inclusion
Definition
Inclusion refers to organizational efforts aimed at improving the representation, treatment, and outcomes of historically marginalized groups through policies that translate into meaningful behavioral enactment alongside attitudinal endorsement. Effective inclusion depends on multidimensional support—both attitudinal (beliefs about policy fairness, credibility, and trustworthiness) and behavioral (actions that promote policy implementation)—which may diverge across five empirically identified profiles: Champions (supportive in both domains), Bystanders (attitudinally supportive but behaviorally passive), Ambivalents (ambivalent in both domains), Reluctants (behaviorally engaged but attitudinally skeptical), and Opponents (resistant in both domains). The success of inclusion initiatives requires understanding that support is grounded in diverse and often conflicting motivations—including ideological endorsement, perceived inaccessibility, meritocratic beliefs, and policy unawareness—which vary by organizational position and group membership.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
Related Terms
Applications
Inclusion and Organizational Hierarchy
Managers and employees show distinct patterns of inclusion policy support, with managers overrepresented among Champions and Reluctants and underrepresented among Ambivalents and Opponents. The distinct roles and expectations attached to managerial versus non-managerial positions anchor divergent motivations for supporting inclusion policy, influencing both attitudinal endorsement and behavioral enactment.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
Inclusion and Group Status
Perceived minority status relates to more critical engagement with inclusion policies, with minority-group members more likely to adopt Reluctant or Opponent profiles and to voice advocacy-oriented critique rather than symbolic support. Majority-group members and minority-group members perceive inclusion policies differently based on self-relevance and identity threat, shaping divergent motivational drivers for support or resistance.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
