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Diversity and Inclusion

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Thinking About Diversity & Inclusion
Kristofer Kem
SOC/315
March 15, 2012
Jeff Hoover

Thinking About Diversity & Inclusion
Cultural diversity is a mixture of cultures of a specific region, or in the world as a whole. It is sometimes used to refer to multiculturalism within an organization. Cultures have spread throughout the world. The have successfully adapted to periodic disastrous changes in global and local climate and also to widely differing conditions. The many separate societies that have emerged around the world differed clearly from each other, and a lot of these differences continue to this day. There are more obvious cultural differences that exist between people such as traditions, language and dress attire. There are also important variations in the way societies organize themselves which are the ways they interact with their environment and their shared conception of morality.
Living in Hawai’i, I cannot really say which cultural or ethnic group I really identify with. I am Filipino Caucasian and almost everyone on the island is of mixed race. I hang out with all people of all different kinds of ethnicities such as Tongan, Samoan, Hawaiian, Caucasian, and African American. I also eat all types of different ethnic foods. I guess if I had to pick one I relate to it would be Hawaiian because I have lived on the island all my life. I have danced hula and love the Hawaiian food.
The word diversity is the way an organization focus on the similarities and differences of employees, with specific characteristics to bring to the work place. Inclusion is being used more and more nowadays. Inclusion focuses more on the experience of employees and customers feeling welcome and respected regardless of how they look or how they are dressed.
Organizations or companies that put together a consistent diversity training program and support diversity

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