multiple identities, in examining work-life conflict and balance.

A brief review of the current status of intersectionality research within the work-life realm is provided before discussing the implications of primarily using a single-identity approach to work-life issues. The advantages and challenges of adopting a multiple identity approach are discussed.

This paper highlights the problems of a lack of an intersectional focus in terms of unidentified needs, ignored values, unresolved conflicts and unhelpful advice. Tensions inherent in trying to adopt an intersectional perspective when dealing with practice and policy issues, particularly with regard to visibility and authenticity, are noted. The paper concludes with a discussion of how considerations of identity and power in work-family research connect to the broader concept of inclusion in the workplace, noting the possible challenges of stereotyping and ambiguity in doing so.

Applying an intersectionality lens to efforts to promote work-life balance in organizations can increase inclusivity, but there are tensions and pitfalls associated with this that are particularly of note for practitioners and policy. A research agenda is outlined as a starting point for addressing these issues.

Person—environment (P—E) fit has long been a focus in organizational research. A climate‐based measure of P—E Fit was developed for use in organizational and individual assessment. A series of studies with a Q‐sort measure of climate and fit (the Organizational Fit Instrument—OFI) indicated ways in which P—E fit information can be used in organizational development. In addition, the psychometric properties of the OFI assessed in these studies suggested that, despite the ipsative nature of the measure, it may provide the organizational development practitioner or researcher with a sound and useful tool. Suggestions for future research are proposed.

Role congruity theory and gender stereotypes research suggests men are expected to engage in agentic behavior and women in communal behavior as leaders, and that role violation results in backlash. However, extant gender and leadership research does not directly measure expectations–behavior incongruence. Further, researchers have only considered one condition of role incongruence – display of counter-role behavior – and have not considered the outcomes of failing to exhibit role-congruent behavior. Additionally, few studies have examined outcomes for male leaders who violate gender role prescriptions. The present study aims to address these shortcomings by conducting a novel empirical test of role congruity theory.

This experimental study used polynomial regression to assess how followers evaluated leaders under conditions of incongruence between follower expectations for men and women leaders’ behavior and leaders’ actual behavior (i.e. exceeded and unmet expectations). Respondents read a fictional scenario describing a new male or female supervisor, rated their expectations for the leader’s agentic and communal behavior, read manipulated vignettes describing the leader’s subsequent behavior, rated their perceptions of these behaviors, and evaluated the leader.

Followers expected higher levels of communal behavior from the female than the male supervisor, but no differences were found in expectations for agentic behavior. Regardless of whether expectations were exceeded or unmet, supervisor gender did not moderate the effects of agentic or communal behavior expectations–perceptions incongruence on leader evaluations in polynomial regression analyses (i.e. male and female supervisors were not evaluated differently when displaying counter-role behavior or failing to display role-congruent behavior).

In addition to providing a novel, direct test of role congruity theory, the study highlighted a double standard in gender role-congruent behavior expectations of men and women leaders. Results failed to support role congruity theory, which has implications for the future of theory in this domain.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme centers on developing students' international mindedness. Central to this effort is the programme's “Learner Profile,” which details ten attributes that teachers seek to cultivate through classroom instruction. This article reports on the ways that middle grades and high school social studies and English teachers in Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) IB programmes are attempting to implement the Learner Profile as part of their classroom practice to support students' international mindedness.

The project was carried out as a two phase, sequential mixed-methods design. Phase I entailed a survey of IB teachers and programme coordinators across CPS to assess the incorporation of the Learner Profile into instruction. Phase II consisted of mixed-methods case studies of CPS IB programmes selected partially on Phase I data analysis.

We find that while teachers express high levels of familiarity with the Learner Profile attributes and confidence in incorporating them into practice, we find wide variation in the actual implementation. Taken as a whole, we find CPS programmes take divergent approaches to incorporating the Learner Profile based on differences in understanding of the attributes and its purposes as well as key organizational facets related to implementation.

Ultimately, we argue that the wide variation and lack of explicit incorporation of the Learner Profile into classrooms is related in large part to the broad, indistinct nature of “international mindedness” as a concept. The programme would benefit from creating more space for teacher and students to critique the concept, especially those working from non-Western traditions.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the key gaps in knowledge regarding the use of criminal records in employee selection and post-hire challenges that those with a criminal record may continue to face.

