Diversity and Labor Inclusion in Colombian SMEs: An Exploratory Study

Diversity and Labor Inclusion in Colombian SMEs: An Exploratory Study

Carlos Salcedo-Pérez, Ronald Mauricio Martinez-Contreras
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5216-5.ch004
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Abstract

Diversity and labor inclusion are two trends that are gaining importance in business circles in different countries, including Colombia. There are a number of groups that historically have had higher unemployment rates and more difficulties to have leadership positions and/or to get jobs in formal companies such as people with disabilities or young people. Solving this situation is necessary to have more inclusive societies. At the School of Administration and Competitiveness of the Politecnico Grancolombiano, a tool aimed at assessing and determining the situation of companies in different topics, including policies aimed at hiring people from historically excluded groups, has been created. This chapter presents the results obtained by the application of this tool during the first semester of 2022. The tool was applied to formal micro, small, and medium enterprises located in Bogota and other Colombian cities.
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Theoretical Framework

People With Disabilities

The Law 346 issued in 2009 (Congress of the Colombian Republic, 2009) defines them as people with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sense impairments, who, when facing different situations in the same conditions than other people, may find limitations to their effective and comprehensive participation in society. Thus, discrimination based on disabilities relates to any distinction, exclusion, or restriction that prevents the exercise, in equal conditions, of all human rights and liberties in economic, political, social, cultural, civil, and any other aspect.

Besides, the same law defines the reasonable adjustment, as adaptations performed that do not pose a disproportionate load, to guarantee the equal exercise of all human rights. Similarly, the universal design refers to the design of products, environments or services thought to be used by all people without the need to be adapted or to have a tailored design.

The Law 1618 issued in 2013 (Congress of the Republic of Colombia, 2013) defines barriers as any obstacle that prevents the effective exercise of rights or people with disabilities; such barriers can be categorizes as:

  • Attitudes (behaviors, words, stigmas, or prejudice)

  • Communication (obstacles that restrain the access to information and knowledge)

  • Physical (tangible barriers to access to spaces or services)

That law also describes social inclusiveness as a process to ensure that everybody has the same opportunities to enjoy a product or a physical space without any limitation related to the disabilities a person may have.

Key Terms in this Chapter

Disabilities: A condition of the body and/or mind that causes a disadvantage recognized by the Law.

Historically Excluded Groups: Groups of people with common characteristics, whose rights have been denied or who have endured harsh conditions in societies, whether caused by Law or by tradition.

MSMEs: It stands for micro, small, and medium enterprises. For effects of this chapter, the authors have considered the number of workers as the criteria to be considered so. Therefore, MSMEs in Colombia were those who have between 5 and 500 employees.

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