Shortlisted in the Global Equality & Diversity Conference -London 2019!!

It's not every day that my work is "shortlisted"! Or every year for that matter! But yesterday, I received emails from several colleagues with content like this:

The Noon Centre for Equality and Diversity in Business at the University of East London has announced the nominees for the 6th Annual Global Equality & Diversity (GED) Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognises outstanding individuals and organisations developing and adopting new approaches to equality and diversity in business.

...and a few paragraphs below:

THE NOMINEES FOR THE 6TH ANNUAL GED AWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS: The Noon Award SAP – Diversity in the Streets Programme WhiteHat MyPlus Lexxic & Neurotalent Unlocked Dr Gregory Burke, AccessAble Nadine Vogel, Springboard Consulting Karen Daly-Gherabi, Springboard Consulting Marshall E-Learning Inclusive Workplace Award Hachette UK Ethnicity Pay Gap 2019 How to be an Inclusive Leader – Liliane Rocha, Gestão Kairós I Believe, I Belong, I Matter; Inclusive IBM Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Acas ISS Research Award Diversity within diversity management – Andri Georgiadou, Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez, Miguel R. Olivas-Lujan Diversity in Policing campaign – Essex Police Cultural factors contributing to the Gender Pay Gap and inequality in the NHS – Conflux Impact Award BBC – The 50:50 Project Celebrating Difference by Shaun Dellenty To find out more about the GED Awards, view the full article here on the Equality and Diversity Hub.

Too bad this conference is taking place so far away from Clarion!! Just being in the shortlist makes me (and my fellow contributors to these books: Diversity Within Management: Country-Based Perspectives and Diversity in Organizations) feel like a winner!!!!

CFP: Social Media and Management

Social Media and Management

Call for Chapters, Advanced Series in Management

Tanya Bondarouk (University of Twente, The Netherlands; t.bondarouk@utwente.nl)

Miguel R. Olivas-Luján (Clarion University of Pennsylvania, USA; molivas@clarion.edu)

Deadline for submission of ideas or chapters: July 31st, 2012 (see details below)

Social media is a term currently in use to describe a wide variety of Information and Telecommunication Technologies (ICTs) whose common denominator is the ability to connect users in ways that enable bridging distance, time, and other traditional barriers.  Even though several “electronic facilities” have captured both general and business attention, it is clear that a high degree of environmental turbulence or high velocity exists, as both software (e.g., social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Xing, facebook, google+, Orkut, or MySpace; blogging sites such as Wordpress, blogspot or twitter; personal or organizational rich-media facilities like YouTube, Skype, Spotify, etc.) and hardware platforms (e.g., tablets, smartphones, thinbooks and other recent innovations) keep evolving at a blistering pace.  Systematic, rigorous research using best-available scientific evidence methodologies that document and analyze the use of this phenomenon in business are currently lagging behind this revolution; this scholarly book is an attempt to fill this knowledge gap to facilitate knowledge acquisition and diffusion, as well as enable the higher levels of understanding that may precede both the exploitation and the exploration of newer and more advanced tools and methodologies.

For this volume of the Advanced Series in Management, we are seeking chapters that will increase our understanding of how these emerging technologies are evolving, using the most rigorous social scientific methods and tools.  Topics that may best fit this volume’s editorial intentions include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Management of social media within and outside organizations (for recruitment, selection or other personnel decisions, for marketing, reputational and any other relevant business, non-profit, or work-related, governmental purposes)
• Development or evolution of new or customized products and services using social media as an information source or as a promotional vehicle in particular companies or industries
• Predictors, types and consequences of intra-organizational social media policy acceptance, rejection and diffusion gaps
• Influences of culture, legislative traditions, economic blocs, corporate descriptors, industrial characteristics, and any other aspect that may affect the development, management, and effectiveness of the use of social media
• Individual and social (from small group to national or cross-cultural levels) characteristics and factors that facilitate adoption, use and diffusion of social media for business and other work-related purposes
• Comparisons and contrasts of differential uses of social media in work contexts in emerging (e.g., Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle-East, etc.) or non-Western economic settings 
• Virtual, technologically mediated markets, life, work, newly developed, gamefied (or not) products or services, crowd-sourced or personally oriented, etc.

