Contextualising diversity: a study of transnational transfer of diversity management to subsidiaries of multinational corporations in Pakistan

There are two broader aims of the fellowship, one about dissemination and the other about building on my PhD to develop impact. This will be achieved through a range of activities such as publications, seminars, reports and conferences. This will:

1. Improve academic knowledge and awareness of the cultural differences and organisational practices that affect the successful implementation of DM policies across transnational company settings

2. Use the context of Pakistan to provide a specific case study for exploring diversity from a non-Western country's perspective, providing insights for academic and non-academic audiences

3. Build networks for knowledge exchange with DM and HR professionals in multinational companies to share findings to support policy development, facilitating long-term impact for practitioners and employees

4. Facilitate my development as an academic through conducting a range of skill-enhancing activities, including organising workshops, presenting, stakeholder engagement and writing for academic and non-academic audiences

My research study focuses on transnational transfer of diversity management (DM) to a non-Western context such as Pakistan. I employed a context-specific institutional framework (based on institutional theory) to study translation of diversity management policies and practices to the subsidiaries of multinational corporations in Pakistan. The outcome of this study provides both a theoretical and empirical contribution to global DM research.

This study contributes to the scholarship in the field of global diversity management as well as international human resource management. Drawing on original field study evidence, it considers institutional factors as well as power capabilities of individual actors, who are indigenous, have the knowledge of their institutional environment, and thus affect the transfer process.

There are number of reasons why the study of transfer of DM is valuable and compelling. First, diversity management is in the interests of many organisations, national and multinational. However, it is quite challenging for multinational corporations, as they interact in different host country contexts and thus face different issues surrounding internal and external legitimacy.

Thus, my research study provides a deeper understanding of the role of contextual differences and develop theoretically informed, evidence-based suggestions on how the effectiveness of DM across different contexts can be ameliorated.

Second, transfer of DM is a multifaceted phenomenon, with hidden aspects of power, resources and interest. Diversity professionals, who are the main players in the transfer process, face the pressure of dual identification, both with the parent headquarters and their subsidiary. On one hand, they deal with the pressure from their parent headquarters to transfer diversity policies and practices, while on the other hand they are required to act strategically to implement these policies and practices.

In this process, diversity professionals may use their power capabilities and act as institutional entrepreneurs who leverage resources to create new institutions or transform the existing ones. Thus, this study explains how the agency of institutional entrepreneurs affects transfer of management practices such as DM. Conducting a research study by combining institutional theory with power/interest perspective opens new research avenues.

Third, this study is beneficial for diversity/HR professionals as well as government officials (involved in making legislations and policies regarding DM) who consider the importance of diversity and its management. Interpretation of the reality of their own systems will help them to find the gaps and areas for improvement.