Charlotte Karam

Associate Professor

B.A. (Hon.) (American University of Beirut), M.A. (University of Windsor), Ph.D. (University of Windsor)

Location: DMS 6155
Telephone: 613-562-5800 x 4920

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Biography

Charlotte Karam, PhD is a tenured associate professor at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, where she also holds the Endowed Professorship in Gender and Inclusive Systems. Charlotte’s work as a scholar-activist contributes to overlapping conversations in inclusive HR systems, business ethics, public policy, and feminist praxis. Through a MEPI grant, she led the development of The KIP Index, the first MENA sector-based measure of women’s recruitment, retention, and promotion. In 2021, she launched The SAWI Project, focused on mobilizing employers to engage in localized strategies for women-inclusive HR systems.

Her research adopts a multilevel lens embedded largely within the context of patriarchy, cultural variations, and sociopolitical instability to broadly examine responsible engagement of organizations within the context of developing economies. Recent publications focus on development-oriented CSR, career patterns and opportunities for women and other marginalized groups, and the recruitment, retention and promotion policies and practices across the Middle East and North Africa. Her publications appear in the International Journal of Management Reviews, Journal of World Business, Journal of Business Ethics, Business Ethics Quarterly, Business & Society, Asia-Pacific Journal of Management, Career Development International, Gender, Work and Organization, and others. She is the area editor of Feminism(s) at the Journal of Business Ethics. She is a founding member of Khaddit Beirut, started in response to the August 4th, 2020 Beirut explosion.

Prior to joining the University of Ottawa, Charlotte was a tenured Professor at the Olayan School of Business (OSB), American University of Beirut where she spent over thirteen years and served as Department Chair, Associate Dean of Programs, and founding director of the Center of Inclusive Business and Leadership (CIBL) for Women. She continues to be affiliated as an Adjunct Professor and as the director of international partnership at this center.

Teaching Areas

Business Ethics Gender, Work and Organization Inclusive Human Resource Systems Leadership and Management Development

Publications during the last 7 years

Books

Jamali, D., Karam, C.M. and Blowfield, M. Development-Oriented CSR: Locally led Initiatives in Developing Economies. Volume 2. Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing, 2015.
Jamali, D., Karam, C.M. and Blowfield, M. Development-Oriented CSR: Multinational Corporations and the Global Context. Volume 1. Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing, 2015.

Chapters in Books

Sharma, R.R., Chawla, S. and Karam, C.M. Global Gender Gap Index: World Economic Forum Perspective. In Ng, E. and et al.. Handbook on Diversity and Inclusion Indices: A Research Compendium. London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021.
Karam, C.M. and Ghanem, M. Understanding Diversity in the Lebanese Workplace: Legal Protections in the Context of Protracted Crises and Occupation. In Klarsfeld, A. and et al.. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Under Researched Countries. London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021.
Afiouni, F. and Karam, C.M. Debunking myths surrounding women’s careers in the Arab Middle East: A critical reflexive approach. In Sultana, R.G.. Career Guidance and Livelihood Planning in the Mediterranean Region. Paris, France: Secretary General, OECD, 2017.
Jamali, D. and Karam, C.M. CSR in Developed Versus Developing Countries: A Comparative Glimpse. In Örtenblad, A.. Handbook of Research on Corporate Social Responsibility. London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016.

