"Social Injustice and Workplace Behavior: How #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo and Islamist terrorist attacks Shape Cooperation in Organizations"

Project Information

INJORG

Grant agreement ID: 101064013

DOI

10.3030/101064013

Project closed

EC signature date 14 June 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2024

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 214 934,40

Coordinated by

COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INJORG (Social Injustice and Workplace Behavior: How #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo and Islamist terrorist attacks Shape Cooperation in Organizations)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In recent years, societies have faced significant "mega-threats" such as the #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo movements, high-profile corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) incidents, and terrorist attacks. These events disrupt societal norms, attract widespread media attention, and provoke public discourse. Despite their prominence, there is limited understanding of how such mega-threats influence organizational behaviors and outcomes.

The objective of my project was to explore how mega-threats—including diversity-related events, CSI incidents, and terrorist attacks—impact organizational outcomes and individual decision-making. I aimed to bridge the gap between macro-level societal events and micro-level organizational behaviors by integrating insights from sociology, management, and psychology.

My research focused on three key areas:

1) Mega-Threats and Workplace Cooperation: Investigating how movements like #BlackLivesMatter affect interactions between Black and White coworkers during heightened societal attention to racial injustice.

2) Violent Events and Organizational Risk-Taking: Exploring how violent events influence decision-making, particularly risk-taking behaviors when performance falls below aspirations.

3) Media Coverage of Supplier Misconduct in Global Value Chains: Studying how publicized supplier misconduct affects multinational enterprises' decisions to terminate relationships, considering power dynamics and information asymmetries.

By addressing these areas, I aimed to understand the mechanisms through which mega-threats influence organizational behavior, providing insights to help organizations navigate challenges posed by such events and enhance functioning and societal well-being.

This research has potential to inform organizational policies, enabling leaders to manage diversity, mitigate risks from external shocks, and make informed supplier decisions. By elucidating mega-threats' effects on organizations, I support strategies fostering cooperation, resilience, and ethical decision-making.

Given the interdisciplinary nature, social sciences and humanities were crucial. I drew upon sociological theories of social movements, psychological insights into intergroup dynamics and regulatory focus, and management perspectives on organizational behavior. This integration allowed me to bridge the micro-macro divide in organizational research.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

I conducted extensive research to investigate mega-threats' impact on organizational behavior and decision-making, encompassing data collection, theoretical development, and empirical analysis across three studies.

1. #BlackLivesMatter and Workplace Cooperation:

I developed a framework suggesting mega-threats like #BlackLivesMatter asymmetrically influence intra- and inter-racial workplace interactions. Using data on 124,953 interactions among NBA players during the 2014–2015 season—marked by significant #BlackLivesMatter events—and societal attention metrics (e.g. related tweets), I found that intra-racial cooperation among Black players increased, while inter-racial interactions were differently affected, highlighting complex dynamics induced by mega-threats.

2. Violent Events and Organizational Risk-Taking:

Integrating the behavioral theory of the firm with regulatory focus theory, I hypothesized that exposure to violent events moderates the relationship between negative performance discrepancies and risk-taking. Analyzing 39,343 fourth-down decisions by NFL teams from 2009 to 2018, I found that violent events reduce decision-makers' propensity to take risks when facing performance shortfalls, attributed to a shift from promotion to prevention focus.

3. Media Coverage of Supplier Misconduct in GVCs:

I explored how media coverage of supplier misconduct affects multinational enterprises' decisions to terminate global value chain relationships. Using data on 21,631 buyer-supplier dyads involving 1,098 Forbes Global 2000 companies from 2014 to 2019, I found that publicized misconduct increases the likelihood of contract termination due to reputational risks, especially when power asymmetries are lower and information asymmetries cannot provide plausible deniability.

Main Achievements:

Developed Novel Frameworks: Successfully integrated macro societal events with micro organizational behaviors, offering new perspectives on external shocks' influence.

Empirical Evidence: Provided substantial empirical support for theoretical models across contexts and industries.

Insights into Decision-Making: Highlighted the importance of external factors like mega-threats in understanding organizational risk-taking and cooperation.

Practical Implications: Findings offer guidance for leaders on navigating complexities introduced by mega-threats, informing strategies to enhance cooperation and ethical decision-making.

These achievements advance understanding of how mega-threats shape organizational dynamics, providing a foundation for future research and policy development.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

My research extends organizational studies by revealing how mega-threats impact behavior and decision-making. By integrating sociology, psychology, and management theories, I developed frameworks explaining how societal events influence organizational outcomes.


Key Results and Potential Impacts:

- Asymmetric Effects on Interactions: Demonstrated that mega-threats have asymmetric effects on different demographic groups. For example, #BlackLivesMatter increased intra-racial interactions among Black employees due to heightened group identification, while inducing anxiety among White employees regarding inter-racial interactions.

- Regulatory Focus and Risk-Taking: Found that exposure to violent events shifts decision-makers' regulatory focus from promotion to prevention, weakening the tendency to take risks when performance is below aspirations, emphasizing external shocks' influence on decision-making.

- Impact on Global Value Chain Management: Showed that media coverage of supplier misconduct increases multinational enterprises' likelihood to terminate relationships to mitigate reputational risks, influenced by factors like economic dependence and information asymmetries.


Potential Impacts and Uptake:

- Organizational Interventions: Results can inform interventions to mitigate negative effects of mega-threats on cooperation, including diversity training and inclusive communication strategies.

- Leadership Strategies: Insights suggest leaders should be aware of external events' impact on decision-making, considering strategies to maintain balanced risk-taking.

- Supply Chain Policies: Findings support robust monitoring and ethical standards in global supply chains, with clear protocols for addressing misconduct to protect reputation.


Further Research Needs:

- Cross-Industry Analysis: Examining generalizability across industries can enhance applicability.

- Longitudinal Studies: Studying long-term impacts and intervention effectiveness over time.

- Policy Frameworks: Collaborations with policymakers to translate findings into guidelines supporting organizations in managing mega-threats.


By providing empirical evidence and theoretical insights, my research supports organizations in developing policies enhancing cooperation, resilience, and ethical decision-making in societal challenges, contributing to adaptable and responsive organizational environments.