Social Inclusion and Diversity Researchers (SIDR)

The Social Inclusion and Diversity Researchers (SIDR) led by Professor Charmine Härtel engages in government, organisation and community based research which advances awareness, understanding and practices associated with diversity management and social inclusion. SIDR represent a diverse range of disciplinary, social and cultural backgrounds.

Key Research Questions

Social Inclusion and Diversity Rearchers are concerned with questions at the individual, organisational, national and international level. Examples of key issues being addressed currently by the group are:

1. What types of job irrelevant individual differences (eg, way express emotions, appearance) are associated with unequal employment outcomes and unfair acts?
2. What types of exclusionary behaviours do people experience at work or in getting employment? What are the underlying explanatory mechanisms for exclusion behaviour?
3. What impact does exclusion have on individual, workplaces, the workplace and society? How can inclusion be fostered in employment settings? (eg, what leadership characteristics, organisational culture characteristics, HR practices, job characteristics, are associated with inclusion attitudes and behaviours)
4. Are current conceptualisations of diversity and culture accurate and adequate to understand work and management issues?
5. What leads to people speaking out (voice) or keeping quiet (silence) when an injustice/unfair act against others at work is witnessed? [context and individual difference variables]
6. What role does and should the public and private sector play in facilitating diversity and social inclusion?
7. ow should public sector reform implementation processes be evaluated? How successful have these reforms been? What are the challenges?
8. What constitutes good governance?
9. What are the key challenges to the success of anti-corruption regulations and policies?
10. What is the contribution of for-profit organisations to the creation of quality employment in a region?
11. What are the features and challenges of labour migration (in the context of EU integration), and how could these challenges be met by East European organisations, governments and communities?

Flagship Programs

Aboriginal Economic Development

Programme Leader: Dr Dennis Appo (of the Mamu People).

Cross-Cultural Business Skills

Ageing and Employment

East European Studies

Current Research Projects

Current research projects include:

• Facilitating Aboriginal employment and career advancement
• Social barriers to Aboriginal employment
• Methods of assessing social inclusion and diversity openness
• Cross-cultural business competencies
• Differing social constructions of work-life balance
• Barriers and facilitators to an inclusive climate for sexual orientation diversity
• Constructive management of conflict in diverse groups
• Building and maintaining positive cross-cultural relationships
• Cross-cultural negotiation effectiveness
• Development of inclusion and diversity metrics
• Issues faced by migrants in managerial advancement
• Culture and business ethics
• Social and cultural issues in knowledge transfer
• Spirituality: Personal and Professional Perspectives of Managers
• Managing an ageing workforce
• Cross-cultural comparison of ageing
• The role requirements and development needs of MPs in democratic processes in East European countries
• The current objectives and coordinates of public sector reforms in Eastern Europe (in particular in the circumstances of EU accession by Romania and Bulgaria)
• How private-public partnerships work in the context of privatisation and decentralisation in Eastern Europe and what East-European economies can learn from best practice examples elsewhere in the world, and vice versa
• The common features of public management reforms in transitional economies
• The discussion, features and application of crisis management in East European countries
• The effectiveness of state-directed anti-corruption measures in East European countries, in particular in relation to governance requirements for EU integration

SIDR is committed to promoting a collegial and inclusive research culture focussed on fostering constructive debate and the development of high quality and significant research projects.

SIDR seeks partners interested in funding small to large research projects aimed at advancing inclusive government and organisational policies and practices both within Australia and abroad. Interested organisations and groups should contact the SIDR Director, Professor Charmine Härtel at: Charmine.hartel@buseco.monash.edu.au or 0401 999 613.