Identifying Diverse Cultures of Belonging Within Management Education

This article presents an innovative application of Q methodology to address challenges of diversity, inclusion, and belonging within Management Education. Using a three-phase mixed method research design (n = 123), the study combines focus groups, Q sorting, and follow-up interpretation to explore how students and employers conceptualise academic and professional success and their relationship to belonging. Participants included undergraduate students studying in the United Kingdom (n = 96) alongside employer representatives involved in graduate recruitment (n = 27). The analysis identifies distinct sensemaking patterns and subjective narratives that shape perceptions of academic and professional success and belonging. By examining intersections of demographic characteristics, including gender and UK versus international student status, in relation to Q sorting patterns, the findings show that student perspectives often diverge from conventional demographic categories. Instead, this study captures the complexity of belonging, offering bottom-up insights into cognitive differences at a granular level, thus laying a foundation for fostering inclusive academic environments. This approach not only identifies the potential of cultures of belonging but also offers a pathway for helping to establish them, showing how shared goals can emerge despite diverse backgrounds. The study also advances methodological discourse by suggesting adaptations to traditional Q methodology, making it more accessible to diverse research communities.