International Women’s Day
#BreakTheBias
On International Women’s Day, we are pleased to share this insightful Harvard Business Publishing Ed article article authored by Dr Bola Grace and Colleen Ammerman on diversity at top ranking institutions.
Business schools play a pivotal role in the movement toward a more equitable, just, and inclusive economy. They educate students who enter the global talent with the potential to be change agents. While the last decade has seen some improvements on DEI, there is more to do. Analysis of gender diversity highlighted a low representation of women in governing boards, faculty, and student populations. More needs to be done to #BreakTheBias.
“Low gender parity in business schools, especially a lack of women faculty, has implications for role modelling.”
Gender diversity issues are shared with the corporate world. These issues include lack of representation, a gender pay gap, and hiring practices that can undermine diversity. For example, the career progression to obtain a tenure-track job at high-ranking business schools demands an intense period of research production that coincides with typical family-formation years. This means many women academics with children face the same motherhood penalties that disadvantage their peers in corporations.
In some cases, deeply entrenched administrative processes – seemingly innocuous with no impact on diversity at all - can act as barriers that work against diversity.
In terms of ways to accelerate progress and BreakTheBias, recommendations include: establishing a diversity office, implementing systems and processes, a focus on people and culture, and integrating diversity into teaching. Creating an inclusive, relevant, and accessible curriculum also contributes to attracting and retaining target groups, equipping students to respond to increasingly diverse environments, and helping business schools achieve DEI strategic objectives in order to transform the corporate environment and society at large.
Read the full article here: How Business Schools Are Really Doing with Diversity | Harvard Business Publishing Education
