Advantages of multicultural workforce diversity in global labor markets

Immigration

Advantages of a multicultural society and labor force

Although diversity can present challenges, having a diverse labor force can also convey many advantages to a society. America is a nation of immigrants and every subsequent wave of immigration has added new dimensions to the American culture. An excellent example of this is can be seen amongst the Chinese immigrants who came to the U.S. during the 19th century. "The Chinese performed every type of menial job that was available. They worked in the gold mines, the lumber industry, the fisheries and canneries, and as migrant farm laborers" and opened laundries -- any business that did not require extensive language skills and which racism did not bar them from entering (Asian-Americans, 2007, World History). The building of the railroads that transformed American society would have been impossible without the Chinese. "The Central Pacific Railroad employed about 15,000 Chinese" (Asian-Americans, 2007, World History).

Japanese immigrants to the Western United States and Hawaii likewise worked as menial laborers and many established themselves as farmers. Unfortunately, large segments of the population lost their land and possessions, thanks to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. However, like the Chinese, the immigrants' commitment to hard work and willingness to fulfill tasks more established immigrant groups were unwilling to perform gave Japanese-Americans a foothold in America.

The greatest influx of Korean immigrants came to the United States after the Korean War. Like many Asian-American immigrants before them, owning independent businesses ('Korean markets' are often synonymous with convenience stores in some areas) became a common means of making a living for immigrants with few language skills and a desire to work longer hours than the traditional 9-to-5 jobs. All Asian immigrants confronted prejudice: stereotypes of 'the yellow peril' (suggesting that Asians were more heartless than Caucasians) and even positive stereotypes of being innately better students than whites in a robotic-like fashion were common, much to the frustration of immigrants whose sense of self did not fit into these categories. But even immigrants who were not from Asia faced such prejudices. Greek-Americans typically worked in diners and had independent businesses as a way of living the 'American dream' of capitalist success, although the way race has been constructed in American society did not result in as many barriers for European immigrants as for Asians.