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1 – 10 of over 63000Chiara Tagliaro, Alessandra Migliore, Erica Isa Mosca and Stefano Capolongo
This paper aims to explore how the scientific literature and company reports have addressed inclusive workplace design and strategies to date.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how the scientific literature and company reports have addressed inclusive workplace design and strategies to date.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a scoping review to answer the following question: To what extent is inclusion present in workplace design and related strategies? An analysis of 27 scientific papers and 25 corporate social responsibility reports of the highest-ranked companies in the Great Place to Work global ranking disentangles the main aspects related to workplace design and strategies for promoting inclusion.
Findings
This paper opens avenues for four macro-categories of diversity (psycho-physical aspects; cultural aspects; socio-economic conditions; and ability, experience and strengths) to support the development of inclusive workplace design and strategy. Besides, multiple spatial scales emerged as material and immaterial elements of the workplace encountering inclusion and diversity.
Originality/value
Nowadays, the workforce is becoming more diverse. Although diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has become key to many organizations, it remains unclear how DE&I principles are applied in workspace design and strategies. This scoping review provides a novel perspective on the topic by integrating scientific knowledge and practice-based approaches which still address this matter independently.
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As is the case internationally, there is also an increased focus on urban space diversity in South Africa. Is it appropriate to pursue place diversity in South Africa? If so, what…
Abstract
As is the case internationally, there is also an increased focus on urban space diversity in South Africa. Is it appropriate to pursue place diversity in South Africa? If so, what are the design factors that support place diversity and can these be accommodated by the development of medium density mixed housing in the country? Furthermore, could these emerging trends be considered as part of a larger global trend moving towards greater place diversity in cities, or does it only offer local fragments and practices of fashionable international ideas? This paper explores the multiple meanings of place diversity in the country as evident in the development of medium density mixed housing developments and highlights a number of paradoxes that emerge as a result of the context-specific realities.
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Manfred Wondrak and Astrid Segert
The purpose of this paper is to study current problems of implementing Diversity Management (DM) in businesses and presents a concept for measuring and estimating a value for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study current problems of implementing Diversity Management (DM) in businesses and presents a concept for measuring and estimating a value for diversity interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
An intellectual capital approach is used to identify a matrix of problems while implementing DM. To address the accounting problem for DM, advantages and disadvantages of the Diversity Scorecard are discussed and issues that require further conceptual development are identified.
Findings
Understanding DM as a part of intellectual capital helps solve accounting problems. The tests of the concept of Diversity Impact Navigator show that measuring DM at this stage requires a simple design, that using key indicators forces diversity interventions and that the process of valuation increases the understanding of DM by all stakeholders and thus its economic legitimation.
Originality/value
A newly developed concept helps solve the problem of measurement and valuation of DM. The paper presents the first test results.
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Shared leadership is increasingly important in today's organizations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between shared leadership and team performance, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Shared leadership is increasingly important in today's organizations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between shared leadership and team performance, the moderating role of demographic diversity and the mediating role of information sharing on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The research used a field study design, quantitative data of employees from two different organizations. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling analyses.
Findings
Shared leadership was positively associated with team performance and this association was mediated by information sharing. Demographic diversity moderated the relationship between shared leadership and team performance, such that shared leadership was more strongly associated with team performance in more diverse teams and less in less diverse teams.
Research limitations/implications
The results found support for moderating and mediating variables, explaining under what conditions and how shared leadership is associated with team performance in organizations.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of nurturing shared leadership, in particular as teams tend to grow more diverse in our todays’ work settings. They also highlight the importance of diversity in how shared leadership unfolds its potential.
Social implications
The research highlights that shared leadership, diversity, and information are increasingly important in today's organizations and should be considered from a more positive standpoint.
Originality/value
This research explored the association between shared leadership, demographic diversity, and information sharing with team performance. It represents a first step in examining the moderating and mediating variables of the shared leadership and team performance association.
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Cristina de Mello‐e‐Souza Wildermuth and Mel O. Wildermuth
During a typical diversity program, participants are encouraged to recognize, evaluate, and appreciate differences. The purpose of this paper is to explore the rationale for…
Abstract
Purpose
During a typical diversity program, participants are encouraged to recognize, evaluate, and appreciate differences. The purpose of this paper is to explore the rationale for “Conversity®”: an alternative approach to diversity training that is based on connections.
