14.-15.03.2019 International Workshop on "Diversity Management: A German Japanese Comparison"

From 14-15 March 2019 the Diversity Research Institute will host an international workshop on "Diversity Management: A German Japanese Comparison". This workshop is a joint initiative of the Diversity Research Institute, Franz Waldenberger from the German Institute of Japanese Studies in Tokyo and Machiko Osawa from the Research Institute for Women and Careers – also in Tokyo. The event is funded by the German Research Foundation DFG.

The institute will welcome about 20 distinguished scholars from research-strong universities in Japan, China, UK and Germany. The two-day event will not only focus on new fields of research and pose new questions but will also enable international networking and create new synergies between the participating parties.

Dealing with diversity in times of rapid economic, social, demographic, political and technological changes becomes an ever more pressing topic. We do not only witness an increasing diversity of the workforce due to economic globalization and transnationalization of labor markets but also societies are undergoing a continuing process of diversification. At the same time general uncertainties are growing and diffuse fears are leading to increased right-wing backlashes in a large number of diverse, pluralistic societies.

These processes, their channels and drivers and their impact are up to now rarely researched. Therefore, in the last decades adequately dealing with diversity has become a significant issue in companies, universities and public administration. With the workshop the organizers seek to discuss how diversity management in theory and practice is interpreted, adapted and implemented into local contexts in Japan and Germany.