From change agents to communities of change: organising for intersectional gender equality in universities and research organisations

Abstract

Purpose – This article presents a scoping review addressing two key questions: What do management and organisational studies reveal about barriers and strategies for intersectional gender equality in universities and research organisations? And how can we organise to sustain such change? It aims to identify knowledge gaps and propose a framework for sustainable transformation. Design/methodology/approach – The review follows a structured scoping approach, guided by four criteria: (1) the discipline, Management and Organisation Studies; (2) the context, such as universities and other research organisations; (3) the topic, intersectional gender equality and (4) knowledge about organisational change. From 189 articles sourced since 2017, 95 were analysed for theoretical and empirical insights. Findings – Neoliberalism emerges as a systemic barrier, where competition and market-driven meritocracy promote homogeneity. To address this, we propose the concept of Communities of Change – a framework grounded in feminist principles such as solidarity, reciprocity, care, belonging and anti-racist and decolonial perspectives. These communities foster diverse members to drive interventions and share the socio-political responsibilities of equality work. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to English-language articles from 2017 onward, potentially excluding earlier or non-English written perspectives. Practical implications – The Communities of Change are a strategy for policymakers, administrators and practitioners to sustain organisational change for equality inside organisations through collective action based on shared values. Social implications – This study supports efforts to foster intersectional gender equality by integrating feminist and anti-racist values, collective action and decolonial frameworks. Originality/value – Communities of Change offer an innovative, integrative approach to advancing sustainable intersectional gender equality in organisations affected strongly by neoliberal practices.