As a volume in the Advanced Series in Management, this scholarly book will contribute to researcher’s understanding of the development, antecedents, processes and consequences of social media in management around the world.  It may also be used as a reference in executive education programs or as a textbook in graduate (or advanced undergraduate) courses in accredited Colleges or Schools of Businesses, Technology Management, Information and Communication Systems, and similarly situated educational offerings.  Cross-disciplinary collaborations that include fieldwork or empirically supported findings (e.g., from experimental or quasi-experimental, large-scale, generalizable, longitudinal or cross-sectional studies, to deductive, rich, ethnographic, inductive, case-based methodologies) are particularly sought, as also are rigorous, tightly developed or grounded theory-building with an applied or pragmatic (e.g., design science) purpose.  Average chapter size is expected to hover around 3000 words (excluding references, figures, and tables). Only original work whose copyright is owned (or cleared) by the chapter authors and not considered for publication elsewhere can be considered for inclusion in the ASM series.

Scholars whose work is likely to fit this call for chapters are invited to contact the editors via email to discuss their ideas and in preliminary form assess whether their contribution would be included.  Brief descriptions (300 words or less) of the main contents of their chapter, their methodology and about 200-word author(s)’ bio(s) highlighting their expertise in the area should be sent to both editors for initial consideration, before August 31, 2012.  The editors for this series will also attend at the Academy of Management’s annual conference in Boston, MA (USA) this August (2012) and might be available for face-to-face conversations by appointment.  Highly qualified chapter authors (in addition to the book series’ editorial board) are also expected to review anonymously some of the chapters submitted for this volume, as part of their contribution. 

Important deadlines

• Preliminary screening of ideas for chapters: September 30^th, 2012 (this is a “soft” deadline)
• Acceptance notifications or requests for revisions: about four weeks after full chapter manuscript is received
• Submission of full manuscripts: No later than December 31^st, 2012
• Publication of volume: about four months after final, revised chapters have been received by the volume editors; expected in early to mid-2013.

For more information on the Advanced Series in Management, please visit:
www.emeraldinsight.com/products/books/series.htm?id=1877-6361

Hispanics and Latin Americans in the Workplace -CFP, SI JMP

Journal of Managerial Psychology

Call for Papers for the Special Issue on

Hispanics and Latin Americans in the Workplace

Submissions Deadline: November 1, 2012

Latinas and Latinos (hereinafter referred to as Latinos or Hispanics) are individuals who trace their heritage to Latin America or the Iberian Peninsula in Europe (Marin & Marin, 1991). Their economic importance in the Americas and the world is growing extensively. For instance, the Pew Hispanic Center estimated that Hispanics currently make up 15 percent of the U.S. population, and account for more than half (50.5%) of its population growth.  The U.S. Census Bureau (2010) also reported that the number of Hispanic-owned businesses increased by 43.7 percent to 2.3 million –more than twice the national rate of 18.0%--between 2002 and 2007.  Population forecasts suggest this group may become up to one third of the USA workforce by 2050, and their collective purchase power exceeded $1 Trillion in 2011. Internationally, after years of intense economic expansion, Portugal and Spain have been in trouble in the recent past, while most Latin American nations continue to show promising signs from a business perspective (Latin Business Chronicle, 2012).

Latinos around the world share commonalities in values, attitudes and other preferences that impact the behavior in organizations in a wide variety of ways.  The Latin American countries share with the Iberian nations a common religion, the mestizaje (mixing) of a number of races, over four hundred years of a generally shared history, and other factors that are often perceived as actionable similarities for managers with an interest in or responsibilities dealing with Hispanics.  But several commentators have warned us about the dangers of assuming that the commonalities apply to all individuals or even groups (Triandis, 1994; Vassolo, De Castro & Gomez-Mejia, 2011).  Socio-economic status, education, geographic endowments, mobility, skin color, gender, and other factors often overpower the similarities, creating a perfect storm in which even managers with the best intentions end up facing numerous challenges associated with managing such a diverse set of employees. 

Clearly, Hispanics are an important group to study, but systematic, evidence-based research on work issues about them has been lagging in the Management as well as Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Blancero, DelCampo & Marron, 2007; Vassolo et al., 2011).  In particular, although empirical work on diversity has increased over the past two decades, there is a dearth of studies employing Hispanic/Latino samples (Blancero & DelCampo, 2012; Olivas-Luján, 2008). Cultural values and traditions are thought to affect the attitudes and behavior of individuals, and only by examining Latino samples can we understand how their unique culture and subcultures influence their behaviors (Knouse, Rosenfeld, & Culbertson, 1992; Olivas-Luján et al., 2009; Sanchez & Brock, 1996; Stone, Johnson, Stone-Romero & Hartman, 2006).

