Diversity programs: a strategic business initiative that helps U.S. corporations compete globally.

When one door shuts, another frequently opens. Such is the case with diversity programs which are now flourishing and expanding at U.S. corporations as affirmative action programs languish under a cloud of suspicion and doubt.

The reason for the difference is simple. Diversity is a more global, all-encompassing concept, going beyond affirmative action while still embracing some of its fundamental tenets.

The more you have diversity procedures and processes that work for everybody...the less you need affirmative action," says Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., founder and president of The American Institute for Managing Diversity at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Dr. Roosevelt's vision may be radical. In fact, most large corporations remain very serious about both programs.

Diversity Programs Flourish

But diversity has definitely taken the lead when it comes to fulfilling human development needs within corporations. "Diversity deals with developing the full potential of everybody-African Americans and other minorities, women and white men-in pursuit of an organization's overall objectives," Dr. Roosevelt explains.

This bottom-line impact gives diversity its strength. Today, many Fortune 500 corporations, and even smaller companies, are making diversity programs part of their strategic planning process. At NYNEX Robyn Phillips, director of Corporate Culture Initiatives, explains that "Diversity is not just a matter of meeting goals. Its a little more strategic. Our diversity targets are our business goals." What has turned diversity into a business issue for American corporations? The need to become more competitive globally; downsizing, which creates the need to get more work and vision out of a smaller workforce; and, above all, demographics. The Hudson Institute and the Glass Ceiling Commission have issued wake-up calls, predicting major changes in America's demographics. By the year 2050, minorities are expected to make up over 50% of the U.S. population.

The Globalization of Consumer Markets

The consequences of all these forces for corporations are enormous. In the U.S., new opportunities are developing in almost every consumer market. Abroad, there is a globalization of consumer goods. To deal with this, American companies need new ways of attracting customers and selling products. This means a wider range of ideas and perspectives that can only be found in a more diverse workforce where every individual is valued.