Stream Convenors: Fatos Ozkan Erciyas (Department of Marketing), Heather Jeffrey (Department of Marketing), Joachim Timlon (Department of Strategy and International Business), Kamilya Suleymenova (Department of Economics), Khansa AlSabah (Department of Economics) and Saneesh Edacherian (Department of Strategy and International Business)
We need more good role models in our schools and society generally! Much research tends to focus on the challenge side of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI): the manifestations and root causes of inequality. There’s been less research, however, on the solution side, on what does it take to make progress on EDI and moving closer to accomplishing SDG10, reducing inequality within and among countries?
Singer and entrepreneur Rihanna saw an opening to create a brand centred on Black consumers’ needs. Just 15 months after her launch of Fenty Beauty, which offered 50 shades of foundation, the company was valued at 3 billion US dollar. This is only one example of ‘inspiring the journey’ and how black-owned brands are changing the game for inclusivity in retail by better meeting the needs of Black consumers. In this stream we seek to explore the opportunity side of EDI and the extent to which is possible to ‘re-think role models’ for EDI to encourage and achieve social change through business education. Specifically, we are interested in the perceived role of minorities as entrepreneurs, workers, consumers, and residents and how this perception can accommodate for inspiring role models to capture and realise opportunities.
Although intuitively we might all be in favour of EDI, what this means and how we put the good intentions of EDI education into practice in an integrated and authentic way remain unclear (an opportunity). This track seeks to bring together scholars who are interested in and/or actively working to integrate EDI into their teaching practice, such as organisational studies, marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, corporate governance, economics etc., to explore understandings and experiences of EDI education and share insights and learnings.
We are looking for contributions that might include but are not limited to exploring the following issues and questions:
- Sustainable solutions to differences in recruitment, attainment and employment rates of students and gender representation and pay gap in HE.
- Ways to incorporate diverse perspectives and voices into teaching materials and practice
- In what ways can we encourage students to critically examine their own biases and assumptions and to work towards creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces and communities?
- How can we ensure that our teaching practices are informed by the perspectives and input of role models from minority backgrounds and body ableness and that we are actively working towards creating a more inclusive and accessible education and society for all?
- What discussions and assignments can we incorporate that explore the economic and business impact of racism and discrimination on historically marginalised communities?
- How can we encourage students to explore and analyse data on economic disparities and inequities and to consider how businesses can help to close these gaps and promote economic growth and development for all communities?
- How can we, as educators, take the history of systemic racism and discrimination into account in business world?
- Exploration of successful business strategies for meeting the needs of diverse consumers and supporting minority-owned businesses.
- How can organisations meet ethnically diverse consumers’ needs, earn their trust and loyalty?
- Role models and teaching practices for sexuality, gender, race, religion, class, age, abled body.