In this special issue we are seeking micro-oriented manuscripts that provide insight into issues related to Hispanics/Latinos/Latinas in organizations in any part of the world (e.g., Latin America, U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa).  We invite contributions that are empirical or conceptual in nature. We purposely have chosen to keep this call for papers broadly stated as we are interested in a broad conceptual network that can inspire future work on Latinos and workplace topics that affect them in the most influential ways.  However, it merits emphasis that the focus of the special issue is limited to individual and small group, not organizational levels of analysis. We invite authors to contact us with their ideas by May 1, 2012 so that we can discuss their suitability for this Special Issue.

The key themes and foci that we would like to explore include some of (but are not limited to) the following:

•       What are the cultural value differences between Hispanic/Latino subgroups (e.g., Argentineans, Brazilians, Cubans, Colombians, Hispanic-Americans, Mexicans, Peruvians, Puerto Ricans, etc.)?

•       What roles do cultural values play in behavior in organizations?

•       How does the intersection of race, skin color, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and gender affect behavior or preferences in Latinos and Latinas?

•       Do the current national (U.S., Canadian, British, French, etc.) human resource practices meet the needs or values of Latinos and Latinas? 

•       What are the changing roles of gender and other drivers of diversity among Hispanics?

•       What factors affect mentoring relationships with Hispanics and in what ways?

•       How do cultural values influence job choice or reward preferences? 

•       What organizational practices attract, motivate and retain Latinos and Latinas?

•       What factors influence the effectiveness of Hispanic managers or entrepreneurs?

•       What roles do language and bi- or multi-culturalism play in the behavior of Latinos?

Submission Guidelines:

The deadline for receipt of manuscripts is November 1, 2012.  Please contact the Special Issue Guest Editors via email by May 1, 2012 to increase the chances that your manuscript fits their editorial intentions. Please submit your manuscript in MS Word using the ScholarOne system on the journal's Manuscript Central website (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jomp). If you have questions about using the system please contact Kay Wilkinson, Editorial Administrator (kwilkinson@emeraldinsight.com).  You should also specify that the manuscript is for the special issue on “Hispanics and Latin Americans in the Workplace.”

Manuscripts should follow the JMP submission guidelines outlined at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/jmp.htm. They should be no more than 6,000 words of text (not including tables, references or graphs). In addition, titles should be eight words or less.

In keeping with ethical standards of research, each author who submits a manuscript to JMP must ensure that the original data or results presented in the manuscript have not been published in whole or part elsewhere. The primary reason for this is that duplicate publication may distort the knowledge base in a field and may lead to erroneous inferences regarding a phenomenon. Authors for whom English is their second language are encouraged strongly to use an editing service prior to submitting their manuscripts. One example of such a service is Emerald Publishing Editing Services; information about these services can be found at the Emerald Publishing website (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/authors/index.htm). This Special Issue is open and competitive. Submitted papers will undergo the normal, double-blind, peer review process.

The Journal of Managerial Psychology obtained an impact factor of 2.15 in the 2010 report by Thomson Reuters.  Its acceptance rate is 15%. The average turnaround time is 45 days, with a range of 14 to 90 days.

Guest Editors:


Donna Maria Blancero, Bentley University, Waltham, MA (DBlancero@bentley.edu)

Miguel Olivas-Lujan, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA (molivas@clarion.edu)

Dianna Stone, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX (DiannaStone@satx.rr.com)

References:

Blancero, D.M. and DelCampo, R.G. (2012), Hispanics at Work: A Collection of Research, Theory and Application, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY.

Blancero, D.M., DelCampo, R.G. and Marron, G.F. (2007), Hired for Diversity: Rewarded for Conformity: Hispanics in Corporate America. The Business Journal of Hispanic Research, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 12-25.

Knouse, S. B., Rosenfeld, P. and Culbertson, A.L.  (1992), Hispanics in the Workplace, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Latin Business Chronicle. (2012), "Latin America 2012: Economic Outlook", available at: http://www.latinbusinesschronicle.com/app/article.aspx?id=5458 (accessed 27 February 2012).

Sanchez, J.I. and Brock, P. (1996), Outcomes of Perceived Discrimination among Hispanic Employees: Is Diversity Management a Luxury or a Necessity? Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 39, pp. 704-720.

