- I think one of the most helpful search tools I used was the category feature on most search engines and in the Syracuse Library database system. It was much easier to search for “inclusion organizational culture” and then narrow down the search further by specifying that I waned articles about inclusion from a business perspective, since our area of focus is diversity in the workplace. There were a few roadblocks I hit, one of the first being how broad the term “inclusive” is. It is used to refer to any situation that can include and encompass a wider variety, whether it be in terms of people in a group or items in a bag. I think finding ways around this roadblock were of use, but even so, the term inclusive is used so often to describe so many situations in our world today that remain “exclusive”. Another roadblock I ran into was when choosing the articles, finding ones that were substantial and related to our research on inclusion and in organizational culture. There were plenty of articles that just spit out statistics of companies being successful with a more diverse workforce, which is great and statistics are a way to analyze the success and failure of some approaches leading towards more inclusion. What was troublesome was articles having both the statistical research and the connections back to those being discriminated or excluded. It is one thing to hear the numbers and see the results and data, it is another to humanize these numbers and put more emphasis on the toll this takes on being a human ostracized for something they feel is the most representative of their identity.
- I hope to find texts coming from those who have felt “excluded”, especially in the work place. As stated before, numbers can only show and help us to learn how to be more inclusive, but it is from the retelling and words of those who have been discriminated that will help those who feel as though this is an unnecessary action to sympathize and possibly change their own opinion. I would love to find a written account of someone perspective on inclusion within the workplace from a before, during, and after perspective. I want to use voices of those who are part of the discriminated sum of employers, the people that face their fears every day to do something so normal and just so organic. To work, to socialize, to do anything within society should be reconsidered just because of the way someone identifies. I think that it was most definitely be easier to find the primary source article, I think that scholarly articles are a bit heavy on the data and research side of the issue which is the side I hope to not highlight as much.
Writing and organizational cultures
I have to agree with your issues concerning the entries that are available when you use the library search system. Depending on what subject you are researching, there can be so many entries that come up and it can be tedious to search your way through the, to see which pieces are valuable and which aren’t. I guess that is a good problem to have though, much better to have and not need that need and not have.
As for your point about humanizing statistics, again I couldn’t agree more. One of my areas of study outside of this class is sectarian violence and genocide. It’s a very grim subject matter that can be filled with large numbers that are horrific, but it’s also possible to not have a real grasp on how terrible these things can be without testimonies and other stories from people that put the horrors into perspective. This can be used for positive things too, I was just using my personal experience to tie it in.
Hi, I used a similar method for locating sources to research and analyze for my topic. I used mostly Google search engine to find and come up with results. Similar to your experience, I found Google Search results to be too broad. Using the SU Library summons search engine, I was able to find more specific sources for my topic. If I were you, I would stick to the SU Library rather than other search engines. At least this is what helped me.
I think the before, during, and after perspectives are really clever and a unique take on this assignment. To possibly include words of those who have been discriminated and retell their stories in your own way would be really cool. I agree with you that numbers can only show you so much. In my opinion I feel like the more personal the primary source is, the better the understanding is for your classmates and yourself. Can’t wait to see where you go with this!
Remember the JP Rangaswami TED talk I linked to last week–it’s best to have a ‘balanced diet’ of information, some broccoli (academic sources) along with your french fries (more personal primary sources) 🙂