This paper proposes to identify the formation of technological frontier clusters. In the present ... more This paper proposes to identify the formation of technological frontier clusters. In the present study, we applied the method for bioenergy technologies. The first methodological step uses patents extracted from the Derwent Innovation Index, in which a data mining treatment is done. The second step is the construction of the IPC (International Patents Classification) network of patents from a co-occurrence matrix. Three clusters of technological knowledge are identified. The first and main cluster is the ethanol technologies, and two clusters in the training phase, one of which uses by-products and the other of technologies based on cellulosic material. The work shows how a general knowledge base is appropriate and favors the configuration of new frontier technologies that amplify the knowledge base of the bioenergy paradigm.
This paper addresses a key social–cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce... more This paper addresses a key social–cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce localization (WL). Our research objective is to empirically explore organizational socialization (OS) practices in the context of WL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where National Citizens (NCs) are a powerful minority in the workforce. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with managers in charge of the WL program in 14 organizations in the UAE, across different industrial sectors and ownership. We found five major OS practices: Establishing thorough orientation programs, providing formal training programs (skills, diversity/cultural awareness, supervisor, mentoring and coaching team building), redesigning NCs’ jobs and work teams, engaging expatriates in NCs’ OS processes, and organizing networking events. All organizations rigorously evaluated the effectiveness of their OS practices. This study contributes to the empirical literature on m...
This paper addresses a key social-cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce... more This paper addresses a key social-cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce localization (WL). Our research objective is to empirically explore organizational socialization (OS) practices in the context of WL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where National Citizens (NCs) are a powerful minority in the workforce. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with managers in charge of the WL program in 14 organizations in the UAE, across different industrial sectors and ownership. We found five major OS practices: Establishing thorough orientation programs, providing formal training programs (skills, diversity/cultural awareness, supervisor, mentoring and coaching team building), redesigning NCs' jobs and work teams, engaging expatriates in NCs' OS processes, and organizing networking events. All organizations rigorously evaluated the effectiveness of their OS practices. This study contributes to the empirical literat...
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure of a two-day Think Tank, “Gender in Organisations in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region”, held at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on 18–19 March 2019. Design/methodology/approach The paper will explain the design decisions made to achieve the objectives of the event, which will be of interest to equality, diversity and inclusion readers who may wish to hold such events themselves. It will then explain each of the Think Tank sessions and provide an overview of the keynote speakers’ presentations and the ensuing plenary discussions. Findings The Think Tank was an extremely useful vehicle for facilitating discussion on the development of a research agenda to advance knowledge in respect of gender in organisations in the MENA region. The design of the Think Tank enabled collaborative discussion amongst academics drawn from across the globe, who shared their ...
Self-help books with career advice for women who aspire to leadership are popular. This popularit... more Self-help books with career advice for women who aspire to leadership are popular. This popularity is somewhat surprising, in that the advice appears to take us back to the 'fix the women' approach to career advancement of the 1960s and 1970s. Sheryl Sandberg's (2013) 'Lean In' book is a vivid example of this popular genre of books. In this paper, we use Sandberg's book to examine why a focus on personal agency is resonating with so many women. We explain the success of 'Lean In' from the working woman's perspective. We compare and contrast the academic and popular literatures. We then reflect on the relevance of individual action as a catalyst for change in relation to the more difficult to change barriers to women's advancement at the interpersonal, organizational and societal levels. We conclude by reflecting on what the popularity of the self-help literature tells scholars about future research directions and the dissemination of their findings.
Purpose This paper aims to examine how the work of Ruth Simpson and the subsequent collaborations... more Purpose This paper aims to examine how the work of Ruth Simpson and the subsequent collaborations have contributed to understanding of the gendered constructions of meritocracy, as they apply in organizations. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a personal analysis of the work of Ruth Simpson and her colleagues and the way in which her work has resonated with me and influenced our joint collaborations. The key questions our work has addressed, both when we work together and with others, include how merit is constructed. Is it gendered? How does it influence organizational outcomes? How is merit recognized? Is merit “performed”? Key theoretical constructs and frameworks are used to address these issues; including, gendered organizational structures and regimes (Acker, 1990; Ely and Meyerson, 2000; Gherardi and Poggio, 2001), the gendered nature of meritocracy (Thornton, 2007; Sommerlad, 2012, Brink van den and Benschop, 2012) and the performance and “stickiness” of meritocracy ...
