Marjolein Dennissen

51 Networking for equality? organization. Where young employees were once regarded as “others”, they are now included. As such, I observe that the young employee network is co-opted into the organization. This can be related to a broader organizational, and possibly societal, shift in discourse about young employees. I have labelled this as the discourse of the glorification of the young. Within this discourse, young employees are considered to be young professionals and unique selling points, valuable in making a contribution to organizational performance (cf. Kelan, 2014). Involvement of young employees in critical organizational processes such as decision making is not a matter of acceptance of diversity, but a token of their self-evident importance to the organization. Compared to the other diversity networks, the young employee network is less restricteddue to the taken-for-granted status of young employees in the organization. The power that is inherent to this status provides the boardmembers with the opportunity to drawon a discourse of socializing. This contrasts with other diversity networks that have to engage in more professionalism-related discourses to legitimate their existence. However, the young employee network needs the discourse of the glorification of the young, that is directed to the organization, in order to be able to uphold a discourse of socializing, that is directed to the network’s (potential) members. Discussion and conclusion The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of how diversity networks contribute to equality by examining how diversity network leaders discursively construct the value of their networks against the backdrop of discourses on diversity and equality. Thus far, the implications of diversity networks for organizational equality remained an understudied terrain. Tensions, conflicts and contradictions are ignored, and an overarching theoretical framework on the function of diversity networks in diversity management is hitherto lacking. Analyzing five different diversity networks with a critical diversity perspective, I fill the gap in the literature and contribute to the theory on diversity networks in two ways. First, I identified the discourses by which network board members legitimize the existence and functioning of their networks. This allowed me to uncover the tensions and dilemmas network board members are struggling with. Second, by further developing the framework on levels of equality, I theorize the value of diversity networks for equality in organizations. My empirical study of five diversity networks has helped to further elaborate the framework. Analyzing the ambiguities and contradictions in the legitimating discourses, I showed when and how diversity networks simultaneously produce and counteract equality on the individual, group and organizational level. I conclude this chapter with theoretical and practical implications. Individual level: individual career responsibility First, in line with the literature (Bierema, 2005; Vinnicombe et al., 2004), my findings show that network leaders see diversity networks as valuable for the career advancement of their