Stone, D.L., Johnson, R.D., Stone-Romero, E.F. and Hartman, M.  (2006), A Comparative Study of Hispanic-American and Anglo-American Cultural Values and Job Choice Preferences.  Management Research, Vol. 4, pp. 8-21.

Marin, G. and Marin, B. (1991), Research with Hispanic Populations, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Olivas-Luján, M.R. (2008), Evidence-Based Management: A Business Necessity for Hispanics.  The Business Journal of Hispanic Research. Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 10-26.

Olivas-Luján, M.R., Monserrat, S.I., Ruiz, J.A., Greenwood, R.A., Madero G., S., Murphy, E.F. and Santos, N.M.B.F. (2009), Values and Attitudes towards Women in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.  Employee Relations: The International Journal. Vol. 31 No. 3, pp. 227-244.

Triandis, H.C. (1994), Culture and Social Behavior, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.

U.S. Census Bureau (2010), “Census Bureau Reports Hispanic-Owned Businesses Increase at More than Double the National Rate”, available at:  http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/business_ownership/cb10-145.html (accessed 15 January 2012).

Vassolo, R.S., De Castro, J.O., and Gomez-Mejia, L.R. (2011), Managing in Latin America: Common Issues and a Research Agenda.  Academy of Management Perspectives. Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 22-36.

…my new “Ba-B-JHR”!

Many times I’ve heard authors talk about their latest publication as “their baby” –in fact, I have used this metaphor several times, especially when I show the results of my efforts with colleagues or friends, after months of thinking, writing, analyzing, submitting manuscripts and responding to reviewers and editors.  Well, a few days ago, I received my newest “baby,” the “ba-BJHR” or Business Journal of Hispanic Research, first issue of its fifth volume, and I can hardly wait for opportunities to talk about it!

The funny thing is that I only wrote one page in this issue.  But I can tell you that I spent many more hours, energy and effort as Editor-in-Chief of this issue than I have for many other publications, even those in which I am single or first author.  Coordinating the efforts of twenty-six highly qualified individuals who so conscientiously wrote their manuscripts to be scrutinized by our editorial boards –another forty, highly qualified, well known individuals from industry and academia—and several ad-hoc reviewers is an experience in interdependence that I had never had before.  I sure hope that many conscientious managers and researchers will agree with us that this issue is full of helpful, relevant advice, distilled through rigorous methodologies.

I believe that this is one of the clearest ways in which NSHMBA distinguishes itself from other organizations that only have a yearly event or two to serve their stakeholders! And this is one that creates a tangible legacy for generations to come!

Let me share with you how this journal is different from other business publications.  First and foremost, most of the authors are highly trained individuals: you will notice in its index and Contributors section that all have finished graduate school and most –over 80%--have doctorates.  Secondly, there are five sections in this journal, three of them written mainly for the thoughtful manager who wants her or his practice to stay away from fads and “intellectual snake oil” –the Executive Articles, Summaries, and Book Reviews—and the other two sections –the Academic or Scholarly Articles and the Research in Progress—are written mainly for business scientists and researchers, who report their work in a more technical fashion.  All the content is intended to document how Hispanics in business have different sets of circumstances than the rest of our society, and provide information that will not just be rigorously distilled, but also highly usable.  Lastly, while the BJHR, like most journals, is distributed through libraries and electronic databases, it is also sent directly to NSHMBA’s sponsors and partners, both academic and industrial; to chapter presidents and to subscribers.  This increases the chances that it will be read and used actively, not just found occasionally.

Contributions

Have you ever noticed how some blue-collar workers seem to be more stressed than others?  Dr. Carol Howard and her co-authors from Oklahoma City University and from the U. of Tennessee -Knoxville surveyed not just workers but also their supervisors to examine whether ethnical matches made any difference on job stress and burnout.  They found measurable differences in stress levels, on burnout and on intent to turnover, but Hispanics appeared to be more vulnerable to ethnic mismatches than their Anglo counterparts; for that reason, they recommend a focus on job design for Anglo workers and on perceived ethnic fit for Hispanic workers.  But don’t take my word for it; read the full article on pp. 54-71 so you can draw your own conclusions!

You might also have noticed that some organizations have Diversity Management initiatives that are readily accepted, whereas other organizations struggle to find support for them, even among the employees that are expected to benefit.  Dr. Richard Herrera from Texas A&M in Texarkana and his collaborators from Our Lady of the Lake and UT-Dallas have been able to find empirical support for a number of relationships that link cultural descriptors with leadership preferences and ratings of diversity management.  Among their recommendations, Human Resource and other managers of people might do well by promoting a collectivistic rather than individualistic culture to increase the acceptability of their diversity practices.  Again, I invite you to read the full report on pp. 72-85.