Purpose This paper aims to draw on Ashcraft’s (2013) metaphor of the “glass slipper” (which highl... more Purpose This paper aims to draw on Ashcraft’s (2013) metaphor of the “glass slipper” (which highlights the need for alignment between occupational identity and embodied social identities of workers) to show how merit may not adhere to individuals when social identity in the form of gender, race or class fails to fit the definition and perceived characteristics of the job. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. Findings This study develops the notion of the Teflon effect to describe the way merit may go unrecognised and may therefore not “stick” to the bodies of women in management and leadership roles. Research limitations/implications This study provides an explanation for the persistence of the glass ceiling and the barriers women face as they undertake or aspire to management and/or leadership positions in organisations. Practical implications This study introduces a more embodied notion of merit which relies on both performance and recognition to “take effect”. ...
Sheryl Sandberg’s book titled ‘Lean in: Women, work and the will to lead’ was published on March ... more Sheryl Sandberg’s book titled ‘Lean in: Women, work and the will to lead’ was published on March 11, 2013 and has since sold approximately 1.6 million copies. In a world where the lack of female advancement to senior positions in organisations has long been a cause for concern, we ask what is it about Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ approach that is resonating with women, and some men, around the world? Further, considering what we already know on barriers and facilitators to women’s advancement, we ask: is there any learning from the Lean-in(g)? The book has generated much comment, and views from the general media are mixed. In respect of the academic community, there has to date been little comment. The purpose of this symposium is to engage a panel of six diversity scholars (including a contributor to the Lean In book) from three different countries to provide their views on these positions and on other issues such as: (1) What does the ‘Lean In’ phenomenon tell us about what women in organisations are see...
This paper proposes to identify the formation of technological frontier clusters. In the present ... more This paper proposes to identify the formation of technological frontier clusters. In the present study, we applied the method for bioenergy technologies. The first methodological step uses patents extracted from the Derwent Innovation Index, in which a data mining treatment is done. The second step is the construction of the IPC (International Patents Classification) network of patents from a co-occurrence matrix. Three clusters of technological knowledge are identified. The first and main cluster is the ethanol technologies, and two clusters in the training phase, one of which uses by-products and the other of technologies based on cellulosic material. The work shows how a general knowledge base is appropriate and favors the configuration of new frontier technologies that amplify the knowledge base of the bioenergy paradigm.
This paper addresses a key social–cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce... more This paper addresses a key social–cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce localization (WL). Our research objective is to empirically explore organizational socialization (OS) practices in the context of WL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where National Citizens (NCs) are a powerful minority in the workforce. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with managers in charge of the WL program in 14 organizations in the UAE, across different industrial sectors and ownership. We found five major OS practices: Establishing thorough orientation programs, providing formal training programs (skills, diversity/cultural awareness, supervisor, mentoring and coaching team building), redesigning NCs’ jobs and work teams, engaging expatriates in NCs’ OS processes, and organizing networking events. All organizations rigorously evaluated the effectiveness of their OS practices. This study contributes to the empirical literature on m...
This paper addresses a key social-cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce... more This paper addresses a key social-cultural aspect of sustainability in the Gulf region: Workforce localization (WL). Our research objective is to empirically explore organizational socialization (OS) practices in the context of WL in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where National Citizens (NCs) are a powerful minority in the workforce. This research adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with managers in charge of the WL program in 14 organizations in the UAE, across different industrial sectors and ownership. We found five major OS practices: Establishing thorough orientation programs, providing formal training programs (skills, diversity/cultural awareness, supervisor, mentoring and coaching team building), redesigning NCs' jobs and work teams, engaging expatriates in NCs' OS processes, and organizing networking events. All organizations rigorously evaluated the effectiveness of their OS practices. This study contributes to the empirical literat...
