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Target 16.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) refers to the need for ‘responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making’ to facilitate just, peaceful and inclusive societies. This chapter discusses why it is important that security and justice institutions, and decision-making therein, are responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative; how to develop such institutions; and how to measure success in this regard. It is argued that the limited scope of the official SDG indicators used to measure progress risks action being taken on less tangible and less measurable but often more meaningful aspects of building just, peaceful and inclusive societies. The chapter argues that facilitating more inclusive decision-making, especially in the security and justice sector (redistributing power), and evaluating progress in this regard (determining what success looks like) are both highly political undertakings. These undertakings are thus, fraught with practical difficulties and likely to generate resistance from those who have a vested interest in retaining the status quo. Retaining focus on the Target and overarching Goal, however, can help avoid implementation being derailed by being distracted by a huge data gathering exercise to respond to a narrow set of quantifiable indicators. It can also ultimately help facilitate transformational change towards just, peaceful and inclusive societies.

To overcome the shortcomings of diversity training programs, the purpose of this paper is to conceptualize an organizational diversity-learning framework, which features an organizational intervention for employees’ joint decision-making process with other employees from different statuses, functions, and identities. Borrowing key principles from the diversity learning (Rainey and Kolb, 1995); integration and learning perspective (Ely and Thomas, 2001; Thomas and Ely, 1996), and the key practices informed by deliberative democratic theories (Thompson, 2008), the authors develop a new organizational diversity learning framework for behavioral, attitudinal, and cognitive learning at workplaces. They conclude with directions for future research.

This paper first presents an overview of key shortcomings of diversity training programs in relation to their group composition, design, content and evaluation. Second, it borrows the key principles of diversity learning (Rainey and Kolb, 1995); integration and learning perspectives (Ely and Thomas, 2001; Thomas and Ely, 1996), and the key practices informed by deliberative democratic theories (Thompson, 2008) to delineate the organizational diversity learning framework. Third, it presents a table of the approach contrasted with the shortcomings of diversity training programs and discusses practical and theoretical contributions, along with directions for future research.

This paper conceptualizes an organizational diversity-learning framework, which features an organizational intervention for employees’ joint decision-making process with other employees from different statuses, functions, and identities.

The organizational diversity learning framework developed in this paper provides an inclusive diversity learning paradigm in which diversity learning rests in the experience of the learner. As stated by experiential learning theory, this framework encourages workers to heuristically learn about diverse perspectives in a psychologically safe environment, to reflect on different perspectives, and to create a new awareness about learning from others. As the participants learn to apply new repertoires for interacting with others in their daily work interactions (e.g. listening to different perspectives shared by unfamiliar social group members), it proposes that their behaviors may create a ripple effect, changing other colleagues’ attitudes, behaviors, and thinking patterns on working with diverse coworkers.

This paper provides detailed instructions for practitioners to facilitate diversity learning. It highlights a few key practical implications. First, the framework provides a method of organization-wide diversity learning through intersecting networks within the workplace, which is designed to reduce the elitist organizational decision making that mainly occurs at the upper echelon. Second, unlike other stand-alone diversity initiatives, the framework is embedded in the organizational decision-making process, which makes employees’ learning applicable to core organizational activities, contributing to both employees’ diversity learning and organizational growth. Third, the framework provides a preliminary model for transferring employees’ diversity learning in daily work operations, nurturing their behavioral learning to interact with different social groups more frequently at work and inclusive of their colleagues’ perspectives, feelings, and attitudes.

Workforces across nations are becoming increasingly diverse, and, simultaneously, the gap and tension between demographic representation in the upper and lower echelons is widening. By joining with other scholars who have advocated for the need to move beyond diversity training programs, the authors developed the organizational diversity learning framework for meaningful co-participation of employees with different statuses, functions, and identities. By inviting minority perspectives into the organizational decision-making process, top managers can explicitly send a message to minority groups that their perspectives matter and that their contributions are highly valued by the organization.

There has not been a conceptual paper that delineates the diversity inclusive decision-making process within a workplace. The authors established the organizational diversity learning framework based on the diversity learning, organizational diversity integration and learning perspectives, and deliberative democracy practices. The proposed framework guides organizations in structural interventions to educate employees on how to learn from multiple perspectives for better organizational decision making.

This research aims to examine how two management strategies (symmetrical communication and inclusive management) work in handling workplace conflicts (interpersonal/organizational levels), especially with regard to employee advocacy and job turnover intentions.