Now, if you have been following the debates over illegal immigration and how the local and state debates may impact businesses –hey, your business might have experienced some of these concerns!—you will be interested in a case study that Dr. Mark D’Antonio and his colleagues from Northern Virginia Community College wrote.  This review of the legal precedents and justification for Affirmative Action programs, not just for compliance but from a competitive advantage perspective will put you –or your trainees—in the driver’s seat.  In addition to the case printed on pp. 86-97, there is a full set of teaching notes available from the Managing Editor of the BJHR; they are free for qualified instructors with a current subscription to the BJHR, but others who are not so close to NSHMBA may also purchase the teaching notes in electronic or print form.

Our Executive sections include articles on entrepreneurs and services offered to them, on academy-business collaborations and academic inequality, a couple of summaries that address differences on Hispanics’ happiness and job-related stress levels, in addition to two reviews of highly relevant books.  From well-known to recently minted academics from universities like Indiana, Tulane, UT-San Antonio, Saint Xavier, Quinnipiac, Marymount, and Clarion are present in these articles.

And, did I mention that NSHMBA Premier and Executive members have online access to the electronic version of the journal included as a benefit of their membership?  All you need to do is login to the NSHMBA site and continue your professional development through reading and internalizing the information in this multi-disciplinary effort by businesspersons and academics.  As always, I look forward to hearing from you via email or through my social networking pages (please remember to let me know that you’re a fellow NSHMBA member if you send me a connection request).

¡Hasta la próxima!

…bullying at work

It might be the winter, some research I have been working on, or something else, but this month, I chose to write about a theme that is rather “dark” or unpleasant.

One of the groups in which I collaborate has been focused on increasing our understanding of workplace harassment, also known as “bullying” or “mobbing.”  It is unfortunate, but for many individuals, being pushed around, shoved and otherwise physically intimidated by peers (or others) is not a distant memory from middle school; it is a present reality that occasionally even makes it to the media headlines.  There are also subtler types of bullying, such as impossible deadlines or tasks, resource restrictions that make assignments unattainable for employees, and other kinds of actions that we might consider a “constructive discharge” when they are originated by the employer, or “relational aggression” when they come from individuals at similar –or even lower—hierarchical levels.

Regardless of its origin or whether the harassment is corporeal or purely emotional, employees who experience bullying simply cannot be as productive as those whose work experience is free from aggression.  In fact, there is evidence suggesting that intent to stay, engagement and commitment scores decrease significantly in individuals who are victims of these undesirable behaviors.

As you may imagine, there seem to be a number of differences among countries, industries, hierarchical levels, and other demographic descriptors.  A few studies have shown that in some countries, some degree of “assertiveness” –if not outright aggressiveness—is expected of supervisors in order to fulfill their expectations.  Other studies document how behaviors that are OK in some countries (say, hugging or commenting on a coworker’s attractiveness) may be considered out of line in others; a similar argument can be made about industries and even about regions within countries.

My colleagues and I have been surveying management professionals in about eighteen countries, and we have been analyzing the data to write and share our findings.  The multicultural nature of this group has helped me realize that there are strong differences in how countries approach this problem.  Several countries such as Australia, Canada and Norway, have legislation that attempt to reduce bullying, while the United States may be said to focus only on harassment that can be constructed as discriminatory of a protected class.  In other words, if the bullying behaviors can be linked to differences in sex, race, nation of origin, color, religion, pregnancy, disability status, or being over 40 years of age, there are legal provisions against it; but when there is no such link, our federal legislation offers no protection (though some states might).

Our studies have found interesting relationships between different cultural characteristics and a propensity to find bullying acceptable.  I know this might sound obvious, but it is one thing to have “a hunch” that something is happening, and a different thing to find tangible evidence to support it.  I have also found that there are several companies that offer consulting services to help organizations deal with these problems through education, assessments and other interventions.  Let me suggest that this might not only be an interesting topic for a course project (if you are currently studying your master’s degree), but also something worth implementing in your company.

What do you think?  Have you ever seen or had any of these experiences?  Are there any additional issues that we should take into account to understand this phenomenon? Or –even better—, to stop it or prevent it from occurring?  Please send me your comments via email to drolivaslujan@gmail.com or by posting a comment on my facebook profile.  I look forward to hearing from you!

