How Business Schools Can Help Corporate America Fight Racism

The underrepresentation of Black voices in academia reflects and feeds the same problem in corporate America.

by

and

Tiffany Barnett White

by

and

Tiffany Barnett White

November 25, 2020

Cactus Creative Studio/Stocksy

Summary.

Fighting anti-Black racism in the corporate world needs to be done in partnership with academia. After all, business schools in particular play a critical role in shaping the next generation of leaders, and Black representation (or lack thereof) in materials and faculty has an impact on not only who leads businesses but also how they lead. The authors lay out three areas where academia is currently falling short in preparing leaders to embrace and deliver on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Then they recommend nine strategies that corporations and academia should adapt to do each do their part.

The intersection of the global pandemic and the uprising around racism has highlighted the systemic obstacles that disproportionately affect Black people. Many corporations have responded with commitments to anti-racism and are beginning to hold their brands, employees, suppliers, and corporate partners accountable. But one important partner is often overlooked in these commitments: academia.

NB

Norris I. Bruce is an associate professor at the Jindal School of Business at The University of Texas at Dallas. His recent publications have focused on digital advertising and branding.
KC

Keisha M. Cutright, PhD is an associate professor of marketing in the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Her research focuses on consumers’ psychological needs, with particular attention to areas related to personal control and religion, and the implications for both brand-building and consumer well-being.
RG

Renée Richardson Gosline is a senior lecturer and research scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her research is at the intersection of behavioral science and technology, with a focus on human (mis)trust in AI and the implications for cognitive bias in human decision-making.
JT

Jacquelyn S. Thomas is an associate professor of marketing and the Frank and Susan Dunlevy Faculty Fellow at the Cox School of Business of Southern Methodist University. She studies customer relationship management with a focus on marketing communications and multichannel retailing strategies.
TW

Tiffany Barnett White is an associate professor of business administration and Bruce and Anne Strohm Faculty Fellow at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. She studies drivers and consequences of consumers’ brand attachments, in general, and consumer trust (and distrust), in particular.

How Business Schools Can Help Corporate America Fight Racism

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