Commerce has become global. The World Bank has forecasted that by 2004 almost half of the world's GNP will be from global trade. The real issues of diversity in the world of business have more to do with the intellectual and perceptual diversity which is the very competitive advantage that companies must have in order to compete. Creativity and innovation must now occur as a part of the normal functioning of the enterprise, and homogeneous environments and social groups rarely produce new thinking. Significant and focused action must be taken to achieve balanced diversity.
Balanced diversity is necessary if the organization is to prosper.
Outreach is important in attracting and hiring people who are different. Potential contributors are most often not naturally attracted to an enterprise that they do not perceive as having a culture and micro society that would be comfortable, interesting, and supportive. Two of the suggestions that IDC offers are to make sure that you hire people who augment a balanced diverse workforce, and to create a company brand that communicates the diversity of the organization to existing and future employees. A core skill for the manager of the 21st century will be the ability to mediate the natural disagreement and intolerance that come with diversity. Today's manager needs new and stronger interpersonal and organizational skills to succeed.