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Papers by Ilaria Boncori

Building on Sara Ahmed's work on use and exploring the value of metaphors in theorizing organizat... more Building on Sara Ahmed's work on use and exploring the value of metaphors in theorizing organizational phenomena, this paper develops the metaphorical conceptualizations of doors and ladders, surfacing several complexities involved in women's academic careers in neoliberal workspaces. In doing so, it challenges the idea of linearity in academic career trajectories, underscoring the contested and constantly (re)negotiated dynamics and unfixed processes of both praxis and sensemaking in neoliberal academia. Empirically, we focus on the microlevel of organizing academic careers, sharing personal narratives nurtured by feminist vulnerability and facilitated through a relational autoethnographic approach. Contributing to critical approaches to academic careers, theoretically we articulate the conceptual relevance of doors and ladders in revealing the hidden dynamics therein, discussing the nuances of navigating the neoliberal academic professional context at different career stages. We consider the spatial and temporal dynamics of doors and ladders, their shifting and disorienting nature, offering visibility to the everyday experience of academic work.

Humanism in business series, 2022

Gender, Work & Organization

When a pregnancy ends in England and Wales, statutory time away from paid employment is limited t... more When a pregnancy ends in England and Wales, statutory time away from paid employment is limited to circumstances where there is a live birth or stillbirth. Forms of leave, such as Maternity Leave or Paternity Leave, depend on parental status derived from the civil registration of a new person or a post‐viability stillbirth. Other early pregnancy endings, such as miscarriage or abortion, do not provide specific time off work after pregnancy. This paper uses the concept of reproductive governance to analyze current and shifting biopolitical truth discourses, strategies of intervention, and modes of subjectification around post‐pregnancy leaves. It shows how different inclusions and exclusions are generated by the classificatory boundaries which act as political technologies in this field. Contributing to an area that is under‐researched in the literature, we provide a review of post‐pregnancy statutory employment leave entitlements in this context. We then consider proposals for chang...

Researching and Writing Differently

This book considers new and alternative ways of doing scholarship in management studies and the s... more This book considers new and alternative ways of doing scholarship in management studies and the social sciences. Spotlighting new methods and voices, it will be an invaluable resource for current and future scholars.

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Aug 5, 2022

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal

PurposeThis article explores memory work and storytelling as an organising tool through family hi... more PurposeThis article explores memory work and storytelling as an organising tool through family histories, offering theoretical and methodological implications and extending existing conceptualisations of memory work as a feminist method. This approach is termed as impressionist memory work.Design/methodology/approachTo illustrate impressionistic memory work in action, the article presents two family histories set during Second World War and invite the reader to engage in the “undoing” of these stories and dominant ways of knowing through storytelling. This method challenges the taken-for-granted roles, plots and detail of family histories to uncover the obscured or silenced stories within, together with feminine, affective and embodied subjectivities, marginalisation and social inequalities.FindingsThis study argues that impressionistic memory work as a feminist method can challenge the silencing and gendering of experiences in co-constructed and co-interpreted narratives (both form...

Policy Press eBooks, Dec 21, 2022

Inequality and Organizational Practice, 2019

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people represent a population whose professional pat... more Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people represent a population whose professional paths are often undermined by incidents of discrimination and violence that tend to become marginalising in work environments, which then become—or are perceived as—unsafe and unwelcoming (Davis 2009). Although direct and overt inequality is still present, many issues arise from indirect or invisible discrimination that can greatly affect people’s well-being and performance. This chapter advocates the need for a step change in the inclusion of non-binary perspectives and for the embracing of more nuanced understandings of TGNC identities within organisations. The particular needs of this population of professionals are generally still overlooked, silenced or neglected in the workplace, and as such require more visibility. We thus provide a brief overview of TGNC issues in organisations in order to highlight the main visible and invisible sources of discrimination for TGNC individuals in today’s workplace to understand what practices, policies and procedures reinforce a gender binary environment. We also propose alternatives to how organisations and individuals can support the specific needs of TGNC people through the consideration of both relational and practical factors. Bringing together findings from existing research projects recently conducted in Italy and the UK, this chapter contributes to the field of diversity management through (a) the development of an enhanced understanding of how the mainstream binary approach to gender identity affects the inclusion of the TGNC people in the workplace in both visible and invisible ways, and (b) an exploration of measures based on relational and practical factors that organisations can implement in support of the TGNC population.

Management Learning, 2022

Ethnographic research methods have gained increased popularity within the field of organisation s... more Ethnographic research methods have gained increased popularity within the field of organisation studies. Although autoethnography is also becoming increasingly common in contemporary research, many scholars in organisation studies (OS) still tend to conceal their personal feelings because emotional experiences are often perceived as too subjective and not ‘scientific enough’ for publication. The practice of ethnography in OS is here explored as emotionally embodied by drawing from various theories in the field of psychology. This chapter seeks to emphasise how emotions add an invaluable layer of meaning and understanding to the richness of ethnographic research, and argue that the researcher’s emotional experience should take its neglected place on the centre stage of ethnographic studies.

