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Dear SIM members,

I hope the below call for contributions is of interest. This is the second book in the PRME Greenleaf book series on Gender Equality as a Challenge for Management Education. The first book is being published early next year.

Best regards,

Rebecca Macklin

Opportunity to contribute to books on: Gender Equality as a Challenge for Business and Management Education

Deadline for abstracts: 1 September 2014

Editors: Patricia M. Flynn, Bentley University (pflynn@bentley.edu) ; Kathryn Haynes, Newcastle University Business School (kathryn.haynes@ncl.ac.uk) and Maureen A. Kilgour, Université de Saint-Boniface (mkilgour@ustboniface.ca)

Part of the PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) and Greenleaf Publishing Book Series

Book Two: Overcoming Challenges to Gender Equality in the Workplace

Greenleaf Publishing invites contributions to a forthcoming title, which will be the second in a series on Gender Equality as a Challenge for Business and Management Education, which is a part of the activities carried out by the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) Gender Equality Working Group. Book One addresses the need to integrate gender equality into management education and provides examples of initiatives illustrating how this may occur from various disciplinary and global perspectives. Book Two will address the challenges of achieving gender equality in the business and organizational context, and will be a collection of case studies, innovations and good practices, which illustrate initiatives and developments in gender equality in the workplace.

Contributions for Book Two are sought from academics, practitioners, policymakers, businesses, institutions and organizations.

Background to Book Series

The mission of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative is to inspire and champion responsible management education, research and thought leadership globally under the auspices of the United Nations. The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), initiated by the UN Global Compact and UN Women, are a set of principles for business offering guidance on gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. The PRME Working Group on Gender Equality was launched with a mission to bring together academics and employers to provide support and resources for integrating gender issues and awareness into management education, and to foster related research to facilitate respect and support for PRME and the UN's Women's Empowerment Principles.

Description of Book Two

Many businesses and organizations are increasingly aware of the business case for promoting gender equality, both within and outside their organizational boundaries. Some evidence suggests that diversity in the workplace and gender equality boosts innovation and performance, and legal frameworks exist in many countries which mandate specific action on gender inequality in the workplace. While some businesses are very active in promoting gender equality in society at large, most start by addressing gender quality in their own workforce. However, despite organizational policies on promoting equality and equal opportunities for men and women, and some innovative corporate initiatives on gender equality, there remain challenges to be overcome in many businesses, including throughout their supply chains.

The book will be an edited collection, which will provide conceptual and research rationales as to why responsible businesses and organizations must address the issue of gender equality in the workplace. It will also provide case studies, action research and examples of good practices and innovations describing how businesses and organisations are working to alleviate gender inequality and promote gender equality in various contexts.

The book is designed to support the rationale for gender equality in business and organizations, provide evidence of implementation of gender equality in the workplace, and how to deal with and overcome challenges. As such, it will be of interest to academics, employees, practitioners, policymakers, businesses, institutions and organizations.

Distinctive Features

This book goes beyond other works on gender equality in the workplace in that it will:

1.            Define the workplace in the broadest possible sense, in order to include the range of workplace sites and experiences – from the home-based worker in a developing economy to the senior executive in an advanced economy transnational corporation;

2.            Identify the rationale for the promotion of gender equality in the workplace;

3.            Situate the discussion of gender equality in the workplace within the debates on corporate social responsibility and business and human rights;

4.            Explore the challenges of integrating gender equality into the workplace, and how they can be overcome;

5.            Provide case studies, examples of good practices and innovations which address gender equality from a range of business and organizational contexts; and

6.            Discuss the issues in terms of the responsibility of businesses and organizations to set new organizational, management, research, institutional and intellectual agendas on gender equality.

Scope and possible structure

The topic list below is suggestive of the range of categories under which we are accepting contributions. The list is not exhaustive, however, and the editors welcome topics not mentioned here that contribute to understanding of integrating gender equality into the workplace in business and organizations from various geographical, theoretical and organizational perspectives. In any of these topics we encourage contributions that highlight differences between countries and regions.

I. Why is gender equality important to responsible business and organizations?

·         History of (in)equality or exclusion in the workplace

·         Rationale(s), including the business case, for inclusion of gender equality in the workplace

·         Conceptual, theoretical, empirical contributions on the importance of gender equality in the workplace

·         Business perspectives on the inclusion of gender equality in responsible business and organizations

·         Effects and outcomes of exclusion/inclusion of gender equality in the workplace

II. What are the challenges of addressing gender equality in the workplace?

·         Reflexive accounts of affecting change and overcoming challenges

·         Critiques of current business and organizational practice

·         The role of leadership in addressing gender equality in the workplace

·         Feminist critiques of workplace inequalities

·         Societal and economic challenges of integrating gender equality into the workplace

·         Analysis of discord or problems in integrating gender equality into the workplace

III. Development of gender equality in business and organizations

With contributions placed in the wider context of gender equality, together with the organizational context and culture, we seek specific examples and cases of good practices and innovations in the workplace, and lessons learned. We also welcome chapters illustrating cases of poor practice, together with ramifications and lessons learned:

·         Accountability of management for encouraging gender equality and implications of failures to do so

·         Developing a workplace culture that supports gender equality

·         Organizational learning in gender equality

·         Responsibility for home-based workers and workers down the supply chain

·         Impact of CSR initiatives, such as the UN Women's Empowerment Principles, on gender equality in the workplace

·         Gender equality policies and practices, e.g.

§  Hiring committees

§  Leadership roles

§  Training and development of staff

§  Staff recruitment and retention

§  Supply chain issues

§  Health and safety issues

§  Harassment and violence

§  Disciplinary issues

IV. What lies ahead?

·         Business and organization agendas

·         Moving on from the business case

·         Tracking/monitoring progress

·         Policy and governance agendas

·         Relationships between management education and business

·         Intellectual agendas

·         What lies ahead in different countries and regions

·         Reasons for optimism in gender equality in the workplace

Contributions

This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic. As such, submissions based on different approaches, whether reflexive, empirical, hands-on or applied theory, will be considered. Conceptual and theoretical papers should be between 4,000 and 6,000 words. Case studies should be between 2,500 and 4,000 words in length, and contributors should ensure that cases are placed in the broader context of gender equality in the workplace, and the relevant organizational context, as appropriate. The editors are particularly interested in chapters that critically evaluate illustrative examples of good practices and innovations in gender equality from a range of workplace, business and global perspectives. Papers must be submitted, without exception, as per the editorial guidelines, available from Greenleaf Publishing. Potential contributors may be academics, practitioners, policymakers, or from businesses and organizations. Contributors are encouraged to visit the PRME Gender Equality Working Group's website for further information.

Please submit abstracts of no more than 1,000 words, together with a CV, to Rebecca Macklin, no later than 1 September 2014 - Rebecca.macklin@greenleaf-publishing.com  

Book 2 schedule              

Abstract and CV submission:                                                                       1 September 2014

Selection of abstracts and notification to successful contributors:              1 December 2014

Full chapter submission:                                                                                               1 March 2015

Revised chapter submission:                                                                      1 August 2015

Publication:                                                                                                        Spring 2016 (provisional)

Send abstracts for Book 2 (of no more than 1,000 words), together with a CV, as email attachments direct to Rebecca Macklin:              

Email: Rebecca.macklin@greenleaf-publishing.com        

Tel: +44 (0) 113 278 4212

Greenleaf Publishing, WIRA House, Ring Road, West Park, Leeds, LS16 6EB, UK

The full call is available to view on the Greenleaf Publishing website:  www.greenleaf-publishing.com/default.asp?ContentID=67

Further information about the UN PRME: www.unprme.org