Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

Foley, Sharon ; Ngo, Hang-yue ; Loi, Raymond ; Zheng, Xiaoming

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-05-2015-0038

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of gender and strength of gender identification on employees’ perception of gender discrimination. It also explores whether gender comparison and perceived gender bias against women act as mediators in the above relationships. It aims to advance the understanding of the processes leading to individual’s perception of gender discrimination in the Chinese workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 362 workers via an employee survey in three large companies in China. The human resource staff helped us to distribute a self-administered questionnaire to the employees, and the authors assured them of confidentiality and protected their anonymity. To test the hypotheses, the authors employed structural equation modeling. The authors first conducted confirmatory factor analysis on the measurement model, and then the authors estimated three nested structural models to test the mediating hypotheses. Findings – The results reveal that gender and strength of gender identification are related to perceived gender discrimination. The authors further found that gender comparison and perceived gender bias against women partially mediated the relationship between gender and perceived gender discrimination, while gender comparison fully mediated the relationship between strength of gender identification and perceived gender discrimination. Practical implications – The study helps managers understand why and how their subordinates form perceptions of gender discrimination. Given the findings, they should be aware of the importance of gender identity, gender comparison, and gender bias in organizational practices in affecting such perceptions. Originality/value – This study is the first exploration of the complex relationships among gender, gender identification, gender comparison, perceived gender bias against women, and perceived gender discrimination. It shows the salient role of gender comparison and gender bias against women in shaping employees’ perceptions of gender discrimination, apart from the direct effects of gender and strength of gender identification.

Mulinari, Paula

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-01-2015-0007

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the different ways in which experiences of marginalisation within organisations are named and acted upon. Of particular interest is examining the ways in which the visibility of gender discrimination and the invisibility of ethnic discrimination indicate what the professionals in the study identify as horizons of possible individual and collective resistance. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes as its point of departure Cho et al. (2013) notion of “intersectionality as an analytical sensibility” (p. 795). The material consists of qualitative semi-structured interviews with 15 chief medical doctors employed in two Swedish hospitals. Findings – The findings indicate that while there is an organisational visibility of gender inequality, there is an organisational invisibility of ethnic discrimination. These differences influence the ways in which organisational criticism takes place and inequalities are challenged. Female Swedish identified doctors acted collectively to challenge organisations that they considered male-dominated, while doctors with experience of migration (both female and male) placed more responsibility on themselves and established individual strategies such as working more or des-identification. However, they confronted the organisation by naming ethnic discrimination in a context of organisational silence. Research limitations/implications – The paper does not explore the different forms of racism (islamophobia, racism against blacks, anti-Semitism). In addition, further research is needed to understand how these various forms of racism shape workplaces in Sweden. Originality/value – The paper offers new insights into the difference/similarities between how processes of ethnic and gender discrimination are experienced among employees within high-status professions. The value of the paper lies in its special focus on how forms of resistance are affected by the frames of the organisation. The findings stress the importance of intersectional analyses to understand the complex patterns of resistance and consent emerging within organisations.

Rishani, Mayssa ; Mallah, Mohamad ; Houssami, Sarwat ; Ismail, Hussein

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-11-2014-0082

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present insights regarding the barriers that prevent women in Lebanon reaching parity with men in senior leadership positions. The paper also portrays men and women’s varying perceptions regarding these barriers. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 129 participants at a Lebanese university took part in the study. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS. Frequencies and χ 2-tests were conducted. Findings – The findings suggest that women are more likely to be discriminated against and are thus more likely to be underrepresented in top leadership positions. Organizational and cultural barriers were considered to cause this discrimination. Women were more likely than men to believe that women face more barriers while climbing the career ladder. Men were more likely than women to believe that organizations are the parties responsible for this underrepresentation, more so than the surrounding culture. Surprisingly, a sound proportion of women believed that men are more competent at occupying top management positions in Lebanon. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies to explore Lebanese perceptions on the workplace’s glass ceiling. Further, it examines the differences in opinions between males and females on women in the workplace, which has not been previously studied. This research contributes further to the existing body of knowledge on women in management in Lebanon and the Middle Eastern region, which is generally small in quantity.

Ramjattan, Vijay A.

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-03-2015-0018

Purpose – Expertise in English language teaching (ELT) is determined by being a white native speaker of English. Therefore, ELT is a type of aesthetic labour because workers are expected to look and sound a particular way. As nonwhite teachers cannot perform this labour, they may experience employment discrimination in the form of racial microaggressions, which are everyday racial slights. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what types of microaggressions inform several nonwhite teachers that they cannot perform aesthetic labour in private language schools in Toronto, Canada. Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilizes a critical race methodology in which several nonwhite teachers told stories of racial microaggressions. Findings – The teachers were told that they lacked the right aesthetic through microaggressions involving employers being confused about their names, questioning their language backgrounds, and citing customer preferences. Research limitations/implications – Future research must find out whether nonwhite teachers experience discrimination throughout Canada. Other studies must investigate how intersecting identity markers affect teachers’ employment prospects. Practical implications – To prevent the discrimination of nonwhite teachers (in Canada), increased regulation is needed. The international ELT industry also needs to fight against the ideology that English is a white language. Originality/value – There is little literature that examines language/racial discrimination in the Canadian ELT industry and how this discrimination is articulated to teachers.

