Challenges Facing Today’s Organizations

Diversity is a word you likely hear a lot nowadays. We use it throughout this book to highlight the importance of understanding and respecting people from various co-cultures with experiences different from our own. But you also hear about companies needing to “diversify” and the importance of tailoring messages to a “diverse” audience. What does it all mean? It means that today’s organizations need to branch out and be open to new ideas and experiences. They must make use of new communication technology and address colleagues and other organizations worldwide. Organizational members must find ways to balance the multitude of pressures for their time and must learn to be tolerant of each other’s differences and behave competently and respectfully at all times. We examine these important issues in the sections that follow.