Diversity and demographic characteristicsIntroductionDiversity refers to gender, age, language, ethnicity, cultural background, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief, including fact that people are different in other aspects such as educational level, job function, socio-economic background, personality profile, marital status and whether or not you have a family. Diversity and demographic differences can impact individual behavior by creating conflict in the workplace. The success of an organization depends on the workforce of the organization. A workforce made up of diverse individuals with diverse backgrounds can bring the best talent to an organization. There are many types of diversity and demographic characteristics, and each of them has an impact on individual behavior. Differences in ethnicity, gender, age, and personality traits will be discussed along with an examination of the impact each of these has on individual behavior. Ethnicity Today, there are more and more ethnic people joining the United States workforce. Because the United States is considered the land of opportunity, over the past 100 years more and more people from diverse backgrounds have migrated to our country to find work. Now, due to increased globalization and the increasing diversification of businesses, we are seeing even more people of ethnic backgrounds moving to the United States for opportunity. With the increase in education, this is bringing out many individuals, who tend to have a great contribution in organizations which otherwise would not have taken place. These individuals bring a wide range of knowledge from their culture and beliefs. They tend to see things differently and have enabled companies to understand the need… to see ideas and solve problems. When viewed in this way, diversity makes good management sense, making the best use of available resources to achieve the organization's goals and objectives. Reference Understanding Generational Differences Helps You Manage a Multi-Aged Workforce (2001) Retrieved January 20, 2006, from http://www .digitaledge.org/monthly/2001_07/gengap1.html. Why Women Make Better Managers (2004) Retrieved January 20, 2006, from http://www.preseleccion.com/articles/women_managers.htm.Schermerhorn, John R. & Hunt, James G. & Osborn, Richard N. (2005) Chapter 4: Diversity and Individual Differences [Electronic version] Ninth edition. Developing Hiring Standards, The Untapped Wealth of Information inYour Office, Retrieved January 20, 2006, from http://www.hiresuccess.com/establishing-baseline-personality-profiles.htm