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Keywords Equal opportunities, Organizations, Human resource management, Organizational performance
Abstract Today, human resource management is being renewed in organizations and is gradually affirming its strategic role. The need for highly qualified managers will increase as more organizations globalize their operations. The research presented in this paper highlights the need for management who are sensitive to the concerns of multicultural employees. The effects of cultural diversity on organizational behavior are complex and powerful. Within this perspective, the definition of diversity in the USA and the goals in achieving a more diverse workplace will be discussed. This paper will also examine the different facets involved in managing and developing a diverse human resource base. Organizations take into account their human resource base before hiring employees. One factor they look at is the possible advantages and disadvantages of a multicultural and diverse organization. This paper will examine ways by which managers and employees can learn about diversity, understand it, and respect it on a day-to-day basis when dealing with people from other diverse backgrounds.
The composition of the USA's workforce is changing. According to the Census Bureau, nonwhites will represent more than one-third of the US population by the year 2010 and close to half the US population by the year 2050 (Allison, 2001). By the year 2005, the ethnic minority share of the workforce will reach 28 percent. It is also projected that the Hispanic-American population will be the largest minority group in the USA by the year 2010 (Allison, 2001). The decreasing presence of native white males is a wake-up call to US businesses that changes in workforce demographics will soon mandate changes in organizational culture.
In order for companies fully and aggressively to compete in the marketplace, they will need to consider these statistics and work towards attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce. Becoming a diverse organization makes good business sense for profit as well as for not-for-profit companies. Creating a diverse workforce provides tremendous opportunities for companies and individuals to tap the ideas, creativity, and potential contributions inherent in a diverse workforce.
The research conducted in this paper is significant because it is beneficial in showing organizational management how to recruit, train and hire a diverse workforce through the use of...