Gendering Sustainability in Management Education: An Advance on Integration

Abstract

Gender issues have been well conceptualized in feminist organization studies. However, gender research has had limited practical effects, in part because it has not been well conceptualized in the sustainability in management education (SiME) scholarship; nor has it been properly incorporated in business curricula. I argue that given the persistence of discrimination, segregation, sexual oppression, inequality, and lack of empowerment of women (to name a few…), mandatory gender education is needed to equip management students as they enter diverse and equal opportunity working environments. Integrating SiME and Feminist Organization literatures, I develop a multi-dimensional framework for conceptualizing gender studies in the classroom. I also propose a three-level model intended to leverage the institutional, organizational, and individual tensions for prioritizing gender integration in management and business education. To conclude the paper, I touch on a number of strategies for creating space in research and pedagogy for the critical engagement of gender debates in our educational programs.