A total of three employee survey datasets were used to test hypotheses and research questions. Two secondary datasets were obtained in South Korea (N = 600 and N = 285), and one dataset was collected in the USA (N = 381). A series of hierarchical multiple regressions were performed for each dataset.

All three studies showed that interpersonal workplace conflict increased not only job turnover but also advocacy. In addition, in South Korean employees, both symmetrical communication and inclusive management increased employee advocacy and decreased job turnover intentions. However, in the US data, only symmetrical communication had such effects, enhancing employee advocacy and lowering job turnover intentions.

The study provides insights for practitioners into how to handle workplace conflicts from the perspective of communication (symmetrical communication) and/or behavioral strategies (inclusive management). Also, as an index to examine the effectiveness of management strategies, this study suggests advocacy behavior of employees given its effect of “rallying the troops.”

Inclusion is of critical importance to creating healthier workplaces, if the ongoing dynamic of workforce diversity is taken for granted. The purpose of this paper is to designate the role of spiritual leadership in fostering more humane and inclusive workplaces.

The authors review the extant literature on two distinct research streams, inclusion and inclusive leadership, and spiritual leadership, elaborate a mediation model, identify antecedents and outcomes, and articulate a set of propositions reflecting key findings.

The authors advance a conceptual model according to which inclusive practices founded on spiritual values will mediate the positive relationship between spiritual leadership and a climate for inclusion. They argue that calling and membership as components of spiritual wellbeing will reinforce employees’ experience of both uniqueness and belongingness, thus affecting their perceptions of inclusion and inducing multi-level beneficial outcomes.

Spiritual leadership assumes a preeminent role in embracing and valuing diversity: it embodies a potential for positioning inclusive ideals more strategically, in view of enabling employees unfold their genuine selves and experience integration in work settings.

Spiritual leadership helps inclusive goals to be situated in their societal context; inclusion is thus viewed as both an organizational and societal good, embedded in social contexts, and pertinent to corporate vision, mission and philosophy.

The paper examines spiritual leadership as a predictor of climates for inclusion. Drawing on spiritual values, spiritual leaders display a strong potential for inclusion, facilitating diverse employees to experience feelings of both belongingness and uniqueness in work settings that assume high societal relevance.

This paper aims to examine how the diversity of educational levels within bank boards influences the efficiency and stability of banks operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Unlike previous studies, this analysis also investigates the role of board gender diversity in moderating the relationship between board educational level diversity and bank efficiency and financial stability in MENA.

In this study, a sample of 77 banks in the MENA region spanning the years 2011 to 2018 is used. The relationship between the presence of highly educated directors on the board, bank efficiency and stability is assessed using the ordinary least squares method. Additionally, the authors use the Generalized Method of Moments technique to correct endogeneity problem.

This study establishes a positive association between the presence of directors with advanced educational backgrounds on bank boards and bank efficiency and stability. Furthermore, the inclusion of women on the board strengthens this relationship.

These findings have important implications for policymakers and regulators in the MENA region, suggesting that promoting diversity policies that encourage the participation of highly educated directors on bank boards can contribute to enhanced efficiency and financial stability. Policymakers may also consider implementing quotas or guidelines to improve gender diversity in board appointments, thereby fostering bank performance in the region.

This study stands out for its innovation and distinctiveness, as it delves into the connection between board educational level diversity and bank efficiency in the MENA region. Notably, it surpasses previous research by investigating the moderating role of board gender diversity, thus offering valuable insights into the complex interplay between these two facets of board diversity. This contribution enriches the existing literature by providing novel perspectives on board composition dynamics and its influence on bank efficiency and stability.

The purpose of this paper is to relate participative decision-making (PDM) to organizational learning, and examine the impact of PDM on organizational performance.

The paper integrates the resource-based theory with organizational learning theory to develop a framework, and distinguishes PDM in which decisions are jointly made by employees and managers from employee decision-making (EDM) in which decisions are completely in the hands of employees. The paper incorporates an augmented Cobb–Douglass production function into a structural equation model to estimate the performance impact of PDM and EDM.

The paper tests the framework against firm-level data form China, and finds that PDM provides an opportunity for collective learning, and has a positive relationship with productivity-based profit gains; the positive relationship is stronger in firms whose management has greater accumulated knowledge and experience; EDM fails to provide an opportunity for collective learning, and has a negative relationship with productivity-based profit gains.

Prior research focused on the role of PDM in enhancing the motivation and performance of individual employees, considered the degree of employee involvement as a continuum with the highest being decision-making “completely in the hands of employees,” and concluded that the more involved are employees in decision-making the better. This paper relates PDM to organizational performance, and challenges this conventional view from an organizational learning perspective.

