Oltre le barriere: un modello teorico per l’inclusione dei lavoratori stranieri nelle aziende della GDO

The Italian large-scale retail sector is one of the main employment areas for foreign workers, yet the literature still lacks a systematic analysis of the barriers hindering their inclusion. This study addresses this gap by examining the work experiences of foreign employees through in-depth interviews conducted across several retail chains. Using the Gioia methodology, the analysis progressed from first-order concepts expressed by participants to second-order themes and aggregated theoretical dimensions. The findings highlight three categories of challenges - linguistic, cultural, and bureaucratic - which interact in generating three forms of exclusion: professional, relational, and institutional. Participants also identified three types of support that can foster inclusion: professional development support, social support, and administrative support. The study’s main contribution is a theoretical model that connects barriers, forms of exclusion, and support measures, offering an integrated framework useful for both the literature on migrant labor inclusion and managerial practice in the retail sector.