The eighth major research question dealt with the future plans for diversity initiatives in corporations. The study participants were requested to describe their future plans for addressing diversity. The researchers developed the following two categories based on the responses from the study participants: (1) future plans for domestic diversity initiatives and (2) future plans for international diversity initiatives. The categories are described below.
The study participants reported on several future plans for diversity initiatives. Five future plans for the implementation of diversity initiatives were classified under the category of domestic initiatives. This category has the largest number of future plans and also some of the most frequently mentioned by the study participants. Table 38 provides a list of the future plans for domestic diversity initiatives. The most frequently mentioned future plans under this category were the continuation of the current domestic diversity initiatives, more effective evaluation of their diversity initiatives, and further recognition for their work on diversity.
| Future Plans | f | % |
| 1. Continue addressing current domestic diversity | 8 | 100 |
| 2. Plan to evaluate their diversity initiatives more effectively | 6 | 75 |
| 3. Plan to get further recognition for their work on diversity | 5 | 63 |
| 4. Develop a new diversity plan for the year 2010 | 1 | 13 |
| 5. Plan to change policies interfering with diversity | 1 | 13 |
All of the corporations in the study have plans to continue addressing the same diversity initiatives they currently have in place. This means that they are continuing to work with their initiatives in the areas of leadership and management, education and training, community relations, communication, performance and accountability, work-life balance, and career development and planning. One of the research participants supported this when referring to the upward mobility of women and people of color. He said, "We will continue to increase the number of women and people of color at the vice-president ranks, and we will also continue to increase the numbers at other levels of management." Another participant said,
We will continue to do what we are already doing because we have not fully reached all our goals yet. We would like to obtain a hundred percent achievement for the goals we have already stated. We are not there yet.
The following are some examples given by the participants regarding the domestic initiatives that will continue in the future: aggressive diversity vendor programs are something that we continue in the future; the diversity market focus is something that we are going to continue because we need to better connect with our diverse customers; work-life balance programs are definitely a long-term issue for us, and we will continue them in the future; and we will continue to pursue our diversity initiatives until we get total inclusiveness.
For six of the study participants (75%), more effective evaluation of diversity initiatives was one of their major concerns for the future. The corporations participating in the study were planning more long-term, systematic, fully integrated, and ongoing methods for evaluating diversity initiatives in the future.
Five of the study participants (63%) are planning to obtain further recognition in the future for their work on diversity. The following are notions participants used to illustrate this future plan: we would like to become recognized as the best company in managing diversity; we would like to become the employer of choice; and we would like to be recognized for our progress in effectively addressing diversity. According to the participants, becoming externally recognized for their work in diversity brings many advantages to corporations. One of the study participants put it this way:
If we are perceived as a company with best practices in diversity, we are going to be able to attract and retain outstanding people from diverse backgrounds that we need to be successful. This is the only way we are going to be able to meet our company's future goals.
Developing a new diversity plan for the year 2010 and planning to change policies that interfere with diversity were identified only once each as future plans. One company is looking at future trends and challenges related to diversity and is developing a strategic diversity plan for the year 2010. Another company is planning to change all the corporate policies that interfere with the planning, development, and implementation of diversity initiatives. People in the diversity department are working so that there will not be any policies that may interfere with the achievement of the company's diversity goals.
The study participants reported four future plans for international diversity initiatives. Table 39 presents all the future plans for international diversity initiatives that were cited by the study participants. The most frequently mentioned future plans in this category were continue the current international diversity initiatives and expand diversity initiatives to other countries.
| Future Plans | f | % |
| 1. Continue their current international diversity initiatives | 4 | 50 |
| 2. Expand their diversity initiatives to other countries | 3 | 38 |
| 3. Start implementing international diversity initiatives | 2 | 25 |
| 4. Develop a well-structured diversity plan for international initiatives | 2 | 25 |
Half of the corporations in the study have plans to continue developing their current international diversity initiatives more aggressively in the future. The international diversity initiatives these four corporations are interested in continuing more aggressively are marketing plans for international diverse customers; worldwide diversity conferences; education and training programs; international recruiting programs; increased numbers of women in international leadership positions; international consultants; international community involvement; employee temporary exchange program; international career planning; and multicultural work teams.
Three of the corporations (38%) have future plans to expand their diversity initiatives to other countries. One study participant said, "We are going to include six more countries in our diversity perspectives." Another participant stated,
We will continue trying to achieve the objective of global diversity to ensure that we can get the best people to do our work wherever we are in the world. For example, we plan to develop partnership with the best universities throughout the world.
Two of the corporations (25%) are planning to start implementing international diversity initiatives. These corporations have not yet been able to implement diversity initiatives in other places besides the United States. One of the companies is working with a consultant specializing in international diversity initiatives to develop an international diversity plan. Another company is planning to conduct a needs assessment to develop a plan for international diversity initiatives. One of the study participants stated that they were going to "conduct an organizational assessment survey in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to determine their diversity needs."
In total, the study participants reported nine different future plans for their diversity initiatives. Table 40 lists the total number of future plans that were cited by the study participants. Some of the future plans most frequently mentioned were continue addressing current domestic diversity; plan to more effectively evaluate diversity initiatives; plan to get further recognition for work on diversity; and continue current international diversity initiatives. These future plans were already discussed in the previous sections.
| Future Plans | f | % |
| 1. Continue addressing current domestic diversity | 8 | 100 |
| 2. Plan to evaluate diversity initiatives more effectively | 6 | 75 |
| 3. Plan to get further recognition for work on diversity | 5 | 63 |
| 4. Continue current international diversity initiatives | 4 | 40 |
| 5. Expand their diversity initiatives to other countries | 3 | 38 |
| 6. Start implementing international diversity initiatives | 2 | 25 |
| 7. Develop a well-structured diversity plan for international initiatives | 2 | 25 |
| 8. Develop a new diversity plan for the year 2010 | 1 | 13 |
| 9. Plan to change policies interfering with diversity | 1 | 13 |