Faculty Profile

Laura E. Mercer Traavik

Associate Professor - Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Publications

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2018)

Career equality: Inclusion and opportunities in a professional service firm in Norway

Gender in Management, 33(6), s. 451- 465. Doi: 10.1108/GM-07-2017-0092

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate inclusion, perceived opportunities and discrimination betweenmen and women, across career levels, in a professional service firm in Norway. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional design with a survey was used. Employees across six different career levels in a large Norwegian professional service firm responded, resulting in a sample size of 912. Findings – Men report higher levels of inclusion and more opportunities and less discrimination in the work place than women do. Patterns of differences between men and women vary across career levels. At early mid-career, men and women have the largest differences in opportunities and inclusion experiences. Research limitations/implications – A limitation with this study is the cross-sectional design and data collected from one company. This could limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should include longitudinal designs. The empirical data demonstrate that men and women continue to have dissimilar experiences in the professional services, with women facing more career obstacles thanmen. Practical implications – Organizations can implement policies that foster inclusive environments and ensure career equality by providing development opportunities for both men and women. It is important that professional service firms recognize that at different career levels, perceptions of inclusiveness can vary. Originality/value – This study provides empirical evidence that women continue to face different types of treatment in professional service firms, and offers suggestions for addressing these inequalities by introducing the concept of inclusiveness.

Abramovic, Gordana & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2017)

Support for diversity practices in Norway: Depends on who you are and whom you have met

European Management Journal, 35(4), s. 454- 463. Doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2017.04.002

An increasingly diverse workforce is a reality for today's organisations in Norway, and a variety of human resource practices are being introduced in order to manage this diversity effectively. However, little is known about what leads to the successful implementation of these diversity practices. Thus, we need to find out more about what affects the willingness to implement that is held by those responsible for the process. In this study we examine how contact with minority groups, values, orientation, and individual differences relate to their perceptions and support for diversity practices. In a survey conducted with 385 Norwegian individuals employed in different organisations and business sectors across the country, we observed a relationship between positive contact experiences with individuals from immigrant backgrounds, diversity values, other-orientation, age, and gender on the extent to which the respondents were willing to support a diversity practice. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Richardsen, Astrid Marie (2017)

Women in management in Norway

Burke, Ronald J & Richardsen, Astrid Marie (red.). Women in management worldwide: Signs of progress (3rd Ed.)

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Adavikolanu, Avinash Venkata (2016)

Attitudes towards diversity: Evidence from business school students from Norway, India and the Czech Republic

Cross cultural & strategic management, 23(3), s. 450- 466. Doi: 10.1108/CCSM-12-2013-0189

Richardsen, Astrid Marie; Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Burke, Ronald J (2016)

Women and Work Stress: More and Different?

connerley, mary & wu, Jiyun (red.). Handbook on Well-Being of Working Women

Richardsen, Astrid Marie & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2015)

Kvinner og ledelse i Norge

Martinsen, Øyvind L. (red.). Perspektiver på ledelse

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Richardsen, Astrid Marie (2011)

Women in management in Norway

Davidson, Marilyn J. & Burke, Ronald J (red.). Women in management worldwide: progress and prospects

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2011)

Mangfold I arbeidslivet

Einarsen, Ståle & Skogstad, Anders (red.). Det gode arbeidsmiljø; Krav og utfordringer. 2. utgave

Lunnan, Randi; Ness, Håvard & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2011)

Alliance formation: the impact of teams and individuals in initial negotiations

International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances, 2(4), s. 271- 286. Doi: 10.1504/IJSBA.2011.044856

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2011)

Is bigger better? Dyadic and multiparty integrative negotiations

International Journal of Conflict Management, 22(2), s. 190- 210. Doi: 10.1108/10444061111126701

Traavik, Laura E Mercer & Richardsen, Astrid M. (2010)

Career success for international professional women in the land of the equal? Evidence from Norway

International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(15), s. 2798- 2812. Doi: 10.1080/09585192.2010.528662

Richardsen, Astrid Marie & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2009)

Kvinner og ledelse i Norge

Perspektiver på ledelse

Lunnan, Randi & Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2009)

Is the standardization of human resource practices perceived as fair across national cultures? The cases of China, Lithuania, and Norway

Baltic Journal of Management, 4(2), s. 127- 148. Doi: 10.1108/17465260910958773

Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2006)

Ledelse av mangfold

Magma - Tidsskrift for økonomi og ledelse, 9(2), s. 22- 29.

Lunnan, Randi; Lervik, Jon Erland, Traavik, Laura E Mercer, Nilsen, Sølvi M., Amdam, Rolv Petter & Hennestad, Bjørn (2005)

Global transfer of management practices across nations and MNC subcultures

Academy of Management Executive, 19(2), s. 77- 80.

The management practice we examine performance management (PM)-can be regarded as an extension of the traditional performance appraisal, linking individual performance to corporate strategy.1 Researchers separate calculative PM (focus on individual contributions and rewards) and collaborative PM (focus on creating a partnership culture between employer and employee, for example through competency development).2 In the United States, PM practices contain both calculative and collaborative elements, whereas in Scandinavia the calculative element is downplayed.3 Norwegian firms have had a long tradition of holding annual "planning and development talks." This is, however, a single, once a year event intended to promote good working relations more than a managerial system for evaluating, developing and compensating employees.' We suggest that when introducing a "foreign best practice" into this setting, national values present initial barriers, whereas organizational capabilities and systems are crucial for the final shape of the practice.

Richardsen, Astrid Marie & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2004)

Kvinner og ledelse i Norge

Perspektiver på ledelse. Red av Øyvind L. Martinsen

Richardsen, Astrid M. & Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2004)

Norwegian Women in Management

Marilyn Davidson and R.J. Burke (eds.): Women in Management Worldwide

Nilsen, Sølvi M.; Hennestad, Bjørn, Fergestad, Ingvald, Lervik, Jon Erland, Lunnan, Randi & Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2004)

Handlingsförlamad av dubbla budskap - dubbelbindingar i organisationer

Ledmotiv : Idèskrift om ledarskap, s. 29- 39.

Ladegård, Gro & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2000)

Entreprenørskap-en typology og diskusjon

Magma - Tidsskrift for økonomi og ledelse

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2018)

Be a better negotiator

Oslo [Internett]

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2017)

Fakta om seniorer i arbeidslivet

film [Internett]

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2017)

Vi er ikke i mål

[Internett]

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (1)

Gender parity - We are not there

BI Business Review [Kronikk]

KA Arnold, R Bendl, T Casado,, et al. & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2018)

What's in an Index: Opening Pandora's Box on Equality and Diversity Indices

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management Conference.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Abramovic, Gordana (2018)

Reasons matter: Reactions to diversity policy rationales

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management Conference.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & De Paoli, Donatella (2018)

Do material artifacts act as conduits of emotional abuse?

[Academic lecture]. The Nordic Work Life Conference 2018.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Abramovic, Gordana (2017)

Why pursue diversity?

[Popular scientific article]. BI Leadership Magazine, s. 26- 27.

Abramovic, Gordana & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2017)

Reasons matter - The reactions to diversity policy rationales

[Academic lecture]. European Business Ethics Network EBEN Annual Conference.

Filstad, Cathrine; Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Gorli, Mara (2017)

The Sense of Belonging At Work: Investigating its Dynamicity between Representation and Interpretation

[Academic lecture]. OLKC Conference.

Lervik, Jon Erland & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

HRM i multinasjonale selskaper

Laudal, Thomas & Mikkelsen, Aslaug (red.). Strategisk HRM 2

Richardsen, Astrid Marie & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

Equality in the top ranks still not a reality

[Popular scientific article]. BI Leadership Magazine, s. 20- 20.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

Research Incubator on the Role of Business and the Private Sector in the Refugee Crisis: Stormberg, taking the lead

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management 2016.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

Disclosure across borders:Diversity challenges in international companies

[Academic lecture]. 18th International Conference on Human Resource Management.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

Betal for prestasjoner

[Popular scientific article]. Kapital, s. 115- 115.

