OBSTACLES TO ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH & EXCELLENCE- BELONGING & OTHERING & THE DELEGITIMIZATION OF THE OTHERED

When societies legitimize privileges assumed by members of historically dominant groups, whether based on ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, or nationality, other groups are inevitably delegitimized. In organizations where culture and environment sustain delegitimizing schemas and related biases, the withholding of opportunities and resources from delegitimized groups often becomes normalized. Such exclusion fosters passivity toward injustice and inequity, particularly through special opportunities that elevate dominant-group members while creating barriers for those who are “othered.” Over time, these dynamics erode trust and diminish commitment to a shared organizational purpose. This article examines the role of othering and the delegitimization of the rights of marginalized stakeholders, and how these practices commonly undermine organizational cohesion, growth, and change management. We explore how delegitimization is normalized through the assertion of undue privileges roote ... continue reading->

Keywords: Delegitimization; Othering; Belonging; Cognitive Schemas; Dominance; Organizational Environment; Justice Frameworks; Organizational Culture; Empowerment Strategies; Organizational Excellence