Article 3
Women and power: what the recent “illustrious resignations” teach us
Headlines were recently captured by the decision by the First Minister of Scotland and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, as well as the CEO of YouTube, to submit their resignations without there being any reasons of a political or economic nature – at least in their public statements. Their stories help us to adopt a new perspective in interpreting the grammar of power that has prevalently shaped leadership until recent times, reminding us that it is not limited to the role, but extends above all to the person who plays it. In these first months of 2023, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda ...
The Stigma of the Menstrual Cycle between Culture and Work /2
The social construction of gender stereotypes is perhaps the main tool of “naturalization” of many of the discriminatory practices that have affected women, and still affect them today, in civil society and the world of work, contributing to constructing and perpetuating a social order characterized by deep asymmetries of power. One of the most historicized stereotypes and taboos is that regarding women’s menstrual cycle. For centuries, superstitions and legends, and even scientific studies, have described menstruation as an invalidating phenomenon for a woman’s life, since it makes her ...
Coexisting with Diversity, between Conflict and Balance
There is a common stereotype that views diversity management as associated with the ideal of an “urban” business, in which there are many types of diversity, but represented in a way that tends to be monolithic by different people. Yet it is good to recall that everyone embodies multiple diversities at the same time, and their management must not be limited to the mere compilation of a checklist. Public and media discourse relating to diversity and its management tends to favor an urban context populated by large-scale enterprises that operate in “fashionable” sectors such as technological ...
The Stigma of the Menstrual Cycle between Culture and Work/1
The social construction of gender stereotypes is perhaps the main tool of “naturalization” of many of the discriminatory practices that have affected women, and still affect them today, in civil society and the world of work, contributing to constructing and perpetuating a social order characterized by deep asymmetries of power. One of the most historicized stereotypes and taboos is that regarding women’s menstrual cycle. For centuries, superstitions and legends, and even scientific studies, have described menstruation as an invalidating phenomenon for a woman’s life, since it makes her ...
Reduced to Silence: LGBTQI+ Issues in Qatar
The latest, controversial edition of the Football World Cup has once again raised questions linked to the issue of rights, inclusion, and the fight against discrimination. By complying with the requests (and impositions) of Qatar, FIFA failed to use the championship as an opportunity to defend and promote those rights that some countries do not intend to recognize, although they are careful not to lose a business opportunity such as the World Cup. On Sunday, December 18, 2022, the twenty-second edition of the FIFA World Cup, held in Qatar, came to a close. It was a very controversial edition, ...
Diversity & Inclusion: Beyond the Glass Ceiling
HR practices and policies that aim for inclusion of minorities in businesses are as necessary as ever, but risk favoring some types of discrimination at the expense of others. The current economic situation, that sees very strong inflation eroding the purchasing power of workers, can stimulate a new vision of the theme of inclusion in the labor market. When speaking of Diversity & Inclusion, still today the discussion implicitly and prevalently addresses the development of workers who represent minorities in businesses. Implicitly means that all of those who are interested in and lend their voices ...
When a Woman is in Power
The debate that has followed the election of Giorgia Meloni as prime minister – the first woman to hold this position in the history of the Italian Republic – has shown that women’s access to power and public spaces is still marked by negative comments that do not regard a person’s actions but her identity. This dynamic is widespread in other countries as well: some studies have in fact stressed that women candidates in politics, more than men, are involved in discussions that regard their character and personality rather than their political programs, and are attacked more frequently ...
Persons with Disabilities and Work: Beyond Barriers
The process of placing persons with disabilities into three very different organizations – e-work, Google Italia, and Banca Intesa Sanpaolo – was at the center of a broader study sponsored by Accenture and conducted by the Diversity, Inclusion & Smart Working Observatory of SDA Bocconi. The cases analyzed show that the organizational effort made by the three companies was very variable, and depended on various organizational factors, including the capital of experience accumulated on the subject of “diversity and inclusion,” the type of person with disability included, and the role played ...
When the Context Changes
In a general context that is closed or hostile to the theme of diversity and inclusion, organizations could face an uphill climb, and it could become treacherous and counterproductive to point out progress in this field, especially if the organizations operate locally. At the same time, the history of diversity management reminds us that there have been organizations that have given benefits and opportunities to their employees, going beyond the context in which they operated. The most virtuous organizations could thus use their freedom of action to construct an open and inclusive work environment, ...
South Working: The New Frontier of Smart Working in Italy
South working represents a new way of thinking about work beyond the health emergency. This model, in addition to guaranteeing workers an adequate balance between private and professional life, has the merit of restoring social and economic value to local areas that are very often marginalized. Finding a job consistent with one’s academic degree and building a career by working in the South seemed to be a remote and unlikely possibility until just a few years ago. The health emergency and the recourse to smart working have offered many workers the opportunity to leave the large cities of ...