INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
ON DIVERSITY MANAGEMENTAND JAPANPROGRAM
10:00-10:35“FROM PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS TO IDENTITYCONFIRMATION AND TRANSFORMATION:THE CASE OF JAPANESE CAREER WOMEN WORKINGFOR FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES IN JAPAN”

Helene Tenzer (LMU Munich School of Management)This study investigates what attracts career-oriented women to foreignsubsidiaries and how they experience this work context. Based on 125
interviews with career-oriented women in Japan, we find that theirfrequent choice of foreign employers is not only motivated byprofessional aspirations but also by identity-related aspirations. Japanesewomen who embraced an internationalist orientation experience aconfirmation of their identity by working for foreign subsidiaries; bycontrast, those who still felt bound by traditional role expectations,
undergo a liberating identity transformation. Based on the perceptions ofthese particular employees, we develop recommendations for gender
diversity management in foreign subsidiaries. We further argue thatwomen, who are disadvantaged in the local employment context, often
desire that foreign subsidiaries implement standardized home country
human resource management practices, instead of adopting local
practices. By focusing on the recruitment of highly qualified women,
foreign subsidiaries may turn their liability of foreignness into acompetitive advantage.
Helene Tenzer is Associate Professor for International Management at
LMU Munich School of Management in Germany.

10:35-11:10“ENABLING KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN DIVERSE WORKCONTEXTS: THE ROLE OF INCLUSION CLIMATE”

Fabian Jintae Froese (University of Goettingen)
Reaping the potential benefits of a diverse workforce is a central
challenge for organizations. A key potential of diversity is the knowledgediverse employees bring to the workplace. Drawing from social
information processing theory, we investigate the influence oforganizational inclusion climate on individuals’ intentions to involve
diverse colleagues into work and decision-making processes, andknowledge exchange. Further, we analyze racial/ethnic dissimilarity as amoderator of the effects of inclusive behavioral intentions on knowledge
exchange. To test our hypotheses, we use a multi-method, multi-study
design, comprising field and experimental studies. Consistent with theprinciples of social information processing theory, Study 1, a field study ofmore than 900 employees nested in 27 organizations, shows that
individuals in inclusive climates exhibit more inclusive behavioral
intentions, which in turn increase knowledge exchange. In Study 2, weestablished causality for the effects of climate for inclusion on inclusive
behavioral intentions as part of a vignette study. In Study 3, we use an
experimental design and measured knowledge exchange in dyads. Our
analyses suggest that inclusive behavioral intentions lead to higher
knowledge exchange in dyads comprised of individuals from different
racial/ethnic backgrounds. The results of our study contribute to thedebate on inclusion climate and provide implications on how to facilitate
knowledge exchange between racially/ethnically dissimilar employees.
Fabian Jintae Froese is Chair Professor of Human Resource
Management and Asian Business at the University of Goettingen,Germany, and Joint Appointment Professor of International Business atYonsei University, South Korea.

ORGANIZER

Ralf Bebenroth(RIEB, Kobe University)

SCHEDULEMARCH 26, TUESDAY
2024, 10:00-12:15
AT SEMINAR ROOM AT RIEB
(KANEMATSU MEMORIAL
HALL, 1ST FLOOR)

To attend the symposium,
please complete theregistration form below by
24th of March, 2024.
https://www.ocans.jp/kobeu/entry/all?FID=cuJS683O

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 2024

PROGRAM
11:20-11:55“TRADITION MEETS DIVERSITY: FACILITATINGCHANGE AT SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES”

James Lomas
With a history spanning over four centuries, Sumitomo Rubber Industries
is a traditional manufacturing company and descendant of one ofJapan's major pre-war zaibatsu conglomerates. The firm is increasingly
breaking from its traditional, conservative roots to cultivate a diverse
work environment. It is adapting to the challenges of global operations
from within an industry historically marked by limited diversity.
Through detailing the company’s activities in promoting awareness,
inclusivity and equal opportunities for employee groups such as LGBTQ+,
people with disabilities, senior and foreign employees, as well as theefforts made in achieving gender balance, this talk aims to provide firsthand insights into the initiatives implemented, the challenges
encountered, and the valuable lessons gained along the way.
James Lomas is a Diversity and Inclusion Team Leader working in theLegal and HR departments at Sumitomo Rubber Industries, where hehas worked since 2012.

11:55-12:15“DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT & ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE:
WILL AN ADVANCED AI-GENERATEDPERSONA PERCEIVED AS A FULL-FLEDGED“MEMBER”? A CASE STUDY INVOLVING AI, SPACEPILOTS, AND SPACE TOURISTS”

Robert A. Goehlich (Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University)
The research project presented here is centered on diversity
management strategies impact on artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
imitating behavior and decision-making of a real human persona: As AItechnologies mature over the forthcoming decades further, the obvious
question arises, when (not if) an on-board AI system takes over the tasks
of a co-pilot for space tourism flights. The reason is the assumed shortageof future pilots and the fact that any “unnecessary” weight to transport tospace is painful due to the very high costs. We approach that question
not from technical or regulatory feasibility point of view, but more fromthe crew and tourist perception and acceptance of an AI-generated
persona in particular concerning safety concerns versus actual risksestimation. Initial insights on the establishment of a survey targeted topilots and tourists are discussed. We conclude with a prediction on
diversity management future role in dealing with AI-generated persona
as a new member type in a diverse workforce environment.
Robert A. Goehlich has been an adjunct assistant professor at
Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide’s Europe Campus since2009. For further information, visit www.goehlich.com.