The story here is part of my “Toolbox” series. I share the growing awareness I gained on the impact of organizational infrastructure on the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD) in professional settings, while writing my doctoral dissertation. As I share in the story, I had to set aside this revelation until the dissertation was done and I had more time to explore.

Comments and sharing are always welcome.

In this post:

 

Story: Infrastructure as shiny thing

My interest in understanding the challenges facing persons with disabilities (PWD) in professional settings brought me to the doctoral program at Cardinal Stritch University. The program, Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service, was a good fit for the journey I was on. I was correct in my assumption.

I found the program to be a mix of thought provoking challenges and deep engagement with a variety of very smart people. The challenge of the program was an opportunity for me to learn about both the subject matter and about I.

Completion of the program required writing a doctoral dissertation. The primary elements of the dissertation are a research question, and a research design that addresses the question. It all sounded very simple until I started wading into the hundreds of academic journal articles related to my research interest. That’s when the advice of my professors started to make sense:

• You don’t need to build a wall; you can just firmly place a solid brick in an existing wall
• Trust the process
• Focus on one section of the dissertation at a time
• A good dissertation is a done dissertation

  One of the most challenging aspects of a doctoral program is the fact that writing a dissertation is very different from the academic exploration, course work, and time spent engaging with intellectual peers. It is a lonely process. I found myself relying on the mantra, :A good dissertation is a done dissertation,” and focusing on the next section of the dissertation to ensure I continued to make (sometimes shaky) progress towards my final goal. I found an appreciation for the qualitative research practice of memoing to help me avoid going down rabbit holes and chasing shiny things. In brief, memoing is the practice of capturing thoughts, ideas, reflections on the data, and insights on theories and patterns.

  One of these insights was the fact that organizational infrastructure appears to have an influence on the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD). Organizational infrastructure encompasses both formal and informal elements that guide how work is done, how decisions are made, and how resources are allocated. I told myself, “Write that down, don’t lose it and don’t chase it right now.”

  Organizational infrastructure was not a new concept to me. My background in managing information systems projects provided me with a familiarity with the dance of, “Where does that decision need to be made, how is it done in other parts of the organization, where is the money going to come for that, how are people going to learn about this new procedure, etc.” The interesting thing about exploring organizational environments inclusive of persons with disabilities (PWD) in professional settings is the fact that PWD inclusion is a relatively new concept for many organizations. Developing and executing my research plan allowed me to engage with hiring authorities and PWD with direct experience navigating the challenges of being inclusive and being included:

• The CEO who was able to assure his employee that he would have a job as long as he wanted to work had the authority to make decisions and make policy
• Employees working out of leased spaces may find barriers that are seen to be beyond anyone’s authority
• Work from home policies may include/exclude PWD regardless of civil rights laws
• Budget practices may promote/dissuade inclusion regardless of organizational policy on inclusion

I suspect that the inconsistency of organizational infrastructure is a contributing factor in the fact that more than 70% of managers claim that the nature of the work prohibits the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD) and a higher percentage of managers contact the Job Accommodation Network to learn how they can retain an employee with a disabling condition. I might have explored this further while doing my dissertation but… A good dissertation is a done dissertation. If you have been following my newsletter you may also recognize some of the other factors affecting the inclusion/exclusion of PWD in professional settings. I’ll explore how some of these factors, including organizational infrastructure intersect in next month’s newsletter. Until then, here’s a summary of some relevant elements of organizational infrastructure.

Organizational infrastructure

Organizational infrastructure refers to the framework of systems, processes, and structures that enable an organization to function efficiently and achieve its goals. The interaction between various components of organizational infrastructure is critical to ensuring successful implementation of programs, including those aimed at promoting equity for traditionally disenfranchised groups.

Key Elements

• Policies: Policies are formal guidelines that define the organization’s values, expectations, and standards of behavior. They provide a foundation for action and ensure consistency in decision-making and practices.
• Procedures: Procedures are the specific methods and protocols followed to execute policies. They serve as step-by-step guides for staff to implement programs and initiatives.
• Decision-making authority: The power given to individuals or groups to make final decisions on matters within their scope of responsibility. The more inclusive the decision-making process, the more likely the organization is to implement meaningful and sustainable initiatives.
• Budgetary Authority: Budgetary decision-making authority determines who has the power to allocate resources for various programs and projects. This can either be centralized, where a few leaders control budgetary decisions, or decentralized, where multiple departments or individuals have discretion over their respective budgets. Programs.
• Communication Channels: Effective communication channels determine how information flows within the organization: horizontally across departments and vertically between different levels of leadership and staff. It also facilitates feedback and accountability.

Next month I’ll discuss how organizational infrastructure interacts with disability employment awareness

 

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