15 January, 2021, Bengaluru: Professor Sourav Mukherji of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area of IIM Bangalore and IIMB Chair of Excellence, will present a paper titled, ‘Promoting Gender Equity through Sports: Learnings from a Failed Intervention’, on January 25 (Monday), 2020, from 05.00 pm to 06.00 pm, as part of the IIMB Chair of Excellence and Endowed Chair Seminar Series. Prof. Sourav Mukherji is also Chair, Centre for Teaching and Learning as well as Chair, Centre for Management Communication at IIM Bangalore.
The paper has been authored by S Mukherji, C Rastogi and S Mehrotra.
Please note:
Seminar Link: https://iim-b.zoom.us/j/92080590813;
Passcode: 914961
Abstract of paper: In this paper, the authors describe and discuss a change management initiative brought about by an external agent, a woman, in an ethnic minority community through sports. The external agent introduced young girls of the community to playing football as a means of empowering them. In the process, she intended to reduce the gender discrimination that was deeply engrained in the community. Her initiative met with reasonable success during the first seven years when she could enroll a large number of girls from the community into her programme. However, as the women’s football team got publicity, differences cropped up between her and the community’s sports body that was entirely composed of men. This ultimately led to the external agent abandoning the programme.
The authors conceptualize the agent’s efforts in promoting gender equity through sports from the lens of change management brought about by a low-powered external actor. The research addresses a gap in the sports-for-development literature of how noble initiatives intended to create inclusivity can get derailed by existing power structures in target communities. It also sheds some light on the challenges that low-powered external agents face when they intend to bring about fundamental changes, thereby contributing to an under explored concept in change management literature. Social entrepreneurs who want to leverage sports to create positive impact in underprivileged communities are likely to be external agents with little or no formal power. Learnings from the research can provide them with indications about the hurdles they could encounter and how they may be able to overcome such hurdles and sustain their efforts.
15 January, 2021, Bengaluru: Professor Sourav Mukherji of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area of IIM Bangalore and IIMB Chair of Excellence, will present a paper titled, ‘Promoting Gender Equity through Sports: Learnings from a Failed Intervention’, on January 25 (Monday), 2020, from 05.00 pm to 06.00 pm, as part of the IIMB Chair of Excellence and Endowed Chair Seminar Series. Prof. Sourav Mukherji is also Chair, Centre for Teaching and Learning as well as Chair, Centre for Management Communication at IIM Bangalore.
The paper has been authored by S Mukherji, C Rastogi and S Mehrotra.
Please note:
Seminar Link: https://iim-b.zoom.us/j/92080590813;
Passcode: 914961
Abstract of paper: In this paper, the authors describe and discuss a change management initiative brought about by an external agent, a woman, in an ethnic minority community through sports. The external agent introduced young girls of the community to playing football as a means of empowering them. In the process, she intended to reduce the gender discrimination that was deeply engrained in the community. Her initiative met with reasonable success during the first seven years when she could enroll a large number of girls from the community into her programme. However, as the women’s football team got publicity, differences cropped up between her and the community’s sports body that was entirely composed of men. This ultimately led to the external agent abandoning the programme.
The authors conceptualize the agent’s efforts in promoting gender equity through sports from the lens of change management brought about by a low-powered external actor. The research addresses a gap in the sports-for-development literature of how noble initiatives intended to create inclusivity can get derailed by existing power structures in target communities. It also sheds some light on the challenges that low-powered external agents face when they intend to bring about fundamental changes, thereby contributing to an under explored concept in change management literature. Social entrepreneurs who want to leverage sports to create positive impact in underprivileged communities are likely to be external agents with little or no formal power. Learnings from the research can provide them with indications about the hurdles they could encounter and how they may be able to overcome such hurdles and sustain their efforts.