Commitment to Diversity

Personal Commitment to Diversity and Multi-Cultural Practice

Letitia Parker

Cultural Diversity and Special Populations/BSHS422

May 2, 2011

Joel Odimba

Diversity is an important subject for managers and organizations. Universal needs create strong pressure for a global strategy. Universal needs exist when the tastes and preferences of consumers in different countries with regard to a product are similar. Products that serve universal needs require little adoption across national markets; thus, global integration is facilitated. The role of culture plays an important role in this context.

In many ways, cultural issues represent the most elusive aspect of international business. In an era when modern transportation and communication technologies have created a “global village”, it is easy to forget how deep and enduring the differences among nations actually can be. The fact that people everywhere drink Coke, wear blue jeans, and drive Toyota doesn’t mean we are all becoming alike. Each country is unique for reasons rooted in history, culture, language, geography, social conditions, race and religion. These differences complicate any international activities, and represent the fundamental issues that inform and guide how an organization should conduct business across borders.

Commitment is a very personal issue. No one can demand or command it; it must be offered freely. For example, most of us are committed to doing what's necessary to earn a living. Being committed to issues and activities in which we have a vested interest is easy. The challenge, however, is to be committed to issues and causes for which there is no vested personal interest - issues and causes from which we expect no personal gain. It is into the latter category that our commitment to diversity is likely to fall. For many African Americans, diversity is an emotional issue that cuts deep into our souls and psyches. To replace emotionalism with rational thought,...