[ICOR Research Seminar] Beyond Labeling: the Micro-mechanisms and Emotional Dynamics of Stigma Formation / Neurodiversity at Work: Line Managers’ Intention towards the Integration of Neurodiverse People in the Workplace
September 26th, 2025
10:30am – 12pm in Promenade Building (PR13) & on Zoom
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Speakers:
Itziar CASTELLO-MOLINA – Bayes Business School, UK
Oluwatobi OMOTOYE – PhD Student at IÉSEG School of Management, France
abstract
- Beyond Labeling: the Micro-mechanisms and Emotional Dynamics of Stigma Formation
We contend that labeling alone cannot fully account for the complex, emotionally charged mechanisms driving stigma’s emergence and persistence. To address this limitation, we propose a theoretical framework that explains stigma formation and uses a language perspective looking at meaning construction through cultural codes, rhetorical devices, and emotional dynamics— particularly in the context of social media. Leveraging the case of Monte Paschi di Siena (MPS), an Italian bank undergoing a stigmatization process during its 2011–2015 corruption scandal, we analyze 3,972 tweets sampled from a pool of 2.58 million via a machine-learning assisted selection method, complementing this data with secondary sources. Through an in-depth qualitative analysis, we develop a three-period process model of stigma formation: ground emergence, intensification, and consolidation, with each period characterized by distinctive mechanisms—breaking meaning with fun, ascribing meaning via shock, and normalizing meaning via resignation. We also argue that emotional contamination between mechanisms mitigat or
reinforce stigma formation across periods. This research advances theory by revealing the micro-mechanisms of stigma formation, emphasizing the foundational role of affect and rhetoric, and offering methodological innovation for studying stigma in digitally mediated organizational crises.
- Neurodiversity at Work: Line Managers’ Intention towards the Integration of Neurodiverse People in the Workplace
The integration of neurodiverse individuals into the workplace has gained increasing recognition, yet many still face barriers to full inclusion. Neurodiversity refers to natural differences in cognitive functioning, including conditions like autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and dyslexia. Although evidence shows that neurodivergent employees can bring unique skills and perspectives, they remain disproportionately excluded from the labor market, with high rates of unemployment and underemployment. This paradox highlights the need to understand how organizational practices influence their experiences. This research explores how neurodivergent employees adapt and develop within organizational settings, focusing on the factors that support or hinder successful integration. Guided by organizational socialization theory, the study examines how neurodivergent individuals engage with work environments, learn new skills, and build relationships at work. By emphasizing the voices of neurodivergent employees themselves, the research responds to calls for studies that prioritize first-person perspectives instead of relying solely on expert accounts. The study aims to contribute theoretically by proposing a multilevel framework for understanding neurodiversity in organizations, practically by identifying barriers and offering actionable HR and managerial recommendations, and societally by informing policy and corporate responsibility initiatives to foster inclusive and sustainable workplaces.