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the aims, objectives and structure of a two-day Think Tank, “Gender in Organisations in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region”, held at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on 18–19 March 2019. Design/methodology/approach The paper will explain the design decisions made to achieve the objectives of the event, which will be of interest to equality, diversity and inclusion readers who may wish to hold such events themselves. It will then explain each of the Think Tank sessions and provide an overview of the keynote speakers’ presentations and the ensuing plenary discussions. Findings The Think Tank was an extremely useful vehicle for facilitating discussion on the development of a research agenda to advance knowledge in respect of gender in organisations in the MENA region. The design of the Think Tank enabled collaborative discussion amongst academics drawn from across the globe, who shared their ...
Self-help books with career advice for women who aspire to leadership are popular. This popularit... more Self-help books with career advice for women who aspire to leadership are popular. This popularity is somewhat surprising, in that the advice appears to take us back to the 'fix the women' approach to career advancement of the 1960s and 1970s. Sheryl Sandberg's (2013) 'Lean In' book is a vivid example of this popular genre of books. In this paper, we use Sandberg's book to examine why a focus on personal agency is resonating with so many women. We explain the success of 'Lean In' from the working woman's perspective. We compare and contrast the academic and popular literatures. We then reflect on the relevance of individual action as a catalyst for change in relation to the more difficult to change barriers to women's advancement at the interpersonal, organizational and societal levels. We conclude by reflecting on what the popularity of the self-help literature tells scholars about future research directions and the dissemination of their findings.
Purpose This paper aims to examine how the work of Ruth Simpson and the subsequent collaborations... more Purpose This paper aims to examine how the work of Ruth Simpson and the subsequent collaborations have contributed to understanding of the gendered constructions of meritocracy, as they apply in organizations. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a personal analysis of the work of Ruth Simpson and her colleagues and the way in which her work has resonated with me and influenced our joint collaborations. The key questions our work has addressed, both when we work together and with others, include how merit is constructed. Is it gendered? How does it influence organizational outcomes? How is merit recognized? Is merit “performed”? Key theoretical constructs and frameworks are used to address these issues; including, gendered organizational structures and regimes (Acker, 1990; Ely and Meyerson, 2000; Gherardi and Poggio, 2001), the gendered nature of meritocracy (Thornton, 2007; Sommerlad, 2012, Brink van den and Benschop, 2012) and the performance and “stickiness” of meritocracy ...
Purpose This paper aims to draw on Ashcraft’s (2013) metaphor of the “glass slipper” (which highl... more Purpose This paper aims to draw on Ashcraft’s (2013) metaphor of the “glass slipper” (which highlights the need for alignment between occupational identity and embodied social identities of workers) to show how merit may not adhere to individuals when social identity in the form of gender, race or class fails to fit the definition and perceived characteristics of the job. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. Findings This study develops the notion of the Teflon effect to describe the way merit may go unrecognised and may therefore not “stick” to the bodies of women in management and leadership roles. Research limitations/implications This study provides an explanation for the persistence of the glass ceiling and the barriers women face as they undertake or aspire to management and/or leadership positions in organisations. Practical implications This study introduces a more embodied notion of merit which relies on both performance and recognition to “take effect”. ...
Sheryl Sandberg’s book titled ‘Lean in: Women, work and the will to lead’ was published on March ... more Sheryl Sandberg’s book titled ‘Lean in: Women, work and the will to lead’ was published on March 11, 2013 and has since sold approximately 1.6 million copies. In a world where the lack of female advancement to senior positions in organisations has long been a cause for concern, we ask what is it about Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ approach that is resonating with women, and some men, around the world? Further, considering what we already know on barriers and facilitators to women’s advancement, we ask: is there any learning from the Lean-in(g)? The book has generated much comment, and views from the general media are mixed. In respect of the academic community, there has to date been little comment. The purpose of this symposium is to engage a panel of six diversity scholars (including a contributor to the Lean In book) from three different countries to provide their views on these positions and on other issues such as: (1) What does the ‘Lean In’ phenomenon tell us about what women in organisations are see...
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Papers by Savita Kumra