Dr C. Essers (Caroline)

My expertise lies in the field of Inclusive Leadership, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and Inclusive Entrepreneurship. I study how leaders and organisations can create practices and environments in which diverse talent can thrive, contribute, and drive innovation. For this purpose, I often use intersectionality as a theoretical lens.

My research focuses on the organisational, ecosystem and societal mechanisms that foster or hinder inclusion, belonging, career development, and access to opportunities. I am particularly interested in understanding how underrepresented groups navigate organisations and entrepreneurial ecosystems, and in developing evidence-based interventions that promote more inclusive workplaces.

Current research projects include Inclusive Leadership practices in a large Dutch financial institution, the inclusion of refugees and Muslims in organisations, women in technology and entrepreneurship, the gender gap in entrepreneurial finance, and interventions aimed at creating more inclusive organisational and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

I supervise PhD and Master's students on topics related to Inclusive Leadership and Strategic Human Resource Leadership and Entrepreneurship & Diversity, and teach courses on Leadership in Organisations, HR & Inclusive Leadership and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

My work has been published in leading journals, including Organization Studies, Organization, Human Relations, Gender, Work & Organization, British Journal of Management, and Entrepreneurship & Regional Development. I previously served as associate editor for Gender, Work & Organization.

I am the Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at Nijmegen School of Management, member of RUNOMI (RU Network on Migrant Inclusion), and university contact for Enactus (regarding student impact enterprises).

Other activities: Scientific advisor to Code-V (https://www.code-v.nl/)