¡Hasta la próxima!


To learn more on workplace bullying, check the following:

-    Einarsen, S.E., H. Hoel, D. Zapf, & C.L. Cooper (2003). Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace. International perspectives in research and practice. London: Taylor & Francis.
-    Fox, S., & Spector, P., (2005). Counterproductive Work Behaviors. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
-    Liu, C., Nauta, M. M., Spector, P. E., & Li, C. (2008). Direct and indirect conflicts at work in China and the US: A cross-cultural comparison. Work & Stress, 22(4), 295-313.
-    Loh, M.I., Restubog, S.D.L., & Zagenczyk, T.J. (2010). Consequences of workplace bullying on employee identification and satisfaction among Australians and Singaporeans: exploring the moderating role of power-distance. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 41, 236-252.

…Hispanic Business Research

I am returning from the 2010 Conference and Career Expo in Chicago as I write this note.  What an incredible event this has been, changing the lives of hundreds of individuals who find jobs, schools, talent, and like-minded individuals who are willing to spend their time, their money and many other resources to improve society through education for and about Hispanics!  What a long sentence too, but my batteries get so recharged every time I attend a NSHMBA event like this!!

A particularly exciting development (especially at the personal level) is that, starting October 2010, I have assumed the position of Editor-in-Chief for the Business Journal of Hispanic Research, NSHMBA’s most noticeable and recent effort to educate not only ourselves, Hispanics, but all of society! By systematically and scientifically documenting the situations, problems and solutions that Hispanics and non-Hispanics businesspersons encounter, the BJHR bridges research and practice, to serve students, mid-level managers and executives that are interested in going beyond what “common sense” (often the least common of the senses!) and mainstream media tell.

I am excited about this opportunity for several reasons. I have found my professional calling in research because the scientific method has transformed the way we live, work, and study; progress in all areas of life has accelerated since our society has been documenting its problems and solutions in a systematic manner. I also believe that keeping records of a subject of study by means of academic journals helps it transcend beyond time! Let me explain: I have often wondered, “shouldn’t we know more about the Mayans, Incas, Aztecs or other Native Americans than about the Jewish people, who lived in a more remote place and time?” Besides the obvious answer that religions have played a large role in preserving the knowledge our society currently has about the Abrahamic legacy, I believe that a key factor is that they wrote things down in a way that has been transmitted by generations!!!

To the extent that we are serious about keeping our Hispanic heritage alive and passing it to future generations, I believe we need to read, write, publish and promote outlets that specifically focus on Hispanics. Thousands of books are published every year, but very few of them are written by, for or about Latinos. In Business, there are also hundreds of journals dealing with every business function from the mainstream perspective, but only one is currently publishing content that is targeted explicitly to and about Hispanics in the business world, and that is the BJHR.

No other Society or Association of MBAs has assembled a group of qualified and diverse executives and academics to call for, double-blind review and publish content that specifically focuses on its Mission, and I believe that this is one of the more tangible ways in which NSHMBA enacts its vision to become the “premier organization for Hispanic business professionals”! The BJHR distinguishes us as a group that cares about ongoing professional development, and it can be used as a recruitment, retention, and fundraising tool –it simply makes me incredibly proud to be a NSHMBA Lifetime member!

Regarding fundraising, I also was impressed when Andrés Velásquez, from the Cleveland Chapter of NSHMBA, shared with me and Manny Gonzalez –our new CEO—that a most effective approach to sell sponsorships for the upcoming Hispanic Summit (May 19-20, 2011; mark your calendar!) has included sharing an issue of the BJHR with potential sponsors. Diversity and Inclusion executives seem to appreciate the contribution that NSHMBA gives to society through this publication, enough to share some of their scarce resources to support other activities that also carry the NSHMBA brand, again, the only Society of MBAs that has been willing to improve society through educating not only Hispanics but anyone else willing to take the time and effort to read the BJHR.

I can also see many challenges in this road I’m starting. You might be aware that, recently, the BJHR has been published online only, as the printing, shipping and handling expenses have been too high for NSHMBA to bear. Of course, publishing it online only is better than not doing it at all, but, as the anecdote above suggests, fundraising without a printed copy might be less effective. Also importantly, the number of business researchers who include Hispanics in their professional interests is quite low, and peer reviewed research reports take months, when not years, to be completed. Strengthening the pipeline of articles to keep the BJHR fresh and useful for its readers might need special promotion in the form of research grants and other initiatives. I hope that we –all of NSHMBA’s stakeholders, internal and external—will be able to create and support these initiatives so that we can continue to improve society through education.

