Recent political and economic crises around the world demonstrate the interdependence among nations. The emerging New World Order is bringing with it a list of new realities that affect all of us who will soon be a part of the global workforce. One of these realities is the growing need for culturally competent employees who can work effectively in a multicultural setting.
Businesses are in search of new markets to sell their goods and services.
Finding employees with the knowledge of how an emerging market's culture works will prove invaluable in the next millennium. Dr. Miriam Rothman, associate professor of business at USD, said that the current emphasis on teamwork has made diversity training a marketable skill in the workplace. Such skills demonstrate that you can work with people of different backgrounds. Noting the major demographic shifts occurring in the workplace, Rothman said that corporations are now holding managers responsible for managing diversity within their divisions. John Day, director of Diversity Education at Georgia State University, is working to prepare GSU students for the workforce of the 21st century.