LGBT in DANISH WORKPLACES Perceptions of LGBT Employees and Inclusion Acts of the Working Environments
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LGBT IN DANISH WORKPLACES Perceptions of LGBT employees and inclusion acts of the working environments Master Thesis MSc. Business, Language and Culture| Diversity and Change Management Hand in Date: September 17th 2018 Supervisor: Toyoko Sato Efstratia Baxevani Helene Lind Matthiesen Student No.: 107506 Student No.: 75154 Copenhagen Business School Number of pages: 174 Number of characters: 2262720 Abstract The research presented in this paper is set out to study the relationship between the LGBT community and Danish workplaces. The purpose of this paper is to consider the historical revolution, legislative acts, and change in societal opinions on LGBT rights in Denmark and study whether LGBT people perceive the Danish workplaces as open and inclusive as they profess to be and how Danish companies include LGBT people into the work environments. The empirical data for this paper depends on qualitative research that was conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interviews were conducted with a total of nine people with a sample group that reflects diversity of sexual identity, gender, social class, and location. Furthermore, our data builds on an online survey conducted on 196 LGBT and non-LGBT people in Denmark. Through our research we have gathered knowledge allowing us to answer the following research questions: RQ1: “What are the LGBT perceptions of Danish workplaces?” RQ2: “How are these workplaces including the LGBT community?” The insights gained in this thesis displays the obstacles LGBT people face in the Danish work environments and how LGBT people navigate their identities depending on the perceptions they have of others. Our study provides vital insights in the area of how companies can succeed in their diversity management in terms of LGBT minorities. Furthermore, the thesis demonstrates how Danish companies lack knowledge in the area of how LGBT people perceive and are perceived. This thesis adds the body of literature in diversity management, organisational change, and LGBT inclusion. Our study sheds light on an overlooked topic in diversity and HR management and demonstrates how companies can benefit from making adjustments to the way they construct the company culture. 1 Table of Content ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................................... 5 TERMINOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................ 5 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 PROBLEM AREA .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 OBJECTIVE .................................................................................................................................................................. 7 1.3 PROBLEM AREA AND RESEARCH QUESTION .............................................................................................................. 8 1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE PAPER ......................................................................................................................................... 8 1.5 LIMITATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................10 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 2.2 SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY AND DISCRIMINATION .................................................................. 10 2.3 GLASS CEILING EFFECT, UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, OTHERING AND HETERONORMATIVITY ......................................... 13 2.4 TOLERANCE AND FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION .......................................................................................................... 14 2.5 FOCUS IN MEDIA ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.6 DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 16 2.7 ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR ............................................................................................................................... 18 2.7.1. Definition ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 2.7.2. History ............................................................................................................................................................. 18 2.7.3. Modern problems ............................................................................................................................................ 20 2.7.4. Use of Organisational Behaviour Knowledge ................................................................................................... 23 2.8 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ................................................................................................................................... 25 2.9 ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE ..................................................................................................................................... 28 2.9.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 2.9.2. Change Management........................................................................................................................................ 29 2.9.3 Resistance to change .......................................................................................................................................... 32 2.10 THEORIES ............................................................................................................................................................... 34 2.10.1. Queer Theory ................................................................................................................................................ 34 2.10.2. Sensemaking, strategic exchange, and strategic enactment ............................................................................. 36 2.10.3. Identity Negotiation Theory ........................................................................................................................... 38 2.10.4. Communication Accommodation Theory ..................................................................................................... 40 2.10.5. Additional Communicative Strategies............................................................................................................. 47 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................................48 3.1 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY AND STRATEGY ................................................................................................................ 48 3.2 DATA COLLECTION.................................................................................................................................................. 49 3.2.1 Primary Data ..................................................................................................................................................... 49 3.2.2 Secondary Data ................................................................................................................................................. 54 3.3 ANALYTICAL METHODS ........................................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 4. DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ..................................................................................55 4.1 CASE – DIVERSITY AND LGBT WORKPLACE POLICIES AND LAWS .......................................................................... 55 2 4.1.1 European Union ............................................................................................................................................... 55 4.1.2. Denmark .......................................................................................................................................................... 62 4.2 ONLINE SURVEY ....................................................................................................................................................... 66 4.2.1. Presentation of the questionnaire ..................................................................................................................... 66 4.2.2.