This chapter aims to develop a conceptual framework to probe evidence of open strategy (OS) phenomenon as being practiced by adaptive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing industries. Specifically, this study focuses on the act and doing of strategy communications, based on a set of readying and entrepreneurial practices, involving a plurality of internal and external actors (i.e., owner manager/entrepreneur, middle managers, shop floor employees, suppliers, etc.). The empirical study is based on a deep collaboration with a Scottish SME that supplies outsourced bottling and packaging services to the Scotch Whisky industry through a seven-year longitudinal qualitative inquiry. This study finds that the OS phenomenon is classified into transparent, participatory, and inclusive practices. These nested OS practices are enacted progressively as particular events are unfolding during organizational lifecycle and renewal processes. Sustaining temporal openness in strategy is underpinned by important boundary readying practices in SMEs.

The article aims to elucidate how embracing Tropicália's conceptual framework can foster a more fluid and adaptive approach to organizing, transcending traditional boundaries and embracing diversity, innovation and creativity. The analysis encompasses various facets of organizational dynamics, including holdership, professional praxis, organizational ambiance, knowledge dissemination and diversity promotion. By examining Tropicália's reverberations in these areas, this article seeks to provide insights and perspectives that can contribute to the literature on organizational theory and practice, offering a rejuvenated and contemporaneous approach to the art of organizing.

This article explores the conceptual architecture of Tropicália, a Brazilian cultural and artistic movement, and its potential impact on contemporary organizational structures. By embracing Tropicália's essence, organizations can cultivate an adaptable and diverse ethos, free from traditional constraints. This analysis encompasses holdership as sustenance, professional praxis, organizational ambiance, knowledge dissemination and diversity promotion. Tropicália's potential to foster engagement, fuel innovation and shape an inclusive culture is examined. This article contributes a contemporary perspective to organizational theory, emphasizing the importance of integrating Tropicália's intellectual fabric for navigating the modern business landscape and fostering creativity and innovation.

The findings of this study highlight the potential impact of Tropicália on contemporary organizational practices. By embracing Tropicália's conceptual framework, organizations can foster a more fluid and adaptive approach to organizing, transcending traditional boundaries and embracing diversity, innovation and creativity. Tropicália's immersive and transformative esthetic experiences can create dynamic and inclusive organizational environments that encourage individual agency and stakeholder engagement. The analysis encompasses implications for holdership and management practices, organizational culture, collaboration and knowledge sharing, diversity and inclusion, innovation and creativity. Tropicália has the potential to foster employee engagement, drive innovation and create a more inclusive and adaptive organizational culture.

This article provides originality and value by exploring the potential ramifications of Tropicália on contemporary organizational esthetics. It offers a fresh and contemporary perspective on the art of organizing by drawing upon the unique conceptual framework of Tropicália. By embracing the principles of Tropicália, organizations can cultivate an organizational ethos that goes beyond traditional boundaries, fostering adaptability, diversity and innovation. The analysis encompasses aspects of organizational practices, including holdership, professional praxis, organizational culture and diversity and inclusiveness. The findings contribute to the existing literature on organizational theory and praxis, offering a rejuvenated perspective on organizing in the modern business landscape.

The purpose of the paper is to explore the quality of leadership decision making at various leadership levels in the further education (FE) sector. Using Hoffberg and Korver's model for integrated decision making, the paper aims to examine how staff in five UK FE colleges perceive the quality of their involvement in decision‐making teams and groups and the extent to which decision‐making processes meet Tatum et al.'s criteria for fair and just organisational decision making

The paper utilises data from the Integrating Diversity in Leadership Project sponsored by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership. It draws on responses made by 67 staff in five FE colleges in the UK to a series of qualitative questions in individual interviews. The paper also draws on observations of the level and quality of interaction and contribution made by 147 staff in 15 leadership decision‐making groups. The paper only draws on those responses that have relevance to the questions of leadership decision making, the quality of decision making and the perceptions of staff regarding their involvement in decision making at various levels.

The data suggest that inclusiveness in decision making decreases with the hierarchy of decision‐making groups, with the most senior groups being seen as the most exclusive, least transformed, closely guarded and offering restricted entry. Similarly, decision‐making teams at different levels are associated with different levels of justice and fairness related to the balance made between competing dilemmas of people versus process.

