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

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

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.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union