“Educate, Agitate, Organize”: Inequality and Ethics in the Writings of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Abstract

Scholars of business and management studies have recently turned their attention to inequality, a key issue for business ethics given the role of private firms in transmitting—and potentially challenging—inequalities. However, this research is yet to examine inequality from a subaltern perspective. In this paper, we discuss the alleviation of inequalities in organizational and institutional contexts by drawing on the ideas of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a jurist, political leader and economist, and one of the unsung social theorists of the twentieth century. Specifically, we focus on Ambedkar’s critique of the Indian caste system, his outline of comprehensive reform, and prescription of representational politics to achieve equality. We contend that an Ambedkarite ethical manifesto of persuasion—focussed on state-led institutional reforms driven by the subaltern—can help management researchers reimagine issues of inequality and extend business ethics beyond organizational boundaries.

Digital social innovation: An overview and research framework

“…Some of the exploitative informal institutions are centuries old. For example, the caste system in India results in the marginalisation and exploitation of 340 million Dalits (ex-untouchables; Chrispal et al, 2020;Kumar et al, 2021). In addition, there are increasing instances of exploitation of Dalits by the Indian diaspora outside India (Chrispal et al, 2020).…”

Decolonizing inclusion in performing academia: Trans‐inclusion as phronetic border thinking/doing praxis

“…5 5 This is in contrast to the modernist perspective in Ambedkar's reading of the caste system (See Kumar et al., 2021 for Ambedkar's reading). …”

“…Re-membering as a subalternized practice brings forth dis-membered memories, thoughts along with full bodily affective experiences. Reflecting has a more distanced, cognitive bringing forth and disembodied analysis of memory.4 Care and humility to signify our resistance stance against modernist tendency of pursuing novel knowledge to ascertain universal truths.5 This is in contrast to the modernist perspective in Ambedkar's reading of the caste system (SeeKumar et al, 2021 for Ambedkar's reading).6 Middle class in India is highly heterogenous, there are also large differences in income, education, and economic well-being(Béteitle, 2017). Accordingly, A experienced some degree of income economic mobility in her life.…”

Frontier Markets and Sustainable Entrepreneurial Competences: An Exploratory Study of the Impact of a New Industry in Guatemala

“…Despite consensus about the serious challenges resulting from rising global inequality, research that examines the mechanisms behind organizational decision making in less advanced countries is still complex. Scholarly inquiry also remains in its infancy since organizational embedded practices continue to be largely responsible for denying a large and financially oppressed population the opportunity to advance their socioeconomic status [8].…”

“…Large, well-established firms, in this context, are often the slowest to adopt change and have the most difficulty when it comes to radically reformulating their highly embedded practices to improve greater representation of disadvantages groups (e.g., [8]). A more nuanced understanding of organizational embedded practices is important [9] since they model the world, rules, norms, and procedures that are at least partially known by all members of an organization [10].…”