Defining inclusionary intelligence: A conceptual framework with a constructivist perspective

Berber, Aykut

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine inclusion as subjectively created knowledge individuals generate through their interactions within a social environment. The main purpose is to introduce an inclusion-related conceptualisation of intelligence by means of which an individual evaluates, understands and engages in action in a work-setting in order to achieve efficient outcomes while feeling belonged and unique in a work-setting.

Design/methodology/approach: Aiming at explaining a phenomenon and building a conceptual framework from the subjective perspective of a particular individual at work, such as a team member, the philosophical assumption embedded in this paper is social constructivism.

Findings: A substantive conclusion drawn in this paper is the importance of an individual’s personal resources, such as optimism, resilience, self-efficacy and positive psychology, to evaluate situational conditions, and take necessary actions, which in turn determines how included that individual feels in a work-setting. Moreover, dyadic interactions are also substantial, and one-to-one communication in every dyad is essential for the “co-construction” of an individual’s inclusion.

Research limitations/implications: A scale development effort to explore and validate a construct for inclusionary intelligence and its domains can be suggested for future research.

Practical implications: While management literature, in general, lays much emphasis on managing diversity in team and organisations, this paper puts stress on the perspective of the individual at work.

Originality/value: The paper elaborates on the nature of inclusion with a social constructivist paradigm and approaches inclusion as a feeling, an experience, a subjective interpretation of one’s own position in a work-setting and an important predictor of one’s job satisfaction and well-being at work.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 11, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 6, 2019
• Publication Date: Oct 29, 2021
• Deposit Date: Nov 11, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 11, 2019
• Journal: Management Decision
• Print ISSN: 0025-1747
• Electronic ISSN: 1758-6070
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 2606-2619
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-01-2019-0144
• Keywords: Inclusion, Intelligence, Dyad, Proactive behaviour, Individual behaviour
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/4517562