Ethnic differences in the dynamics of women's work meetings

• DOI: 10.1515/multi.2007.016
• Publication Date: 2007-12-18T10:16:06Z
• Authors: Susan Kell; Meredith Marra; Janet Holmes; Bernadette Vine
• Keywords: 5. Gender equality; 0602 languages and literature; 06 humanities and the arts

AbstractWhile meeting management strategies have been investigated by a number of researchers, the ways in which participants' ethnicity and associated cultural norms may influence the discourse patterns of meetings is still relatively under-examined. Using data from New Zealand meetings, this paper investigates how Pākehā majority group norms typically legitimise assumptions which may prove quite inaccurate in interpreting what is going on in meetings where Māori participants predominate. Using a CDA framework, the analysis identifies some important differences in the way Māori and Pākehā conduct workplace meetings, relating especially to meeting openings and closing, levels of formality, and degrees of directness and explicitness, These contrasting norms have the potential for miscommunication and a negative effect both on organisational outcomes and progress at work for Māori in particular.