The Business Case for a Diverse Community
By Michael O’Hara, Senior Consulting
Diversity is a critical success factor for survival in all the most basic systems in
the universe. The most robust life forms and the most resistant forms of disease
are the most powerful because they can survive the most variable conditions and
attacks.
Translate that to the community and the business world. The most diverse
communities have the greatest capacity for survival. While the diversity presents
challenges that are often complex, the very capacity of the communities to
survive these challenges is the basis for the foundation of their strength when it
comes to investing.
From an investment perspective, economists laud the value of a diversified
portfolio. In essence, that's what a diverse community represents. Not only does
a diverse community create a natural strong economic potential, it also provides
the perfect conduit to growth and globalization.
Diverse communities provide a diversity of markets and a diversity of
perspectives to help businesses to grow in ways they will not be able to envision
without the creativity and increased social capital that comes from operating in
diverse environments.
Diverse communities provide a training ground for businesses to learn and grow
to the point that they can operate outside their immediate spheres of influence all
the way up to influencing the business opportunities in global markets. While
most businesses may be thinking about surviving in the local marketplace,
diverse communities present awesome learning opportunities for growing into
global markets.
The sensitivities that can be learned from diverse local communities are great
learning grounds for local businesses to become enlightened corporate citizens
in their local communities. Corporate citizenship is a key factor for business
survival. In order to effectively compete for the role of most effective corporate
citizen and win the business of locals, businesses must have the wisdom to
appreciate what the local communities care about and support. This can only be
accomplished by having the benefit of the wisdom that comes from the diverse
perspectives of the community.
Michael O’Hara is a Senior Consultant with WorldReach Consulting & Training, Inc. is a Washington, DC
based woman-owned, minority owned consulting firm specializing in the design and implementation of
diversity initiatives for city’s and municipalities, private corporations, universities, government agencies and
non-profit organizations. He has worked successfully with corporate, government and city municipalities on
comprehensive diversity initiatives.