Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enhance understanding of why and how companies implement diversity management in practice, and of factors that may explain their approach. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes inspiration from existing typologies depicting organisation-wide perspectives on diversity management, and articulates them in more detail by applying practice-driven indicators and highlighting possible contingent factors at play. The resulting framework is used to investigate diversity management in Italy. Data from a survey conducted among 90 companies and two focus groups with experts and managers are presented. Findings – The most common approach among Italian companies focuses on addressing social expectations, seemingly shaped by isomorphic pressures and the need to secure legitimacy in their environment. Results also point to an understanding and practice of diversity management in Italy that also incorporate compliance and opportunity-oriented aspects, in an interplay between coercion and voluntarism that reflects local perspective and priorities. Originality/value – This study makes an effort to address the paucity of studies linking approaches to managing diversity with managerial interventions and contextual factors. The research model connecting approaches with practice-driven aspects and explanatory factors shows descriptive and predictive potential, although it should be contextualised to the specific setting under investigation. This study also fills a research gap in Italy, where existing research primarily involves case studies and qualitative approaches and focuses on gender issues. Implications for research and practice drawn from this study can be useful to scholars and practitioners in other countries. Keywords – Equal opportunities, Legitimacy, Italy, Corporate social responsibility, Diversity management Paper type – Research paper

Understanding approaches for managing diversity in the workplace: An empirical investigation in Italy, 2016.

Understanding approaches for managing diversity in the workplace: An empirical investigation in Italy

Ravazzani, Silvia
2016-01-01

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enhance understanding of why and how companies implement diversity management in practice, and of factors that may explain their approach. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes inspiration from existing typologies depicting organisation-wide perspectives on diversity management, and articulates them in more detail by applying practice-driven indicators and highlighting possible contingent factors at play. The resulting framework is used to investigate diversity management in Italy. Data from a survey conducted among 90 companies and two focus groups with experts and managers are presented. Findings – The most common approach among Italian companies focuses on addressing social expectations, seemingly shaped by isomorphic pressures and the need to secure legitimacy in their environment. Results also point to an understanding and practice of diversity management in Italy that also incorporate compliance and opportunity-oriented aspects, in an interplay between coercion and voluntarism that reflects local perspective and priorities. Originality/value – This study makes an effort to address the paucity of studies linking approaches to managing diversity with managerial interventions and contextual factors. The research model connecting approaches with practice-driven aspects and explanatory factors shows descriptive and predictive potential, although it should be contextualised to the specific setting under investigation. This study also fills a research gap in Italy, where existing research primarily involves case studies and qualitative approaches and focuses on gender issues. Implications for research and practice drawn from this study can be useful to scholars and practitioners in other countries. Keywords – Equal opportunities, Legitimacy, Italy, Corporate social responsibility, Diversity management Paper type – Research paper
Inglese
2016
Emerald
35
2
154
168
15
internazionale
esperti anonimi
A stampa
Settore SECS-P/08 - Economia e Gestione delle Imprese
1
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2016_EDI_post-print.pdf

Non accessibile

Tipologia: Documento in Post-print
Dimensione 250.88 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
250.88 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10808/33433
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact