Managing Pasifika Diaspora in Australian Rugby League
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2020
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This thesis was concerned with diversity management in professional rugby league football in Australia. It examined the workplace perceptions and expectations of two groups: Pasifika (Pacific Islander and MΔori) employees and their non-Pasifika employers in the National Rugby League (NRL), the premier rugby competition in Australasia. The study sought to explore whether Pasifika workplace perceptions, expectations, and contributions aligned with diversity management practices in the NRL.
The study adopted an interdisciplinary approach that incorporated both Pacific Studies and diversity management. It drew upon psychological contract (PC) theory in order to understand workplace experiences. These were explored via a culturally appropriate π΅π’ππ’π―π°π’ approach to interpersonal dialogue, this involving exchange of conversations, stories and ideas with 40 relevant individuals in the NRL.
The findings revealed that Pasifika employees in the NRL place greater emphasis on π³π¦ππ’π΅πͺπ°π―π’π aspects of the exchange relationship, specifically drawing upon familial motivations, cultural values and customs, as well as community service and spirituality. The study was able to contribute to sport management scholarship in two key ways. First, by advancing qualitative research into Pasifika workplace experiences β both on and off the field β in elite rugby league. Second, the thesis broadened the scope of psychological contract research to encompass diversity management considerations β in this case by generating knowledge about how Pasifika employees navigate Western workplaces.
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