Project description
Gender equality in business schools
Gender equality represents a critical issue in business and particularly in decision-making bodies. The nature and multidisciplinary characteristics of business and management (B&M) schools make them an excellent research field for the examination of gender equality. The EU-funded TARGETED-MPI project will study gender inequality in B&M schools through the development and efficient performance of innovative gender equality plans (GEPs), focusing on the diverse academic cultures and socio-economic environments in Europe (Belgium, Greece, Sweden and the United Kingdom) and Lebanon. The project will apply action-based research and a transparent end-to-end stakeholder involvement strategy that is fundamental for the development of GEPs, to identify apparent and covert gender prejudices and obstacles in partner organisations. A network of Gender Equality Observatories will be established in the participating B&M schools to encourage GEPs and support the diffusion of the results.
Objective
TARGETED-MPI aims to address gender inequality in Business and Management (B&M) schools through the development and effective implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs). The complex and multidisciplinary nature of B&M schools constitutes an important research site to examine gender equality. The TARGETED-MPI consortium includes research organisations operating in diverse academic cultures and socio-economic settings in Europe (Greece, Sweden, Belgium, UK) and Lebanon, which allows the development of rich GEPs and the understanding of the conditions of applicability and transferability of GEPs across Europe and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. We will use an action-based research and transparent end-to-end stakeholder engagement strategy that is critical for the development and implementation of GEPs. The innovative cultural web tool will be used to identify overt and covert gender bias and barriers in partner organisations. A two-phase planning-implementation-monitoring-and-evaluation approach will be used to support the early deployment and assessment of GEPs and the provision of timely feedback for improving the initial GEPs. An independent expert will work closely with the project team to provide impartial ex-ante and ex-post evaluation of the GEPs. A Network of Gender Equality Observatories (GEOs) will be established in the B&M schools of the participating institutions to foster the sustainability of the GEPs and support the dissemination of the project results. The higher and middle management of all participating institutions have made unequivocal commitments for implementing the GEPs to achieve institutional change. TARGETED-MPI has also secured the support of critical gender equality stakeholders including professional organisations. The implementation of GEPs will improve GE in academic careers and gender participation in decision making bodies, and will foster the inclusion of gender consideration in research and innovation content.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.5.b. - Promote gender equality in particular by supporting structural change in the organisation of research institutions and in the content and design of research activities Main Programme
- H2020-EU.5.f. - Develop the governance for the advancement of responsible research and innovation by all stakeholders, which is sensitive to society needs and demands and promote an ethics framework for research and innovation
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
11251 Athens
Greece