1122: DEI Practices in Organizations: Effectiveness, Impact, and Unintended Consequences (20645)

Organizer(s)

• GA

  Grusha Agarwal

  U. of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, Canada

Participant(s)

• SH

  Sandy Hershcovis

  U. of Calgary, Canada

Presenter(s)

• EK

  Erika Kirgios

  U. of Chicago Booth School of business, United States

Participant(s)

• EC

  Edward Chang

  Harvard Business School, United States

Presenter(s)

• SW

  Shuang Wu

  Rady School of Management, U. of California San Diego, United States

Participant(s)

• PB

  Peter Belmi

  U. of Virginia, United States
• CK

  Chloe Kovacheff

  U. of Toronto, Canada
• RR

  Rachel Ruttan

  U. of Toronto, Canada
• GA

  Gabrielle Adams

  U. of Virginia Darden School of Business, United States
• KD

  Katherine DeCelles

  U. of Toronto, Canada

Presenter(s)

• IO

  Ivuoma Onyeador

  -, United States

Participant(s)

• FD

  Felix Danbold

  UCL School of Management, United Kingdom

Presenter(s)

• NA

  Natalya Alonso

  Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser U., Canada

Participant(s)

• ZL

  Zhanna Lyubykh

  Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser U., Canada

This symposium examines the complex and often contradictory nature of addressing workplace inequities through diversity initiatives. Organizations are increasingly investing in diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts, as evidenced by the prevalence of Chief Diversity Officers and comprehensive diversity training programs among Fortune 1000 companies. These efforts represent a deliberate strategy to cultivate equitable and inclusive workplaces. However, the symposium emphasizes the necessity of evaluating the impact of these practices to ensure they contribute to real and sustainable change, rather than being mere symbolic gestures. The studies featured explore the complex dynamics of workplace inequities and the often paradoxical outcomes of well-intentioned D&I efforts. These studies employ various methods such as surveys, audit studies, and experiments to assess organizational policies across different contexts. Key findings include: 1) Gender differences in EEOC judgments of merit, with claims filed by women in masculine industries more likely to be granted merit. 2) The impact of free speech appeals on reducing accountability for workplace bias, highlighting a failure in achieving D&I goals. 3) The concept of strategic ignorance in sexual harassment claims, indicating that claims of ignorance may not always be made in good faith. 4) The effectiveness of positive versus negative feedback in motivating equitable behaviors among city councilors. 5) The exploitation of first-generation college students in organizations due to positive stereotypes. These studies collectively reveal the intricate nature of addressing workplace inequities, underscoring the need for more nuanced and effective strategies in fostering true equity and fairness in the workplace.

Presentations:

• 08:00 – 09:30 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1122: He Said She Said: How Gender Relates to Judgments about the Merit of Workplace Accusations (20645)
  

  Author: Grusha Agarwal – U. of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

  Author: Chloe Kovacheff – U. of Toronto

  Author: Rachel Lise Ruttan – U. of Toronto

  Author: Gabrielle Adams – U. of Virginia Darden School of Business

  Author: Katherine Ann DeCelles – U. of Toronto
• 08:00 – 09:30 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1122: What About My Free Speech? Appeals to Free Speech Reduce Accountability for Workplace Bias (20645)
  

  Author: Ivuoma Ngozi Onyeador – -

  Author: Felix Danbold – UCL School of Management
• 08:00 – 09:30 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1122: Playing Dumb: Strategic Ignorance about what Constitutes Sexual Harassment (20645)
  

  Author: Natalya Alonso – Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser U.

  Author: Zhanna Lyubykh – Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser U.

  Author: Sandy Hershcovis – U. of Calgary
• 08:00 – 09:30 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1122: What motivates equitable behavior? The effects of positive & negative feedback in the domain of bias (20645)
  

  Author: Erika Kirgios – U. of Chicago Booth School of business

  Author: Edward Chang – Harvard Business School
• 08:00 – 09:30 CT (GMT-5/UTC-5)

  1122: The Heroization and Exploitation of First-Generation College Students (20645)
  

  Author: Shuang Wu – Rady School of Management, U. of California San Diego

  Author: Peter Belmi – U. of Virginia