This paper is a general review and introduction to the special issue on criminal history and employment.

The authors suggest that understanding the “what,” “how,” “why” and “who” may provide researchers with increased clarity regarding the relevance and use of criminal records within the employee selection process.

The authors encourage researchers to explore the management constructs and theories to understand how they may operate and affect this population upon entry into the workplace. Additionally, the authors discuss some of the methodological challenges and considerations related to conducting research on this population.

While researchers continue to seek and better understand the experiences of job seekers with criminal records and specific barriers to fulfilling work, there are many aspects of the pre- and post-employment experience that are not yet well examined. This paper provides a pathway forward for management researchers within the area of criminal history and employment, an understudied yet relevant topic.

As COVID-19 cases rose in the US, so too did instances of discrimination against Asians. The current research seeks to understand and document discrimination toward Asians in the US specifically linked to the global pandemic (study 1). The authors test hypotheses based in social categorization and intergroup contact theories, demonstrating perceived pandemic blame is a mechanism for discrimination (study 2).

In study 1, the authors survey Asians living in the US regarding experiences and perceptions of COVID-19-related discrimination. In study 2, a two-time point survey examined whether participant perceptions of pandemic blame toward China predict discriminatory behavior toward Asians.

Study 1 demonstrated that 22.5% of US-residing Asians report personally encountering pandemic-related discrimination. Study 2 indicated that COVID-19 blame attributions toward China predicted anticipated hiring bias and increased physical distancing of Asians at work, associated with higher levels of US identification.

The findings have theoretical implications for research on blame and stigmatization, as well as practical implications regarding bias mitigation.

The present studies advance understanding of event-based blame as a driver of prejudice and discrimination at work and suggest organizations attend to bias mitigation in conjunction with uncertainty reduction communications in challenging times.

The complexity of the assessment process and variations in the assessment process across organisations are such that many unanswered questions remain. Although review of recent assessment centre research highlights the fact that there is now stronger evidence that centres are effective for women as well as for men; that there is empirical support for the developmental value of serving as an assessor; and that there is more insight into conditions under which coaching may affect performance, over 70 issues in need of further investigation have been identified. These range from assessor selection and certification, to the use of different types of exercises, matching job and exercise complexity, and effect of feedback on subsequent performance. While acknowledging the success of the assessment centre approach, researchers and practitioners should adopt a spirit of active enquiry into understanding and improving the assessment process.

Research on police officer recruiting has not focused on anticipated work/family conflict, the amount of conflict an applicant thinks will be in a police job. The influence of anticipated work/family conflict on applicant and family member opinions and applicant behavior wasexamined. Also, gender and family role differences were examined. We found congruence in applicant and family member views, and a lack of relation of anticipated work/family conflict to applicant behavior. Future research needs on how work/family issues are viewed by applicants are discussed.

Research on feedback acceptance typically has not focused on feedback given in developmental contexts nor has this research used sources other than self‐reports to measure feedback acceptance. This study examined recipient characteristics as influences on receptivity to management development feedback. Racial similarity of the feedback recipient and giver was the most consistent predictor of receptivity. Self‐report, feedback giver, and outsider ratings of receptivity evidenced little congruence. Implications for understanding receptivity in developmental contexts are discussed.

Given the increasing diversity in the age of job seekers worldwide and evidence of perceptions of discrimination and stereotypes of job seekers at both ends of the age continuum, the purpose of this paper is to identify how perceptions of age-related bias are connected to age-related identity management strategies of unemployed job seekers.

Data were collected from 129 unemployed job-seeking adults who were participants in a career placement service. Participants completed paper-and-pencil surveys about their experiences of age-related bias and engagement in age-related identity management strategies during their job searches.

Older job seekers reported greater perceptions of age-related bias in employment settings, and perceptions of bias related to engaging in attempts to counteract stereotypes, mislead or miscue about one's age, and avoid age-related discussions in job searching. Individuals who were less anxious about their job search were less likely to mislead about age or avoid the topic of age, whereas individuals with higher job-search self-efficacy were more likely to acknowledge their age during their job search. Older job seekers higher in emotion control were more likely to acknowledge their age.

Little is known about how job seekers attempt to compensate for or avoid age-related bias. The study provides evidence that younger and older job seekers engage in age-related identity management and that job search competencies relate to engagement in particular strategies.