Issues to do with ethnicity, gender and equality seem to be in
the news more than ever. How organizations deal with diversity
challenges is under scrutiny, even when there may be questions over
whose responsibility equality is. Can CSR be used to promote
an ethically diverse workforce? Are diversity management and CSR
practices collapsing into one, and if so, what are the
consequences? What are the different topics and target groups of
diversity management and CSR in different national and regional
contexts? How should a company deal with sexism in its Indian
subsidiary? Should a Western company ‘interfere’ in traditional
customs which disadvantage younger people at work? In this course
we critically explore the dynamics and assumptions behind these
kinds of questions, among others.
This course explores theories, issues and debates surrounding
diversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in and around
global organizations. By “around organizations” we mean exploring
diversity outside of traditional organizational boundaries and in
the communities, value chains and societies where businesses
interact with people. A particular focus is on how diversity
management is translated and practiced in different national
cultural, social and labor market contexts. We explore
comparatively different global approaches to diversity, spanning
Scandinavia, North America, the global South and European
regions.
Covering different aspects of organizing diversity and CSR, in
different geographic locations, this course will appeal to students
studying organizations, management and diversity, human relations
or corporate social responsibility.
Course Structure:
Topic 1: Introduction to diversity beyond borders
Outline of course, introduction to key terms, learning
objectives and assessment introduced. Especially two predominant
strands of diversity management and critical diversity research are
explored and compared in historical and contemporary
perspective.
Reading:
Kalev, A., Dobbin, F., & Kelly, E. (2006). Best practices or
best guesses? Assessing the efficacy of corporate affirmative
action and diversity policies. American Sociological
Review, 71(4), 589-617.
Thomas, D. & Ely, R. (1996) Making differences matter: A new
paradigm for managing diversity. Harvard Business
Review, 74, 79-90.
Zanoni, P., Janssens, M., Benschop, Y. and Nkomo, S., 2010.
Unpacking diversity, grasping inequality: Rethinking difference
through critical perspectives. Organization, 17(1),
9-29.
Topic 2:
Corporate social responsibility: Business
beyond borders?
An introduction to CSR, critically analyzing the reach and
responsibility of businesses. Current real-life examples and
approaches to diversity via CSR are introduced.
Reading:
Porter, M.E. & Kramer, M.R. (2011). Creating shared
value. Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb, 2011.
Grosser, K. & Moon, J. (2005). Gender mainstreaming and
corporate social responsibility: Reporting workplace
issues. Journal of Business Ethics, 62(4),
327-340.
Rasche, A., Morsing, M., & Moon, J. (2017). The changing
role of business in global society: CSR and beyond. In A. Rasche,
A., M. Morsing, and J. Moon (eds.) Corporate Social
Responsibility: Strategy, Communication and Governance. (pp.
1-18). Cambridge University Press.
Moon, J., Murphy, L., & Gond J-P. (2017). Historical
perspectives on CSR. In A. Rasche, A., M. Morsing, and J. Moon
(eds.) Corporate Social Responsibility: Strategy, Communication
and Governance. (pp. 31-55). Cambridge University Press.
Topic 3):
Comparative approaches: North
America
We explore the legal, moral and cultural approaches and differences
to diversity management in North America, reflecting on historical
developments.
Reading:
Noon, M. (2007). The fatal flaws of diversity and the business case
for ethnic minorities. Work, Employment and
Society, 21(4), 773–784.
Shore, L.M., Randel, A.E., Chung, B.G., Dean, M.A., Ehrhart, K.H.
& Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A
review and model for future research, Journal of
Management, 37(4), 1262-1289.
Nkomo, S. & Hoobler, J.M. (2014). A historical
perspective on diversity ideologies in the United States:
Reflections on human resource management research and
practice. Human Resource Management Review, 24(3),
245–257.
Topic 4:
Comparative approaches: Europe
We explore the legal, moral and cultural approaches and differences
to diversity management in Europe, reflecting on historical and
institutional developments.