I feel both privileged and humbled to get the baton from Dr. Donna Maria Blancero, who had the vision to found the journal and is now part of the Faculty at Bentley College, in Boston. I am also grateful to NSHMBA’s Board of Directors and to its Interim CEO, Steven Ramos, who ensured that the BJHR survived through some of the worst economic times that NSHMBA has undergone, and initiated the process that Manny finalized to bring me to this position.  I also have to thank the BJHR Editorial Board which has continued to support the journal through its economic difficulties, particularly Henry Hernandez, Jr., and Drs. Dianna Stone-Romero and Mickey Quinones. The journal also has a debt of gratitude to Drs. C. Douglas Johnson and Rob DelCampo, who worked very hard as Associate Editors but are now moving to other responsibilities.

Ms. Maru Tapia has been working beyond her contractual obligations as the Managing Editor who has “kept the doors open” even before Clarion, my home university and NSHMBA started to explore the agreement that will enable me to serve in this capacity. Jim Huerta has been serving as a Development Executive, finding ways to expand the BJHR influence and sustainability. And, last, but never least, every reader of the BJHR who applies its lessons in their professional life, benefitting not just his or her career, but also their companies and society at large!

What about you? If you haven't read the BJHR recently, please use this link. I'd like to know your thoughts about it; your suggestions or comments are very much needed to make this publication a stronger asset for you, your chapter and your organizations!

¡Hasta la próxima!

…February’s “V-Days”

I have been witnessing an interesting twist to an old tradition. I remember that, as I was growing up, the month of February used to be a month to celebrate “love and friendship,” particularly in relation to Saint Valentine’s day; the elusive figure from the early years of Christianity for whom it is difficult to find historical evidence. As you know, this is a welcome occasion for many companies that sell all things imaginable that may be related to friendship and beyond… greeting cards, candy, chocolates, flowers, movies, songs, books, intimate apparel, jewelry, romantic getaways, dinners, and everything in between!

As I reviewed two years ago, this holiday generates spending in our nation to the tune of “teen billions” in sales. Last year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expected a dip in sales from the previous year: $14.7 Bn in 2009, compared to $17.02 Bn in 2008 –in case you were wondering, no estimates for this particular festivity were publicly available for 2010 at the time of this writing, but a projected increase of 2.5% in sales for 2010 leads me to believe that we might see a slight bump.

NRF’s data also shows that only the end of the year and the return to school generate larger sales than “V-day;” not even Mother’s or Father’s day, Easter, Halloween, the Super Bowl or Saint Patrick’s day inspire our nation to open our wallets as we do in the middle of February. And, of course we are not the only ones stimulating the economic cycles; all around the world, there are variations that celebrate love and friendship, with the exception of cultures that explicitly reject Western influences as do some Hindi and Saudi Arabians.

Where is “the Twist”?
For the past decade or so, I have been observing an increase in popularity, scope, and support for a different type of “V-Day,” the movement created by Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues. I would be surprised if you haven’t heard about it, as universities and community centers all over the US have been organizing readings of this work on or around February 14. What started as a presentation of diverse feminine experiences (including one that was highly questionable to say the least) has become a world-wide movement that demands a stop to all forms of violence and abuse against women.

I will admit that the monologues were not particularly appealing to me when their dissemination started. The reviews I read cautioned that one of the segments offered a highly appreciative portrayal of a lesbian rape of an underage, drunken girl, while most other segments categorically condemned –as they should!—any violence perpetrated by males. Critics also pointed out how harmonious relationships between men and women are not given enough “air time” within the event, compared to traumatic encounters. Others have criticized the “hijacking” of St. Valentine’s Day and in a few countries –including European ones like Monte Carlo or Monaco—the piece has been found vulgar or tasteless.

The Redemption of the Monologues?
Still, the activism that this movement has been generating is worth a close look. Among the most noticeable outcomes of the V-Day movement we find a dozen festivals prominently covered by the mainstream media thanks to the support of well-known personalities; thousands of benefit events in cities around the world; and a great deal of grass-roots events with the purpose of educating, raising funds and supporting organizations that year-round help victims of domestic and other types of violence. This year the focus is on the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of many fronts that, thanks to its marginal socio-political status, has gone largely unnoticed by the media. Kudos to Ensler for using in this way the notoriety that her V-Day movement has acquired!!