Design/methodology approach
The paper is based on a review of the literature on “traditional” diversity training paradigms, the impact of diversity on the brain, and basic social psychology concepts such as categorization and social affiliation. The authors relate literature review findings to their experiences conducting “connections‐based” (“Conversity”) diversity training.
Findings
The human brain is already wired to perceive differences. Further, human beings tend to prefer others who share their group affiliations. Possible consequences of “typical” diversity training programs may include a “backlash” against diversity, an increase in participants' fears, and a reinforcement of inter‐group divisions.
Practical implications
This paper offers practitioners an alternative paradigm for diversity training design including alternative categorization (i.e. emphasis on non‐traditional diversity categories such as personality or team color) and an intentional search for connections between participants.
Originality/value
Historically, diversity training programs have focused on the value of differences rather than on the power of common ground.
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Malin Lindberg, Åsa Wikberg Nilsson, Eugenia Segerstedt, Erik Hidman, Kristina L. Nilsson, Helena Karlberg and Johanna Balogh
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on co-creative approaches for place innovation in an Arctic town, based on the relocation of Kiruna’s city center in northern Sweden…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on co-creative approaches for place innovation in an Arctic town, based on the relocation of Kiruna’s city center in northern Sweden. Three cases of co-creative innovation processes in Kiruna are investigated and compared: an R&D project about local perceptions and visions of attractive urban environments; an R&D project about norm-creative design principles for inclusive and attractive urban design; and an R&D project about cross-industrial synergies for city center attractiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
The study’s research design encompasses a comparative and participatory approach. The comparative approach implies investigation and comparison of three cases of co-creative innovation processes in Kiruna. The participatory approach implies joint development of new knowledge by researchers and local actors. The data consists of participatory observations of workshops and qualitative interviews with local actors.
Findings
The study reveals that the studied processes have harnessed the city center relocation as an opportunity to make Kiruna more attractive to residents and visitors, by using the co-creative approaches of Living Lab, Now-Wow-How and Norm-creative design. These approaches have enabled experts and local actors to jointly identify excluding patterns and norms in the relocation process and to envision inclusive and attractive (re-)configurations and (re-)conceptualizations of the future Kiruna.
Research limitations/implications
The results add to the academic strand of inclusive urban transformation, by providing insights into co-creative approaches for re-imagining an Arctic town in times of industrial and social change. New insights are provided regarding how the geographical, industrial and cultural identity of an Arctic town can be harnessed to envision new configuration, content and communication that is attractive and accessible for a diversity of residents and visitors.
Practical implications
The results highlight the potential to harness Arctic and rural characteristics in the promotion of urban attractiveness and public well-being, especially when combined with co-creative identification and transformation of excluding norms and patterns.
Originality/value
The results provide new insights into how co-creative approaches may facilitate innovative and inclusive renewal of towns and cities in the Arctic and beyond.
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The benefits of board diversity are often categorized into five distinct business rationales: talent rationale, market rationale, litigation rationale, employee relations…
Abstract
Purpose
The benefits of board diversity are often categorized into five distinct business rationales: talent rationale, market rationale, litigation rationale, employee relations rationale and governance rationale. However, if resource dependency theory’s focus on the director’s ability to secure important resources for the firm is considered, social capital as a viable additional rationale for board diversity can also be considered. The purpose of this paper is to argue that diverse members of the board are likely to have social capital that differs from non-diverse members of the board. Consequently, that diverse social capital can bridge the board to new resources for advice and counsel, legitimacy, channels for communication and access to important external elements, thus making a strong argument to be included as a rationale for board diversity.
Design/methodology/approach
It is intended to provide a conceptual discussion on whether enhancing the board’s social capital is perhaps a viable and overlooked rationale for board diversity.
Findings
Consistent with the other five rationales for board diversity, this analysis suggests that social capital should be considered as a sixth rationale for board diversity. Social capital serves a role in governance and rises to the standard of other rationales for board diversity.
Practical implications
Boards may not recognize that social capital is a strategic resource and sufficiently diverse groups such as women and minorities may be more likely to contribute non-overlapping social capital networks, which may translate into greater external influence and thus additional resources for the firm. This paper may help to influence the viewpoints of directors on who is valuable as a board member.
Originality/value
Existing board diversity rationales do not include social capital as a primary rationale for board diversity. It may be possible that social capital becomes a legitimate sixth rationale for board diversity.
