Intersectionality theory applied to whiteness and middle-classness

Despite the ubiquity of intersectionality in feminism and allied methodologies, it is typically associated with the elaboration of oppression. A consideration of intersectionality theory as applied to the ‘other side’ of power relations – that is to the intersections of whiteness and middle-classness (and the complications arising from ethnicity) – enables the exploration of power in relation to the enduring inequities between groups. Dominant positionality is embedded in intersectionality theory in two ways: (1) as part of a complex, postmodern identity formation in which – even at the individual level – oppression co-exists alongside domination; (2) in the emphasis on relationality in which oppression and domination are co-conditional. Building on an essay by Floya Anthias, the intersections of whiteness and middle-classness are further elaborated by showing that, along with ethnicity and gender, these positions (and positionings) reinforce each other in some circumstances and contradict each other in different circumstances. This inquiry introduces a complexity into intersectionality theory that enables a truly relational approach to the analysis of power often neglected in writing on the topic.     

HIV Diagnosis Disclosure: Stigma Management and Stigma Resistance

This article reports diagnosis disclosure decision comments arising serendipitously in five focus group discussions with 34 HIV-infected New Yorkers over age 50. Three overarching disclosure themes demonstrate the complexity of diagnosis disclosure decision-making: (a) hiding or selectively disclosing, or stigma management; (b) partial disclosure because of the perception of partial control of the information; and (c) widespread or complete voluntary diagnosis disclosure, representing stigma resistance. Social workers and other human services practitioners should remember the diversity in the HIV population, the aging population, and the HIV-positive aging population. Experiences of HIV stigma and choices about diagnosis disclosure and stigma management or resistance are individual, reciprocal, and dynamic.     

Outcome evaluation of peer support programme for helping Chinese parents under stress

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a support group programme using peer parent counsellors in reducing participant stress and enhancing social support. Participants included 173 Chinese parents with 134 providing complete data. They were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups at service-centre level. The results indicated that there was a significant decrease in psychological distress and increase in social support among intervention group participants at post-intervention, compared with the control group. Qualitative data also indicated that participants' stress was reduced through sharing with their peers. Implications for social service practice were discussed.     

Best Practices for Biostatistical Consultation and Collaboration in Academic Health Centers

Given the increasing level and scope of biostatistics expertise needed at academic health centers today, we developed best practices guidelines for biostatistics units to be more effective in providing biostatistical support to their institutions, and in fostering an environment in which unit members can thrive professionally. Our recommendations focus on the key areas of: (1) funding sources and mechanisms; (2) providing and prioritizing access to biostatistical resources; and (3) interacting with investigators. We recommend that the leadership of biostatistics units negotiate for sufficient long-term infrastructure support to ensure stability and continuity of funding for personnel, align project budgets closely with actual level of biostatistical effort, devise and consistently apply strategies for prioritizing and tracking effort on studies, and clearly stipulate with investigators prior to project initiation policies regarding funding, lead time, and authorship.     

Thinking outside the box by looking inside the box: Extending the cognitive revolution in leadership research

Follower and leader cognitions play critical roles in many organizational phenomena. In this review, we report and reflect on a decade of cognitive leadership research. Following a brief introduction, the review is divided into two sections—one devoted to individual and dyadic cognition, and the other to collective cognition. We identified three central themes for each section. For individual and dyadic cognition, we identified metacognitive processes and leadership, implicit leadership theories (ILTs), and network based models of ILTs as central themes. For collective cognition, we identified charisma, organizational performance and sensemaking, and transformation and change as central themes. Our goal in this review was to uncover important underlying assumptions of selected studies to illuminate more clearly the path of cognitive leadership research over the past 10 years and its potential paths over the next ten years.     

The Equality Effects of the ‘Hyper‐formalization’ of Selection

This paper explores how formalization of employee selection procedures for the purpose of ensuring equality of opportunity can become so extensive that the intended outcome of fairness is undermined. Drawing on empirical evidence from a large media organization, the analysis reveals the detrimental impact of formalization in relation to the recruitment of ethnic minority staff. While the existing literature describes how, during recruitment of employees, the circumvention of formal equality procedures can occur through managerial neglect and manipulation, the analysis in this paper shows that, paradoxically, circumvention can also occur through compliance with procedures. This new category takes three forms (robotic, defensive and malicious) and appears under conditions of excessive formalization – the term hyper‐formalization is coined to describe this. The paper develops new concepts that add to understanding of the limitations of equality and diversity procedures, and brings fresh challenges to some of the liberal assumptions about the efficacy and desirability of formalization for achieving fairness.     

HRD,the science of the artificial

Innovation is the bedrock of organizational and national competitiveness across the globe. Leaders of research and development (R&D) teams have an especially important role to play given their direct influence on leading, organizing, rallying, and managing the operations of innovative tasks. However, when it comes to how leaders influence R&D innovation in different contexts, researchers' opinions diverge. This study explores leadership characteristics and their contextual contingencies, using the approach of a multiple case study. This paper is situated in the stream of research focusing on the interactions of leadership and contextual factors in innovation. We collected qualitative data from four highly innovative teams residing in two national laboratories in the US. The results suggest that while leadership demonstrates similarities across the four teams – a simultaneous focus on the internal and external domains, it also displays different characteristics in teams that differ on three contextual factors: funding model, nature of tasks, and team structure. Theoretical and practical implications are drawn.