Diversity: The Spice of an Organizational Structure

Diversity: The Spice of an Organizational Structure

Diversity and demographic characteristics play an integral role in all facets of organizations. Their impact can be felt in numerous different ways ranging from the euphoric feeling experienced when a company reaches its quarterly revenue goals due to a young motivated sales crew to the disheartening sensation experienced when a sexual harassment dispute rages within a company due to a gender-biased work force. These examples illustrate just a few common affects that are possible. Keeping this in mind, four main characteristics that factor into the categories of diversity and demographics are gender; age; socioeconomic status; and value and attitude differences. In short, each of these dynamics has a lasting influence on the successes and failures of an organization and the individual behavior of the personnel affected.

Gender

The first factor that will be discussed is that of gender. Understandably, gender plays a major role in business depending on the focus of a particular company. However, that is not such a politically correct stance in today’s society. For example, the modeling industry used to be primarily a female-dominated business years ago. However, when executives from that particular trade realized that they were missing out on a large portion of business based on gender, they immediately incorporated male models into the commerce. The overall impact was not immediately known, but over time male models have become a regular staple in the industry.

Similarly, another example of the gender factor at work affecting industry can be seen when examining the fashion trade. This business is obviously closely tied with the modeling industry in the sense that both male and female models are needed to display works of fashion. In addition, the history is comparable to that of modeling as well. Women previously dominated the industry, but men eventually saw the huge market available to them and people such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Marc Jacobs decided to take the opportunity which has resulted in fame and fortune for each of them.

In short, gender has become an integral diversity factor in business. Even in today’s modern times however, there are still people out there that can not accept equivalence based on ones’ sex. According to some, “We can't fill America's boardrooms with people and genders unfit to be there just because we don't want to hurt their feelings” (Calloway, 2006, A Career in Business Isn’t for Every Gender, para. 4). Based on comments of this nature, gender clearly has a major impact on individual behavior that may or may not result in adverse affects.

Age

The next dynamic that will be discussed is that of age. Similar to gender, age is one of those factors that have evolved over time. As can be expected, there are many industries in which age plays a very important role. For example, take the sporting industry. The chance of finding a 50-year old pitcher in Major League Baseball or even a 45-year old quarterback in the National Football League is very slim, if not impossible. This is not an act of age discrimination but more along the lines of preserving an individual’s health. Common sense applies in situations of this nature that if someone plays in a football game, the chance of injury is greater when a player’s age is older. That is simply the laws of nature and individual behavior is impacted by the acceptance of this fact.

On the other hand, age plays a more positive role in industries such as information technology or science. Experience is a facet that develops with age. As a result, an individual in one of these more honed professions will require a lager amount of expertise that comes naturally with age. I am not saying that experience is not necessary for the sporting industry; but rather age directly affects experience. In summary and barring irregularities, logic applies in the sense that older people possess a higher level of experience in life and their individual behavior dictates how this experience will be applied.

Socioeconomic Status

The next factor that will be discussed is that of socioeconomic status. Before getting too deep into this category, a clear and concise understanding of what is meant by this term must be applied. Simply put, socioeconomic status refers to, “An individual’s or group’s position within a hierarchical social structure” (The New Dictionary, 2002). As might be imagined, there are several dynamics that factor into this notion such as an individual’s level of wealth; their education level; their occupation; and their income to name just a few. Socioeconomic status is one of those characteristics that may play a role in determining an individual’s