Defining Diversity in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street

No one seems to disagree that the long-term health of a company depends on having a work force that reflects the marketplace in which companies do business. But solving the challenge of hiring a diverse work force is not as easy as it might seem.

Foremost is the question of how diversity is defined. Is a work force diverse if many ethnicities are represented but everyone is male and under 35? Or if it’s a mix of men and women but a majority hold degrees from Stanford or Harvard? What are companies to do if certain fields, as is often said about engineering, are predominantly male? If it sounds confusing, it is. Diversity often varies by industry. And although the composition of Silicon Valley’s work force has come under scrutiny lately, it is at least trying to change its image.