| Sexuality and Organizational Theorizing: A Queer Theory Approach |
| | González, Carlos B. | U. of Massachusetts, Amherst | Carlos@mgmt.umass.edu | (413)584-4226 |
| | This paper argues that organizational analysis can benefit by incorporating some of the insights arriving from the field of 'queer theory'.
The topic of the sexuality of organization is analyzed using queer theory. Following a Foucauldian approach, the paper is not
interested in pointing out strategies for an emancipatory project. Instead, I argue that we must examine organizational practices to
elucidate the different forms in which heteronormativity gets reproduced. That is, to shift from the study of gays and lesbians to the
study of heterosexuality and how the 'normal' gets constituted in organizational settings. Consequently, the paper points out
places for further research and theorizing that can serve to expand current organizational theory. This kind of theorizing will
support achieving more pluralistic organizations and a more pluralistic organization theory.
To accomplish this task, the paper begins with a short overview of Post structuralism, outlining
its approach to the human sciences and political ramifications. I then consider queer theory, and present an example of an
applied queer analysis from the field of cultural studies. Lastly, I conclude with a discussion of the implications of queer
theory for organization studies.
|
| | Keywords: queer; sexuality; organization |
| Sexual Identity Management Strategies: An Exploration of Antecedents and Consequences |
| | Chrobot-Mason, Donna Lynn | U. of Colorado, Denver | dchrobot@carbon.cudenver.edu | (303)-556-8566 |
| | Button, Scott B. | American Institutes for Research | sbutton@air-dc.org | (202)342-5000 |
| | Unlike other minority members, gay and lesbian employees often make conscious decisions about revealing their minority status at work. Past research suggests that gay and lesbian employees choose different strategies (counterfeiting, avoidance, integrating) to manage a stigmatized sexual identity. This study explores the relationship between each strategy and predicted antecedents (sexual identity achievement, perceived organizational climate) and consequences (open group process). 255 gay and lesbian employees participated in this study. Results demonstrated that gay and lesbian employees are more likely to use an integrating strategy when they have higher sexual identity achievement and perceive an affirming organizational climate. Counterfeiting and avoiding were found to have a significant negative relationship with sexual identity achievement. A significant negative relationship was found between perceived organizational climate and avoiding. Examination of open group process yielded mixed results. Open group process was found to have a significant negative relationship with avoidance and non-significant relationship with integrating. A significant positive relationship was found between counterfeiting and open group process, suggesting that maintaining a false identity may facilitate some work group interactions. Consequently, exploratory analyses on gender differences were conducted. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between counterfeiting and open group process for males, but not for females. A significant positive relationship between integrating and open group process was found for females, but not for males. Implications for work group relationships are discussed and additional antecedent and consequence variables are suggested for future research.
|
| | Keywords: Sexual; Identity; Management |
| Disruptions to Women's Social Identity: A Comparative Study of Workplace Stress Experienced by Women in Three Geographic Regions |
| | Shaffer, Margaret A. | Hong Kong Polytechnic U. | msmshaff@polyu.edu.hk | (852) 2774-3679 |
| | Joplin, Janice R. W. | Southern Illinois U., Edwardsville | jjoplin@siue.edu | (618) 650-2731 |
| | Bell, Myrtle P. | U. of Texas, Arlington | mpbell@uta.edu | (817)-272-3857 |
| | Lau, Theresa | Hong Kong Polytechnic U. | mstheres@inet.polyu.edu.hk | (852) 2766-7380 |
| | Oguz, Ceyda | Hong Kong Polytechnic U. | msceyda@inet.polyu.edu.hk | (852) 2766-7358 |
| | Drawing upon social identity theory (Burke, 1991; Thoits, 1991), as well as the current status of women
and equal opportunity legislation, we consider several factors that may be associated with the experience of distress
in working women in three distinct geographical regions: the PRC, Hong Kong, and the USA. Questionnaires in
English (for the US sample) and Chinese (for the PRC and Hong Kong samples) were distributed to working women
in the three regions. Before testing hypotheses, we conducted tests to establish measurement equivalence across the
regions. Using MANCOVA, we first tested for mean level differences in stress, attitudes toward women, gender
evaluation, and coping. Significant differences were found for all variables except nervous/self-destructive coping
mechanisms. In particular, Hong Kong women reported the highest stress levels, US women had the least negative
attitudes toward women, the lowest reports of the use of gender evaluation in employment decisions, and the least
use of avoidance coping. Hong Kong women used positive/confrontational coping significantly more than PRC
women.
Using regression analyses to test the direct effects of identity-relevant variables on stress, we found that
negative attitudes toward women had an important influence. Tests of the moderating effects of region resulted in
two significant interactions. Compared with PRC and Hong Kong women, the impact of negative attitudes toward
women on stress was significantly less for US women while the effect of nervous/self-destructive coping was much
greater for US women. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
|
| | Keywords: stress; working women; cross-cultural |
| Songs of Ourselves: Employees' Deployment of Social Identity In Encounters with Self and Others |
| | Creed, W. E. Douglas | Boston College | creedw@bc.edu | (617) 552-0492 |
| | Scully, Maureen | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | scully@mit.edu | (617) 253-5070 |
| | We elaborate a theory of encounters to understand the process whereby employees bring invisible or stigmatized
identities into the workplace social arena. Using three types of encounters -- claiming, educative, and advocacy
-- employees make themselves and their interests known and push organizations toward more inclusivity. These
foundational micro-events can reshape both the individuals who hold the social identity and their organizational contexts,
showing the lines between the personal and the political to be blurry. |
| | Keywords: social identity; gay and lesbian employees; workplace advocacy |