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Over the weekend I was reading through my “virtual stack” of articles that has been piling up for over a year now. I wanted to share one with you.

If you have access to it, I recommend reading an article in Harvard Educational Review entitled,  Can Higher Education Meet the Needs of an Increasingly Diverse and Global Society? Campus Diversity and Cross-Cultural Workforce Competencies (reference is below).

The article describes a 10-year study that examined the relationship between college students’ exposure to racial diversity and their success working in diverse organizational environments. Among the many implications and conclusions from the study was that diversity for diversity’s sake will not foster a progressive racial environment. Genuine diversity and inclusion takes work.

Although the competitive benefits of building a diverse workforce is obvious, it shouldn’t be the only incentive organizations use to build one. Building a true diverse and inclusive organizational climate takes authentic commitment. It means doing hard lifting like exploring differences, developing cross-cultural competencies, eliminating structural barriers – and even considering ethical concerns.

Being focused on what diversity only does for the bottom line is not enough.

Reference:  Jayakumar, U. (2008). Can Higher Education Meet the Needs of an Increasingly Diverse and Global Society? Campus Diversity and Cross-Cultural Workforce Competencies. Harvard Educational Review, 78(4), 615-651,706

I have broad research and reading interests. My posts on HTM are inclined to be motivated by serendipitous encounters rather than meticulous planning. Despite the title of my blog, I’ve always tried to write and share information about topics that I feel passionate about rather than a specific expertise.  Doing so compels me to step out of my comfort zone and learn about new subjects, meet new people, and create new ideas. I don’t feel any sort of careful planning would offer me the same benefits!  

In the spirit of Menudo of Links, going forward I’ll begin sharing more studies and reports which I think you might find interesting as well – all directly or indirectly related to the development of the Hispanic workforce and Hispanic talent. Below is my first offering.  Enjoy!

Parental Leave Policies in 21 Countries: Assessing Generosity and Gender Equality: Great report that provides an overview of parental leave policies in 21 high-income nations and identifies five “best practices” for parental leave policies. The study shows that the U.S. has the least generous leave policies of the 21 countries examined in the report. The study provides some valuable points regarding how organizations can be more attuned to the needs of their workforce.

A Wake-Up Call: Latino Youth Speak Out About Arizona SB 1070: This excellent report is furnished by NCLR. It provides findings of focus groups with Latino youth in four different cities, emphasizing the common experience of discrimination and stereotyping. Because Latino youth represent a vital and rapidly growing segment of our future leaders, workers, and voters – it’s a great read.

 On The Rocky Road To Strong Global Culture: An article rather than a study (via Forbes) that suggests that organizations with “global cultures” are the exception rather than the rule. I wrote about this topic in an earlier post. It’s apparent that organizational strategies and culture are not able to remain in sync; therefore, many companies remain too “headquarters-centric” to operate effectively over long distances. Globalization, ironically, gets in the way.

Busy days with different projects and meetings this week — but a few things caught my eye today that I wanted to share around the topics of the Hispanic workforce/demographics, mentoring, and education. Enjoy!

UCLA Project Examining Latino Baby Boomers: I was speaking with a colleague earlier in the week regarding Hispanic population trends. We discussed how there’s been a lot of analysis on immigration, educational, and workforce related topics. We both agreed we’d start seeing more of the type of studies being conducted by Latinos and Econmic Security (LES) and UCLA. An excellent report which discusses the characteristics of Baby Boomer Latinos. A definite must read. Also browse around LES website to see the fine research work they do! You also might want to review the work of Dr. Fred Bonner who has written extensively on the learning attributes of Hispanic millennials.

Why Men Still Earn More than Women: Excellent piece by Harvard Business Magazine examining the reasons why men still earn more than women. The article was co-written by Herminia Ibarra one of my favorite researchers. I included a lot of her research in my doctoral work. Much of the article’s discussion centers on mentoring — which happens to be in line with my post a couple days ago. Check out the article and Google Dr. Ibarra’s work – she’s excellent at what she does.

Unlearning Teaching: Another great piece I found via Alastair Creelman, who works with net-based learning at Linnaeus University, Kalmar in south-east Sweden. He also writes the blog Corridor of Uncertainty. As an online instructor for over eight years now, I found his thoughts very much in line with what I attempt to do in my online classes. Alastair shares this entry from the original source, Will Richardson, “Learner in Chief” at Connective Learning:

“I think that’s one of the hardest shifts in thinking for teachers to make, the idea that they are no longer central to student learning simply because they are in the room. When learning value can be found in a billion different places, the teacher has to see herself as one of many nodes of learning, and she has to be willing to help students find, vet, and interact with those other nodes in ways that place value at the center of the interaction, meaning both ways. It’s not just enough to add those who bring value; we must create value in our networks as well.”

There are two reports that were released this week that provide valuable information on the Hispanic college student experience. I’ve not had a chance to read the details of the report shared by Education Trust regarding the differences between colleges and universities in recruiting and retaining college students so I’ll stop short of providing my perspective. The study is yet another indication that colleges, organizations, and other institutions are at least beginning to realize the importance of recruiting and developing Hispanic talent and the Hispanic workforce. Below is an abstract of what you’ll find in the study:

To improve degree attainment among Hispanic students,colleges and universities simply must enroll more of them. But it’s just as important that these institutions also boost their graduation rates and close graduation-rate gaps. This brief calls attention to the colleges and universities that are serving Hispanic students well, as evidenced by small or nonexistent graduation-rate gaps between Hispanic and white students. We also shine a necessary light on institutions with particularly large gaps—the institutions that are not serving these students as effectively as they should.

