Final answer:
Diversity between groups of people is influenced by a combination of social, political, economic, and cultural factors, as well as historical conflicts and genetic diversity that are reconceptualized through a social lens. Engagement and diversity training in global workplaces play a role in reducing prejudice and improving understanding among people from different backgrounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Diversity between groups of people arises from a complex interplay of social, political, economic, and cultural factors. Socially, inequalities can stem from systemic disparities in education, access to resources, and varying degrees of social capital. Politically, policies and laws can create or entrench divides, affecting everything from voting rights to immigration. Economically, factors such as income distribution, job opportunities, and economic mobility contribute to disparities. Culturally, factors such as ethnicity, religion, language, and traditions can foster a rich tapestry of diverse groups, but can also lead to conflict and inequity when differences are used to divide rather than to enhance understanding. Cultural forces in conflict can be observed historically in regions like Northern Ireland, where political forces have exploited religious differences as a means of social division. In a contemporary setting, the global workplace requires engagement with employees and suppliers from diverse backgrounds, highlighting the need for diversity training to improve teamwork and reduce prejudice, as supported by Pettigrew and Tropp's meta-analysis which found that contact between groups under certain conditions reduces prejudice.
Genetic diversity has also played a role, leading to observable physical differences between populations around the world. However, it is the social construct of race and the importance placed upon these physical differences that have significantly contributed to racial divisions and prejudices. When addressing the increasingly wide gap between different socioeconomic groups, one must consider all these factors together, recognizing their interconnected influences on the diversity between groups of people.