Examining discursive practices of diversity and inclusion in New Zealand Rugby

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine how decision makers interpret diversity and inclusion (D&I) within a national sport organisation (NSO). Discourse analysis within the context of Critical Management Studies was established as a framework to investigate how discursive practices can be simultaneously supportive and restrictive to D&I’s development. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with key personnel at one NSO, New Zealand Rugby. The findings identified five discursive practices related to D&I. These were speech acts, othering, meritocracy, performance, and the role of sport. The discussion illustrates that these discursive practices can be simultaneously supportive, ambiguous, and contradictory. The study also addresses calls to investigate discursive D&I practices in an NSO. Further research is encouraged to further reflect on the critical paradigm and its usefulness in disrupting the status quo of discursive practices related to D&I, and with practitioners to investigate other D&I discursive practices and to understand and challenge their influence in sport organisations. HIGHLIGHTS Diversity and inclusion (D&I) policies are a feature of most sport organisations. Critical Management Studies was used to discursive practices of D&I in a New Zealand National Sport Organisation. Evidence of inclusive practices of D&I were found. Evidence of resistance to D&I was also found. The authors call for a greater understanding of D&I discursive practices and better understanding of their complexity in sport organisations.