Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commons^™

Buyer Perceptions Of Single- And Mixed-Gender Dyadic Sales Teams: Should I Have A Wingman Or A Wingwoman?, Eric Kushins, Melissa Clark

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Prior research suggests that the gender composition of sales teams may impact team performance. However, research at the intersection of sales, gender, and teams is limited. In this study, we collect survey data from hypothetical buyers who viewed one of six sales pitch videos, including solo salesmen and saleswomen, single-gender dyadic sales teams, and mixed-gender sales teams. The hypothetical buyers were asked to rate each of the salespeople on important traits that have proven to lead to successful sales interactions, including customer orientation, understanding, trustworthiness, awareness of others’ feelings, competence, knowledge, and if the hypothetical buyer would take advice from …

Organizational Policy Initiatives For A Neurodiverse Workforce, Renae Taylor

ATU Scholars Symposium

Neurodivergent individuals make up a significant percentage of the population and yet lag in employment due to employment barriers of the traditional workplace. While the benefits of a diverse workplace are well documented, there is still a large deficit when it comes to neurodiversity equitable access. To attract and retain a neurodiverse workforce, organizations must make changes that align with research-backed methods for policy building and in turn change the organizational leadership focus to a transformational, growth-based framework.

This applied project focuses on organizational policy initiatives that support the neurodivergent employee, with an emphasis on accommodations and modifications, inclusion, and …

Perceptions Of Employability With Ai Skills, Brandy Whitford, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making AI proficiency a key factor in hiring and career advancement. By late 2023, 75% of knowledge workers integrated AI into their workflows, with 92% reporting increased productivity and creativity (Kimbrough, 2024). Employers are adapting—66% prefer candidates with AI expertise, and 77% consider AI skills essential for career growth (Microsoft & LinkedIn, 2024). However, hiring biases related to AI-skilled applicants remain underexplored, particularly concerning gender disparities in employability perceptions. This study examines how AI-related skills influence perceived employability and whether these perceptions vary based on applicant gender. Specifically, it explores whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher …

Economic Disparities In Financial Education: How Financial Literacy Varies By Socieoeconomic Status In The United States, Sergio Arguello, Megan Beach, Adolfo Duran, Gabriel Gomez

Posters - 2025

Financial literacy enables informed decisions, wealth building, and economic mobility.

• It is unevenly distributed across socioeconomic groups in the U.S.

• Key factors: parental income, education, occupation.

• Lower-income populations face greater financial vulnerability (Pew Research, 2024; FINRA Foundation, 2022).

• Improving literacy fosters stability, reduces welfare dependence, and boosts growth.

• Our study identifies barriers and recommends policies to close the literacy gap.

Staff Matters: Diversity As A Value-Add Vs. A Turn-Off, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article explores how dental practices can approach diversity as a value-add rather than a divisive issue. It offers practical recruitment and retention strategies to build diverse, qualified teams. Emphasis is placed on inclusive language, broad candidate sourcing, cultural fit, and open communication to support a workplace where all staff feel valued and engaged.

Guardians Or Bystanders? Examining School Shooting Responses In The Southern United States, Andre L. Tompkins Ed.D.

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

School shootings challenge educational safety, demanding effective leadership strategies. The Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which claimed the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers, heightened concerns about campus vulnerabilities, urging administrators to prioritize student protection. I performed a qualitative study interviewing principals, teachers, parents, and community leaders to examine their experiences addressing campus threats. The findings revealed three themes: (1) ineffective leadership affects campus safety, (2) prompt actions enhance trust in leadership, and (3) connecting with others enhances safety. In this study, I spotlight the crucial role that proactive leadership plays in building the coalitions needed to …

Podcasting Towards Togetherness: Utilizing Podcasts To Improve Departmental Camaraderie And Well-Being, Michael Petrauskis, Colleen Gutman, Rosemarie Fernandez

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Physician burnout is on the rise, and this is of particular concern in emergency medicine. Burnout is associated with medical errors, adverse events, poor professionalism, and litigation. A sense of community can build engagement and mitigate workplace stressors on well-being. Emergency physicians may have trouble connecting due to the nature of shift-work and various practice settings. Communication technology, and particularly podcasting, has the potential to help overcome these barriers and positively impact relatedness and well-being.