Moeller, Miriam ; Harvey, Michael ; Maley, Jane F.

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-05-2014-0036

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate attitudes toward interacting with foreign nationals from emerging and developed markets. Differences in attitudes are assessed using liability-of-foreignness factors. Design/methodology/approach – Purposive sample collected at a private university in Australia; hierarchical linear modeling approach examines differences across regions of Australia, Asia, Middle East, Europe, and North America; Type 2 moderated mediation procedures. Findings – Findings argue for variations across individual difference variables relative to the inclination to interact with emerging markets foreign nationals. Europeans’ willingness to interact with emerging market foreign nationals is diminished with high levels of tendency to stereotype, whereas North Americans’ willingness to interact with developed market foreign nationals is enhanced with high levels of tendency to stereotype. Research limitations/implications – Use of self-reported measures may limit validity and generalizability; cross-sectional data; common method variance. Practical implications – A greater consideration of cultural diversity inherent in the workforce allows for diminished adjustment difficulties. Acknowledgment and contextualization of diversity is not an option but a necessity upon which organizations must act to reach their fullest potential in respective foreign locations. Social implications – Supports greater respect for social and cultural beliefs, norms, and values. Respect has implications for relationships and performance. Originality/value – Content presents diversity issues within global organizations on their quest to employ global talent.

Afrianty, Tri Wulida ; Burgess, John ; Issa, Theodora

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-04-2015-0026

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of family-friendly programs at the workplace in the Indonesian higher education sector. The focus is the impact that these programs have on employees’ work family conflict. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of academic and non-academic staff from 30 higher education institutions across Indonesia participated in the research. A total of 159 completed questionnaires from 109 academic and 50 from non-academic staff are reported and statistically analysed using SPSS. Findings – Work and family experiences in Indonesia do not positively align with the findings reported in most academic literature pertaining to western societies where the use of family-friendly programs (i.e. flexible work options, specialized leave options and dependent care support) leads to a reduction in employees’ work family conflict. In fact, some of the programs were found to have the opposite effect in the Indonesian context. Research limitations/implications – The design of family-friendly support has to take into account the context in which the policies will operates; these policies are not transferable across countries in terms of their effectiveness. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies that has examined the operation and effectiveness of family-friendly support programs in an Indonesian context.

Chullen, Cody Logan ; Adeyemi-Bello, Tope ; Xi, Xiao-Yu

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-07-2015-0051

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine current gender differences in job expectations among Chinese college students, how current job expectations across gender differ from an earlier study, and how they might impact organizational practices such as recruitment and retention. Design/methodology/approach – Using Manhardt’s 25-item measure of job expectations, this study asked Chinese college students to rate the importance of various job characteristics on a five-point Likert scale (5=very important to 1=very unimportant). Male and female responses were compared for 430 college students. Findings – Results of the current study found that males and females differed in their ratings on 23 of 25 items, with females rating all 23 of these items to be of higher importance. These findings differ significantly from an earlier study so they are compared and discussed. Research limitations/implications – This paper is limited in that it focusses solely on college students and only examines gender as a basis for comparison. Future studies should examine employees and consider other factors such as Chinese ethnicity as a basis for comparison. Practical implications – Organizations may choose to change/improve aspects of certain jobs to more closely align with job candidates’ interests and/or choose to differently implement tools such as realistic job previews in order to improve retention. Social implications – This paper provides an updated status on gender differences in job expectations of China’s soon-to-be emerging workforce. Findings provide organizations with insight on how to develop human resource tools to hold on to talent. Originality/value – This paper advances on previous work by drawing on a much larger sample and by utilizing a structured forward-translation, back-translation process for its survey.

Workman-Stark, Angela

2015 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/EDI-01-2015-0006

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the cultural aspect of policing, particularly as it relates to the role of gender, and proposes an alternative approach to addressing the culture of masculinity within policing. Design/methodology/approach – First, the author provides a brief overview of the nature of policing. This is followed by a review of the relevant literature on policing and gender and the implications for men, women, and police organizations of adhering to a militarized or hegemonic form of masculinity. Finally, the author discusses Ely and Myerson’s proposed theory for “undoing gender” and its relevance for policing. Findings – The findings of this paper suggest that the police culture continues to reinforce the masculine image of policing, thereby representing a significant barrier to the advancement of women. The findings also suggest that this barrier may be overcome through shared goals that advance collective well-being, definitions of competence linked to task requirements, and a learning orientation toward work. Originality/value – This paper makes an important contribution to the existing literature on gender and policing, as it specifically focusses on the cultural influences of masculinity and considers the structural, behavioral, and cultural changes required to create margins of safety for police officers to experiment with new behaviors.