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The Impact of Diversity on Individual Behavior

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The Impact of Diversity on Individual Behavior The concept of diversity has broadened in scope in the recent past, evolving from the concept of mandated quotas and affirmative action, to the reality of a diverse workforce being capable of providing quantifiable business value. A variety of external factors have influenced the conceptual evolution of diversity within the workplace. For example, globalization of markets has provided the concept of diversity with an opportunity to demonstrate a clear competitive advantage. A native understanding of the cultural values, norms and business practices of a foreign market can give an organization a clear advantage over their competition. Another area where diversity offers advantages is in the …show more content…

An organization that can successfully cultivate an environment that rises above these differences and dashes these perceptions may also be able to leverage the very diverse perspectives of these groups. Different socioeconomic levels are subject to factors, environments, and experiences that other levels may not experience. Those that understand the value of these differing perspectives, particularly in organizations dependent on broadening their customer base, can leverage this knowledge for the good of the organization. Perceptions surrounding the occupation of an individual can have a limiting or broadening affect on the effectiveness of an individual—depending on the perspective an organization takes regarding the value of their resources. For example, a resource that has spent his career as an engineer or technician may not be recognized for management skills or leadership talent that he possesses. This could be directly attributable to a corporate perception that technical people are typically capable of filling technical roles. Conversely, a leader that recognizes these talents in this individual has the opportunity to develop a leader that also possesses in-depth technical knowledge of the team he is leading. As Americans, we tend to be

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