Reimagining DEI Education in Business Schools
In collaboration with
Business and management schools are charged by policy makers and the public to equip students with skills for inclusive and responsible management practice. The Empathy Framework developed in this study offers an evidence-based approach that bridges the gap between DEI awareness and competence, balancing principle-based learning with action-oriented skill development
Who should read this brief?
This brief is intended for business and management school leaders, programme directors, and educators seeking to strengthen inclusive and responsible management education. It is also relevant to higher education policy makers, accreditation and certification bodies, and sector organisations responsible for assuring curriculum quality and graduate competence in inclusive and responsible leadership. The findings speak to stakeholders shaping teaching standards, learning outcomes, and governance expectations across business and management schools, where growing external scrutiny demands credible, skills-based engagement with social justice and inclusion.
Building inclusive organisations by embedding DEI principles in management practices is widely referenced across business and management education, yet it often remains a matter of moral awareness rather than a practiced professional competence. Our study shows that students value inclusion but lack the tools to act on it. The Empathy Framework we propose helps bridge this awareness-action gap by positioning empathy as an essential, multi-faceted competence that enables students to translate inclusive values into responsible leadership practice.— Dr Tana Licsandru
About the researchers
Tana's research interests lie in the area of transformative consumer research, with specific focus on consumer diversity, inclusion and wellbeing within multicultural marketplaces. Her ongoing projects explore the ways in which historical and social hierarchies, power dynamics, privilege, and individual actions impact the consumption experiences and everyday lives of marginalised and racially discriminated groups.
Carlo’s research interests include Transformative Consumer Research, management and marketing education, qualitative research methods, and the bicycle industry. Prior to starting his academic career, he worked in the automotive industry as an organizational analyst and as an assistant product manager.
Eva’s research intersects culture-informed consumer behaviour, marketing’s impact on social inclusion in multicultural marketplaces and Transformative Consumer Research, focusing particularly on advancing Diversity and Inclusion Engaged Marketing. She applies these foci in various contexts, including product and service design, advertising and brand communications and marketing education.
Cristina researches the interplay of culture, inclusion, and the marketplace. She explores the socio-historical contexts and lived experiences of people who face marginalisation both in the marketplace and in the ways the marketing discipline produces and recognises knowledge.
Verónica’s research examines how cultural factors affect consumer-employee behaviours in service situations, triggered responses, and potential interventions to redirect behaviour. She also conducts TCR research on consumer well-being and DEI. Her work has been published in JPP&M, EJM, JACR, and BJM, and has been presented at all major marketing and psychology conferences.
Irem’s research centres on multicultural marketplaces and the effects of cross-cultural dynamics on consumer behaviour and societal well-being. She investigates how rapidly changing and culturally diverse market environments shape consumer preferences, identities, and social outcomes.
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