Nation In Full Review
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American society is changing people are moving into different parts of the country to find work. The population of the United States of America is getting older as the baby boomers get closer to retirement. There is also the very hot topic of immigration into the United States that has the potential to change the American demographic. American business will have to adapt to these changes in order to remain viable for the future.
In America there is a shift from the Northeast and Midwest
to the South and West. “Between 1990 and 2000, all five of the fastest-growing
states were out West: Nevada (66 percent), Arizona (40 percent), Colorado (31
percent), Utah (30 percent), and Idaho (29 percent)’’ (Brush, 2006, p. 49) . A lower cost of
living and immigration as well as recreational activities are some of the
reasons for the migration. One of the challenges that arise from the migration
of people is providing housing for all the new arrivals. There is also concern
about attracting solid jobs. The head of Boise, Idaho’s economic development
Jeffrey Jones said “I do have some worries that we’re an economy of people
building houses for people building houses” (Brush, 2006,
p. 50) .
The United States is getting older. By 2030 the median age
for the U.S. is expected to be 39 today it stands at 36.5. One reason for the
increase in the median age is that the baby boomer generation is getting closer
to retirement. As baby boomers grow older they remain active in the community.
They work part-time, start businesses or help out in the community by
volunteering. An opportunity that is being created by aging baby boomers is the
need for more services that appeal to senior citizens. The health care industry
is growing because there will be a need for more medical professionals as the
population ages. There is also the expansion of the financial industry as more
baby boomers get ready to retire they will seek out the advice of financial
planners. As America ages Social Security and Medicare will become strained
requiring changes to the system that could affect many generations of Americans
in the future.
America likes to promote its self as the ‘melting pot’ the
term would imply that Americans are willing to except new groups of immigrants
onto their shores. This however has never been the truth every major group
immigrating into America has been met with fierce opposition. The debate about
the Mexican immigration is no different. In Fort Wayne, Indiana 76% of the residents
think there should be a fence along the Mexican border (Brush, 2006, p. 54) . Mexicans make up the largest number of
immigrants coming into the United States. “In Fort Wayne, nearly 80 percent of
Hispanics are Mexican” (Brush, 2006,
p. 53) .
Immigrants are arriving in large numbers and their effect on American culture
will be interesting to observe.
In business the only thing that is certain is that change
will occur. To be successful in business there must be a strategy to adapt to
the changes for future growth as well as keeping a watchful eye on the present.
The state-to-state migration of the population of the United States presents a
business leader with opportunities that can help the business succeed. As the
population of an area increases elected officials become pressured to find jobs
for the new residents. This creates competition for jobs between local and
state governments which could result in tax benefits to companies that move
into one area over another. As people move businesses will follow their
customers this has the potential benefit of finding a new market for a product
or service that may not have been thought of before. As a population shifts
from one part of the country to another businesses have the added advantage of
finding different backgrounds and skills which help the company become more
diverse which leads to growth. Moving to a state or city with a lower cost of
living and possibly lower taxes can become a huge cost savings for a business.
Business can rest easy knowing that even though many baby
boomers are getting ready to retire they are not ready to exit out of American
society. Baby boomers have been working a long time and have acquired enough
experience to help businesses organize and prepare for the future. The
experience that comes with years of being in the working world is almost
priceless it is something that cannot be taught. The aging baby boomers will
require services that younger generations do not have an immediate need for. Hospitals,
nursing homes and funeral homes are rapidly expanding fields because supply
just cannot keep up with demand. The baby boomers health and eventual passing
are not the only opportunities that are possible with a large number of retired
people. Having fun during retirement is a dream that nearly every person in the
United States thinks about with a large group of retired men and women out in
the public there will be a demand for recreation. The baby boomers will create
many opportunities for American business many of them haven’t even been thought
of yet.
Immigration presents difficult challenges for businesses
due to the heated debate a business must walk a thin line between bring in this
new group of customers and being careful not to harm the relationships with
current ones. Business leaders also must be very aware of the various cultures
and histories of the newly arrived Americans. Attempting to advertise to groups
of immigrants in an attempt to establish a relationship without understanding
their culture could back fire if the advertisement is seen as offensive. New
immigrants many never have seen or heard of a company’s product before and if
that group’s first experience is a bad one it is possible to lose a customer
before ever getting one. A company needs to play it safe when trying to create
a customer relationship with newly arrived people.
Business leaders have to keep up to date on changes within
American society because if they don’t they will quickly find themselves out of
date with no new customers entering their market. Advertisement is a vital part
of any business and to be able to effectively advertise a company must
understand who the potential customer is and try to meet there needs. Understanding
changing demographics is important to all businesses without understanding what
is changing a company can’t prepare for the future.
References
Brush, S. (2006). A Nation in Full. U.S. New &
World Report , 48-56.
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