[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Diversity and demographic characteristics
Society shapes our beliefs, values, and norms. People absorb, almost unconsciously, a worldview that defines their relationship to themselves, to others, to organizations.
Views of themselves: People vary in the relative emphasis they place on self-gratification. In the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, pleasure seekers sought fun, change, and escape. Others sought self-realization. People bought products, brands, and services as a means of self-expression. They bought dream cars and dream vacations and spent more time in health activities (jogging, tennis), in introspection, and in arts and crafts. Today, in contrast, people are adopting more conservative behaviors and ambitions. They have witnessed harder times and cannot rely on continuous employment and rising real income. They are more cautious in their spending pattern and more value-driven in their purchases.
Views of others: some observers have pointed to a counter movement from a “me society” to a “we society.” People are concerned about the homeless crime and victims, and other social problems. They would like to live in a more humane society. At the same time, people are seeking out their own kind and avoiding strangers. People hunger for serious and long-lasting relationships with a few others. These trends portend a growing market for social-support products and services that promote direct relations between human beings, such as health clubs, cruises, and religious activity. They also suggest a growing market for social surrogates, things that allow people who are alone to feel that they are not, such as television, home video games, and chat rooms on the Internet.
Views of organizations: People vary in their attitudes toward corporation’s government agencies, trade unions, and others organizations. Most people are willing to work for these organizations, although they may be critical of particular ones. But there has been an overall decline in organizational loyalty..................
