CLSBE - Dissertações de Mestrado / Master Dissertations
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Browsing CLSBE - Dissertações de Mestrado / Master Dissertations by Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) "05:Igualdade de Género"
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- AI biases and marginalized stakeholders : inquiry into AI implementation practices in dating appsPublication . Lesnikova, Elena; Fioravante, RosaThis study explores how the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in dating apps can reinforce or mitigate biases against marginalized stakeholders groups, including racial minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ users. While AI improves user engagement and safety, it also risks reinforcing systemic biases, such as racial and gender-based discrimination. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of publicly available data, this research examines AI implementation in popular dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr. Findings show that AI-driven algorithms often prioritize engagement over fairness, disproportionately excluding marginalized groups. The study highlights AI9s dual role: it can mitigate harm through features like harassment detection but also perpetuates inequalities when unethically designed. Theoretical contributions include applying stakeholder theory and ethical AI frameworks to digital matchmaking, emphasizing companies' ethical responsibilities to marginalized users. Practical recommendations focus on algorithmic transparency, fairness-aware machine learning, and inclusive AI governance. This research highlights the need for ethical AI practices in dating apps to ensure inclusivity and fairness, contributing to broader discussions on AI ethics and digital discrimination.
- Authenticity-based consumer responses : do individualistic or group-affiliating messages in Instagram advertisements enhance gen Z's perception of personal authenticity?Publication . Geinez, Anita; Braga, João NizaThe growing interest in consumers perception of authenticity results from the fact that it does not only result in higher psychological wellbeing and health but also has established a crucial competitive advantage for brands aiming at building strong relationships. Especially members of Gen Z are characterised by their demand for authenticity.The present study explores how individualistic and group-affiliating advertisements on Instagram impact Gen Z's perceived personal authenticity and consumer responses. Utilizing a 2x2 between subjects design (social belonging priming: inclusion/exclusion advertisement message: individualistic/group-affiliating) with 123 participants, the research reveals a significant interaction. Socially excluded Gen Z members reported higher personal authenticity, expected pleasure, and purchase intention with group-affiliating advertisements, while socially included individuals benefited from individualistic messages. Group-affiliating advertisements also drove higher sharing intentions across both social belonging conditions. Importantly, perceived personal authenticity is positively correlated with purchase intention. Therefore, it lastly influences tangible business outcomes.
- The impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion fashion advertising on trustworthiness and purchase intention and the moderating role of social dominance orientationPublication . Werner, Luisa Marie; Mendonça, CristinaThis study examined the effectiveness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-focused advertising in the fashion industry in terms of advertising trustworthiness and purchase intention and how this effect is moderated by social dominance orientation. Using a between-subjects experimental design delivered in an online survey, 233 participants were randomly assigned to either a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-focused or a non- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-focused advertisement. The results show that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-focused advertising significantly increased both trust and purchase intention. The moderation analysis further revealed that this effect depended on the participants' social dominance orientation level. While Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion messages positively influenced consumers with low or moderate social dominance orientation levels, the effect decreased at higher social dominance orientation levels and was no longer significant. The study contributes to the literature on advertising and consumer behavior in decision- making. It also offers practical guidance for fashion industry marketers who want to incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion values into their strategic brand communication. These findings highlight the relevance of psychological variables such as social dominance orientation in decision-making research. Future research should examine other psychological factors, like moral identity or value orientation, to gain a more nuanced understanding of the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion content on decision-making.
- Labor market disparities in Germany : comparing first-generation refugees with first-generation migrants between 2016 and 2019Publication . Auer, Anna Katharina; Reis, HugoThis thesis provides descriptive evidence on labor market disparities between refugees and other migrants in Germany between 2016 and 2019, using the SOEP survey. Applying a probit model for the employment and an OLS wage regression for the wage gap, we find an overall significant disadvantage for refugees in the labor market. Yet, the gaps decrease after controlling for observable characteristics (e.g. education, language proficiency, and length of residence) and year, state and region of origin fixed effects whereby male refugees face a 11 p.p. lower probability of employment. Expanding this specification to the wage framework with sector/occupation fixed effects, we find that male refugees earn 14 percent less per hour than their migrant counterpart, while for female refugees this gap becomes statistically not significant. This implies, occupational and sectoral sorting plays an important role for the wage gap for female refugees. Disentangling the effect for each of the 16 states, our findings suggest strong heterogeneity within Germany. Using an Oaxaca decomposition, we find that 63 percent of the employment gap and 45 percent of the wage gap can be attributed to differences in socioeconomic and demographic differences. Regarding the former, we find that age is the main driver. Whereas for the latter, full-time work experience and high education are the main variables contributing to this gap. This suggests the existence of labor market barriers either through discrimination or other unobserved factors for refugees with respect to wages, especially for males.