There is limited research conducted in this area. The study brings together aspects of social justice and inclusive decision making to bear on the structures and processes of leadership decision making in educational settings and uncovers a range of barriers that stand in the way of inclusive and fair decision making. These findings could indeed be a seedbed for an emerging theory of leadership decision making in educational establishments.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the strategic decisions, especially those focused on smart governance, that have been implemented by the cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Medellín (Colombia) and Mexico City (Mexico) and how they have impacted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Using a qualitative approach and a descriptive scope, this manuscript follows a multiple case study methodology that was primarily based on the analysis of archival records and documentation using pattern-matching and cross-case synthesis as analytical techniques.

Observed cities share three main characteristics when implementing smart governance strategies linked to SDG 16: technology-based solutions to solve recent and long-lasting societal problems; broad, diverse and active citizen participation; and a socio-technical approach toward smart governance and SDG 16.

This paper points out the linkages between smart governance and SDGs in emerging markets’ smart cities. The findings of this study indicate the need to promote socio-technical approaches – rather than merely technical perspectives – to achieve SDG 16. Hence, citizen participation, open government and co-creation initiatives are key to the promotion of more inclusive and solid institutions.

The most important contribution of this study is to identify the strategic initiatives developed by three leading smart cities in Latin America from the smart governance point of view and their relationship with the SDGs, which is useful because it contributes to expanding our understanding of smart governance from practical experiences.

El propósito de este manuscrito es identificar y analizar las decisiones estratégicas, especialmente aquellas enfocadas en la gobernanza inteligente, que han sido implementadas por las ciudades de Buenos Aires (Argentina), Medellín (Colombia) y Ciudad de México (México), y cómo han impactado en los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS).

Utilizando un enfoque cualitativo y un alcance descriptivo, este manuscrito sigue una metodología de estudio de casos múltiples que se basó principalmente en el análisis de registros de archivo y documentación utilizando la comparación de patrones y la síntesis cruzada de casos como técnicas analíticas.

Las ciudades observadas comparten tres características principales al implementar estrategias de gobernanza inteligente vinculadas al ODS 16: soluciones basadas en tecnología para resolver problemas sociales recientes y duraderos; participación ciudadana amplia, diversa y activa; y un enfoque socio-técnico hacia la gobernanza inteligente y el ODS16.

Este documento señala los vínculos entre la gobernanza inteligente y los ODS en el contexto de las ciudades inteligentes de los mercados emergentes. Los hallazgos de este estudio indican la necesidad de promover enfoques sociotécnicos -en lugar de perspectivas meramente técnicas- para el logro del ODS16. Por lo tanto, las iniciativas de participación ciudadana, gobierno abierto y cocreación son claves para la promoción de instituciones más inclusivas y sólidas.

La contribución más importante de este estudio es identificar las iniciativas estratégicas desarrolladas por tres ciudades inteligentes líderes en América Latina desde el punto de vista de la gobernanza inteligente y su relación con los ODS, lo cual es útil porque contribuye a ampliar nuestra comprensión. de gobernanza inteligente a partir de experiencias prácticas.

O objetivo deste manuscrito é identificar e analisar as decisões estratégicas, especialmente aquelas focadas na governança inteligente, que foram implementadas nas cidades de Buenos Aires (Argentina), Medellín (Colômbia) e Cidade do México (México), e como elas impactaram os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS).

Utilizando uma abordagem qualitativa e um escopo descritivo, este manuscrito segue uma metodologia de estudo de casos múltiplos que se baseou principalmente na análise de documentos e registros arquivísticos usando correspondência de padrões e síntese de casos cruzados como técnicas analíticas.

As cidades observadas compartilham três características principais ao implementar estratégias de governança inteligente vinculadas ao ODS16: soluções baseadas na tecnologia para resolver problemas sociais recentes e duradouros; participação cidadã ampla, diversificada e ativa; e uma abordagem sociotécnica para governança inteligente e ODS16.

Este artigo aponta as ligações entre governança inteligente e ODS no contexto das cidades inteligentes dos mercados emergentes. Os resultados deste estudo indicam a necessidade de promover abordagens sociotécnicas – mais do que perspectivas somente técnicas – para o alcance dos ODS16. Assim, a participação cidadã, o governo aberto e as iniciativas de cocriação são fundamentais para a promoção de instituições mais inclusivas e sólidas.

A contribuição mais importante deste estudo é identificar as iniciativas estratégicas desenvolvidas por três cidades inteligentes líderes na América Latina do ponto de vista da governança inteligente e sua relação com os ODS, o que é útil porque contribui para ampliar nosso entendimento de governança inteligente a partir de experiências práticas.