When stakeholders claim differently for diversity management: Adopting lesbian, gay and bisexual-inclusive practices in Italy

In the United States, the adoption of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB)-inclusive practices by companies is triggered primarily by pressures from activists who base their claims on a business case rationale for diversity; this has been studied mainly from a social movement perspective. In Europe, by contrast, diverse actors—not necessarily constituting a unified social movement—make a variety of arguments for more inclusion, based on a spectrum of rationales. To account for this variety, this article adopts a stakeholder approach, identifying two processes through which 14 ‘pioneering’ Italian business organizations have adopted such practices: a business-driven process and an equality-driven process. This article demonstrates how these processes are mutually exclusive, and how they differ in terms of rationales, actors involved and outcomes achieved

Unions as institutional entrepreneurs: The contribution of unions to the diffusion and adaptation of LGBT diversity initiatives

Purpose Research on the diffusion and adaptation of LGBT diversity management practices has, until now, rarely considered the role of unions in this process; where it has done, the consideration has largely been cursory or tangential. In order to contribute towards overcoming this research gap, the purpose of this paper is to focus more closely on this issue, within the Italian context. Design/methodology/approach Theoretically based on the notion of institutional entrepreneurship, the paper analyses the ways in which trade unions contribute to the diffusion of LG-inclusive policies. Empirically this study is based on qualitative interviews with representatives from the unions, LGBT activists and individuals from those companies that have received support from the unions in terms of shaping their initiatives. Findings Italian unions act as institutional entrepreneurs in the sexual orientation field by framing the issue of the inclusion of LGBT workers as an issue of including minority groups under the broad umbrella of equality in workplaces, and by cooperating with LGBT associations. The latter provides the unions with two different things. First, with more legitimacy, from the viewpoint of LGBT employees; second, with the specific competencies in dealing with these issues. The accomplishments of the unions consist of arranging single agreements concerning the establishment of “punishment systems” for discriminatory behaviours, rather than promoting inclusion-oriented behaviours within the organization. Originality/value This paper highlights the role of unions, and in doing so, focusses on a hitherto marginalized actor in the process of adapting LGBT diversity initiatives. In focussing on the Italian context, it adds an important perspective to a discourse that has previously consisted of predominantly Anglo-American views

The LGBT Diversity Index

The LGBT Diversity Index is issued on an annual basis by the private Italian association Parks. The association uses the index as a means of presenting awards to organizations in Italy, based on various facets of LGBT inclusion. Participating in the Index does not require an organisation to be a fee-paying member of Parks, although, over the course of its existence, all awards have indeed gone to Parks members. In 2018, Parks had 61 members, the majority of them national subsidiaries of those international corporations that are also highly visible within other national contexts of LGBT inclusion. The Index has contributed hugely to the diffusion of LGBT diversity management practices in Italy over the past few years. However, its lack of transparency, as well as the apparently tight-knit relationship between the issuing association and the participants of the Index, might be seen as critical factors to be taken into consideration when developing the Index further

La pratica del whistleblowing: una rassegna della letteratura internazionale sul tema

Il whistleblowing, inteso come la rivelazione di comportamenti illeciti, immorali o inopportuni che avvengono sul luogo di lavoro, è un fenomeno di crescente rilevanza in un’epoca in cui etica, sostenibilità e trasparenza rappresentano temi cruciali per le organizzazioni pubbliche e private. Attraverso una rassegna della letteratura internazionale, il presente articolo delinea i principali temi e i possibili sviluppi legati al fenomeno del whistleblowing, ponendo particolare attenzione al ruolo dei manager e ai potenziali benefici che tale pratica può implicare per l’amministrazione pubblica. Stimolando la capacità di auto-regola-zione dell’organizzazione, il whistleblowing può favorire infatti la creazione di ambienti di lavoro più aperti, trasparenti ed etici, e rappresenta un’importante occasione per la promozione di un’idea democratica e responsabile delle amministrazioni pubbliche e del loro management.Whistleblowing, intended as the disclosure of illicit, immoral or inappropriate behaviours happening in the workplace, is an increasingly relevant phenomenon at a time when ethics, sustainability and transparency are crucial for both public and private organizations. Through a review of the international literature on the topic, this article focuses on the main issues and possible future developments related to the practice of whistleblowing, while highlighting the fundamental role of managers as well as to the many benefits that whistleblowing may bring to public administrations. By fostering organizations’ self-regulation capaci-ties, whistleblowing can indeed contribute to the creation of more transparent and ethical workplaces and represents a signifi-cant opportunity for the promotion of a democratic and responsible idea of public administrations and their management

Whistleblowing as a crucial practice for responsible management

Notwithstanding the increasing interest in responsible management research, education and practice, severe acts of irresponsibility happen every day in many business organizations. How can those irresponsible behaviors be detected and prevented? In this conceptual chapter, we explore the similarities and possible synergies between responsible management and whistleblowing. In particular, we show that the practice of whistleblowing is consistent with responsible management principles because it is crucial for detecting and preventing irresponsible management. As a consequence, responsible managers (notably, all managers and not only those holding sustainability or ethics-related roles) can act as both whistleblowers and their supporters. Vice versa, whistleblowing could trigger more responsible management and organizations