- Leading by example on parental leave? : how DEI policies interact with male managers’ fatherhoodPublication . Fechtig, Simon Wolfgang; Fioravante, RosaThe unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities significantly contributes to lasting career cuts for women. In response, expanding paternal leave is highlighted as a key lever for gender equality. While new legal regulations promote fathers' leave uptake, a DEI-supported paradigma shift in workplace culture is also required, with men in leadership role modeling normative change towards involved fathering. This study examines how male managers in Germany reconcile their parental leave decisions with professional realities and analyzes how company DEI initiatives can support this process. Based on qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten male managers regarding their parental leave experiences and analyzed using the Gioia method to identify individual, cultural, and organizational decision-making factors. Findings indicate that leave uptake has been integrated into a new male manager identity, shifting organizational norms towards shared parenting. However, this normalization remains limited to short-term uptakes, reflecting concerns over career security and financial constraints. Supportive corporate DEI measures, including flexible leave policies and workload management, were found to reduce barriers. Contrary to previous research emphasizing stigma and career setbacks, participants reported positive organizational support but identified clear limits to the acceptance of longer leave durations. This divergence suggests that persisting traditional workplace norms are being challenged during this transitional period of cultural change. Managerial implications include implementing financial incentives, such as bonuses or sabbatical-like salary models, and proactively communicating career guarantees concerning paternal leave. These DEI measures should be integral to a comprehensive, family-friendly corporate culture aimed at promoting gender equality in the workplace.
- Overcoming diversity and inclusion barriers : operationalising intersectionality as organisational best practicePublication . Faria, Joana Gonçalves; Fioravante, RosaIntersectionality has emerged as a valuable framework in organizational studies, addressing the persistent limitations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices. Despite their widespread adoption, DEI initiatives often face criticism for tokenism and their failure to mitigate systemic inequalities. These shortcomings stem from a single-axis approach to identity, which focuses on individual demographic groups without considering the complex interplay of multiple identities. Intersectionality offers a more holistic perspective, helping organizations recognize how various sources of inequality and privilege interact within the workplace, potentially hindering inclusion efforts. This study employs an inductive approach, rooted in grounded theory, deploying qualitative analysis through the Gioia methodology, to enquire into DEI initiatives implemented by five leading companies in the field. By examining these practices, the findings of the study allow us to identify key dimensions of DEI initiatives deemed crucial to pursue intersectional integration. Based on the latter, the study discusses a model of combined DEI efforts able to pursue intersectional integration, aiming to provide organizations with actionable managerial implications able to overcome existing DEI shortcomings. The study makes three main contributions to the literature. First, it is one of the earliest empirical works to operationalize intersectionality within organizational research. Second, it innovates methodological approaches in intersectionality studies while strengthening its connection to business ethics. Third, it advances DEI literature by offering a practical model that moves beyond tokenism toward systemic and transformative strategies. This research provides actionable insights for organizations seeking to embed intersectionality in their DEI efforts, fostering more inclusive workplaces.
- The power of storytelling in women's football : inspiring equality and enhancing fan engagementPublication . Filipe, Carina Isabel Ramos; Pestana, Catarina CarrilhoWomen's football has experienced remarkable growth recently, however, it still faces visible challenges in gender equality and reduced visibility. Thus, storytelling occupies an important space in the rise of this sport, as it is a powerful tool capable of reducing differences by promoting gender equality and allowing closer connections. This study aims to understand whether storytelling truly can challenge gender stereotypes, increase fan engagement, and promote gender equality in women's football. To obtain results that can answer the questions raised in the realization of this thesis, a mixed methodology was employed, involving five interviews with specialists in the field and an online questionnaire to understand the opinion of the respondents more generally. This methodology allowed for a more comprehensive analysis of the study in question. The results obtained demonstrate that storytelling can influence the promotion of gender equality, proving to be an effective tool in challenging existing gender stereotypes and having a quite positive impact on retaining fans in women's football. This powerful tool does indeed change perceptions through narratives that can be of various types. According to the respondents and interviewees, personal stories, documentaries, and social media and advertising campaigns have proven to be the most influential elements.
