Increasing globalization requires increased interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People are now part of a global economy with competition coming from nearly every continent; they no longer work in a narrow-minded marketplace. As a result, organizations need diversity to become more creative and open to change. Maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity has become an important issue for contemporary management. This paper discusses a workplace issue that may have been resolved by the presence of a diverse workforce and includes a discussion of the ramifications of the issue on the organization.
General Printing is a printing company in Fort Scott, Kansas which is a source of commercial printing for Southeast Kansas as well as many nearby states. This organization employs 42 full time staff. Although General Printing is the largest printing company in the area, the only minority employed is women. According to City-Data.com
Pie chart of religions of African Americans
Malcolm X
A tailor in Chad(2009), the population of Fort Scott is 7,915 as of July 2007, in which minorities make up only 9.4% of the population and African Americans 5.1%. As the numbers indicate, there is little diversity in the workforce of Fort Scott.
Many have their own reason for relocating to a small, almost obscure town in the Midwest. Betty's reason for moving from Washington D.C. was to escape the maddening pace of the big city. Betty's expertise is text composition and layout in the prepress department. She provided the perfect replacement for Nancy who retired after 25 productive years at General Printing. Betty was an instant success in her new position which is highly unusual, for the natives of Fort Scott historically do not to accept outsiders.
Betty quickly became friends with Sarah who works in the billing department. Sarah is the quiet one and is often the object of the...