TRANSFORMARE LE PRATICHE NELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI DI LAVORO E DI PENSIERO, 2010

Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 2020

Gender, Work & Organization, 2020

Araştırma, 8-9 yaş yüzücülerde antropometrik özelliklerin track çıkış mesafesine olan etkisi ince... more Araştırma, 8-9 yaş yüzücülerde antropometrik özelliklerin track çıkış mesafesine olan etkisi incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda araştırmanın örneklemi Çanakkale Gençlik ve Spor İl Müdürlüğüne bağlı Gençlik Spor Kulübünde en az iki yıllık lisansa sahip 8 ve 9 yaş aralığında ki 34 kadın sporcudan oluşmaktadır. Araştırma; nicel araştırma desenlerinden deneysel desen modeli olarak tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmada örneklem grubunun yaş (8,38±0,49), boy uzunlukları (132,20±4,77), bacak uzunlukları (79,50±3,80), kulaç uzunlukları (129,88±6,11) ve çıkış mesafesi (168,05±17,95) ölçümü yapılmıştır ve cm cinsinden kaydedilmiştir. Track çıkış mesafeleri için kamera ile video çekimi yapıldı. Çekilen videolar "Kinovea Video Analysis" programı ile ağır çekimde oynatılarak çıkış mesafeleri alınmış ve cm cinsinden kaydedilmiştir. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin analizi için SPSS paket programı kullanıldı ve p<0.05 anlamlılık düzeyine göre değerlendirilmiştir. Katılımcıların demografik özelliklerine ve performans parametrelerine ilişkin tanımlayıcı istatistik yapıldı. Karşılıklı ilişkiyi incelemek için basit doğrusal korelasyon analizi (pearson) kullanıldı. Elde edilen veriler için Kolmogorov-Smirnov normallik testi yapıldı. Araştırma sonucunda, 8-9 yaş kadın yüzücülerin boy, kulaç ve bacak uzunluğunun çıkış mesafesine pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişkinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

puntOorg International Journal, 2017

Teaching in Higher Education, 2019

AQ1 : The year for "Matthews and Jessel 2006" has been changed to "Matthews and Jessel 1998" to m... more AQ1 : The year for "Matthews and Jessel 2006" has been changed to "Matthews and Jessel 1998" to match the entry in the references list. Please provide revisions if this is incorrect. Response: Resolved AQ2 : The year for "Hellawell 2007" has been changed to "Hellawell 2006" to match the entry in the references list. Please provide revisions if this is incorrect. Response: Resolved AQ3 : The year for "Henderson, 2017" has been changed to "Henderson 2018" to match the entry in the references list. Please provide revisions if this is incorrect. Response: Resolved AQ4 : The year for "Ahern and Manathunga 2004" has been changed to "Ahern and Manathunga 2003" to match the entry in the references list. Please provide revisions if this is incorrect.

Culture and Organization, 2016

ABSTRACT Based on two articles written by Heather Höpfl [2003, “Becoming A Virile Member: Women a... more ABSTRACT Based on two articles written by Heather Höpfl [2003, “Becoming A Virile Member: Women and the Military Body.” Body and Society 9 (4): 13–30; 2010, “The Death of the Heroine.” Management & Organizational History 5: 395–407] this paper investigates the depiction of the heroine in action movies through a close reading of the blockbuster movie series Mission: Impossible comprising of five films released between 1996 and 2015. This article explores the relationship between gender stereotypes, traditionally male professional environments and the changing role of the heroine. We consider three aspects of the heroine: her body, her relationship to the hero and her role in the movie’s representational economy. We conclude by suggesting that the role of female characters has considerably evolved in popular culture over the past decades, which is evidenced in this movie series by a shift from the traditional subordinate supporter female role to a more equal view of a co-hero/ine. Our paper builds on Heather’s work and offers an empirical contribution to the use of visual data in organization studies.

Humanism in business series, 2022

Gender, Work & Organization

Researching and Writing Differently

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Aug 5, 2022

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal

Policy Press eBooks, Dec 21, 2022

Inequality and Organizational Practice, 2019

Management Learning, 2022

TRANSFORMARE LE PRATICHE NELLE ORGANIZZAZIONI DI LAVORO E DI PENSIERO, 2010

Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 2020

Gender, Work & Organization, 2020

puntOorg International Journal, 2017

Teaching in Higher Education, 2019

Culture and Organization, 2016

This edited volume brings together chapters written by University of Essex staff and students on ... more This edited volume brings together chapters written by University of Essex staff and students on a number of topics linked to Health and Wellbeing. We offer various academic and personal perspectives in an accessible and conversational format.

This edited volume includes chapters that stem from work, research and personal experiences focus... more This edited volume includes chapters that stem from work, research and personal experiences focussed on race which are written by University of Essex staff and students.

