Setting the Diversity Agenda Straight

Abstract

This paper presents an integrative review of the methodology and findings of research into sexual orientation in the management literature. Much has been written from a sociological point of view, but now sexual orientation is appearing, alongside other dimensions of diversity, as a focus in the man agement literature. This paper sets out to provide an integrative review of this recent research, and reviews the findings along thematic lines, including Identity, Career Experiences, Disclosure, Internalised Homophobia, Dis crimination in the Workplace, Unequal Pay and Organizational Culture. It concludes by arguing for further research in certain areas. In the past, when reviewing the literature, one might have a greed with commentators who suggested that gender and race remain the most researched and recognised forms of diversity (K?ssek and Lobel, 1996:2). Even when discussions mentioned other aspects of such as age,disability, and sexual orientation, the reference was often, at worst, a cursory one and, at best, gave a more inclusive definition of before returning quickly to the discussion on race or gender. But this situation is changing; aspects of diversity, such as, age, disability and sexual orientation are now appearing in the literature. Whilst they may have long been of interest in a more general sociological context, they are now clearly generating more specific management interest.