Date of Conferral

6-23-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Raghu Korrapati

Abstract

Persistent disparities in employment rates between people with disabilities (PWDs) and people without disabilities (PWODs) indicate that PWDs continue to face barriers and challenges to employment opportunities. The research problem is the underrepresentation of PWDs in leadership positions within business cultures and persistent barriers and challenges faced by human resource managers (HRMs) and leaders concerning their hiring and retention. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the varying perspectives of business leaders with disabilities (LWDs) and HRMs concerning the barriers and challenges associated with hiring and retaining PWDs for leadership roles. Critical realism, universal design, and human capital theory grounded this study. Participants included 11 LWDs and 11 HRMs in Missouri. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Nine themes emerged from Braun and Clark's thematic analysis. Five themes were barriers and challenges for employers and staff, barriers and challenges faced by employees and PWDs, system and government, infrastructure and workplace, and community and organization. Four other themes revealed tangible and intangible aspects of universal design environments and hiring practices for PWD leaders, PWDs, and PWODs. Findings illuminate barriers and facilitators in business cultures, providing insights into how organizational practices, attitudes, and policies contribute to the underrepresentation of PWDs in leadership roles. Implications for positive social change include the potential for LWDs and HRMs to exhibit the need for interventions and enhanced accountability for inclusive hiring and retention practices, evolve business cultures, and support fulfilling the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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