Forty-five years of research on diversity, equity and inclusion in management

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the overall trends in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) research in the management field. Design/methodology/approach We performed a scoping review to comprehensively understand how DEI research has been conducted and to inform future research and practices in the management field. We reviewed 725 articles published from 1976 to 2022 in SSCI-indexed management journals. We examined publication profiles (number of articles and research focus), publication tendency (journals and years), chronological publication trends, work environments (traditional vs remote/virtual work settings) and dimensions of DEI, including age, gender, race and culture. Findings We identified six common DEI research themes: (1) DEI management and practice, (2) perspectives on DEI, (3) team/group diversity, (4) DEI conceptualization, (5) leadership for DEI and (6) DEI climate. Finally, discussion, implications and recommendations for future research are presented. Originality/value Our research provides a comprehensive outline of the DEI research and suggests future directions to contribute to and advance knowledge on DEI in the management field.