Approach: We developed an inward-facing podcast, “The ER Break Room” within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida. Through the …

Evolving Design Critique For A Changing Industry, Sejin Hwang, Amy Ai, Leo Bang, Yuchen Chen, Kathryn Chen, Tiffany Chang, Stephen Jiang, Chloe Jo, Eileen Lee, Nicole Lu, Ray Liu, Kevin Wei, Elaine Zhang, Ellano Zhou

Student Work

This class serves as an exploratory practice in response to existing studies evaluating critique environments in the design industry. Previous studies identified three key limitations in the critique process: (1) a lack of experience for novice designers working with non-designers when reviewing their work, (2) an ineffective final review structure, and (3) a need for a more constructive and engaging feedback-sharing environment.1 To address these challenges, the course was designed to “critique” critique activities and develop strategic solutions to transform the way design work is reviewed, analyzed, and critiqued. The course was part of a pilot fall semester program called …

The Elephant (And Donkey) In The Room: The Effects Of Political Ideology On Diversity Training Effectiveness, Luke P. Kayga

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In recent years, the prevalence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) trainings in organizations has grown significantly (Wang et al., 2024). DEI trainings are typically designed with the purpose of educating organizational members on DEI-related content and promoting feelings of inclusion in the workplace (Devine & Ash, 2022). Much like many other types of organizational training efforts, the effectiveness of DEI trainings is contingent on a variety of input factors. One such factor that has been extensively covered in the broader training literature but relatively understudied in DEI training research is trainee characteristics. Since DEI trainings are values-based, ethically prescriptive …

Collaborating For Inclusion: Awareness And Understanding In Action At Six-String Biotech, Danny Lackey, Richard Jonsen

Rohrer College of Business Departmental Research

It was early summer 2020. The Breonna Taylor and George Floyd murders were front of mind across the United States. People were flooding the streets of cities large and small, demanding an end to racist policies and actions embedded in the United States’ social fabric. At Six-String Biotech, ten employees of color went to company executives with their concerns about inclusion and equity inside their organization and the need for change. This case tells how Six-String Biotech responded to these employees, engaged in difficult internal conversations, and began a change process to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable organizational …

Navigating The Academic Terrain: Examining The Challenges And Success Factors Of Student Veterans In Higher Education Institutions, Katherine Reyes, Corey Idleburg

Education Division Scholarship

This study investigates the academic experiences of student veterans, addressing specific challenges they face in higher education. Using Schlossberg’s adult transition theory, it explores the effects of invisible barriers, enrollment trends, and institutional factors on veteran student success, leveraging the VA’s GI Bill Comparison tool to examine public versus private school support. Findings underscore the need for targeted resources, faculty training, and institutional awareness to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances veteran students' academic success and sense of belonging.

Uncovering New Perspectives On Job Performance In Diverse Work Settings: A Job Demand-Resource Theoretical Approach, Myesha P. Holmes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The aim of this study was to integrate the agility literature within the theoretical framework of the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) Theory to examine and validate whether employee agility (job resources) and work overload (job demands) influence the relationship between subjective wellbeing, work engagement, and job performance among remote, hybrid, and onsite workers. Data was collected through a Qualtrics Online panel, utilizing five standardized and validated scales, from a sample of 504 full-time employed respondents across the United States. The data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicated a significant relationship between employee …

Book Of Abstracts Of The Wmu International Conference 2025 : Advancing The Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, World Maritime University, Momoko Kitada, Francis Neat, Renis Auma Ojwala

Conference Papers

The 2025 World Maritime Theme by the International Maritime Organization, “Our Ocean, Our Obligation and Our Responsibility,” underscores the global need for an inclusive and sustainable approach to ocean health and maritime economic activity. In alignment with this, the World Maritime University organized the 2025 International Conference on Achieving the Blue Economy Through Gender Equality, highlighting the critical role of gender equality in advancing a sustainable blue economy. A call for case studies yielded 102 abstracts from 206 authors across 46 countries, representing diverse maritime sectors such as shipping, fisheries, and ocean sciences. The abstracts were reviewed by both internal …

