Business Commons^™

People With Disabilities: A New Model Of Productive Labor, Valentini Kalargyrou

Hospitality Management

The nation’s largest minority is people with disabilities, comprising more than 50 million individuals (U.S. Census Bureau 2008), who contribute to the diversity that nurtures new ideas and supports businesses become more competitive in a diverse marketplace. Businesses can improve their competitive edge if they take steps to integrate underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities, into their workforce [Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) 2005]. This untapped pool offers a source of skilled and dedicated employees to counter the effects of the aging and shrinking workforce, especially in the hospitality and tourism industry, which is labor intensive and faces …