Another initiative that I find laudable is the grass-roots creation of a V-Men event for 2011. Within the next few weeks, focus groups will be joining men who are willing to contribute their own experiences, thoughts and other resources to stop the violence against women. As a researcher on women’s experiences at the workplace who also happens to be the husband of an amazing woman, father of two little girls, brother of another two great women, and son of a most loving home-based activist, I can only strongly recommend this effort that surely will eliminate the criticism that V-Day is a “man hating” event.

Should We Have a “BV-Day”?
Considering all the disadvantages that women encounter in business –the gender pay gap, the glass ceiling, mommy tracks, double-duty, tokenism, glass cliffs, stereotyped treatment, difficulties in finding mentors and career advocates, to name just a few—perhaps we ought to have a “BV-Day.” At least once a year, we, in the world of Business, should stop to reflect how a very subtle type of violence is perpetrated against some of the smartest, hardest working, underappreciated individuals who just happen to have a body that is different from those of us in the majority.

What do you think? Feel free to send me an email to drolivaslujan_at_gmail.com or post your comment on my facebook or LinkedIn page.

¡Hasta la próxima!

To learn more:

This Wikipedia entry summarizes what is currently known about Saint Valentine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine

The National Retail Federation publishes data on consumer spending through the following website: http://www.nrf.com/

Ensler’s Vday organization’s website is at: http://www.vday.org/home

…counting blessings

It’s that time of the year again…! By the time you read this, hopefully the stats for Black Friday have presaged a better shopping season than last year’s, supporting the economic recovery that we have been expecting and very much need. Yes, the stock market has been rallying with a strength not seen in years and unemployment figures improved just before Thanksgiving, but the two-digit statistic of this “trailing indicator” (meaning that it usually improves only after other indicators like industrial production or retail sales do) is still a major cause of concern –especially when we can identify faces in our family or circles of friends that can be counted among those unemployed!

Yes, for many of us, this is a season to be jolly, as our families have a roof above their heads and the little ones –as well as the older ones—will be receiving clothes, toys, candy, and so many other seasonal treats. When our industries are doing well –or, at least our organizations—our year-end celebrations are a must; the past few months demonstrate how easily the winds may change and, for one, I feel grateful that Education has been enjoying record enrollments, even in the face of exponential rising of tuition fees, a fact that underscores the need for organizations like NSHMBA!

But this is also a time for solidarity. To the extent that those around us are in need, this is an exceptionally fitting time to help. We know that every year there are people in need and our human, gregarious nature calls us to be there for those who are having a bad time –economically, psychologically, or in any other aspects. Still, I would argue that this year is different. With over 10% unemployment and uncertainty in business and political reforms, this year it is easier to find needs to cover!

Things we can do
Of course, the most obvious, perhaps easiest way to help is to give donations to charities, to churches, synagogues, mosques, and many other non-profits that can always use an extra dollar to further their mission. Again, this year might be a more urgent year to offer monetary help, as many non-profits are reporting that donations are down this year, and demand for their services has increased. But you know where I’m going, don’t you?

An even better, and probably more rewarding way to help is volunteering; by giving some of your precious time. Your company might have volunteering programs –let me know if you’ve used them recently!

Added benefits, documented in The Health Benefits of Volunteering, a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service (http://www.nationalservice.gov/) include greater life satisfaction, lower depression rates, longer lives, and better physical health. The report even goes as far as to suggest that volunteering leads to stronger communities and better public health at the state level! States like NV, NY, LA and FL, where the 2006 volunteer rate was below 20% had much greater heart disease rates and mortality rates than states like MN, UT and NE, where the volunteer rate is about 40% or higher. While the evidence offered is not bullet proof –they use regression analyses, which are not appropriate to determine causality by themselves—the point is well taken: volunteer 100 or more hours per year and you may see your own health improve, in addition to witnessing the improvements in those you helped.

Sometimes your family also needs your “spare time” (by the way, you know it simply won’t happen if you try to do this only during the time you have left, right?). This season gives us a perfect excuse to visit the relatives that we have not met for a while! Whether they are in a different country or just across the street, why don’t you try to take advantage of the opportunity to reconnect, to remember the old times and prepare for the next ones?

As always, I look forward to your thoughts or reactions on my facebook profile or via email to drolivaslujan (at) gmail.com. ...and Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! I hope that your worst moments in 2010 are like the best of 2009!!!