- Psychological safety revisited : an intersectional approach to workplace inclusionPublication . Molinelli, Martina; Fioravante, RosaThis thesis explores how organizations can foster psychological safety for individuals with intersecting marginalized identities and how such strategies respond to the challenges of increasingly diverse workplaces. Even though psychological safety is widely recognized as a key condition for inclusion and performance, most organizational approaches assume a universal experience of safety and overlook identity complexity. Drawing on qualitative interviews with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professionals, supported by consultants, employees, and secondary data, this study examines how inclusion is structured and experienced within medium-to-large organizations across Europe. Findings reveal that psychological safety is not a uniform outcome, but a system-contingent experience shaped by leadership behaviour, relational trust, organizational alignment, and structural accountability. Symbolic efforts rarely address the needs of employees with intersecting marginalized identities, who often experience a conditional sense of safety. In response, this thesis proposes an embedded intersectional approach to inclusion: a shift from isolated DEI initiatives to structurally integrated practices that embed identity awareness across organizational systems. These include inclusive leadership development, identity responsive feedback systems, transparent promotion criteria, and sustained relational infrastructures. Crucially, these efforts must be supported by senior leadership; executive alignment and board-level accountability are essential to secure resources and strategic consistency. The thesis contributes to psychological safety theory by redefining safety as identity-sensitive and structurally mediated. It advances intersectionality in organizational studies by showing how systemic design, not just representation, is key to inclusion. Finally, it offers practical guidance for embedding inclusion through coherent and accountable strategies, positioning inclusion as an organizational imperative.
- Shaping identity through consumption : a qualitative exploration of generation Z's consumer habitsPublication . Frank, Melina; Fernandes, DanielThis study investigates how Generation Z's consumer habits shape their identity formation through consumption. Using qualitative focus group analysis, it examines the influence of social comparison, brand values, and social belonging on consumption behavior. The findings reveal that social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok intensify consumption pressure by reinforcing upward social comparison and increasing exposure to consumer-oriented content. Participants reported adapting their consumption patterns to align with both personal values and social expectations, reflecting a strategic balance between individuality and conformity. The study identifies brand authenticity and value consistency as key drivers of trust and engagement, with participants favoring brands that reflect their identity and social status. However, the tension between short-term trends and long-term identity goals remains evident, highlighting the psychological complexity of consumption decisions. These insights offer practical implications for brands seeking to engage Generation Z authentically through value-driven and socially conscious marketing strategies.
- Shifting the lens : rethinking gender and intersectionality in the design of entrepreneurial funding and ecosystemsPublication . Huynh, Ngoc Bao; Stocker, FabricioPurpose – This study explores how intersectionality can be meaningfully embedded in the design of entrepreneurial ecosystems and funding mechanisms to promote inclusive impact. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a qualitative approach, drawing on 23 semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs, funders, and ecosystem actors across different geographical locations and cross-sectors. It applies intersectionality, feminist institutionalism, and positionality theory to analyze how inclusion is interpreted, enacted, and contested across layers. Findings – The findings reveal that structural exclusion is reproduced through normative investment logics, investor homophily, biased legitimacy frameworks, elite-coded norms. Inclusion is often reduced to performative representational fixes rather than embedded redistribution. However, actors are creating feminist and community-rooted infrastructures that redefine entrepreneurial value, legitimacy and redistribute power. Research limitations/implications – The research sample may underrepresent informal entrepreneurs or those without institutional access. Future studies should deepen insights with participatory and comparative methodologies. Practical implications – The study offers actionable insights for funders, policymakers, and ecosystem designers to shift from demographic metrics to structural redesign, embedding equity into mandates and decision-making. Social implications – By centering relational practices, epistemic justice, and structural redistribution, the research offers pathways toward more just and inclusive innovation ecosystems. Originality – This study reframes intersectionality from a descriptive tool into a design principle for ecosystem architecture, contributing new theoretical and practical insights into the field of inclusive entrepreneurship.