Indians working in Denmark: A study of practices and diversity
Author
Sørensen, Frederik Høgh
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2015
Submitted on
2015-08-03
Abstract
This thesis investigates everyday practices among Indians working in Denmark to identify patterned actions and understandings that constitute the practice of “Indians working in Denmark,” and to assess whether diversity management can support change related to these practices. The study adopts a practice-theoretical and hermeneutic, inductive approach and uses a mixed-methods design: an online survey completed by members of the “Indians in Denmark” Facebook group and, primarily, eight semi-structured interviews (seven with Indian employees in Denmark and one with a Danish colleague). The analysis draws on practice theory (Reckwitz, Schatzki, Nicolini) and employs R. Roosevelt Thomas’s Strategic Diversity Management, complemented by concepts from situated learning, to frame how diversity management can be learned as a craft. Findings highlight core practices around language, engineering work, boundaries between friendship and collegiality, and equality, each comprising sub-practices and showing internal variation. Through a diversity management lens, the study concludes that quality decisions are made in several cases, yet both organizations and individuals could better leverage differences within single practices to become diversity capable and make quality decisions despite the tensions that accompany similarities and differences.
Dette speciale undersøger hverdagspraksisser blandt indere, der arbejder i Danmark, med det formål at identificere mønstre i de handlinger og forståelser, der tilsammen udgør praksissen “indere, der arbejder i Danmark”, og at vurdere om mangfoldighedsledelse kan understøtte forandring i relation til disse praksisser. Studiet er forankret i en praksisteoretisk og hermeneutisk, induktiv tilgang og anvender et mixed-methods design: et online spørgeskema besvaret af medlemmer af Facebook-gruppen “Indians in Denmark” samt hovedvægten på otte semistrukturerede interviews (syv med indiske ansatte i Danmark og ét med en dansk kollega). Analysen trækker primært på praksisteori (Reckwitz, Schatzki, Nicolini) og inddrager R. Roosevelt Thomas’ Strategic Diversity Management samt begreber fra situeret læring til at beskrive, hvordan man kan lære mangfoldighedsledelse som håndværk. Resultaterne peger på centrale praksisser omkring sprog, ingeniørfagligt arbejde, grænser mellem venskab og kollegaskab samt lighed, som hver især består af underpraksisser og varierer internt. Gennem en mangfoldighedsledelsesorienteret analyse konkluderes, at der i flere tilfælde træffes kvalitetsbeslutninger, men at både organisationer og aktører i højere grad kan udnytte forskellighederne i de enkelte praksisser for at blive mangfoldighedskompetente og dermed kunne træffe kvalitetsbeslutninger trods spændinger, der følger med ligheder og forskelle.
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