Bizjak, D., Boncori, I. and Fazzari, P. (2015) “Identità organizzativa, identità individuale e tr... more Bizjak, D., Boncori, I. and Fazzari, P. (2015) “Identità organizzativa, identità individuale e transformazione”, in Transformare le pratiche nelle organizzazioni di lavoro e di pensiero, S. Oliverio, L.M. Sicca, P. Valerio (eds), Editoriale Scientifica - Book series: punto org. (Book chapter)

Boncori, I. (2013) Expatriates in China: Experiences, opportunities and challenges, Palgrave Macm... more Boncori, I. (2013) Expatriates in China: Experiences, opportunities and challenges, Palgrave Macmillan. (Academic monograph)

The number of Western expatriates in China has grown exponentially over the past three decades, and their ability to manage cross-cultural relations has become increasingly crucial: to date, China ranks second amongst the international destinations for expatriation, occupying the top position in terms of challenges faced by expatriates and failure of assignments.

Expatriates in China, aimed at both scholars and business professionals, draws from academic literature and explores the world of Western expatriates in the Chinese business context through the author's first-hand experience as an expatriate in conjunction with testimonials from interviewees. This study analyses numerous factors that can affect Western expatriates and their performance in China from the selection stage until after repatriation: pre-arrival linguistic and cultural training, expatriate recruitment and selection, culture shock, matters of international human resources management, expatriate identity issues, work practices, understanding 'the Chinese way' and the effective management of expatriate repatriation.

Sicca, L.M., Boncori, I. and Bizjak, D. (2017) “Lex, legis: lontano dalla norma. Resistenze organ... more Sicca, L.M., Boncori, I. and Bizjak, D. (2017) “Lex, legis: lontano dalla norma. Resistenze organizzative e passaggi di testimone”, in Izzo, F. (Ed) Il mestiere di crescere, Strategie e performance delle medie imprese industriali del Mezzogiorno", Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica, pp. 187-201.

Lawley, S. and Boncori, I. (2017) "LGBT* experiences of sport in educational settings", in I. Bon... more Lawley, S. and Boncori, I. (2017) "LGBT* experiences of sport in educational settings", in I. Boncori (Ed) LGBT* Perspectives – The University of Essex Reader, Naples: Editoriale Scientifica.

Boncori, I. Ed. (2017) LGBT* Perspectives – The University of Essex Reader, Editoriale Scientific... more Boncori, I. Ed. (2017) LGBT* Perspectives – The University of Essex Reader, Editoriale Scientifica. (edited volume)

This is a call for papers for the 11th Critical Management Studies conference 2019. Stream title... more This is a call for papers for the 11th Critical Management Studies conference 2019.
Stream title: Opening up the gender continuum
Stream Conveners: Ilaria Boncori and Saoirse O'Shea
Many organizations nowadays talk about inclusion, which is identified as a core value in strategic plans and corporate objectives. Organizations compete in national and international rankings of inclusion-related charters like Athena SWAN, the Race Equality Charter and Stonewall Top 100 Employers – but are we looking for box ticking exercises, awards or true inclusion (Ahmed, 2007)? Are these frameworks reinforcing rather than fighting discriminatory practices (Ahmed, 2017)? In most cases, practices and understanding in terms of gender identity are still dictated by a heteronormative mind frame translated into a binary system of gender (male vs female) that reinforces discriminating perspectives of people within and outside of organizations (Schilt and Westbrook, 2009). When the gender binary is recognized as a limitation to the understanding of gender identity in more 'progressive' institutions, in most cases gender is still understood as a linear continuum of transitioning between these two gender identities. How can we shed light on these discriminatory practices at the organizational and individual level to bring the margins to the center of the organizational stage (Scheman, 1997)? What of those who live lives beyond that margin? We argue that the continuum of gender identity needs to be opened up in non-linear ways to understand and value all people in the workplace, including those who identify with transgender and gender non-conforming identities. We recognize the need to open up the gender matrix to account for gender non-conforming identities in their own right – including fluid, non-binary, agender – rather than as in-becoming gender forms suspended in a liminal space of frustrated self-actualization.

Gender Work and Organization, 2020

This article examines the professional experience of foreign women academics working across geogr... more This article examines the professional experience of foreign women academics working across geographic boundaries in today’s neoliberal academia characterised by liquidity. Framed within an intersectional perspective, we use the concept of the ‘double-stranger’ to examine data stemming from 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with scholars at different stages of their career in the social sciences. This paper advances understandings of academic careers theoretically by identifying a temporal and hierarchical dynamic in the intersection of two categories of difference (gender and foreignness) that constitute a position of simultaneous belonging and non-belonging for foreign women academics; and empirically through a qualitative investigation that explores three areas in which academic professional experiences are mobilised for double-strangers: (1) transnational career moves; (2) productivity and performance in today’s neoliberal academia; and (3) self-induced estrangement as a form of resistance.