The meaning and practice of inclusion AMIDST gender diversity on boards of public sector organizations in Uganda

Abstract

Purpose- Despite progress in achieving gender diversity on corporate boards, there is a growing recognition that mere representation of women does not guarantee their inclusion in terms of active participation and influencing board decisions. This research paper aimed at generating a substantive grounded theory that gives the meaning of inclusion in the boardroom and what should be the ideal practice of inclusion on boards of public sector organizations in Uganda Methodology- A qualitative study was carried out applying a constructivist grounded theory approach. This approach acknowledges the researchers' introspection and involves interpretation of data. A purposive sampling method and snowball technique were used to obtain a sample of 16 female directors serving on boards of public sector organizations in Uganda. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain data. The collection of data and analysis were done concurrently using the coding method to analyze data and to enable a thematic analysis of the themes that define inclusion and the ideal practice of inclusion within boards. Findings- Findings indicate that inclusion means diversity, gender sensitivity, equal opportunity, exploiting potential, and adopting a board charter. On the other hand, the developed ideal practice of inclusion model had some themes similar to the meaning of inclusion. The themes included; Gender Sensitivity, Diverse competencies, Necessary skills, Inclusive behavior, Exploiting potential, and board charter. Conclusion- The original value of this paper lies in its exploration of the complementary relationship between gender diversity and inclusion on boards. Highlighting the importance of inclusion efforts to reap the benefits of gender diversity on boards. Additionally, by applying the constructivist grounded theory approach this paper provides practical guidance for organizations that strive to achieve gender diversity and inclusion on boards Keywords: Female directors, board of directors, ınclusion, gender diversity, public sector organizations. JEL Codes: J16, G34, M14