Another report entitled “How American Pays for College,” sponsored by Sallie Mae and Gallup, supplements some of the information found in the report above. Among the many findings, the study reports that Hispanic families were more likely to eliminate colleges based on cost alone – even before researching a school. The report includes additional information on how Hispanics finance their college education. Two very good reads.

Last week there were a few write ups on the AP/Univision poll on a variety of Hispanic attitudes and perspectives – everything from education to career. Here’s one from USA Today that provides a nice overview as well as a link to the study.

This is an excellent study by Pew Research focusing on minority college enrollment over the last few years. The news and trends are especially positive for Hispanic freshman. Why the boom? A few reasons are cited but a major reason is Hispanic high school completion rates. Data strongly suggest that the freshman college enrollment spike that occurred is closely related to the minority high school completion spike that occurred the same year. Some highlights below –with  the full report is here.

Large freshman enrollment growth was evident among the nation’s racial and ethnic minorities. Overall freshman enrollment was up 6%. Hispanic freshmen increased by 40,000 compared with 2007, a 15% increase in enrollment and the largest of any of the major racial/ethnic groups.

In short, since 2007 there has been significant growth in minority freshmen (particularly Hispanic) and there has been significant minority freshman growth in each tier of postsecondary education, including four-year colleges and universities.

In addition, the first year of the recession was a time when young Hispanics, in particular, were completing high school at record rates. According to Census Bureau surveys, the Hispanic high school completion rate reached an all-time high in October 2008 at 70%.

NBC Universal, Telemundo and Starcom MediaVest Group have shared the results of a year long Latino Identity study which recognizes 12 Latino identities. The study goes beyond the traditional approach of identifying or understanding Latinos based on factors such as language, country of origin, or acculturation. In addition to the 12 Latino identities, the study also provides what is termed “four wide-lifestyle spectrums:”

1. Change Agents: Mired in change or progress, either for themselves or the community; shifting perceptions.
2. Principled Led: Dogmatic, confident in their beliefs and opinions, very little room for “grey area” in their destiny.
3. Cultural Revivers: Responsible for retaining and promoting the culture.
4. Achievement Bound: Representing spectrums of the American dream.

This is an interesting perspective that takes a different look at traditional Latino characteristics. Fundementally, many of the identities and themes noted above can be categorized into existing thoughts about Latinos; however, it is a new way of understanding the complexity of the Latino culture. The full list of identities can be found here.

I came across a great study about who benefits most from college. The underlying premise of the study examines how the economic return to a college education varies across members of the U.S. population (there’s a lot of theoretical content as well if you’re interested!). A fascinating result of the study indicates that people most likely to benefit from a college education are the least likely to obtain one. Furthermore, the study states that people from disadvantaged social backgrounds who attend college might use education as a means for economic mobility, while those who have an advantaged social background are not driven by the same rationale.

I’m sure many would find this an obvious conclusion – of course someone from a disadvantaged background will gain more from a college education. Indeed, makes sense to me as well. However, the results should also provide some food for thought. The assumption here is that disadvantaged groups such as Hispanics, African Americans, women and other minorities are afforded the same opportunity as advantaged people to attend college. We know this is not the case. Another assumption is that people from disadvantaged backgrounds have the same career support structures and networks that advantaged people do. We know that minorities historically have had to overcome barriers such as the lack of mentors, leader representation, and discrimination to succeed in the workplace.

As someone that came from a disadvantaged background via immigrants from Mexico, I can appreciate the results of the study. Much of my motivation and determination to obtain a college degree was economically driven. I wanted to also fulfill the dreams my parents had for me.  However, my later educational pursuits, especially my masters and doctorate degrees, were driven by most parents’ desire to provide better opportunities for their children.

As illustrated by the latest economic issues facing the United States, we see how economic policy and perspectives are playing an increasing role in public discussions regarding many issues. Educators, business people, and legislators often use economics as a way to explain the impact and effectiveness of a particular policy. However, this economic perspective is often not used when it comes to immigration policy. Immigration is often a topic directed more by fallacy than facts – more by political rhetoric than practical discussions.

Case in point the latest study by the Fiscal Policy Institute which reports that “immigrants are by no means all low-wage workers in the 25 largest metropolitan areas…”  The study conveys that “in many metro areas, there are more higher-skilled immigrants than there are lower-skilled. Surprisingly, these are not the metro areas with the most economic growth; rather, they are areas with low overall immigration, including Pittsburgh, Detroit, and St. Louis.” The New York Times discusses the study as well sharing that “…cities with thriving immigrant populations — with high-earning and lower-wage workers — tended to be those that prospered the most.”

Those informed about the economic impact of immigration would argue that those opposed to increased immigration have an economic self-interest. Ironically, even our political leaders fall short in applying basic economic theory to their analysis and review of current immigration policy.  I understand there are valid arguments in favor of restrictive immigration laws, and I appreciate them, especially those dealing with national security. However, reports like these consistently demonstrate that the so-called negative economic impact of immigration is vague and unproven – and that the benefits of a practical and well developed immigration policy are proven and substantiated.

How much less did women make than men in their first post-MBA job – $4,600. And before you argue it’s related to starting job level or industry - a recent study controls for these factors. In short – the study demonstrates that women are simply paid less than men. Inequality.