Are future business professionals ready for multicultural marketing? An empirical investigation

As more companies establish specialist departments and tailor their activities to meet the growing multicultural market, there is a need for multicultural expertise within organisations. Marketing professionals however, are often guilty of using stereotypes and relying on generalisations that not only are inaccurate, but are also likely to turn off the very people a company wants to reach. There is a dearth of knowledge about the multicultural competencies that shape professional choices and behaviours. This paper uses survey data to examine undergraduate students’ ideologies related to multicultural issues. Results suggest business students, more than many other types of student, are less culturally competent. Implications for diversity training and education are considered.