Author: w3rtadmin

Three questions every organization should ask about diversity

In May 2014, Google became one of the first technology companies to release a report with its employee diversity figures. This began a trend among fellow tech titans in what has become one of the most talked-about movements in Silicon Valley and beyond. Google’s data about its employee demographics revealed an overwhelmingly nondiverse employee base: the search giant’s statistics showed a gender breakdown of 70% male employees and just 30% female employees, and a workforce that is more than 60% white. Other companies like Apple, Facebook and Twitter followed suit and released their own information. Perhaps not surprisingly, their collective numbers prove the technology industry has a big diversity problem.

Economic diversity, state leadership: A recipe for Georgia’s success

Many older Georgians recall our economic leadership in what were called the “Four Ps” – peanuts, poultry, pine trees and pecans. These were solid building blocks of the Georgia economy decades ago, and we can be proud that Georgia still leads in these areas. Over the years, Georgia became home to worldwide industry-leading businesses like Delta, UPS, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Aflac, Gulfstream, AGCO, Shaw Industries, Mohawk Industries, Newell Rubbermaid, Flowers Industries and many others. Moving into the 21st-century economy, Georgia added highly innovative communities of industry to the state. The state has become a leader in health care information technology, financial technology, information security, video game development, interactive marketing, logistics, communications and television and film production. Among our accomplishments:

Bridging the digital divide means accommodating diversity

It would be easy to think that the notion of a “digital divide” is now outdated. Whose life isn’t digital in some respect these days? As shown in the recent Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) report, Australians’ digital lives, 92% of Australians use the internet across a range of technological devices. This suggests only a small minority of Australians are not using the internet. Perhaps they can’t due to lack of availability or they don’t out of choice. But if we dig a little deeper, the digital divide re-emerges. The 92% of people online includes anyone who has accessed the internet in the past six months, even if just the once. It gives no indication of frequency of use, levels of digital literacy or how active those Australians are online.