Advancing research on discrimination: The contextual meanings and effects of the word isability (All Academy Theme Programs)

Abstract

The purpose of this panel symposium is to engage expert panelists, and audience members, in an interactive discussion about the impact of the context on the usage, meaning and effect of the word disability and the related term people with disabilities. Social models of disability underscore that the status of “disabled” is contextually dependent. In this symposium two contextual variables are considered in depth: national context and disability type. What constitutes a disability and who is considered to have a disability, however, is often assumed to be understood rather than explicitly defined in the management literature. Given the large number and wide variety of conditions commonly considered to be disabling, coupled with ongoing judicial, legislative, and social events that continue to shape the meaning and usage of the term disability in each nation, management scholars and practitioners run the risk of overgeneralizing findings. In this light, extant management research on people with disabilities is a patchwork of findings on the experiences of people with very diverse conditions working in very different national contexts. We also explore how use of the word disability impacts organizations, the treatment and experiences of people interacting in these organizations, and related scholarly research and managerial practices. Implications for research and practice are explored.