Reading:
Tatli, A., Vassilopoulou, J., Al Ariss, A., & Özbilgin, M.
(2012). The role of regulatory and temporal context in the
construction of diversity discourses: The case of the UK, France
and Germany. European Journal of Industrial
Relations, 18(4), 293-308.
Boogaard, B. & Roggeband, C. (2009). Paradoxes of
intersectionality: Theorizing inequality in the Dutch Police Force
through structure and agency. Organization, 17(1),
53-75.
Villesèche, F., & Josserand, E. L. (forthcoming). Formal
women-only networks: Literature review and
propositions. Personnel Review.
Topic 5:
Comparative approaches
:
Scandinavia
We explore the legal, moral and cultural approaches and
differences to diversity management in Scandinavia. This includes a
focus on the particular history of diversity management in
Scandinavia in relation to the welfare state, labor market policies
and cultural heritage.
Reading:
Holck, L. & Muhr, S. (forthcoming). From affirmative to
transformative diversity management – On how the logics of the
welfare model obstructs ethnic diversity in the Danish
workforce. Scandinavian Journal of Management.
Muhr, S.L. & Salem, A. (2013). Specters of
colonialism–illusionary equality and the forgetting of history in a
Swedish organization. Management & Organizational
History, 8(1), 62-76.
Holvino, E., & Kamp, A. (2009). Diversity management: Are we
moving in the right direction? Reflections from both sides of the
North Atlantic. Scandinavian Journal of
Management, 25(4), 395-403.
Topic 6: New institutions for CSR
We explore the place of multi-stakeholder initiatives,
standards, and new approaches to governance in CSR.
Reading:
Moon, J. (2014) Corporate social responsibility: A very
short introduction. (Ch. 4 and 5). Oxford University
Press.
Rasche, A. (2012). Global policies and local practice: Loose and
tight couplings in multi-stakeholder initiatives. Business
Ethics Quarterly, 22, 679-708.
Grosser, K. (2016). Corporate social responsibility and
multi-stakeholder governance: Pluralism, feminist perspectives and
women’s NGOs. Journal of Business Ethics, 137(1),
65-81.
Topic 7: Comparative approaches
: The global
South
We explore the legal, moral and cultural approaches to, and
differences within, diversity management in the Global South,
encompassing sub-Saharan Africa, south-east Asia and the Middle
East.
Reading:
Alcadipani, R., Khan, F.R., Gantman, E. & Nkomo, S. (2012).
Southern voices in organization and management
knowledge. Organization, 19(2), 131-143.
Mama, A. (2001). Challenging subjects: Gender and power in
African contexts. African Sociological Review/ Revue
Africaine de Sociologie, 5(2), 63-73.
Cooke, F.L. & Saini, D.S. (2010). Diversity management in
India: A study of organizations in different ownership forms and
industrial sectors. Human Resource Management, 49(3),
477–500.
Topic 8: Diversity management and CSR:
Critical
reflections
and
future
directions
We conclude the course with a re-cap of the main tensions and
lessons learnt regarding global diversity and CSR programs for
equality.
Reading:
Ahonen, P., Tienari, J., Merilainen, S. & Pullen, A. (2014),
Hidden contexts and invisible power relations: A Foucauldian
reading of diversity research. Human Relations,
67(3), 263-286.
Prieto-Carron, M., Lund-Thomsen, P., Chan, A., Muro, A., &
Bhusan, C. (2006). Critical perspectives on CSR and development:
What we know, what we don’t know, and what we need to
know. International Affairs, 82(5),
.977-987.
Oswick, C., & Noon, M. (2014), Discourses of diversity,
equality and inclusion: Trenchant formulations or transient
fashions? British Journal of Management, 25(1), 23-39.
Topic 9:
Live
case diversity dilemma
A multinational company will present a global diversity problem
they are experiencing, which will form the basis of the written
exam.
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