From “Calling in Black” to “Calling for Antiracism Resources”: the need for systemic resources to address systemic racism

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this essay is to highlight the urgent need for antiracism resource generation in organizations today.Design/methodology/approachThis essay weaves together popular press articles, academic writings and the authors' lived experiences to summarize, clarify and extend the work needed inside of organizations and academia to dismantle systemic racism.FindingsWe define antiracist resources as personal and material assets that counteract systemic racism through informing and equipping antiracist actions, and identify three resources—adopting a long-term view for learning the history of racism, embracing discomfort to acknowledge racist mistakes and systematically assess how organizational structures maintain white supremacy—for organizations to address systemic racism.Research limitations/implicationsWhile there is a critical need for more antiracism research, there are standards and guidelines that should be followed to conduct that research responsibly with antiracism enacted in research design, methodology decisions and publication practices.Practical implicationsThe authors call for organizations to directly counter-racism via antiracism resources and offer examples for how these resources can inform and equip companies to create equitable workplaces.Originality/valueThis essay offers: (a) an updated, timely perspective on effective responses to systemic racism (e.g. police brutality and COVID-19), (b) a detailed discussion of antiracism resources and (c) specific implications for antiracism work in organizational research.

Engineering graduate students’ mental health: A scoping literature review

“…It is beneficial for minoritized students to have skills (e.g., coping mechanisms) to help them navigate these environments. However, this fails to recognize the systems and structures in place that enforce the hostile environments in which these students operate (McCluney et al, 2021). For change to occur, accountability must be required of these systems and structures, not the minoritized students experiencing and navigating these hostile environments.…”

The impact of organizational statements of support for the black community in the wake of a racial mega‐threat on organizational attraction and revenue

“…Although past studies have investigated reactions to DEI programs and their potential benefits (e.g., increased diversity, reduced bias; Avery et al, 2004; Madera, 2017; Windscheid et al, 2016), no applied research to date has explored how public expressions of support for certain communities following mega‐threats can affect organizational outcomes such as OA and organizational revenue. The current research does this not only by focusing on episodes of racialized violence toward the Black community as mega‐threats to Black prospective and current employees (see McCluney et al, 2020) but also by using signaling theory (Celani & Singh, 2011; Connelly et al, 2011; Spence, 1973) to assess the impact of organizations' expressions of support in light of these mega‐threats. The studies presented in the current article extend past theory by showing that public declarations of support for the Black community following race‐related mega‐threats may be effective signals of organizations' commitment to DEI.…”

Interweaving positive and critical perspectives in management learning and teaching

“…The calls for systemic activism also arise from voices attending to issues of social injustice in management classrooms and their broader institutional setting (McCluney et al, 2020; Roberts et al, 2019). Many educators and community members shy away from candid examinations of structural inequality, systemic racism, and other forms of persistent exclusion.…”