In-Depth Race/Ethnicity Study

Changes in racial/ethnic group representation in the United States have contributed to demographic shifts that are transforming the face of high schools and collegiate campuses across the nation. Soon, the number of traditional “minority”high school students will outnumber the traditional “majority”students (i.e., White, non-Hispanic) in most states. These minority young adults will become the new majority population from which institutions of higher education and employment will draw. Understanding the factors that drive decision-making across racial/ethnic minority subgroups is essential to successful human resource and recruiting strategies.

Objective

This project was designed to conduct an in-depth investigation of the White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic segments of the youth market to uncover characteristics and drivers of behavior specific to each. The study was also designed to explore the variation between population subgroups, including a determination of the impact of racial identity’s influence on the attitudes and behaviors of each subgroup.

Approach

Fors Marsh Group conducted background research followed by a qualitative study that included 60 focus groups across four cities. We used the results of those efforts to develop a survey that was administered to a random sample of 48,000 youth. The survey was designed to describe various racial/ethnic youth markets in terms of their experiences, background, and academic/career aspirations, and identify similarities and differences in psychological and environmental factors driving youth decision making.Particular attention was given to the cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral similarities and differences that subgroups exhibit in relation to one another.

Outcome

The results of this ongoing project allow our client to better understand and more effectively communicate with and market to youth population subgroups. We provided an integrated framework for how to approach racial/ethnic diversity broadly and specific recommendations based upon the data that exists on organizations in general, as well as within our client’s specific areas of interest. We also highlight some future directions for human resource practices to sustain racial/ethnic diversity.