Papers in Refereed Journals

Karam, C.M. and Ghanem, M. 2021. Multilevel power dynamics shaping employer anti-sexual harassment efforts in Lebanon. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 40(4): 375-391.
Karam, C.M., Afiouni, F. and Van Burren, H. 2021. Facilitating Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Traditionally Marginalized Communities: Unpacking the Nature of SME Responsibility through Feminist Epistemology. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal.
Karam, C.M., Newman, A., Van Burren, H. and Higgins, C. 2021. Conceptualizing, Theorizing, and Measuring the Contributions of Business to Refugee Crises. Business and Society.
Karam, C.M., Creed, W.E.D., Gray, B., Hollerer, M.A. and Reay, T. 2021. Responding to Displacement, Disruption, and Division: Organizing for Social and Institutional Change. Organization Studies.
Karam, C.M., Wilcox, T., Kauzlarich, L., O'Leary Kelly, A. and Greenwood, M. 2021. Intimate partner violence and business: Exploring the boundaries of ethical enquiry. Journal of Business Ethics.
Afiouni, F., Karam, C.M. and Makarem, Y. 2020. Career Constructions and a Feminist Standpoint on the Meaning of Context. Gender, Work & Organization.
Afiouni, F., Karam, C.M. and Makarem, Y. 2020. Contextual Embeddedness and the Relational Influences on Women’s Careers. Human Resource Management, 30(3): 343-364.
Richardson. J., Karam, C.M. and Afiouni, F. 2020. The global refugee crisis and the career ecosystem. Career Development International, 25(1): 1-13.
Afiouni, F. and Karam, C.M. 2019. Multi-Level Approaches to Facilitate Women’s Employment in the Middle East. Personnel Review.
Richardson. J., Karam, C.M. and Afiouni, F. 2019. Impact of the Global Refugee Crisis on the Career Ecosystem. Career Development International.
Afiouni, F. and Karam, C.M. 2019. The formative role of contextual hardships in women’s career calling. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 114(69): 87.
Karam, C.M., Afiouni, F. and Metcalfe, B.D. 2018. Gender and Governance in Developing Economies. Business Ethics: A European review.
Ralston, D.A., Egri, C.P., Karam, C.M., Yongjuan, L. and Fu, P.P. 2018. Changes in Work Values: A Longitudinal Assessment across China. Asia-Pacific. Journal of Management, 5(1): 145-79.
Karam, C.M., Afiouni, F. and Metcalfe, M. 2018. Gender and Governance in Developing Economies. Journal of Business Ethics, 27(4): 287-93.
Karam, C.M. and Jamali, D. 2017. A Cross-Cultural and Feminist Perspective on CSR in Developing Countries: Uncovering Latent Power Dynamics. Journal of Business Ethics, 142(3): 481-77.
Banalieva. E.R, Karam, C.M., Ralston, D.A., Naoumova, I.,, Dabic, M., Potocan, V., Thanh, H.V., Starkus, A., Elenkov, D., Danis, W. and Wallace, A. 2017. Communist Footprint and Subordinate Influence Behavior in Post-Communist Economies. Journal of World Business, 52(2): 209-29.
Jamali, D., Karam, C.M., Yin, J. and Soundararajan, V. 2017. CSR Logics in Developing Countries: Translation, Adaptation, and Stalled Development. Journal of World Business, 52(3): 343-59.
Karam, C.M. and Afiouni, F. 2017. Women and the legitimization of (not) engaging in paid work. Career Development International, 22(6): 628-58.
Dawkins, C., Jamali, D. and Karam, C.M. 2016. Corporate Social Responsibility and Job Choice Intentions: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. Business and Society, 55(6): 854-88.
Karam, C.M. and Ralston, D.A. 2016. A Failure before Analysis: The soup to nuts of preparing for multi-country analyses. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, 23(4): 590-612.
Jamali, D. and Karam, C.M. 2016. Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries as an Emerging Field of Study. International Journal of Management, 52(3): 343-59.
Karam, C.M., Sidani, Y.M. and Showail, S. 2015. Teaching Business Ethics in the Global South: Control, Resistance and Phronesis. Teaching in Higher Education, 20(2): 255-71.
Sidani, Y.M., Konrad, A. and Karam, C.M. 2015. From Female Leadership Advantage to Female Leadership Deficit: Developing Country Perspective. Career Development International, 20(3): 273-92.
Karam, C.M. and Afiouni, F. 2014. Localizing Women’s Experiences in Academia: Multilevel Factors at Play in the Arab MENA. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(10): 500-38.
Afiouni, F. and Karam, C.M. 2014. Structure, Agency and Notions of Career Success: A Process-oriented, Subjectively Malleable, Localized Approach. Career Development International, 19(5): 548-71.
Ralston, D.A., Egri, C.P., Karam, C.M., Naoumova, I.,, Casado, T., Srinivasan, N., Li, Y. and Alas, R. 2014. The Triple-Bottom-Line of Corporate Responsibility: Assessing the Attitudes of Present and Future Business Leaders across the BRICs. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 32(1): 145-79.

Other Scholarly Contributions

(Case) Daouk-Öyry, L., Karam, C.M. and Meouchi, A. 2021. "Zain: A Story of Diversity and Inclusion from a Leading Middle East Telecom Group", Ivey Business School Publications, London, Ontario, Canada.
(Case) Daouk-Öyry, L., Hassan, N. and Karam, C.M. 2017. "Lebanese Red Cross: A Pressing Need for a Structured Volunteering Selection Process", Sage. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526404244

Funded Research during the last 7 years

Funded Research during the last 7 years
From-To	Source	Title	*	**	Role	Amount
2021-2025	U.S. Dept of State, Middle East Partnership Initiative Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Federal Assistance Award	Strengthening Women’s Contributions to the MENA Economy: SAWI Project	R	O	PI	$ 6,500,000
2021-2025	European Commission (EU) Women as Actors in Peace Processes	SAWT: Supporting Arab Women at the Table (Leadership Fellowship program Libya, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Iraq), with Arab Reform Initiative	R	O	Co-I	$ 224,506
2021	UN Development Programme (UNDP)	Employer consultations on Lebanon’s recent Anti-Sexual Harassment Law	R	O	PI	$ 30,000
2020-2021	UN Women Award	Mobilizing employers for the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law in Lebanon	R	O	PI	$ 41,944
2018-2021	U.S. Department of Defense	Strengthening Women’s Contribution to the Economy in the MENA: KIP Index	R	G	PI	$ 1,500,000
2018-2020	Euro Erasmus+ CBHE Project	Female Academic Role Models - Institution U. Nacional De Educacion	R	O	Co-I	$ 103,287
2017-2020	University Research Board (URB), American University of Beirut	Internal Grants (Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut)	R	O	Co-I	$ 17,500
2016-2017	Lebanon’s Center of National Research Studies Grant	Gender differences in political attitudes and participation in the Arab world	R	F	Co-I	$ 13,000
2015-2017	U.S. Dept of State, Middle East Partnership Initiative Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Federal Assistance Award	Knowledge is Power Project on Gender and Sexuality in Lebanon	R	O	PI	$ 464,766
2015-2017	Lebanon’s Center of National Research Studies Grant	Workplace gendered communication patterns in Lebanon	R	F	PI	$ 8,000
2009-2019	University Research Board (URB), American University of Beirut	Internal Grants (Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut)	R	O	PI	$ 85,500

LEGEND:

Role
PI = Principal Investigator | Co-I = Co-Investigator | Co-PI = Co-Principal Investigator