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Research Outline

Prepared for Nanako E. | Delivered July 29, 2021

Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Goals

Provide information on how different countries (US, China, France, UK, and Brazil) talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.
  • Specifically, provide information regarding things to be careful about/avoid when talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics in China, France, UK, and Brazil as compared with the US.
  • Understanding the willingness of people in China, France, UK, and Brazil to talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.
  • Understanding best practices and principles for how to talk about diversity, bias, and discrimination topics in different countries (US, China, France, UK, and Brazil).
  • Information to be used to write user-facing anti-bias training materials.

Early Findings

Data Availability

The initial round of research indicates that data availability is low on this topic. Hence, we have pivoted the research to look for other helpful information relevant to the project goals. This is reflected in our findings and in the scoping options below.

China

  • In China, in certain aspects, the concept of inclusion resembles that of the United States. However, it places "more emphasis on the tolerance of differences."
  • According to China Europe International Business School, China's history of collectivism and being made up of the same race has prompted some resistance against Western notions of diversity and inclusion that emphasize "celebrating differences" and "valuing uniqueness."
  • According to the article, "whereas in the US an inclusive climate might be characterized by openly pointing out and discussing different preferences and perspectives, a more culturally relevant way in the Chinese context would be to promote the use of positive language and celebrating desired behaviors while politely ignoring small blunders or addressing misunderstandings in private to save face."
  • While racioethnicity is an issue in the United States, the large number of Han Chinese has made this to be less of a problem in China.
  • The most talked-about diversity challenges facing China today include generational issues, gender, and provincial dissimilarity.

Summary

  • We used this initial hour of research to assess the availability of data regarding how different countries (US, China, France, UK, and Brazil) talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics. However, there is limited information on best practices and principles for how to talk about diversity, bias, and discrimination topics in different countries ( China, France, UK, and Brazil) and the willingness of people in China, France, UK, and Brazil to talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.
  • We have pivoted to provide any information available regarding general things to be careful about/avoid when talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics in China, France, UK, and Brazil as compared with the US.