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Masoud Ramezani Nia and Sajjad Shokouhyar
The success of e-commerce websites depends on their effective communication and influence on their users. At first glance, the users are impressed by the website design and, if…
Abstract
Purpose
The success of e-commerce websites depends on their effective communication and influence on their users. At first glance, the users are impressed by the website design and, if inspired, they would continue their operations on the website. This paper aims to evaluate the effects of visual aesthetic of the Web pages on users’ behavior in online shopping environment. In particular, the paper aims to evaluate the elements of visual aesthetic on the organism variables (i.e. “satisfaction,” “arousal,” “perceived on-line service quality” and “trust”) and measure them on the users’ response (i.e. purchase, comparison and re-visit).
Design/methodology/approach
Using the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, the authors first assessed direct and indirect effects of visual aesthetics of e-commerce websites on customer responses. Then, the Visual Aesthetics of Websites Inventory (VisAWI) method was used to examine the effects of four dimensions (i.e. craftsmanship, simplicity, diversity and colorfulness) on users’ perceived website aesthetics. To do so, DigiKala.com, a famous Iranian e-commerce website was selected and the questionnaires were distributed among its users.
Findings
The study results revealed that the website aesthetics in the S-O-R evaluation had the greatest direct impact on “perceived quality of online services,” “trust,” “satisfaction” and “arousal,” respectively. These variables also indirectly affected “shopping,” “revisit” and “comparison to similar products on other websites.” Regarding the evaluations based on the VisAWI, the component “craftsmanship” played the most central role in expressing the website aesthetics, followed by the variables “simplicity,” “diversity” and “colorfulness,” respectively.
Originality/value
Although the considerable effect of Web aesthetics on customers’ purchase behavior has been identified in previous research, it has not been accurately measured. Furthermore, studies on Web aesthetics are mostly limited to information systems’ users and do not concern consumers. Therefore, considering the increasing growth in online shopping and the significance of Web aesthetics to online consumers, investigating how consumers respond to Web aesthetics is of vital importance.
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Kathy Enger and Denise Lajimodiere
The purpose of this paper is to examine the attitudes of students following the completion of an online doctoral level multicultural diversity course at a university in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the attitudes of students following the completion of an online doctoral level multicultural diversity course at a university in the Midwestern USA based on Banks' transformative approach to learning in an effort to determine if the online environment could successfully intervene to change student attitudes. Few studies examine the impact of a transformative approach to learning diversity in the online environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This mixed methods study employed the Munroe multicultural scale and phenomenological analysis. The Munroe multicultural attitudinal scale questionnaire (MASQUE) is based on Banks' approach to multicultural learning and was administered in a pre‐ and a post‐test, and 594 pages of student journals were qualitatively analyzed using phenomenology.
Findings
Of the 28 questions on the MASQUE scale, students showed a significant difference between pre‐ and post‐scores on two questions: “I am knowledgeable regarding differences among economic classes,” and “I react positively to cultural differences.” A phenomenological analysis of journal entries showed that students perceived benefits in rural living, understood privilege, and felt compelled to act on what they learned from the course. The students in this course came to understand cultural difference through the lens of dominant Euro‐American culture.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited in several ways. First, the discussion board was not analyzed. If the discussion board had been analyzed, it would have been possible to triangulate the data and further validate the findings. Second, longitudinal analysis would strengthen study findings. The study was limited to one snapshot of one course and would be stronger if future courses were analyzed over time, including long‐term analysis of student journals. Third, while phenomenology restricts qualitative analysis to one person, the study would be stronger if someone other that the professor teaching the course administered the survey, allowing more honesty from students in their responses. Inter‐rater reliability would be necessary for this approach.
Practical implications
The curriculum for this study was designed to be replicated and may be used in future courses to address prejudicial attitudes in students.
Social implications
Transformational learning that addresses prejudicial attitudes has far reaching implications for eliminating inequality and discrimination.
Originality/value
This study showed that transformative learning can take place in the online environment.
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Pascal Tisserant, Anne Lorraine Wagner and Isabelle Barth
This article aims to propose a both theoretical and operational definition of the notion of propensity to discriminate (PTD), as a diagnostic indicator for diversity management.
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to propose a both theoretical and operational definition of the notion of propensity to discriminate (PTD), as a diagnostic indicator for diversity management.
Design/methodology/approach
This model is tested using a few criteria, including origin, race and religion with employees of French organisations which promote professional integration (n=103).
Findings
The results show the general nature of the process and lead to prospects for the use of PTD for diversity management.
Originality/value
This indicator is concerned with the “dark side” of diversity, as it focuses on the triggering factors of discriminating (vs non‐discriminating) behaviours in work situations where the risk of discriminating against others is high.
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