The Lived Experiences Of Millennial Black Women Employed By Predominantly White Organizations: An Interpretative Phenomenological Exploration Of Identity Shifting, Natasha Ross

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Identity shifting is “the intentional process of altering one’s behavior and language based on feelings of exclusion, expectations, and perceptions from others” (Dickens et al., 2018, p. 5). Previous identity shifting research shows that many have used it as a coping mechanism to escape racial and/or gender discrimination or a tool for success. However, there are negative consequences, such as poor mental health, that questions the necessity of using this. Millennial Black women were used as participants because they would offer unique experiences since they experience being at the intersection of being Black, female, and being born within the same …

Women On Boards Annual Monitoring Report 2024, Center For Entrepreneurship And Innovation

Faculty Books

The AUC Egypt women on boards monitoring report is issued annually to track and monitor the presence and representation of women on boards towards meeting the goal of having 30% women on boards by 2030. The importance of improving representation of women on boards stems from the fact that it is one of the good governance pillars, in addition to the positive impact on firm performance and profitability. The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 has accordingly promoted for increasing the leadership roles of women and holding key positions in public institutions and companies, setting the target …

Insights In Adaptation: Examining Self-Reflection Strategies Of Job Seekers With Visual Impairments In India, Akshay Kolgar Nayak, Yash Prakash, Sampath Jayarathna, Hae-Na Lee, Vikas Ashok

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Significant changes in the digital employment landscape, driven by rapid technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic, have introduced new opportunities for blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals in developing countries like India. However, a significant portion of the BVI population in India remains unemployed despite extensive accessibility advancements and job search interventions. Therefore, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 BVI persons who were either pursuing or recently sought employment in the digital industry. Our findings reveal that despite gaining digital literacy and extensive training, BVI individuals struggle to meet industry requirements for fulfilling job openings. While they engage in self-reflection …

The Rise Of Women In Mining - How To Improve Inclusion And Diversity Through Organisational Programs, Ashley Mcgrath

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The inclusion and diversity (I&D) of women has become a priority for organisations due to the positive association with business performance and rising expectations of employees and shareholders for fair outcomes for all genders. Improving the I&D of women is also being driven by the evolving Australian legal framework which has heightened the responsibility of organisations regarding psychological safety and the prevention of sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination. Companies operating in male dominated industries in Western Australia (WA) are under particular pressure due to lagging performance in addressing equity issues at a state level. Existing research correlates the I&D of …

Building Bridges An Inclusive Practices Toolkit To Empower Neurodivergent Adults In The Workplace, Gloria Saldana

Student Theses and Dissertations

In this toolkit, designed for managers of neurodivergent employees, we will dig into the complexities of neurodivergence, specifically of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This toolkit aims to promote inclusivity within the workplace. We need to bridge the gap in improving neurodivergence education by understanding characteristics and communication differences, identifying cues, stigma, and consequences of actions ( e.g., bullying). Prioritizing each person's needs allows neurodivergent individuals and employers to discover natural talents and thrive within a diverse society. Through interactive sessions and practical exercises, managers will learn strategies for clear and concise communication, facilitating smoother collaboration, and initiating changes in the …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

Latinas In Law Enforcement: Tokenism, Barriers And Changes Along The Narrow Bridge To Promotion, Saturnino Velazquez

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand and analyze themes and patterns shared among the lived experiences of 12 female Latina Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) in male-dominated police departments in the Midwest (Illinois and Minnesota). The researcher chose to adopt a basic interpretive qualitative research methodology for this study because it provides a flexible and useful research tool, and provided a broader approach to interpreting meaning from rich and detailed data, yet complex, and account of semi-structured interviews that served as a data collection instrument. This study was guided by the theoretical framework of Kanter’s research on …