The diversity index : the alarming truth about diversity in corporate America and what can be done about it /

Reed, an investigative journalist, evaluates the level of diversity in American companies by examining the change in numbers of high-level executives in Fortune 100 companies from 1995 to 2009, focusing on gender, race, and ethnicity. The data show improvement, with some organizations doing well, but they also reveal imbalances. The book includes company names and data. Next Reed details the successful strategies followed by some large companies (e.g., General Electric, IBM, Merck) to increase diversity. She also provides societal, governmental, and organizational background from 1961. This information helps the reader understand problems, often forgotten, that employers faced as the US pursued employment diversity objectives during recent decades. Always, leadership from the top was essential for the success of any strategy. Today as organizations work to integrate other groups (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender), some of these strategies may be useful. Reed is concerned because many believe the national diversity objective has been achieved. However, with globalization, firms are hiring employees from many countries, often making their data on ethnic diversity look better. In fact, based on Reed's data, the increase in diversity of employees who are US citizens appears to have ended. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, graduate students, researchers, professionals. F. Reitman emerita, Pace University

In her first book, journalist Reed examines the changing profile of corporate diversity and its bumpy history in America, admitting that diversity has become "yesterday's topic." Though readers hoping for an informative how-to manual will be disappointed, the book's strength is its rich review of diversity programs in corporate America. In particular, Reed praises Merck's early compliance under former CEO Roy Vagelos, while also highlighting an ugly period in 1963 when black college students were repeatedly refused service at Walgreen's lunch counters. Reed supplements these company profiles with studies she conducted in 2005 and 2009 to determine the race and gender of executives from Fortune 100 firms. In 2009, 90% of those corporations employed white women as executive officers, but 40% had no executives of color. While today's firms are more diverse, Reed laments that this is the result of the integration of multinationals, rather than firms promoting U.S.-born minorities. Despite the solutions promised by the title, only 20 pages are dedicated to a "New Plan for Progress," which includes ten steps for more integrated leadership. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.