Exploring Organizational Resistance to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives: A Narrative Review

This study examines resistance to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as an important and timely topic, considering the recent backlash against the adoption of inclusive practices across a wide range of organizations. The primary objective is to offer an integrated synthesis of the current knowledge on resistance to DEI initiatives and demonstrate the value of a communication perspective in understanding the dynamics underlying organizational resistance. A narrative literature review was conducted using an inductive analytical approach. A documentary search across six databases on the EBSCO and APA PsycNet platforms resulted in the selection of 32 articles relevant to the analysis. The findings identify four types of resistance to DEI initiatives (overt, covert, oblique, and discursive) while underscoring the importance of examining the role of communication in shaping and sustaining the dynamics of each form of resistance. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting that resistance to DEI initiatives constitutes a complex, multidimensional, and organizational phenomenon.