Filstad, Cathrine & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2016)

Senses of belonging: Getting underneath notions of identity

[Academic lecture]. OLKC 2016 Organizational Learning and Knowledge and Capabilities.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2015)

Which hidden identity should stay hidden?

[Popular scientific article]. BI Leadership Magazine, s. 14- 15.

Abramovic, Gordana & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2015)

Support of Diversity Practices: Depends on who you are and whom you have met

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management Meeting.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2015)

Mangfold med riktig ledelse

[Popular scientific article]. Kapital, s. 117- 117.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2014)

Understanding gender and inclusion in a Scandinavia Context

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management Conference.

Lervik, Jon Erland & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2014)

HRM i multinasjonale selskaper

Mikkelsen, Aslaug & Laudal, Thomas (red.). Strategisk HRM 2

Arnulf, Jan Ketil & Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2014)

Tverrkulturell kommunikasjon og mangfold

Brønn, Peggy Simcic & Arnulf, Jan Ketil (red.). Kommunikasjon for ledere og organisasjoner

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Venkata, Avinash (2013)

Attitudes towards diversity in business school students from Norway, India, and the Czech Republic

[Academic lecture]. 22 Nordic Academy of Management Conference..

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2013)

Making a difference – Policies and plans:Retaining and motivating senior workers

[Academic lecture]. Forskernettverk om seniorer i arbeidslivet (Fosa).

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer & Richardsen, Astrid Marie (2011)

Career success for international women

[Popular scientific article]. BI Leadership Magazine, s. 18- 18.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2011)

Nye norske talenter

[Popular scientific article]. Kapital, s. 15- 15.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2010)

Kjønn og lønn

[Popular scientific article]. Kapital

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2010)

“Salary and gender in the land of equality”

[Academic lecture]. Academy of Management Conference.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2008)

Equality in the North? Gender and Negotiations in Norway

[Academic lecture]. The 21st Annual Conference of the International association for Conflict Management.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2007)

Managing diversity in Norwegian organizations: Reflections on recognition and management

[Academic lecture]. EURAM 2007.

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer (2007)

Reciprocating concessions in intercultural and intracultural contexts

[Academic lecture]. 20th Annual conference of the International Association for Conflict Management.

Lunnan, Randi; Lunnan, Randi, Traavik, Laura E Mercer, Traavik, Laura E Mercer & Ness, Håvard (2004)

Initial alliance negotiations

[Academic lecture]. 14th Nordic Workshop on Interorganizational Research.

Traavik, Laura E Mercer; Traavik, Laura E Mercer, Ness, Håvard, Lunnan, Randi & Lunnan, Randi (2004)

Alliances: Should we send teams or solos in order to create climates of trust?

[Academic lecture]. 20th EGOS colloquium: The Organization as a Set of Dynamic Relationships.

Lunnan, Randi; Lunnan, Randi, Ness, Håvard, Traavik, Laura E Mercer & Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2003)

Information sharing within and between alliance teams: Tight teams and loose alliances?

[Academic lecture]. Strategic Management Society 23rd Annual International Conference.

Lunnan, Randi; Lunnan, Randi, Ness, Håvard, Traavik, Laura E Mercer & Traavik, Laura E Mercer (2003)

Cohesion, Information Sharing and Outcomes in Alliance Intra- and Interteam Interaction

[Academic lecture]. 10th International Conference on Multi-organizational Partnerships, Alliances and Networks (MOPAN).

Traavik, Laura E. Mercer; Lervik, Jon Erland Bonde, Lunnan, Randi & Amdam, Rolv Petter Storvik (2001)

What is repatriate competence?

[Academic lecture]. Global Human Resource Management Conference.

Academic Degrees
Year Academic Department Degree
1998 Norwegian School of Economics, NHH Ph.D Dr. Oecon.
1991 Norwegian School of Economics Master of Business Administration
1988 University of British Columbia Bachelor
Work Experience
Year Employer Job Title
1998 - Present BI Norwegian Business School Associate Professor
1994 - 1997 Norwegian School of Economics, NHH Research Fellow
1994 - 1996 London School of Economics and Political Science Class Teacher
1991 - 1993 Norwegian School of Economics, NHH Research Fellow

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